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| View Larger Image | Basil | Paperbackby Wilkie Collins (Author)
| List Price: | $19.95 | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | 1st World Library - Literary Society | | Page Count: | 396 Pages | | Publication Date: | October 01, 2008 | | Sales Rank: | 1,896,576st |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
In Basil's secret and unconsummated marriage to the linen-draper's sexually precocious daughter, and the shocking betrayal, insanity, and death that follow, Collins reveals the bustling, commercial London of the nineteenth century wreaking its vengeance on a still powerful aristocratic world. Contemporary reviewers vehemently disapproved of this explicit treatment of adultery; and even today the passionate and lurid atmosphere he creates still has the power to disturb the reader. This book is intended for general, students and teachers of Victorian fiction, women's studies. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 5 reviews)
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Basil review by N. Thornton (Ogden, UT)  4 Stars
July 25, 2007
I have read quite a few books by Wilkie Collins, and while this one wasn't the best, it was still great. It was written in a different style from his other books, but pulls you right into the story and keeps your interest throughout. Definitely recommended to anyone who is a fan of this genre.
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Love is color blind by J. G. White (Virginia) 4 Stars
July 28, 2005
Basil is a naive sap that any woman wish would fall for her! He completely falls in love with a woman who is only interested in his money but of course, he is blind to that....sounds like a silly romance novel, which I loathe, BUT because it was written in the 1800's, there are descriptive characters, fabulous use of the English language. Collins makes me love mysteries and romance, neither of which type book I read if written in "today's" time. Love every single book of his that I have read, six so far and counting.....
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perhaps the best of Collins's earlier works.. by lazza (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) 4 Stars
February 27, 2001
Wilkie Collins came to fame with 'The Woman in White', followed by a succession of 'suspense' novels which are his trademark. 'Basil' is an earlier yet surprisingly mature work, and it is not a suspense novel. 'Basil' chronicles the life of a young, foolish man who falls in love (literally) at first sight with a young woman. He then discovers, too late, that this 'sweet young thing' is not as she first appeared. The author captures Basil's anguish perfectly. While some people might find the entire story to be a bit contrived, I found the emotional element of writing to greatly outweigh this 'love at first' kitsch.So in conclusion, 'Basil' should have a wider appeal beyond the Wilkie Collins fan club. Folks who love mid-Victorian writing will find much to enjoy with 'Basil'.
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Basil's Betrayal  5 Stars
October 27, 2000
After reading The Woman in White, A Rogue's Life, and attemting The Moonstone, I picked up Basil. Basil's story was more absorbing than any of the other books and my sympathies were entirely with him. I felt his betrayal and utter dejection. If only I could have been his friend!
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If you saw the movie, think twice before buying the book. by Jeff K. (Fremont, CA.)  3 Stars
November 10, 1999
I recently saw the movie "Basil" with Christian Slator and thought it was quite a compelling story and the book must be great. What a shock. It turns out that the movie is, at best, only "inspired" by the book. If you see the movie first it will ruin this book, as there is very little other than the names of characters that are the same. Otherwise, the book is a fairly interesting story of how lust can really complicate your life when you are young and stupid, set in Victorian England.
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SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| The Dead Secret (Oxford World's Classics)
by Wilkie Collins (Author), Ira B. Nadel (Editor)
A mystery of unrelenting suspense and penetrating characterization, The Dead Secret explores the relationship between a fallen woman, her illegitimate daughter, and buried secrets in a superb blend of romance and Gothic drama. Reprinted here in the only critical edition available, is the text of the first edition, including Collins's preface and revisions. A superb introduction relates the text to Collins's love of the theatre, and previous and subsequent works.
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| Armadale (Oxford World's Classics)
by W. Wilkie Collins (Author), Catharine Peters (Editor)
Armadale tells the devastating story of the independent, murderous, and adulterous Lydia Gwilt. This traditional melodrama also considers the modern theme of the role of women in society.
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| Man and Wife (Oxford World's Classics)
by Wilkie Collins (Author), Norman Page (Editor)
Man and Wife (1870) combines the fast pace and sensational plot structure of Collins's most famous novels with a biting attack on the inequitable marriage laws in Victorian Britain. At its centre is the plight of a woman who fears that the archaic marriage laws of Scotland and Ireland may have forced her into committing unintentional bigamy. As the novel progresses, the atmosphere grows increasingly sinister when the setting moves from a country house to a London suburb and a world of...
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| No Name (Penguin Classics)
by Wilkie Collins (Author), Mark Ford (Editor), Mark Ford (Editor)
Magdalen and her sister Norah, beloved daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Vanstone, find themselves the victims of a catastrophic oversight. Their father has neglected to change his will, and when the girls are suddenly orphaned, their inheritance goes to their uncle. Now penniless, the conventional Norah takes up a position as a governess, but the defiant and tempestuous Magdalen cannot accept the loss of what is rightfully hers and decides to do whatever she can to win it back. With the help of...
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| Hide and Seek (Dodo Press)
by Wilkie Collins (Author)
William Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an English novelist, playwright, and writer of short stories. He was hugely popular in his time, and wrote 27 novels, more than 50 short stories, at least 15 plays, and over 100 pieces of non-fiction work. His best-known works are The Woman in White (1860), The Moonstone (1868), Armadale (1866) and No Name (1862). His works were classified at the time as 'sensation novels', a genre seen nowadays as the precursor to detective fiction and suspense fiction....
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