I loved Lady Audley's Secret, Mary Elizabeth Braddon's first 'sensation' novel; it's what prompted me to buy Aurora Floyd in the first place. And that book has been languishing on my shelf ever since. I'm not sure why I've put off reading it for so long, but I thought I'd better tackle it first this year before I put it off again. (As a bookish bonus, it also fills the 'Classic with a Person's Name in the Title' category in this year's Back to the Classics Challenge.)
About the book:
Aurora Floyd is an impetuous dark-eyed beauty "who lives quickly". She's passionate and thoughtless, but not cruel or unkind; she's petted and spoiled, but she also has a generous and warm-hearted side. Everyone seems to love her even though she's not as concerned with society's conventions as she should be. "But then, if she had been faultless, she could not have been the heroine of this story." What's her greatest fault of all? Aurora Floyd has a secret: a youthful indiscretion that overshadows her relationship with her devoted father as well as with the two men who desire to marry her.
"But why did you run away from the Rue St Dominique? And where were you between the month of June in the year fifty-six and last September?"
"I cannot tell you, Talbot Bulstrode. This is my secret, which I cannot tell you."
"You cannot tell me! There is upwards of a year missing from your life; and you cannot tell me, your betrothed husband, what you did with that year?"
"I cannot."
"Then, Aurora Floyd, you can never be my wife."She loses the first man who loves her; marries the second who adores her. And still her terrible secret darkens her otherwise happy life. Like a gathering storm, trouble comes in the form of blackmail, two new enemies, and the inopportune arrival of James Conyers, a very unwelcome old acquaintance. There's even a murder. What's a girl like Aurora to do?
I liked this novel, although through the first half of it I felt that I was always seeing Aurora through the subjective gaze of other characters, never through her own, which made it a little hard to like or dislike her, or even feel sorry for her. I liked her much better by the end. She's a pretty gutsy character, especially for the time period. (Aurora Floyd was published in 1863.) Braddon's writing is quite readable, but I found the pacing a bit uneven. At times this 459 page novel really drags (especially in the first 100 pages), but then you turn the page and suddenly find yourself speeding along. While I do think that Lady Audley's Secret is the better novel, I really enjoyed reading this one. Aurora is a one-of-a-kind character who somehow manages to obtain a happy ending to her story. I'm glad to have met her. Sometimes complicated characters are the best kind.
Happy Reading!
I did the same thing, and I have had this one languishing for years too! Maybe I'll get to it this year. Doesn't it feel good to cross one off the TBR list?!
ReplyDeleteIt feels great! Finally...no more guilt over this book I bought years ago and still have never read. Now if I can just manage to read and cross off a few more books on my TBR list before I buy any more I'll be doing good. :)
DeleteThanks for linking your review to the Back to the Classics Challenge! I have this on the TBR shelves as well and I hope to read it for one of the categories -- might use it as a forgotten classic or book by a woman author. I loved Lady Audley's Secret so I really want to read this one.
ReplyDeleteIt was good; I liked it. Great choices of categories this year, too! Thanks for hosting the Back to the Classics Challenge again. I'm really having fun with it.
DeleteThis does sound interesting. Aurora sounds a bit like Emma since she is thoughtless but not unkind.
ReplyDeleteYou are getting off to a great start for reading in 2015!
There were a lot of things about Aurora that did remind me of Emma: she's an heiress and she's devoted to her father, and she doesn't always make the best decisions; Austen is a bit easier to read, though. :)
DeleteGood for you to tackle a book that has been languishing on your shelves! I have started a couple from my shelves, but it has been slow progress. Reading about your success on this rather long novel gives me hope that I can complete a couple off my TBR list this month! I think Aurora sounds a bit like Emma, too. Did you think so when you read the book?
ReplyDeleteI totally did. It took me longer to warm up to Aurora however.
DeleteThis looks great - my only problem is I cannot get into either of the Braddon books I own! I've got Lady Audley's Secret and The Doctor's Wife on my TBR pile - I must try them again soon - you've given me hope :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read The Doctor's Wife, but I did really like Lady Audley's Secret. It reads more like a mystery than this book does; and Braddon's writing style is pretty readable once you get going. Good luck with your TBR books this year!
DeleteI've seen this novel referred to in other novels so many times! I'm glad you liked it. Maybe I'll look for a copy.
ReplyDeleteThere are some slow parts, especially at the beginning, but if you don't mind those this is a good book. And Aurora really grew on me the more I read.
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