The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

I think that I have a new favourite Brontë novel! I really enjoyed the story of the mysterious new tenant of the rundown hall, wearing widow’s weeds and accompanied only by her young son and her maid. She becomes an object of fascination for Gilbert Markham, a local farmer and an object of neighbourhood gossip due to her apparent closeness to her landlord.

Although a fairly long book this has an easy feel, both in terms of the language which was not ornate or strained, and in the way the story develops - the nested “frame narratives” is a clever structure and works well.

I don’t think that the big reveal was all that much of a surprise, and I don’t think it was meant to be, but we all saw Gilbert’s anguish both before and after the background came to light.

I like Gilbert he is real human, with flaws and desires. He’s moody, and hot-headed, duffing up Mr Lawrence, but ultimately honourable and tries to do the right thing by turning away.

Helen is entirely a “good” (almost saintly person, certainly having the patience of one) and the rest of the cast are well drawn in both the two milieus (county gentry, rowdy boys) and the themes and incidents from Helen’s marriage have a relevance and resonance today, showing gaslighting years before the term was invented.

A great novel - not as witty or biting as an Austen but moving, exciting and still very important today.