At the time of her death, Charlotte Bronte left behind an unfinished novel called "Emma Brown." Bronte had only completed two chapters, enough to intrigue scholars and fire imaginations. Clare Boylan took on the task of creating a story out of this fragment.
Bronte's story began in a small girl's school run by three impoverished sisters around the year, 1853. Even in its early stages, the story hinted at a mystery surrounding one of the pupils. As Boylan takes up the tale she employs the mystery of the wealthy young lady to further the plot and keep the reader interested.
The story is really one of three people and how their lives become intertwined. The young girl, Matilda Fitzgibbon, soon reveals herself to be not at all as she is first presented. Suspense is created as we follow Matilda to London and try to unravel her mysterious antecedents. Two residents of the small village of Deerfield also play major roles in the novel. First is Mrs. Chalfont who likewise has an interesting back story, and the other is a Mr. Ellin with an equally alluring tale. Mrs. Chalfont and Mr. Ellin take an interest in Matilda, and each has personal reasons for doing so, both involving unrequited love.
Once the action moves to London, the story moves into the realm of Victorian social evils and the dark business of child trafficking and prostitution. This is where the suspense ramps up. The notorious Newgate Prison plays its part in furthering the plot.
If you enjoy Victorian literature, you will enjoy this book. If you are a Bronte lover, you will also enjoy this well-written and researched tale. Boylan does an outstanding job of creating an authentic Victorian story, however I did not feel it was the voice of Charlotte Bronte who gives her characters an inner voice that more fully reveals their nature. Nevertheless "Emma Brown" deserves to be read as a well-written Victorian novel; it just isn't Bronte's voice. I recommend this book to all who have an interest in social history and Victorian literature.
No comments:
Post a Comment