After The Woman in White, this was my second try with Wilkie Collins. While I became his admirer after my first experience of his writing, in this second book, my interest in his novels only increased further. I have already made a purchase of his classic The Moonstone and soon I am going to start my journey with its characters and plot for having a third-time experience of Collins. What I find most interesting about his novels is the way in which he advances his story. By the time I started and read the first few pages of this book, I had already made my mind to turn its pages till the last. In my opinion, this is the predominant feature that I have found in Collins writing, which makes you force going ahead with the story and probably for the same reason he is placed among the pioneers in the race of top authors as long as detective mysteries are concerned.
The story moves around a secret that was written in a letter and the letter was kept hidden in a place, in the Porthgenna Tower. This letter got eventually discovered after 15 years, by the person whose destiny and existence was entirely dependent on this secret and, also adherent to it, was the redemption, fear, and salvation of another person who enshrouded it there 15 years ago.
The dead secret was hidden in the Myrtle Room, where the dirt of half a century crusted on the glass; walls red and faded, chairs in confusion, tables placed awry; black bookcase with an open door half drooping from its hinges; ceiling darkened by stains and a floor whitened by dust. dust floating upward, pouring downward, rolling smoothly round and round in still atmosphere.
The two main characters are Mr.and Ms. Frankland. I found the idea of the couple very touching where it is said by Mrs. Frankland that she would give her eyes to her husband Mr. Frankland (a blind gentleman) to see the world and would use his advice as he was more intelligent. The character of Uncle Joseph is very well. And there is a person who doesn’t like humankind a bit. Finding the “misanthrope”(an interesting character indeed), for at least once, in his life, in good humor was a good feeling. I read somewhere that Collins maintains a certain sense of dignity with his female characters and I agree on that, he has maintained the same dignity in this novel as well. Though the secret was not “that great a secret” but I liked the way, he plotted those sentiments of two women after the revelation of the secret. The book was a nice read for a Wilkie Collins Fan!
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