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Title: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Series:
----------
Author: Charles Dickens
Rating:
4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Classic
Pages:
249
Words: 94.5K
From Wikipedia
The
novel begins as John Jasper leaves a London opium den.[4] The next
evening, Edwin Drood visits Jasper, who is the choirmaster at
Cloisterham Cathedral and also his uncle. Edwin confides that he has
misgivings about his betrothal to Rosa Bud, which had been previously
arranged by their respective fathers. The next day, Edwin visits Rosa
at the Nuns' House, the boarding school where she lives. They quarrel
good-naturedly, which they apparently do frequently during his
visits. Meanwhile, Jasper, having an interest in the cathedral crypt,
seeks the company of Durdles, a man who knows more about the crypt
than anyone else.
Neville
Landless and his twin sister Helena are sent to Cloisterham for their
education. Neville will study with the minor canon Rev. Crisparkle;
Helena will live at the Nuns' House with Rosa. Neville confides to
Rev. Crisparkle that he had hated his cruel stepfather, while Rosa
confides to Helena that she loathes and fears her music-master,
Jasper. Neville is immediately smitten with Rosa and is indignant
that Edwin prizes his betrothal lightly. Edwin provokes him and he
reacts violently, giving Jasper the opportunity to spread rumours
about Neville's having a violent temper. Rev. Crisparkle tries to
reconcile Edwin and Neville, who agrees to apologise to Edwin if the
former will forgive him. It is arranged that they will dine together
for this purpose on Christmas Eve at Jasper's home.
Rosa's
guardian, Mr. Grewgious, tells her that she has a substantial
inheritance from her father. When she asks whether there would be any
forfeiture if she did not marry Edwin, he replies that there would be
none on either side. Back at his office in London, Mr. Grewgious
gives Edwin a ring which Rosa's father had given to her mother, with
the proviso that Edwin must either give the ring to Rosa as a sign of
his irrevocable commitment to her or return it to Mr. Grewgious. Mr.
Bazzard, Mr. Grewgious's clerk, witnesses this transaction.
Next
day, Rosa and Edwin amicably agree to end their betrothal. They
decide to ask Mr. Grewgious to break the news to Jasper, and Edwin
intends to return the ring to Mr. Grewgious. Meanwhile, Durdles takes
Jasper into the cathedral crypt. On the way there Durdles points out
a mound of quicklime. Jasper provides a bottle of wine to Durdles.
The wine is mysteriously potent and Durdles soon loses consciousness;
while unconscious he dreams that Jasper goes off by himself in the
crypt. As they return from the crypt, they encounter a boy called
Deputy, and Jasper, thinking he was spying on them, takes him by the
throat – but, seeing that this will strangle him, lets him go.
On
Christmas Eve, Neville buys himself a heavy walking stick; he plans
to spend his Christmas break hiking around the countryside.
Meanwhile, Edwin visits a jeweler to repair his pocket watch; it is
mentioned that the only pieces of jewelery that he wears are the
watch and chain and a shirt pin. By chance he meets a woman who is an
opium user from London. She asks Drood's Christian name and he
replies that it is 'Edwin'; she says he is fortunate it is not 'Ned,'
for 'Ned' is in great danger. He thinks nothing of this, for the only
person who calls him 'Ned' is Jasper. Meanwhile, Jasper buys himself
a black scarf of strong silk, which is not seen again during the
course of the novel. The reconciliation dinner is successful and at
midnight, Drood and Neville Landless leave together to go down to the
river and look at a wind storm that rages that night.
The
next morning Edwin is missing and Jasper spreads suspicion that
Neville has killed him. Neville leaves early in the morning for his
hike; the townspeople overtake him and forcibly bring him back to the
city. Rev. Crisparkle keeps Neville out of jail by taking
responsibility for him, stating that he will produce Neville anytime
his presence is required. That night, Jasper is grief-stricken when
Mr. Grewgious informs him that Edwin and Rosa had ended their
betrothal; he reacts more strongly to this news than to the prospect
that Edwin may be dead. The next morning, Rev. Crisparkle goes to the
river weir and finds Edwin's watch and chain and shirt pin.
A
half-year later, Neville is living in London near Mr. Grewgious's
office. Lieutenant Tartar introduces himself and offers to share his
garden with Landless; Lt. Tartar's chambers are adjacent to Neville's
above a common courtyard. A white-haired and -whiskered stranger
calling himself Dick Datchery arrives in Cloisterham. He rents a room
below Jasper and observes the comings and goings in the area. On his
way to the lodging the first time, Mr. Datchery asks directions from
Deputy. Deputy will not go near there for fear that Jasper will choke
him again.
Jasper
visits Rosa at the Nuns' House and professes his love for her. She
rejects him but he persists, telling her that if she gives him no
hope he will destroy Neville, the brother of her dear friend Helena.
In fear of Jasper, Rosa goes to Mr. Grewgious in London.
The
next day Rev. Crisparkle follows Rosa to London. When he is with Mr.
Grewgious and Rosa, Lt. Tartar calls and asks if he remembers him.
Rev. Crisparkle does remember him as the one who years before saved
him from drowning. They do not dare let Rosa contact Neville and
Helena directly, for fear that Jasper may be watching Neville, but
Mr. Tartar allows Rosa to visit his chambers to contact Helena above
the courtyard. Mr. Grewgious arranges for Rosa to rent a place from
Mrs. Billickin and for Miss Twinkleton to live with her there so that
she can live there respectably.
Jasper
visits the London opium den again for the first time since Edwin's
disappearance. When he leaves at dawn, the woman who runs the opium
den follows him. She vows to herself that she will not lose his trail
again as she did after his last visit. This time, she follows him all
the way to his home in Cloisterham; outside she meets Datchery, who
tells her Jasper's name and that he will sing the next morning in the
cathedral service. On inquiry, Datchery learns she is called
"Princess Puffer." The next morning she attends the service
and shakes her fists at Jasper from behind a pillar.
Dickens's
death leaves the rest of the story unknown.
I
have to admit, the whole time I was reading this all I could think of
was how it was unfinished and no matter how much I thought, it would
never BE finished. Not a very good mindset to get as much enjoyment
from the story, that's for sure.
This
was so on track for being awesome. The characters were everything I
wanted in a Dickens novel. The good guys were good, the bad guy was
REALLY bad and the girls were brave and fearless. The latecomers
were manly and proud and I was really looking forward to seeing them
developed.
This
had all of the ingredients I could have asked for. Dickens just left
them on the counter in the mixing bowl without cooking them. And
unfortunately, it wasn't cookie dough so I couldn't take a chance and
eat it raw.
I
will say that this has gotten me interested in other authors who have
tried to finish the story. If any of you have a good suggestion,
please let me know.
★★★★☆
