Με την έναρξη του βιβλίου, εμείς οι αναγνώστες γινόμαστε γνώστες του ότι στο συγκεκριμένο χρονικό σημείο, το έγκλημα έχει γίνει και ήδη έχει εξιχνιαστεί. Η ανάγνωση που θα ακολουθήσει είναι οι διηγήσεις των προσώπων που έγιναν μάρτυρες της πολύπλοκης αυτής ιστορίας, τις οποίες έγραψαν έπειτα από την διαλεύκανση του μυστηρίου την οποία ακολουθούμε βήμα βήμα μέσα απο τις διηγήσεις τους.
Ένα έχω να πω, απολαυστική ιστορία, από απολαυστικούς χαρακτήρες. Το παιχνίδι ανάμεσα στον συγγραφέα και τον αναγνώστη, είχε κερδηθεί ήδη από την πρώτη διήγηση, αυτή του καμαριέρη Μπέτερεζ, αυτού του υπέροχου παππού, με την εμμονή στο μυθιστόρημα «Ροβινσώνας Κρούσος». Και σε αυτή, και στην επόμενη διήγηση, αυτή της εξαδέλφης μις Κλακ –καταπληκτική θρησκόληπτη, εμμονική φιγούρα γεροντοκόρης της εποχής εκείνης- ο Κόλλινς δίνει ρεσιτάλ αφηγηματικού μπρίου!
Υπέροχο βιβλίο!

This is thought of as the first long novel mystery and one of Collins most notable works. I did enjoy it very much but also thought it was a tad bit too long in the telling. Opium users seemed to occur quite a bit within the literary writers and their stories during this time period, I remember being shocked that Sherlock Holmes was just such character. I wonder if this had an effect on the general population that were the readers. In this work we have a stolen diamond and looking for the culprit of the theft. In the telling of the tale the narrators change and the narration reminds me of depositions and rely on the memory of the character. Are they reliable as it is a personal opinion of how they review the series of events and the people involved? I must admit it was written as such I was not able to reach a conclusion before the end of who did it.

The first detective story written in the English language, and it holds up. Although I had my suspicions, I didn't know exactly whodunnit or how, right up to the end. In fact, if you removed the sexist and racist bits (a product of its time, eye-rolling encouraged), the book would seem quite modern.

[Aside] Thank god authors no longer describe female characters as the sillier, weaker sex at every opportunity. Or automatically place suspicion on every non-white character. Or have characters who scream when they see someone with a "swarthy" appearance. You know, as those silly women tend to do.

So, in addition to being the first detective story, it also shows how far we have come and maybe how far we still need to go.

The original English mystery novel.

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This review is from: The Moonstone (Kindle Edition)

From skimming other reviews, it appears to me that some readers do not understand this novel. It was written, if I remember correctly, in the 1860's. The style, the language, the grammar, even the vocabulary are not the same as today's. Many consider THE MOONSTONE to be the precursor of the modern detective novel, but it is unreasonable to expect a completely modern style mystery when reading it. It is told through narratives and journals of different witnesses. Some of these people are interesting while, at least one in my opinion, is tedious and trying. Much the same as my real-life experience as an investigator. I rated it at 5 stars on it's own merits, but to me it can stand with many of the current mysteries.

Para muchos la mejor novela policíaca escrita hasta la fecha, ‘La piedra lunar’ cuenta la historia de cómo una valiosa joya, de la que se cuentan terribles leyendas, llega a las manos de su joven heredera en la cena de celebración del cumpleaños de esta. Pero esa misma noche, en la mansión donde se han reunido todos los invitados, el diamante desaparece abriendo el misterio de qué ha pasado y quién lo ha robado.

Con este libro Collins volvió a armar una novela epistolar, como ya había hecho con la brillante ‘La mujer de blanco’, y desarrolla una trama que engancha como el pegamento a través de diarios, testimonios y los diferentes puntos de vista de los protagonistas de la historia. Funciona porque más allá de ofrecer un caso misterioso con su correspondiente investigación, profundiza en las costumbres de la sociedad victoriana y construye firmemente a todos los personajes, quedando estos perfectamente delineados. A ello se le suma el indiscutible talento del autor a la hora de narrar y de escribir un texto que sorprende por la originalidad de su argumento, sus giros y por lo entretenido que es.

Wilkie Collins es uno de los autores más queridos de la época victoriana y no es para menos. Es un escritor muy completo que consigue seguir conectando con los lectores después de tantos años; la cantidad de reediciones que siguen apareciendo de sus obras lo demuestran. No me cansaré de recomendarlo.

Literary 2012 is closing on an auspicious high, no doubt about it. These are the facts.

First, there was waterworks over Turgenev’s Fathers and Children a couple of weeks ago.

Second, upon finding out that my favourite film Marienbad was based on The Invention of Morel, which now ordered will see me through to the New Year, there was flushed excitement.

Third, I have not stopped laughing since I took up The Moonstone.

A veritable boon of emotions. Some have pointed out it might be less the influence of books and more the signs of the menopause, but to them I come armed with Miss Clack’s irrefutable tracts of the early edition-only the twenty fifth-of the famous anonymous work by the precious miss Bellows entitled ‘The Serpent at Home’, where right past the chapter ‘Satan in the Hairbrush’ and ‘Satan under the Teatable’ there is Satan on the Tongue. (amongst the many others. I’m sure).

Now there will be those who say this is a poor sort of protracted mystery indeed with oodles of trivia and asides not pertinent to the matter at hand. To them, I would say something. But first, like Betteredge, in plain English I’m going stare hard and say nothing. Then I will instantly exert my wits but being of a slovenly English sort, they are consequently muddled until someone takes them in hand points out what they ought to do. In this case, things stand just like the relationship with Betteredge and his deceased wife, who seemed, with the best of motives, to be getting in one anothers way: if he wanted to go upstairs, she would be coming down, or when he wanted to go down, there she was coming up. And so it is here: its not about the mystery, but the parade of misbegotten, ridiculous characters bumbling about in their cloaks of self importance and delusions of grandeur, as Collins tears into them with unabashed irony.

No need to have read Robinson Crusoe to get the gist.

Victober (1)

Si tuviera que empezar a describir La piedra lunar, ¿cómo sería? Posiblemente si mencionara que es una novela donde la trama nunca decae estaría mintiendo inmediatamente, porque tiene sus partes donde sí que quería decir, 'ya para con esto, por favor'; si dijera que es la mejor novela de detectives que he leído tampoco sería del todo sincero, no porque no haya sido excelente en términos de la resolución del caso —que lo es— sino porque la novela es tan larga y tan compleja que no podría definirla como una novela de detectives, así sin más. Decir que es mi Wilkie Collins favorito, ahí iría otra mentira más, ya que en mi opinión La mujer de blanco sigue manteniéndose en el primer puesto por toda la trama compleja que incluye muchos giros y por supuesto, porque tiene al conde Fosco, y ¿cómo se olvida a un villano como Fosco?, honestamente no tengo respuesta.
No, La piedra lunar la describiría como un rompecabezas, donde mientras más lees, más piezas vas encajando en su determinado lugar hasta que llegas al final del libro, ves el resultado, y ¡oh, sorpresa!, el resultado es simplemente impresionante.

Sin duda, Collins se ha convertido ya en uno de mis autores victorianos favoritos, y tras mi lectura de La piedra lunar —que fue además una lectura conjunta de poco más de cuarenta días con mi madre—, no cabe la menor duda de que lo seguiré leyendo tanto como me sea posible, no sólo porque es un autor que lo que busca principalmente es entretener pero lo hace con una trama compleja y una prosa sencilla, sino también porque la sociedad victoriana ha sido y será uno de mis tópicos favoritos cuando se trata de leer clásicos.
Como dije anteriormente, a modo de rompecabezas La piedra lunar se va integrando hasta formar una historia completa, y es que a lo largo de dos épocas, y la segunda dividida en ocho narraciones distintas que corresponden a testimonios, cartas o diarios de varios personajes, la trama se va construyendo y desarrollando para conocer todo el misterio que se esconde detrás de la piedra lunar, robada en la noche del cumpleaños de Rachel Verinder. Lo que hay que recordar aquí es que La piedra lunar es considerada como una de las primeras novelas inglesas de detectives, y para ser tal el caso, el resultado ha sido más que satisfactorio.

Sí que he dicho que la trama tiene sus altibajos y hay momentos donde sentía que se estaba alargando de más, no la trama en sí, pero sí algún episodio en específico, como si algunos narradores dieran detalles de más a cosas que no nos interesan como lector, pero de nuevo, siento que eso no le quita lo positivo a la historia ni mucho menos la opaca. También mencioné que La mujer de blanco sigue siendo mi novela favorita del autor, pero considerando que las obras son totalmente distintas en términos de la historia al final todo es cuestión de gustos, e incluso sé que La mujer de blanco es una novela sensacionalista, mientras que La piedra lunar no encaja dentro de ese género. Como novela de detectives de época, funciona y funciona muy bien, porque a diferencia de una obra policíaca convencional, donde el objetivo es descubrir al criminal, cómo lo hizo y por qué lo hizo, y los personajes pasan a ser el medio para llegar a ese fin, en este caso la historia trata y desarrolla a sus personajes principales, terminamos conociéndolos a profundidad y entendemos aún más las motivaciones detrás del robo; en pocas palabras, los personajes tienen dimensiones, y he ahí el por qué de más de 700 páginas de libro (al menos en esta edición).

No hace falta que diga que recomiendo, no sólo leer a Wilkie Collins si nunca antes se le ha leído, sino también darse una oportunidad con La piedra lunar, que sin duda no fallará si lo suyo son las historias victorianas, historias de época en general, y donde el autor se toma su tiempo para desarrollar trama, personajes y ambientación.

n  Ojalá hallen en esta narración salida de mis manos lo que encontró Robinson Crusoe durante su aventura en la isla desierta..., por encima de todo, «algo que los resarza de la misma y que puedan anotar en el haber del libro del Bien y del Mal».n

The writing style of the author tried my patience during most of my reading of this story.

The Moonstone is often thought of as the first detective novel written in English. It was a Victorian sensation when it was first published and was an early example of the technique of multiple narrators. It's also a really entertaining story that still holds up today. I needed something to become completely absorbed in this week and this was an excellent choice. I really loved the characters. Sergeant Cuff and his whistling when he finds clues and his arguments about roses with the gardener are highly amusing. When the narrator shifted the first time to Miss Clack I wasn't thrilled but she actually ended up being one of my favorite characters. If you haven't read this classic it is well worth the time.

Free for Audible-UK-Plus members. Do not miss this!

I am utterly amazed that I sat glued to this all the way through. Why? Because it is so very different from the books I usually enjoy. This is a fun and engaging mystery. It is said to be the first English detective novel! Usually, I am captivated by books more down to earth and realistic in style. That I enjoyed this so very much is what makes it amazing for me.

I want to explain the draw of this book.

A mystery is to be solved. Who has taken the “moonstone”, a diamond from India worth £20 000? Who did what and why is unraveled, as well as the specifics of how. Not once did I become confused. My lack of confusion is not typical of me. The explanation is twofold. Every detail and aspect of the story is meticulously and captivatingly laid out, in this, Wilkie Collins’ 1868 novel. You pay attention because the writing grabs you and holds you tight!

The story is told by those who witnessed it. Each of these narrators explain what he or she personally saw and experienced. These characters come alive. Each has a personality you are not soon to forget. Each lives and breathes. Each has a personality different from the others. None are duplicates. Some are amusing. Both Miss Druscilla Clack and the butler Gabriel Betteredge will leave you chuckling. No, they are not funny in the same way. This exemplifies the author’s marvelous ability to imagine, create and perfect unique characters. Miss Druscilla Clack is an ardent evangelist handing out “tracts of wisdom” right and left. The butler’s bible is, on the other hand, Defoe’s Robinson and Crusoe. With every new calamity, he has an applicable quote. It is Collins’ words and his way of telling the story that make the tale special.

Widely varied characters and humorous lines are topped off with words of wisdom about, for example, national traits. The idiosyncrasies of the French, Germans, Italians and English are noted. Those who enjoy a minute of serious thought are thus satisfied too!

Figuring out exactly how all the different steps are tied together becomes and enjoyable lark, despite that all is pure fiction from start to finish. THIS is what I find utterly amazing!

To top this all off, the audiobook narration by Peter Jeffrey is excellent. His intonations enhance the characters’ respective personality traits. He does not overdramatize, but he has a particular voice for each one of the characters. You easily recognize who is speaking, without being told. Jeffrey’s rendition is topnotch. Five stars for the narration.

And this is all free if you are an Audible-UK-Plus member! Grab it. Don’t just grab it, listen to it soon!

*********************

*The Woman in White 3 stars
*The Moonstone 5 stars
*Poor Miss Finch TBR
*No Name TBR
*Armadale TBR

I appreciate suggestions guiding me to Collins' other topnotch choices.

Well thank goodness for that!
I got a little bit bogged down with this one, maybe because I had two other books going at the same time which were quite fast paced and kept my attention.
I ended up liking the story of the diamond stolen from an Indian sacred statue but mostly I liked it for some of the characters who tell the story in 11 different narratives. My special favourite is Betteredge the old steward of the country house where much of the story takes place who relies on Robinson Crusoe for advice (it works for him) and the wonderfully imagined and named Ezra Jennings who turns up quite late in the proceedings but ultimately has a hand in the resolution of the case.
If you want a victorian (the "first" ) mystery complete with a detective, lots of villans, a suicide, a murder, a stolen jewel, a trio of Indians, an unrequited love and more then this is for you. If however you want a punchy, fast paced police crime book then give it a miss.
All in all I'm glad I read it but it was very tough going in the middle though the denouement was very satisfactory. :)

3.5 stars
A fun mystery, which would make a great limited series, but too long to really earn 5 stars (or even a whole-hearted 4 stars in my case). This book is quite wordy and long-winded, and it takes half the book to get to the heart of the action, but the writing is deliciously Victorian.

Gooseberry should definitely have his own detective series! Hoping a good writer will pick up his story and take the liberty of writing the young guy's tales.