The Woman in White - by Wilkie Collins (Illustrated Walker Books)

This is a story of what a Woman’s patience can endure,
and what a Man’s resolution can achieve.

What a first line! This is actually the reason why I decided to read this book. This captivating first line is one of the most famous in English fiction. But then the rest of the story captivated me as much as the first line did, and more.  I must say I have included The Woman in White in my top 10 books read ever!



The Famous First Line

Published in 1860, the Woman in White is considered to be one of the first mystery novels or detective fiction. It is written by Wilkie Collins in the style of an epistolary novel, where each part of the story is told from the point of view of one of the persons involved in the story until it is completed. This is similar to the style that Collins’ used in The Moonstone, another notable early example of detective fiction.


Laura Fairlie
Illustration by Anatoly Slepkov


The story begins one moonlit night when a young art teacher, Walter Hartright, was walking in the streets of London.  Suddenly he meets a woman dressed all in white, a meeting that would mark the beginning of a web of suspense and intrique.   The next day he is asked to tutor a young lady, Laura Fairlie, in her residence at an English countryside mansion.   He quickly discovers that the two incidents are inevitably linked.

Walter Hartright
Illustration by Anatoly Slepkov

First of all I was captivated by the story itself, at how Collins was able to create and start many elements which can still be found in modern day detective stories, such as the appearance of a “white lady”, marriages where the inheritance of the spouse is the motive, mental facilities, English countryside manors, and long lost relatives, all in one book!

Anne Catherick in the graveyard scene
Illustration by Anatoly Slepkov

Next I admired Collins’ genius in his ability to write as several different persons. I would imagine that writing in an epistolary style would be difficult because you had to show each character to be different in the way they thought or spoke. But Collins managed it beautifully. Each character is clearly unique and different in their way of speaking or thinking. Collins swings this wonderfully and his creativity shines through beautifully.

Marian Halcombe
Illustration by Anatoly Slepkov

I also enjoyed Collins' unique and developed characters - something I always look for in a book.  Firstly, I admired the character of Marian Halcombe.  She is, to me, Collins' model of a superb woman - strong, sensible and wise.   Then Count Fosco is indeed a unique and interesting villain - one who is always pictured with his pet animals on him - a stereotype of a villain that is still used in books and movies today (such as Captain Barbosa and his monkey in The Pirates of the Caribbean, The Royal Vizier and his owl Iago in Disney's Aladdin).  

Count Fosco
Illustration by Anatoly Slepkov

This beautiful edition of The Woman in White is an abridged version by Jan Needle, published by Walker Books, illustrated by Anatoly Slepkov.  I got it at Fully Booked for P779.