Trollope and Wilkie Collins

[kimindex]

Anyone a fan of Trollope or Wilkie Collins other novels (ie not Woman in White or Moonstone)? :)

[BrumB]

Can't stand Trollope but like Wilkie Collins - try Armadale. Ages since I read it but remember being a rather grim but interesting story about the developing independence of women and the unfairness of the marriage/property laws.

[Claire]

I'm sort of the other way round. I've never read any Wilkie Collins, and don't even really know what type of books they are. (But I'm keen to learn, so do describe them...)

But I've really enjoyed the Trollope that I've read. I think I've read about 4 of the Barchester Chronicles. I found them really funny. This may seem bizarre, but does anyone else think he writes quite like Jane Austen!? His dry humour as he comments his characters and gently makes fun of their social ambitions reminded me of her, somehow. I rather liked the insight into the church hierarchy of the time too, (some things don't change :rolleyes: )

I've not read any of his non-Barchester books - but I loved the recent tv serial, "He Knew He Was Right", so I'm tempted to branch out and see what else he wrote. Anyone got any recommendations on where to start?

[BrumB]

I think that's why I don't like Trollope because he is sort of like Jane Austen but not quite. Also I'm not keen on that genre - which doesn't mean they are bad - just that I don't like them. Wilkie Collins is different - the Moonstone was supposedly the first detective novel. He is a complicated writer and often falls short of e xpectations but he keeps the pages turning and he has a real interest in women's changing roles in Victorian society. He had an extremely interesting personal life! Two families at the same time.

[Claire]

One family is time-consuming and stressful enough.....why on earth would he want two??

Also I'm not keen on that genre - which doesn't mean they are bad - just that I don't like them.

What genre would you say Trollope was? I was intrigued by that bit of your post....I don't think I have a category that he would obviously fit into.

[Kate Allan]

About four or five years ago I was browsing the stacks of classic fiction and wondering why I seem to have at least tried all the other Victorian novelists but not Trollope and so picked up The Warden. I quite liked it, enough to read the next one - Barchester Towers. After that I was hooked and decided I'd read the lot. I think I now have, all his novels at any rate.

Took a couple of years but I just adore Trollope's depth of characterisation and gentle satire. I'm going to certainly re-read at some point the Barchester (loved Dr Thorne and The Small House at Allington) and Palliser series (loved all of them, especially Can You Forgive Her, Phinneas Finn, and the Eustace Diamonds).

Other favourites I'd like to re-read include He Knew He Was Right and The Way We Live Now, and The Struggles of Brown, Jones and Robinson, which was curiously interesting.

[BrumB]

To answer Claire's questions I'd say Trollope was a pretty good Victorian novelist writing about small communities. I prefer more dramatic writers like George Eliot, Charles Dickens and the fascinating Wilkie Collins. But that's just my temperament. I don't think there should be a particular benchmark unless you are reading English Literature at Uni!

As for his Collins' private life - this seems to be as mysterious as some of his books. When he died in 1889 he surprised everyone when he divided his estate equally between Caroline Graves and March Rudd. Martha was the mother of his three children. There is a biography called The Secret Life of Wilkie Collins by William M Clarke (who is married to Wilkie Collins's great grand-daughter). It has to be said that the books are actually more fun than the biography!

Also bear in mind that Dickens and George Eliot (Marianne Evans) also had lovers. Don't know about Trollope!

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

I've never read any Trollope, they just don't look like my thing. I've only read The Woman in White by Collins, which was great. What else should i look out for?

[winterwren]

I have only read The Moonstone and The Woman in White. Of the two, The Moonstone is my favorite. Although I also enjoyed The Woman in White. They are both mysteries. Mr. Collins is known as the "Father of the Detective Novel". He was a friend on Charles Dickens. I believe that their children actually married one another. Both of these novels and the other Collin's novels started out as serials in Mr. Dickens weekly periodicals, if I remember correctly. Both books are really good for book discussions. The charcters are colorful and interesting. The events are plentiful and the books are filled with "atmosphere". They really are classics and I have read both of them more than once.

Hopefully, I will read some of his others eventually. I do have Armadale on my shelves to be read. Too many books, not enough time!

[Darkstar]

Like winterwren I've only read The Moonstone and the Woman in White. I remember quite enjoying them, but I've never been tempted to read any of his others so far. *makes note of Armadale* I've read the first couple of the Barchester books, and enjoyed them. I made a start on Framley Parsonage last year, but never got very far with it. Must try harder. :(