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Title: Poor Miss Finch (Oxford World's Classics (Paperback)) by Wilkie Collins, Catherine Peters ISBN: 0-19-283699-4 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 March, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (2 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: A Real Curio from the Author of "The Moonstone"
Comment: Wilkie Collins will be justly remembered as writer responsible for "The Moonstone" and "The Woman in White," both written in the 1860s, but after the golden decade he continued to write pretty good books, and his fame was not to suffer very much even though he never gained the zenith of his reputation he gained by these two masterpieces. "Poor Miss Finch" belongs to such post-"The Moonstone" period of the 1870s when he wrote quaint books -- less mystery but more unusual situations. "Poor Miss Finch" is one of them.
The story goes around the heroine Lucilla Finch, who lost sight because of cataract since childhood, and now she leads an independent life in quiet countryside. In her life joins the narrator Madame Prantolungo, and the identical twins (both very handsome) Oscar and Nugent. She falls in love with Oscar, and he in her, but one secret he can never disclose to her greatly troubles him, because by doing so, he might lose her love. In the meantime, Lucilla is given a chance to restore her sight. Then, Collins goes on; What if, with the amazing twists and turns of the story, Lucilla is led to think that Oscar's twin brother Nugent is Oscar himself?
You say it is a very preposterous development (I remembered David Cronenberg film "Dead Ringers" made in 1988), and that has been the general reception of the book since the publication. But the story keeps a good pace, and if you just suspend your disbelief for a while, you may forget the outrageous situation. After all, it was from the pen of master of suspense. But more important thing is behind the surface of text.
Oxford Classics gives very usuful introduction of Catherine Peters, author of acclaimed biography of Wilkie Collins "The King of Inventors," and she places the book in the historical context to explain several aspects of the book. One of the most intriguing is the fact that Collins researched thoroughly medical records of people who regained their sight after long-time blindness since childhood, and their reaction to the newly-given power of seeing. Lucilla experiences many difficulties in identifying objects she sees, and Collins makes good use of those records. Another aspect of the novel which Peters points out is that Collins uses blindness of "Poor Miss Finch" as a means of criticizing rigid Victorian moral codes. As a blind girl, Lucilla is less restrained in observing the strong sense of "respectability." She is made a little willful, obstinate heroine, but it is clearly intentional. With these things in mind, the book might become more entertaining, and inform you something about Vitorians.
As a literary work, "Poor Miss Finch" never achieves the height of "The Moonstone" and "The Woman in White," so I recommend those two books if you haven't read them yet. However, if you are interested in something very unique, you can try this one.
As Peters says in Introduction, intriguing theme of blindness is recorded in Dr. Oliver Sacks's tale "To See and Not See." This tale can be found in his book "Anthropologist on Mars," and partly became the basis of a film "At First Sight" (1999) starring Val Kilmer and Mira Sorvino. The film is not a masterpiece, but still gives some insight to the topic.
Rating: 3
Summary: A flawed effort...
Comment: Lucilla Finch, the protagonist mentioned in the title of this unusual Collins' novel, is not one of his more endearing heroines. Oft times impetuous and fickle, even in her gentlest moments she's impossibly dull, even with the "affliction" of blindness. This is one of the many flaws in this rare Collins novel. The plot is mercilessly silly and wildly implausible. Collin's characters are mostly cardboard- with the exception of the narrator. Collins is not asking for reader's pity in Lucilla's plight for love in the sighted world, but pity for those who are bound to it's narrowed understanding. Not one of Collins' more accomplished works yet in many ways deeply thought provoking.
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Title: The Dead Secret by Wilkie Collins ISBN: 0486237753 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 February, 1979 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: Blind Love by Wilkie Collins ISBN: 0486251896 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 October, 1986 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: Man and Wife (Oxford World's Classics) by Wilkie Collins, Norman Page ISBN: 019283696X Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 December, 1998 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: No Name (OXFORD WORLD'S CLASSICS) by Wilkie Collins, Virginia Blain ISBN: 019283388X Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 April, 1998 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: The Law and the Lady (Penguin Classics) by Wilkie Collins, David Skilton ISBN: 0140436073 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1999 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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