It was winter-that is, about the second week in November-and great gusts were rattling at the windows, and wailing and thundering among our tall trees and ivied chimneys-a very dark night, and a very cheerful fire blazing, a pleasant mixture of good round coal and spluttering dry wood, in a genuine old fireplace, in a sombre old room. Black wainscoting glimmered up to the ceiling, in small ebony panels; a cheerful clump of wax candles on the tea-table; many old portraits, some grim and pale, others pretty, and some very ...
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It was winter-that is, about the second week in November-and great gusts were rattling at the windows, and wailing and thundering among our tall trees and ivied chimneys-a very dark night, and a very cheerful fire blazing, a pleasant mixture of good round coal and spluttering dry wood, in a genuine old fireplace, in a sombre old room. Black wainscoting glimmered up to the ceiling, in small ebony panels; a cheerful clump of wax candles on the tea-table; many old portraits, some grim and pale, others pretty, and some very graceful and charming, hanging from the walls. Few pictures, except portraits long and short, were there. On the whole, I think you would have taken the room for our parlour. It was not like our modern notion of a drawing-room. It was a long room too, and every way capacious, but irregularly shaped.
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Add this copy of Uncle Silas to cart. $12.07, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2014 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
Add this copy of Uncle Silas to cart. $34.46, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by CreateSpace Independent Publis.
One of the first gothic romances and very well written.
Suzanne45
Jul 30, 2009
Victorian thriller entertains, informs
"Uncle Silas" was recommended in an airline magazine article by Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Dirda as a "dark masterpiece of Victorian sensation fiction." The plot may be melodramatic compared to today's gritty thrillers, but in addition to being an engrossing read, this 1864 novel allows readers to time-travel back 150 years. The back story focuses on class distinctions and the status of women at the time (generally economically dependent on and subservient to men), the role of money ("haves" v. "have nots"), and the compromises, ploys, and plots necessary to survive in Victorian society. Worth the time.
