Book: Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady
Author: Kate Summerscale
Release date (if applicable): June 19, 2012
Synopsis: Reviewed for the author through Netgalley.com, Summerscale, again, provides an interesting portrayal of the Victorian England criminal/legal system. This time, she focuses on divorce and inheritance laws, unfair to women, through presenting the case of Isabelle Robinson's divorce through her infidelity. Her husband is allowed to use her personal writings as a weapon against her.
My rating: 4 Stars
My opinion: Kate Summerscale brings light to some of the most unusual cases in Victorian England, such as her last book, The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective, and now this one. She brings what could be an a boring law of the times to life in her descriptions and implications on real people. I also love that she brings the Victorian period to life in her descriptions of life in England around that time.
Being a lover of literature, particularly from that period of time, I loved how Ms. Summerscale brought in frequent examples from novels written in early 1800's England. I had read all of the books she identified, so it was wonderful to see how she applied them to that period of time. I can always count on her books to educate me and have had situations where the storyline, such as with "Suspicions", come up in other media, such as television shows and such that it has helped to add to my understanding of the stories!
Would I recommend? : Yes, for readers, of true crime or fans of Victorian England history
Stand Alone or Part of a Series: Stand Alone
Thank you Naomi I just pre-ordered it 1.99 HA
ReplyDeleteDang..that is AWESOME!! It is WELL worth the price. I think you will really enjoy it, Dianne.
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