Book Review: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

This book is such an amazing description of one woman’s struggle to raise her child, live and love in Victorian England.

I loved everything about Anne’s style. It has that unmistakable gothic air that you can recognize in all the Bronte’s novels. It quickly became one of my favorite books, one I will keep reading over and over again.

in the The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, we meet Helen Graham, a painter who moves into an abandoned old house,”Wildfell hall”, with her child and lady’s maid. As expected, a lady living without a husband or any male relatives becomes the neighbors’ favorite discussion topic. Soon, the story evolves into something quite scandalous and Helen finds herself forced to take desperate measures to distance herself from the malicious gossip..much to the dismay of Mr.Gilbert Markham who’s eye Helen had caught.

Here, we dive into Helen’s diary to uncover the unfortunate events of her life up to the point where she decides to uproot herself and move in the first place. This part discusses the torment and exhaustion of being married to an an alcoholic, womanizing husband. Helen’s recollections show her unwavering faith while she endured physical and emotional abuse. And how she finally found the strength to stand up to him in a time where women were expected to accept silently whatever fate threw at them.

Gilbert Markham, at least in my point of view, is an unrealistic character. I have never met, and most certainly will never meet, a man who will be so devoted to his beloved as he is. No man I know will be able to prevent himself from taking the tiniest action to calm his tormented heart for such an extended stretch of time. That being said, I am quite happy with the way things played out. Such a beautiful ending!

5/5 stars