The Woman in White

Name: The Woman in White
Price: 8.94 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780199535637

✍️ Wilkie Collins

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$8.94

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A scholarly edition of Wilkie Collins's first sensation novel using the original manuscript.

This volume presents a critical examination of Wilkie Collins's work within the context of Victorian fiction. John Sutherland analyzes how Collins constructed his plots and contributed to the genre. The text relies on the original manuscript, ensuring accuracy. Readers gain access to a chronology that maps the complex sequence of events in the story. The edition also features introductions by leading authorities who provide context for the novel's themes. Voluminous notes clarify difficult passages for modern readers. Up-to-date bibliographies offer paths for further study. This approach ensures the text is both accessible and academically rigorous. It stands as a resource for understanding the development of the sensation novel genre.

Key Themes

sensation novel Victorian fiction plot creation

Literary Context

Wilkie Collins published The Woman in White between 1859 and 1860. This work established the first and greatest sensation novel. The Oxford World’s Classics series has provided affordable volumes for over one hundred years. Each volume reflects a commitment to scholarship and accurate texts.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Mary Shelley · Edgar Allan Poe · Arthur Conan Doyle · The Picture of Dorian Gray

🏚️

Gothic

🏛 Oxford University Press 📅 2008 📖 702 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780199535637

📝 Description: The Woman in White

Wilkie Collins wrote The Woman in White as a sensation novel that blends crime, poison, kidnapping, and international intrigue. Walter Hartright enters this vortex after a mysterious midnight encounter with a woman dressed in white. This Oxford World’s Classics edition uses the original manuscript for the first time. John Sutherland examines Collins’s contribution to Victorian fiction and traces his practices as a creator of plot. The volume includes a chronology of the novel's complicated events, expert introductions by leading authorities, and voluminous notes to clarify the text. It also provides up-to-date bibliographies for further study. This book suits readers interested in Victorian literature and historical mystery traditions. It appeals to those who value scholarly accuracy and detailed textual analysis. The edition reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship through its accurate text and valuable features. Readers seeking modern thrillers or fast-paced contemporary plots may find the pacing slow. Those who prefer light entertainment without academic context might also look elsewhere. The text remains a cornerstone of nineteenth-century fiction, offering insight into Collins’s narrative techniques.

💎 Our verdict on The Woman in White

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Wilkie Collins crafts a vortex of crime, poison, and kidnapping in this seminal work. The Oxford World’s Classics edition provides exceptional value by utilizing the original manuscript, ensuring textual accuracy that supports John Sutherland’s critical examination of Collins’s plot construction. The inclusion of a chronology helps navigate the complex sequence of events, while voluminous notes clarify difficult passages for modern audiences. This approach ensures the text is both accessible and academically rigorous. It stands as a vital resource for understanding Victorian fiction’s evolution. While it may not suit readers seeking light entertainment or immediate gratification, its scholarly depth and thematic richness make it an indispensable addition to any serious collection of gothic and historical mystery literature.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This volume is essential for readers deeply interested in Victorian literature and the historical roots of mystery traditions. It appeals to those who value scholarly accuracy and detailed textual analysis over mere entertainment. The edition offers insight into Collins’s narrative techniques, making it a cornerstone for understanding the development of the sensation novel genre. Readers seeking academic rigor will appreciate the critical examination of plot construction and the original manuscript's influence. However, those looking for modern thrillers or fast-paced contemporary plots may find the pacing slow. It is best suited for students and enthusiasts of gothic fiction who desire context rather than casual reading.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Wilkie Collins crafts a vortex of crime, poison, and kidnapping in this seminal work. The Oxford World’s Classics edition provides exceptional value by utilizing the original manuscript, ensuring textual accuracy that supports John Sutherland’s critical examination of Collins’s plot construction. The inclusion of a chronology helps navigate the complex sequence of events, while voluminous notes clarify difficult passages for modern audiences. This approach ensures the text is both accessible and academically rigorous. It stands as a vital resource for understanding Victorian fiction’s evolution. While it may not suit readers seeking light entertainment or immediate gratification, its scholarly depth and thematic richness make it an indispensable addition to any serious collection of gothic and historical mystery literature.