After reading smut that was Fifty Shades of Grey series, I decided to gain some brain cells back or at least some of my vocabulary but heading back to my 1001 Books list and picked up The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. This was the group read for January on the Goodreads website (as you can see I am wayyyyy behind). Now, I am not crazy about the Bronte sisters. I did read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and I did not really care for either. Therefore, I was not too happy that the group chose Anne Bronte because I really did not feel like suffering through another book. However, I was pleasantly surprised so let's delve into this, shall we?
Thankfully, Anne Bronte delivered (but let's be honest, the bar wasn't set very high, but this book was good to be fair). One thing that really grinds my gears about women back in the 18th/19th centuries is that they are too proper and respectful to such disrespectful men. I find myself shaking my fist and wishing that these ladies would say "fuck off" to such dastardly men. However, I must remind myself that women put up with everything as they were expected to, but I wish they would take a baseball bat to these men's heads. I would definitely cheer them on.
I seem to find myself on tangents, so I apologize let us return to the novel: This book is about Mrs. Huntingdon, code name Mrs. Graham who has taken up residence in a run down manor called Wildfell Hall. In the village that she has moved it, much mystery surrounds her appearance and as any good neighbors would do, they gossip about her and spread vicious rumors. I mean, that seems like the right thing to do, right? Let's make up sensational stories! Mrs. Graham (as she is first introduced), seems aloof and cold, and has no interests in making serious friends with the neighbors (prior to the rumours). However, there is one neighbor, Gilbert, who lives on the farm next door, who is intrigued by her and slowly but surely (even though she tries to scare him away), falls in love with her in the couple of months that she lives in their village. No matter what Mrs. Graham does to push Gilbert away, he finds himself more attracted to her and she to him. At one point in the novel, Mrs. Graham gives Gilbert her diary so that he will know more about her history and who she really is. This comes about because the rumours regarding Mrs. Graham have become more and more vicious, to the point where Gilbert almost kills somebody (by using a whip on them no less). I do not want to go into too much detail but while Gilbert reads Mrs. Graham, aka Mrs. Huntingdon, he finds out that she has escaped a awful marriage (which is why she tries to Gilbert off) where her husband openly cheats on her and makes her life miserable. The diary account drags on a little but if you get past that the ending is really nice.
In Anne Bronte's novel, there are a lot of religious undertones and outright preaching of the scriptures regarding marriage, conduct, infidelity and divorce. Apparently, the Bronte sisters were quite religious. I did get tired out by the scripture spouting but that is a sign of the times. It's not the novel was preachy, but the scripture verses were used to justify conduct in that period or how women should behave. I wish in that time period that the women said what was on their minds, even when they women are amongst themselves. They are too damn proper! But I enjoyed the novel even when I was frustrated so I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars and definitely the best of all the Bronte books I have read.
I am currently reading two novels: The Life and Times of Nicholas Nickelby by Charles Dickens and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, both of which appear on the 1001 list. I will review which ever one I finish first (probably Jane Austen). Until next time, happy readings!
