In writing The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte was way ahead of her time. It is a book about domestic violence and the struggle of a woman to escape abuse, to become independent, to even possibly support herself and her young son financially. It was written 175 years ago, in a time and culture in which women had no legal rights. And it was an honest attempt by Anne Bronte, sister to Charlotte and Emily, to illuminate the struggle that so many women faced because they were essentially the property of the men they married.

From the publisher:

Gilbert Markham is deeply intrigued by Helen Graham, a beautiful and secretive young woman who has moved into nearby Wildfell Hall with her young son. He is quick to offer Helen his friendship, but when her reclusive behaviour becomes the subject of local gossip and speculation, Gilbert begins to wonder whether his trust in her has been misplaced. It is only when she allows Gilbert to read her diary that the truth is revealed and the shocking details of the disastrous marriage she has left behind emerge. Told with great immediacy, combined with wit and irony, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a powerful depiction of a woman’s fight for domestic independence and creative freedom.

I found this story to be riveting at times and slow in spots. Helen’s husband was completely despicable and his manipulations and verbal abuse of Helen were bad enough, but it was his abuse toward his young son (encouraging the small boy to drink wine, use bad language, and verbally abuse his mother) that finally motivated Helen to take drastic steps to leave him and take her son to safety. There were no means available for women to do that in those days, so it entirely depended on the kindness of others, in this case, her brother.

The character of Helen Graham was very believable, but I didn’t have the same feeling about the character of Gilbert Markham, who was the co-narrator of the story. He seemed shallow and undeveloped as a real character, and especially in the ending of the story. Anne gave her full effort to developing the character of Helen, and I liked what she did with her. There is a very lengthy conversation between Helen and Gilbert about raising a son versus raising a daughter, and, although it’s too long to include here, it is the essence of this story. Click here to read the quote on Goodreads.

This was the first book by Anne Bronte that I’ve read, although I’ve read books by both her sisters. I was very impressed with her, and with the book, although it wasn’t an easy read.

This was the book chosen for my Classics Club spin #32.

…by Valentina Catto

UPDATE:  THE SPIN NUMBER CHOSEN WAS   ,   SO I WILL BE READING THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL, BY ANNE BRONTE!

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It’s time for another Classics Club “Spin”  and I’d really like to participate this time around. I don’t always finish my choices in the time slot allotted, but I always enjoy the challenge.

Here’s how it works:

It’s easy. At your blog, before next Sunday 11th Decmber, 2022, create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain “to be read” on your Classics Club list.

This is your Spin List.

You have to read one of these twenty books by the end of the spin period.

On Sunday 11th, December, we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by the 29th January, 2023.

Here is my list of 20 choices this time:

1. Adams, Douglas:  The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 
2. Agee, James:  A Death in the Family
3. Arkell, Reginald:  Old Herbaceous
4. Austin, Mary Hunter:  The Land of Little Rain
5. Beston, Henry:  The Northern Farm: A Glorious Year on a Small Maine Farm
6. Bronte, Anne:  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
7. Bronte, Charlotte:  The Green Dwarf
8. Buck, Pearl S:  Sons
9. Burnett, Frances Hodgson:  Little Lord Fauntleroy
10. Camus, Albert:  The Stranger
11. Conrad, Pam:  My Daniel
12. Dickens, Charles:  The Chimes
13. Dinesen, Isak:  Winter Tales
14. Dostoyevsky, Fyodor:  White Nights
15. Eliot, George: Adam Bede
16. Irving, Washington:  Old Christmas
17. Proust, Marcel:  Days of Reading
18. Rushdie, Salman:  Luka and the Fire of Life
19. Shakespeare, William:  Hamlet
20. Shute, Nevil:  What Happened to the Corbetts?

This should be a very nice reading challenge to take on during the holidays and into the New Year. I’m so happy to be back to my reading, and to my Classics Club reading again!

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Today, the number was chosen for The Classics Club Spin #28. It was book #12 on my list, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by Mark Twain, so I will be spending the next few days immersed in this story.

I actually have both the print version and the audiobook version. The audiobook is narrated by Nick Offerman, so I know it’s going to be a fun listen!

Happy reading to all who are participating in this fun event!

It’s time for another Classics Club “Spin!”  Here’s how it works:

• Go to your blog.
• Pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club List.
• Post that list, numbered 1-20, on your blog before Sunday, 17th October.
• We’ll announce a number from 1-20.
• Read that book by 12th December, 2021.

Here is my list of 20 books. Check back here on October 17th to see which book I will be reading for this new Spin.

1. Sons, by Pearl S. Buck
2. The Enchantress of Florence, by Salman Rushdie
3. The Little Bulbs, by Elizabeth Lawrence
4. The Black Stallion, by Walter Farley
5. The Stranger, by Albert Camus
6. Home, by Toni Morrison
7. The Sign of the Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle
8. In Morocco, by Edith Wharton
9. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
10. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
11. Summer at Fairacre, by Miss Read

12. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by Mark Twain (click on the title to read my review)

13. The Cossacks, by Leo Tolstoy
14. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor
15. Night, by Ellie Wiesel
16. Barchester Towers, by Anthony Trollope
17. Round the Bend, by Nevil Shute
18. Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki
19. House Made of Dawn, by M. Scott Momaday
20. Malgudi Days, by R.K. Narayan