Customer Reviews

Elster's Folly: A Novel

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Elster's Folly by Mrs. Henry Wood is about the youngest son in a noble family, Percival Elster. His folly is indecisiveness which, in the context of the novel, means that he is easily bullied. The novel is a domestic drama that shows the unfortunate consequences of Elster's indecisiveness. Having read Wood's novel East Lynne, I was prepared for more sensational tropes in the novel; however, its main focus is mainly a portrait of those who constantly manipulate Elster. In other words, it is far more domestic than sensational.

Wood gives us some delightfully despicable characters, such as the Dowager-Countess Kirton and her daughter, Maude (although Maude is a more rounded and sympathetic character than her mother). The "baddies" are clearly described and act out in heinous, though entertaining, ways. The "good guys" are far less convincing, though. We are told many times how likable Percival Elster is, yet we constantly see him acting in morally weak and dis-likable ways. It felt as if the author was taking pains to make sure we did not hate her protagonist. In her descriptions of Elster, she does more telling ("he's likable") than showing (giving us a scene that shows his likability).

Wood invests Elster with a terrible secret, and keeps readers' attention by waiting until the final pages of the novel to reveal it. Her tactic here was successful; I was itching to know what Elster had done despite the fact that I didn't really like his character.

All in all, I'd say that this wasn't the best Victorian novel I've ever read, but its villains and its secret induced me to finish the story.