Faith Compton Mackenzie (1878–1960)

You may wonder why I've read a Victorian Story of Love. The answer: when in Dublin we found a restaurant, L. Mulligan Grocer, which puts their menus in books. Mine was The Crooked Wall. I was intrigued by it, especially the writing of the acknowledgement, so I figured why not read the book. Surprisingly enough, I enjoyed it.

It is the story of Bertha and Judith, two roommates at boarding school who form an inseparable relationship. It is my opinion that Bertha was in love with Judith, but the feeling was not necessarily reciprocated in the same manner. Anyway, while they go their separate ways, they always reunite, until the point when Bertha becomes Judith's personal secretary an moves onto Judith's estate. It is no spoiler to say that they are together through Judith's two marriages.

Written in 1954, the story takes place in the 1880s. Faith Compton Mackenzie, who apparently had an 'interesting' life of her own, created interesting characters, an unusual plot (for my reading habits) and provided a well written story. I'm not sure I loved the ending, but hey, she's entitled to put her own spin on her own novel.

The Crooked Wall: A Victorian Story of Love is a slow read, though, unlike today's romance novels. But it is way more literary than today's romance novels. So if you like literary fiction, give it a try.… (mais)