Poor Miss Finch

Description

Wilkie Collins’ Poor Miss Finch – A Unique and Suspenseful Novel

Those familiar with the works of Wilkie Collins probably already know his most distinguished works, including “The Woman in White” and “The Moonstone.” While these were written in the 1860s, during the author’s most successful years, “Poor Miss Finch” came a few years later, and can be numbered among the less recognized, but more unique and well-designed masterpieces of the great writer.

The story focuses on Lucilla Finch, a woman who lost her eyesight to cataracts at an early age. While she still manages to lead a quiet and somewhat independent life, Miss Finch meets with Madame Prantolungo – the narrator of the story – and two handsome identical twins, Nugent and Oscar.

While she falls in love with Oscar, Miss Finch is troubled by the possibility that the Oscar she knows may actually be his own twin brother, Nutmeg. Through numerous plots and twists, we are guided through a roller coaster of events that culminate with the unique opportunity given to Lucilla that allows her to restore her sight.

The novel’s most significant aspects, however, are more often hidden in the plot, with the depicted words and events acting to camouflage the true meaning of Wilkie Collins’ work. One of the most striking examples of this is Miss Finch’s blindness itself which creates a powerful analogy pointing to the lack of vision that people had during the Victorian era.

Collins has worked quite hard in his attempt to research the novel as thoroughly as possible, and his work definitely paid off. He had actually looked through medical records of people who had managed to regain their eyesight after childhood accidents or illnesses that have rendered them blind. He also managed to keep the book quite authentic from a historic point of view, and his ability to maintain a dynamic pace and a suspenseful narrative flow is unparalleled.
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