tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post5514204854703217319..comments2024-03-25T22:59:30.053+00:00Comments on Desperate Reader: Miss or Mrs - Wilkie Collins Desperate Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-48493175385202385502013-11-11T20:55:19.693+00:002013-11-11T20:55:19.693+00:00I read half of Armadale a few years ago when I was...I read half of Armadale a few years ago when I was quite ill. Not much of it sunk in so I must start from scratch again...Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-86947604261673426012013-11-06T21:34:57.497+00:002013-11-06T21:34:57.497+00:00If you find Natalie's racial background and se...If you find Natalie's racial background and sexuality intruguing then I would second figandthistle and recommend that you read Armadale, as it too features lots of intriguing characters, including one who has a mixed racial background and an intruiging sexuality. Laura Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03741416892397975075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-41828117475332734962013-11-05T21:40:16.519+00:002013-11-05T21:40:16.519+00:00I assume that girls came of age at 21 and that unt...I assume that girls came of age at 21 and that until then would have required their guardians consent to marry. Wilkie Collins trained as a lawyer and often uses bits of law in his plots, he seems especially keen on bits about marriage and legitimacy. I imagine there might well be quite a lot of Victorian lit that looks at this kind of thing.<br /><br />I really enjoy posts that respond to other posts so feel quite flattered! Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-5408681445385092152013-11-05T10:09:58.794+00:002013-11-05T10:09:58.794+00:00'I get the impression that both ages have noth...'I get the impression that both ages have nothing to do with coming of age' - now that is a very interesting point indeed. I did have a quick look at Wikipedia and like so much English law it seems to have evolved on a very ad hoc basis. I wonder if there are other novels which tackle it quite as directly as this one?<br /><br />I hope you don't mind, I used your post as a springboard for one of my own: ( http://gallimaufry.typepad.com/blog/2013/11/the-space-between-us.html)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-41423100573702369582013-11-04T21:24:32.026+00:002013-11-04T21:24:32.026+00:00Wilkie Collins is always entertaining and always w...Wilkie Collins is always entertaining and always worth reading (or so I've found so far...) , this is no exception. Well worth a look!Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-22480512784124403632013-11-04T20:56:32.236+00:002013-11-04T20:56:32.236+00:00It's well worth reading. I would need to do a ...It's well worth reading. I would need to do a bit more research about what the age of consent actually meant in the 1870's. In this case she could be legally married at 15 (though I don't think the marriage is consummated) but it seems that she couldn't be removed from her father's care without his consent until she was 16. It has to be a marriage by banns because a special licence without her father's consent would involve perjury. I get the impression that both ages have nothing to do with coming of age. I find it all fascinating.Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-78655234672468483292013-11-04T20:41:32.051+00:002013-11-04T20:41:32.051+00:00I read The Law and the Lady when I was about 16 (a...I read The Law and the Lady when I was about 16 (a long time ago) I do love a bit of Wilkie and will take Wilkie in Winter as an opportunity to read a few more. Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-23423973116239007242013-11-04T17:58:35.344+00:002013-11-04T17:58:35.344+00:00I read The Law and the Lady earlier in the year an...I read The Law and the Lady earlier in the year and it concerns marriage law as well. My favorite is Armadale and if you haven't read it I highly recommend it. Also, you may be interested in a Wilkie Collins event I'm co-hosting late December - February: http://figandthistle.com/2013/11/01/estella-society-event-wilkie-in-winter/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-69796332686728534432013-11-04T10:44:31.967+00:002013-11-04T10:44:31.967+00:00This sounds really interesting. The age of girls m...This sounds really interesting. The age of girls marrying in Victorian lit has always been something I've struggled to get my head around and most of the time I think it goes completely over my head so I'm sure it will incur some fist shaking to read something that focuses on it so much. Thanks for the review!Elliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362128444319074118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-64384084052990909892013-11-04T08:58:11.007+00:002013-11-04T08:58:11.007+00:00Goodness, I had no idea that the age of consent wa...Goodness, I had no idea that the age of consent was 12 as recently as that (people are always mentioning the Romans marrying 12-year-olds). I am shocked. Fifteen seems very young too, but it's only a year younger than 16, which to me seems ridiculously young to marry too but then I am now OLD and so everyone seems too young to be doing things. It puts a different slant on those childy-women of Dickens'. I'd like to read this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com