Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

What are your thoughts on the rest of Part 1?

Thanks Pamela - has anyone else finished this section? Were you as surprised by I was at the turn of events? I am rarely taken completely off guard by plot twists - I did not see the 'swap' coming.

I'm finding this book so readable, I am definitely not keeping to the reading schedule. We have a long weekend in Canada for Remembrance Day and I expect I'll finish it by Monday.

Yes, the twist took me completely by surprise as well! Looking back I can see that it was leading up to it with Maud dressing her in her own clothes and generally making Sue look like the mistress, but I did not see the clues at all leading up to the moment. I am interested in Maud's character - how much did she know about Sue's real purpose in coming to Briar? Does she have any qualms about leaving Sue at the asylum? Why does she do it?

I find this book very unputdownable :)

I thought the build up to the twist was brilliant, Maud getting weaker and shabbier, and then the visit of the two sinister doctors. I had been struggling a bit with this book, especially at Briar, but now I can't wait to see what happens next.

Like Nina, I've been wondering how long Maud has been party to the plot. Has Gentleman been playing both women all along? Given Sue has been hiding her true feelings and going along with it, is Maud doing the same?

It also struck me how the theme of the girls' mothers keeps coming up. Maud spending time at the grave, and then the luggage with her mother's initials, and Sue saying her mother's blood was rising in her. It seems to be significant.

Pamela wrote: "Like Nina, I've been wondering how long Maud has been party to the plot. Has Gentleman been playing both women all along?"

My bet is yes, he has. I think Gentleman and Maud have a secret plan of their own going on but I would be very surprised if Maud can trust his word, especially given this from Ch. 4:

"When I try now to sort out who knew what and who knew nothing, who knew everything and who was a fraud, I have to stop and give it up, it makes my head spin.

Maybe Gentleman doesn't know everything either?

Pamela wrote: "It also struck me how the theme of the girls' mothers keeps coming up. Maud spending time at the grave, and then the luggage with her mother's initials, and Sue saying her mother's blood was rising..."

the motherlessness of the girls really struck me as well. They both seem to have this permanent void, this sense of loss. In some ways I wonder if that was part of what turned their characters to darkness.

Did anyone else find the whole courtship disgusting? I felt like Maud was a trapped pawn, and with no other options or experience she really had no choice. She seemed miserable when he proposed!

What did you think of the Sue/Maud relationship? Is it genuine? Are they both homosexual or just playing?

Dianne wrote: "What did you think of the Sue/Maud relationship? Is it genuine? Are they both homosexual or just playing?"

I felt they had a genuine attraction to each other, but Sue's feelings were confused because of having to go through with the plot. I also think they were finding comfort as Briar is such a cold lonely environment.

Again, this very much strikes me as being like The Woman in White, with the setup for the asylum and the switching places... although the plot's not quite the same.

I don't quite understand what both Gentleman and Maud have to gain by all this, though. Gentleman, obviously, for money (and to keep Sue from giving the game up and from having to pay her) but Maud? Just to get out from her uncle's thumb? And what does Gentleman think is going to happen once all Sue's people get wind of what happened? If the saying is true, about honor among thieves, he is worse than a dead man... they will utterly DESTROY him.

I have a feeling there's more to Maud then meets the eye. I get the impression that Gentleman is playing both of them for his own ends, and that somehow in the end, they are going to end up working together to bring him down. But maybe that's too cliche and easy of an ending.

I'm certainly enjoying it!