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The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
By Anne Bronte
(Oxford University Press, USA, Paperback, 9780199207558, May 2008, 441pp.)

The Short of It:

A scandalous novel for its time.

The Rest of It:

Published in 1848, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall tells the story of Helen Graham, a woman whose unfortunate marriage forces her to make some difficult decisions for herself and her son.

This book has a little bit of everything to make a reader happy. There’s the scandalous story of Helen and her husband Author Huntingdon. Probably one of the most self-indulgent men you could ever meet. His love of drink and fine things leads them to financial ruin and Helen has no choice but to leave him, which of course is frowned upon greatly by society at large. She ends up at Wildfell Hall and introduces herself as a widow. She quickly becomes the infatuation of Gilbert, who lives across the way. A new, interesting woman that he can talk to. So unlike the frivolous girls he comes across daily. But when another man enters the picture, Gilbert questions her and in return, is handed her diary which tells her sordid tale.

Most of the story is told through diary entries. At first, I didn’t mind this but it went on for quite a long time and I began to lose interest in the story itself, but the real discussion is the history of the book itself. My book club picked this book for June and there was plenty to say about it. For one, Anne Bronte based many of the characters on people she knew, she wrote it under a pen name and it was originally published in three volumes, and when she passed away, her sister Charlotte refused its republication. It wasn’t until Charlotte’s death that it was published in one volume. Charlotte felt the book was “course” and not fit for publication.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is an important book for many reasons. It deals with some very heavy themes for the time, gender relations, motherhood, alcoholism and abuse in marriage. Even though it was written in 1848, it has a very contemporary feel to it, probably because many of the issues Bronte includes are issues that we still deal with today.

The one criticism we all shared, was that the ending seemed rushed. Perhaps Bronte’s illness forced her to finish the book quickly or perhaps the book in its republication was cut down when made into one volume? What fascinated me the most was the Bronte family. Such talent and yet, so much tragedy. The three sisters all died from consumption and the brother became an alcoholic.

Overall, I am beginning to believe that I am more of a Bronte gal, than an Austen gal. Last year, I began Jane Eyre and have been reading it slowly (and loving it) and I must say The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was a refreshing surprise.

Source: Borrowed
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All Day and a Night
By Alafair Burke
(Harper, Hardcover, 9780062208385, June 2014, 368pp.)

The Short of It:

Steady pacing, a slightly predictable plot but overall an entertaining read.

The Rest of It:

All Day and a Night is part of the Ellie Hatcher detective series. I wasn’t aware of this when I agreed to review the book but it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone, which I was very happy to find out.

This time, Ellie Hatcher and her partner J.J. Rogan, are asked by her District Attorney boyfriend, Max Donovan, to take a look at a long closed murder case. The recent murder of a local psychiatrist and the details surrounding the case lead him and his office to believe that the killer that they have in prison, is the wrong guy and that the real killer is still on the loose. Hatcher and Rogan’s task is to take a fresh look at the case to see if anything was missed in the initial investigation.

There are several problems with this. One of which has to do with the fact that they are being asked to work outside of their jurisdiction and any cop knows that taking a speculative look at another cop’s work, is not going to be taken lightly. Plus, most of the crimes took place in the small town of Utica, where everyone knows everybody else. Getting the info they need could be a challenge. To complicate things further, the attorney hired to prove her client was wrongly accused is Linda Moreland. Known for her aggressive tactics, she takes on attorney Carrie Blank to assist with the case, but Carrie is much too close to the case. Her half-sister Donna Blank was one of the victims and although she wants to find the real killer, she questions herself repeatedly, wondering if she is doing the right thing.

Some have said that All Day a Night was very predictable. It was a little predictable towards the end and maybe a tad far-fetched, but for the most part, it was a classic detective story. Burke gives the reader the clues a little at a time and what I especially liked, is that it wasn’t overrun with red herrings. I never felt as if the author was “yanking my chain” if you know what I mean. I also noticed how smooth the dialogue was. Sometimes, in crime fiction especially, I find the dialogue to be a little stiff. Not the case here.

I’ve not read the other books in the series but my overall experience was a positive one. Did you know that Burke’s written ten books between two different series? Have you read any?

Alafair Burke