Image Source: Amazon
Author: Wilkie Collins
Name of the book: The Moonstone
Language: English
Genre: Mystery, Epistolary Novel
About the Author
William Wilkie Collins was an English
novelist and playwright knew for The Woman in White and for The Moonstone,
which has been posited as the first modern English detective novel.
Book Review
The Moonstone (1868) by Wilkie Collins is a
19th-century British epistolary novel. It is an early example of the
modern detective novel and established many of the ground rules of the modern
genre. The story was serialized in Charles Dickens’s magazine All the Year
Round. Collins adapted The Moonstone for the stage in 1877.
The Moonstone has to be one of my all-time favorite books. I love how the characters all now know who stole the diamond as they’re writing their narratives but have been forbidding from setting it out.
It
results in the sort of bickering amongst themselves as they criticize decisions
that have already been made and indignantly rant about accusations levied at
the time. It’s so petty and clever and perfectly done. I love (and sympathize
with) Miss Clack’s petty hatred of Rachel Verinder especially.
It’s funny and an absolute joy to read.
Reading Wilkie Collins’ biography alongside this book has provided a slight
insight into certain matters. Druscilla Clack, for example, highlights Mr.
Collins’ distaste for the religion into which his parents tried to force him
and the strong female characters throughout the novel confirm (as the biography
alleges) that he was quite sympathetic towards women in general. Unlike Mr.
Betteredge, clearly.
The Moonstone isn’t all fun and games, however. It’s quite dark in parts – a cursed diamond is stolen, sinister ‘Hindoo’ men are lurking about, massive debts are entered and hearts are broken. It’s lauded as being one of the first modern detective novels (it preceded Sherlock Holmes by 19 years) and I can see why.
There’s an all-seeing detective who is never taken seriously, a locked room mystery, and witness
accounts almost always hold something back. For all that, though, it has dated
well and I still couldn’t figure out who did until the very end.
Speaking of timelessness, the thing that
impressed me the most about this book was the ending. For a novel about a
precious jewel that was stolen from an Indian tribe, the ending is very
respectful towards different cultures. It was something that I expected to jar
with me throughout my reading, but it was a very pleasant surprise. Very ahead
of its time.
I can’t explain how much I adore this book
and it has to be on my Top Ten Favourite books ever. The characters are
delightful (even if you wouldn’t exactly want to have dinner with them), the
mystery is riveting and the writing is hilarious.
If
you have not read The Moonstone then that should be your first book.
Image Source: Wikipedia
The film, Radio, and Television Adaptations
In 1934 the book was made into a critically
acclaimed American film, The Moonstone by Monogram Pictures Corporation.
Adapted to the screen by Adele S. Buffington, the film was directed by Reginald
Barker and starred David Manners, Charles Irwin, and Phyllis Barry.
On 11 March 1945 “The Moonstone” was
episode number 67 of the U.S. radio series The Weird Circle. On 15 April 1947,
an adaptation of “The Moonstone” was episode #47 of the NBC radio series
Favorite Story hosted by Ronald Colman. On 16 November and 23 November 1953
“The Moonstone”, starring Peter Lawford, was broadcast in a two-part episode of
the U.S. radio drama “Suspense”.
In 1959 the BBC adapted the novel as a
television serial starring James Hayter. In 1972 the serial was remade,
featuring Robin Ellis. This second version was aired in the United States on
PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre.
In 1974 a German version, Der Monddiamant,
was shown.
In November 1977, Marvel Comics released a
comic-book adaption of the book in issue #23 of the “Marvel Classics Comics”
series.
In 1996 The Moonstone was made for
television by the BBC and Carlton Television in partnership with WGBH of
Boston, Massachusetts, airing again on Masterpiece Theatre. It starred Greg
Wise as Franklin Blake and Keeley Hawes as Rachel Verinder.
In 2011 BBC Radio 4 serialized the story in
four hour-long episodes in the Classic Serial slot with Eleanor Bron as Lady
Verinder, Paul Rhys as Franklin Blake, Jasmine Hyde as Rachel Verinder, and
Kenneth Cranham as Sergeant Cuff.
In 2016 the BBC adapted the novel for a
five-part afternoon TV series The Moonstone starting 31 October 2016.
In December 2018 Screen 14 Pictures adapted
the novel as a serialized literary web series on YouTube, modernized and
adapted for transmedia across multiple platforms, including Twitter and
Instagram.
In April 2020 the novel was read in
serialized fashion by Phoebe Judge of Criminal (podcast) on her Phoebe Reads a
Mystery Podcast.
My Ratings for this book: 4.9/5
Get your copy from Amazon – The Moonstone
Written By – Violet Priscilla S
Edited By - Anamika Malik
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