A review by iarlais
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Fascinating to read what is commonly seen as the first detective novel. Standing upon rich language and a genuinely fascinating mystery that builds itself up layer by layer, this book is an excellent example of the genre, as well as the first. The jump from different narrators really helps you feel the weight of the mystery, as so many people work together to solve it. I did personally find that the story dragged at times, and the characters, while interesting enough, weren't altogether unique from one another. It is a mostly character-driven story, they're just not the best drivers. Criticisms aside, I did find the novel to be a great experience and I'm glad I read it. If you're a fan of detective fiction or multi-narrator stories, I'd say give this one a shot. 
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