After completing “The Woman in White” by Wilkie Collins, I spent some time thinking about the techniques Collins used to create this early thriller/suspense story. CAUTION: May contain spoilers.

First, it was helpful that the novel was serialized. This likely pushed Collins to provide a cliffhanger ending for each installation. When read as a complete novel, the reader still enjoys the roller coaster ride where the hero and heroines are pushed into a tighter and tighter box by one disaster after another. With each set back, the villains gain until the hero and heroines have lost nearly everything and absolute success seems assured for the villains.

While the pace is slower than is currently in vogue and some circumstances could not occur with today’s technology, the plot twits and turns still hold the reader enthralled, pushing on and on to see how the “good guys” could possibly get out of their dilemma. Collins gives the hero and heroines no rest, driving them in one case to the brink of insanity. His characters are well drawn and realistic. His portrayal of society in the 1800′s and of the physical environment seems authentic and sufficient for the reader to feel settled in that time period.

One unusual aspect is Collin’s use of numerous narrators. This technique allows him to give the readers knowledge of the unfolding plot even when none of the heroines nor the hero are present. The alternative would be an omniscient narrator. I believe the unusual choice gives the story more immediacy. In Collin’s hands, these narrator switches are not distracting.

Collins is also adept at understanding the psychology of his characters. This is particularly evident in the “villains” self-justification for their misdeeds.

The only potential flaws are a few situations that one could argue are a bit too coincidental. However, these never stretch the boundaries to the point where the situation would be judged absurd. They are more than balanced out by the novels relentless destruction of the hero and heroines, which progresses from the beginning to nearly the end of the novel.