I never knew my mother-in-law. She died before I and my husband first met. But there are still some of her possessions in our house, and amongst them, a great stack of paperback books. I have my husband's permission to read whichever ones I wish to, and to release them on afterwards. It feels like I'm getting to finally know her slightly!

This is a very sad story in some requests, and quite uplifting in others. Surrounded by an emotionally abusive father, a foolish and unreliable Aunt, and a charming fortune hunter out for her inheritance; Catherine must make difficult choices in order to make her way through life.

Apparently Henry James started the novel disliking Catherine as a character, but gradually grew more fond as he wrote for longer. That's perhaps why one of the most striking aspects of this short novel is the gradual development of her personality. She is always plain and not very clever, but through emotional hardship she develops wisdom and becomes her own woman so to speak. The ending of the novel can't be described as happy, but it has a certain triumph of which I approve. The more I ponder on it in retrospect, the more I like it.

One thing I find curious is the similarity of Dr Sloper and Aunt Lavinia in many respects to Mr and Mrs Bennet in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Catherine Sloper isn't Mary Bennet, but has echoes of her. I could absolutely imagine another version of this novel in which Catherine has a talented and vivacious elder sister like Lizzy Bennet who Dr Sloper prefers!

Taken to the meetup.

If you are new to bookcrossing - welcome and congratulations for finding a book! Please leave a journal entry to let me and any other readers know where it has gone and what you thought of it.

Picked up at the Edinburgh meet up. I think I have spotted it on another Bookcrosser’s wishlist.

A bonus HGG present for Kirstykat as I spotted it was on her wishlist.

A fantastic surprise in this morning's post.
Thank you very much, Poodlesister - I am impressed by your memory!