Ermalermadingdong. Anyway. The Moonstone. Obviously I'm intensely excited to read this, because first of all The Woman in White readalong happened and it was GLORIOUS, and then I read Armadale because I'd had it for ages (or two years. Which is relatively not that long) and because I needed more Wilkie, and that was also stellar, even if reading it without everyone was kind of really sad, and also I could really have used four posts to talk about it. But who's going to want that without a readalong? No one, that's who!
So, now we've come to The Moonstone. At last! I feel like there was a point where I was meant to read this at school (or maybe just the play version? I really don't know) and then we never ended up doing it, or I could be thinking of An Inspector Calls which I have also never read, and now they're both mixed up in my brain even though I haven't read either of them. Which is really weird. Actually reading The Moonstone is sure to sort out this little problem though, so... That's good!
*Mandatory research section* So apparently The Moonstone mentions the Siege of Seringapatam (fun fact- I just spelt Siege wrong, but Seringapatam right. Go figure.) on its first page, and indeed Wikipedia tells me that the novel starts with the looting of jewels from said siege- obviously the 1799 one, not the 1792 one *looks accusingly at anyone who thought otherwise*. This said siege? Well, I can't even be bothered to read the entire Wikipedia article about it, but as far as I can tell it was part of some kind of British attack on India in order to keep the Empire in line and whatnot, so it sounds like it kind of SUCKED. And that, if there's a curse on the moonstone like I believe there is (I believe that's the whole point) then, you know, anyone who doesn't think it's well deserved? No, me neither.
SO- excited doesn't even cover it! And I can officially start reading it today! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
I read this book years ago (when I had my own personal Wilkie-athon!) I loved it and I share your excited anticipation and look forward to your 'in progress' posts.
ReplyDeleteA Wilkie-athon sounds amaaaazing! I mean, that's sort of what I've been doing this year, I guess, but still! I haven't called it that! (yet...) I've literally only had people saying that they loved it, so I'm really excited!
DeleteI read this earlier in the year, you are in for such a treat! Can't wait to see all of the posts :)
ReplyDelete*claps hands like a child* I'm so excited! I may be *too* excited... Like there's any such thing when it comes to Wilkie!!
Delete*first person to comment who hasn't read it yet*
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS GOING TO BE SO GREAT
I'm slowly becoming convinced that Wilkie was the best author of the 19th century and is SHAMEFULLY IGNORED. Let us revive his legacy. REVIVE.
I am ALREADY convinced of this (apart from Austen...). Especially because I have a... thing about Dickens. I feel like he might be slightly ignored because he wrote mysteries, and everyone was just like 'oh. Sensationalist, obviously' when actually it's really CLEVER and AWESOME, and soooort of feminist, in a Victorian way, obvs.
DeleteWILKIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!
I believe you are right, Alice! His brilliance shines from his giant forehead to light our path.
DeleteSiege of Seringapatam - had to wiki that one because I was like "Seringawhatsit?" Looking forward to your thoughts next week :)
ReplyDeleteWell, quite! But now we all know (sort of...) and I know I feel better! I am also looking forward to your thoughts! :)
DeleteTHE EXCITEMENT! It is palpable.
ReplyDeleteDo you think there will be another awesome Marian-esque character? Maybe not as wonderful as her (how could anyone match her?) but along those lines.
ONE CAN ONLY HOPE
DeleteYay Wilkie! Booo Britain being a bully in the 1700s! Yay giant foreheads!
ReplyDeleteI also kind of like that he was BFF's with Dickens... not that I have a solid opinion of Dickens yet cause I'm STILL reading Great Expectations, it's just cool to imagine those two hanging out and writing stuff that would become classics.
YAY AND BOO INDEED! Ahh, Wilkie...
DeleteI am partially terrified of and partially in hatred of Dickens (from, you know, stuff I've heard) BUT I do sort of agree with the hanging out and writing and stuff being cool, cause they easily could have just had nothing to do with each other but actually they were besties. I wonder if like they sort of rubbed off on each other a bit and made each other better, or if they kind of became friends ONCE they were already awesome writers (well, Wilkie was anyway mwahaha)
I have the BEST friends, because now I know things about this Siege of the Stringed Spaghetti without having to actually look it up myself. But now that I've read a little bit about it, I'm intrigued and must know more! That's a good trick, you. Clever girl.
ReplyDeleteYOU CAN NEVER WATCH TOO MUCH OLYMPICS. NEVER. Except you might have watched too much gymnastics if people over 5 feet tall start looking like GIANTS to you.
Ummmmm, you didn't do your homework! Naughty Megs. And yeah, my half-hearted attempt to explain it having very VERY briefly skimmed the wikipedia article definitely aimed to make you WANT MORE, so nice work, me!
DeleteI have had too much Olympics already! I am Olympically burnt out! It's weird with the gymnastics cause the asian girls are teeny whereas the like British and American girls seem more powerful, and it's the same with the dudes! It's really odd that they can all do the same things really!
I was noticing yesterday that pretty much every other country has tiny, delicate gymnasts and we have these TANKS. The U.S. women are solid, with large necks. I haven't seen much of the British team because NBC doesn't like to show us the non-Americans really ever.
DeleteI can't wait to get started. Wilkie Collins rocks.
ReplyDeleteI knooow, so excited!! :)
DeleteI am so, so excited for this! Also, I'm learning so much about sieges from these posts. I kind of neglected the whole research part in my intro post... besides, you know, researching how to find Xena GIFs. So there's that...
ReplyDeleteWilkie, I am prepared for more GENIUS.
You had to research to find Xena gifs? Cause, like, that's what google is for dude! I am so excited that I fear I might actually forget to read the book, which actually happened a few time with WiW- I'd be all excited about reading it, and then I'd get to Saturday and be like 'shit, I haven't actually read it...' Talk about FAIL!
DeleteThis readalong IS the Wilkie Olympics! Quite so; well noted, you. Gold goes to ... our favourite narrator?
ReplyDeleteGold should indeed go to our favourite narrator! I'm giving gold to Mr Fairlie because there's clearly no one in The Moonstone who will be able to beat his AMAZINGNESS
DeleteMr. Fairlie for the gold, with Betteredge a close silver. I'm loving his brand of self-deprecation.
DeleteYes to all of these things.
DeleteI just joined in, this will be my first read by Wilkie so i'm in for a treat for sure. Look forward to discussions with everyone.
ReplyDeleteAh, welcome! Oooh, I hope it's a good one so you have a lifelong Wilkie love like those of us who read The Woman in White :D
DeleteOh God, I fear we are all slowly becoming Wilkie junkies. Perhaps that's the reason he is so widely ignored? Out of fear of becoming SERIOUSLY ADDICTED to his books?
ReplyDeleteProblem is that I was in my "Oh Amazon is so bad and destroys all the independent little bookshops!"-mood and decided to order my copy from one of said poor independent bookshops. That was two weeks ago and I still didn't get the goddamned book.
Clearly independent bookshops have no right to live.