Book Review: The Moonstone (Der Mondiamant) by Wilkie Collins

Introduction

I first read this book back in 1998. I happened to be at the library of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, looking for a novel in my mother tongue. It was one of the few things on offer and I picked it up, not initially expecting much. I've always enjoyed English literature, but you do have to be in the right frame of mind to tackle it - as language can change quite substantially over the course of a century or two.

However, if you can get past the dated prose, there is a real "gem" to be discovered. I, for one, absolutely loved it and (if you'll forgive a second pun) it remains a mystery to me as to why Collins's work is not more widely known today. During his lifetime, he produced a number of 'sensation novels' - the most successful of which was probably "The Woman in White". His work was originally published in installments in "All the Year Round", the magazine founded by Collins's friend and contemporary, Charles Dickens. Apparently, it was such a hit that William Gladstone actually cancelled a theatre engagement because he wanted to find out what happened next!

    

The two Williams

Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone on the left, author William Wilkie Collins on the right

Almost 150 years later, Collins's writing still has the ability to keep readers on tenterhooks. While "The Woman in White" is certainly a great book, "The Moonstone" is far and away my favourite. To me, it simply has everything - tension, mystery, intrigue, romance, tragedy, humour - all wrapped up in a superb plot.

So, what's it about?

The story begins in India during the Siege of Seringapatam. A villainous soldier by the name of John Herncastle takes the opportunity to steal a sacred diamond (the eponymous Moonstone) which is embedded in a statue of a four-armed god.    

Illustration of the Siege of Seringapatam

Fast-forward 50 years and Herncastle decides to bequeath the diamond to his niece Rachel Verinder. The Moonstone is widely believed to carry a curse of sorts and the suggestion is that he intends to cause trouble by leaving it to her. Rachel's cousin, Franklin Blake is entrusted with the task of giving her the Moonstone on her 18th birthday.

Problems start as soon as Franklin spots three mysterious Indians who have been following him - first in London and then, later, at the Verinder country estate. He suspects they are the hereditary guardians of the diamond, who will stop at nothing to get it back.

Rachel's birthday takes place and she is presented with the Moonstone, which she wears to her grand ball. In the evening, she places the diamond in the newly-painted cabinet in her living room......and that very night, it is stolen again! Here the plot really thickens! Who could have done it?

Franklin immediately suspects the three Indians - and promptly has them arrested, although there is zero evidence against them. The investigating detective Sergeant Cuff, on the other hand, believes that the deformed serving girl Rosanna Spearman has something to hide. Meanwhile, Rachel herself suddenly breaks off her burgeoning romance with Franklin in a fit of extreme temper without explanation.

Evaluation

I won't spoil the rest of the story for those who have yet to read it. Suffice to say that the twists and turns will keep the reader guessing until the end. The way in which it is written is also very clever - as it is told from the perspectives of several different characters. Through doing this, Collins really allows the reader to get inside the heads of the various protagonists.

What is also very notable is that he actually manages to adjust the style of his writing in the process. If the book has one flaw it's that in the beginning, this can get a little tedious as the narration of Gabriel Betteredge tends to meander. Betteredge is obviously a loyal and well-meaning servant, but he also comes across as a bit of an "old dodderer". His frequent references to Robinson Crusoe do become tiresome after a while.

Keely Hawes and Rachel Verinder and Peter Vaughan as Gabriel Betteredge in a rather lacklustre BBC adaptation

In contrast, the section narrated by Drusilla Clack is brilliant. For reasons that I won't go into, the Betteredge chapters end on quite a melancholy note. The Clack part serves the purpose of changing the pace and lifting the mood.

She is by no means a likeable character. In fact, she is the epitome of an awful, pious evangelist who spends most of her time trying to convert unwilling people into the Christian faith. Anyone who has ever experienced this first hand will probably sympathise with Mr Ablewhite's hilarious reaction to the "blessed, blessed, blessed words of Miss Jane Ann Stamper"!

Special mention should also be made of the narrative by Rosanna Spearman. I'm not the most sentimental of people, but it actually made me a little weepy. It is indeed the mark of a great writer who can make the reader veer between laughter and tears. Collins really had a talent for making you feel for the characters.

Admittedly, some more than others. Personally, I didn't care too much for Franklin and Rachel or their romance. Perhaps the fact that they're already related is also a bit off-putting, although, in fairness, cousin marriages were very common in the 19th Century - particularly among the upper classes.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, first cousins and spouses

As alluded to above, the real star of "The Moonstone" is, however, the plot. T.S. Eliot described it as "the first, the longest and the best of modern English detective novels", and it has also found fans in Dorothy L. Sayers and J. K. Rowling, who once stated that it is "a cracking read".

The novel is available here, at no charge, on the Project Gutenberg site (which also includes kindle format).

Alas, there doesn't appear to be a free German version online, but Amazon has a number of offers.

My rating: 10/10 (it really is that good!)