This novel strikes me as a "Gothic tale". I really liked the story and the way that it was told. It was mysterious and definitely what I would consider a "page-turner". It got me thinking about split personalities and secret triplets, among other ideas!
Originally, I had a difficult time with Margaret constantly mourning her twin. Since the reader didn't initially have the specifics of Margaret's twin (specifically, her being one of conjoined twins), I couldn't understand why Margaret's life had to come to a grinding halt from childhood because she lost her twin at birth. Unfortunately, many people lose a sibling in life and they are able to keep living normally. I understood it better after we find out that they were conjoined and the twin died so Margaret could live. I did not understand Margaret's mother at any time however! She chose to "not live" for her dead child rather than "live" for the child who lived, not to mention her husband.
Some questions that come out of the book:
Is it better to know everything or not know? I think that in most cases, it's better to know the truth. One thing that was never really known is: who actually died in the fire, Adeline or Emmeline? I think it was Emmeline personally. I think if Emmeline had survived, she would have demanded to see her child - whom she "died" for. Vida Winter seemed to need it to be Emmeline who survived though, for her own mental health I guess, since she loved Emmeline more than Adeline. I think Margaret and Aurelius would have been better served with knowing the truth though. They both spent their lives to date pining for the truth. What a waste.
What does the repeated mentioning of "Jane Eyre" symbolize? (I have never read it, so I really don't know!)
What is the thirteenth tale? Well, the thirteenth tale appears to be Vida Winter's existence! HER story, not the story of Adeline and Emmeline.
What do you make of the doctor's diagnosis of Adeline - the "girl in the mists"? Adeline caused the most confusion in the book for me. I could not figure out how a hateful little girl who tormented her twin and killed people could turn out to be Vida Winter!! That got me thinking about split personalities - and eventually there being a third girl (but I was thinking triplets, with the third girl being hidden for some reason). Nothing made complete sense to me until it was spelled out for me though! No, I didn't even realize who the "little boy" in the garden was until it was spelled out for me either. I was really into the split personality thing until Margaret actually SAW Emmeline/Adeline with the burns on her face!
I actually liked Hester and the impact she made at Angelfield. She was obviously very intelligent. I was afraid that she had been killed, so I was happy to find out differently. I'm not sure what to make of her "experiment" with the doctor when they separated the twins. It seemed like cruel and unusual punishment, although Emmeline got a break from being tormented by Adeline and was able to form a stronger bond with "Vida". That was a plus. Adeline's mental illness wasn't going to serve her well anywhere at anytime.
Wendy's Rating: *****
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