Reader discussion: Lady Audley's Secret

Public reader discussion about Lady Audley's Secret in the WeRead Catalog by M. E. Braddon.

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 6

By Superuser

Okay, new week already! Last time ended kind of on a cliffhanger, so I’m back to see what happens next. I’m not sure about George and Mr. Maldon’s meeting—what did you all think about their vibe? Also, is Robert right that George is scared of him? Then George runs into his son and, honestly, it goes about how you’d expect. I keep thinking about the question Robert asks—has anyone ever walked up to a stranger and basically said “will you love me?” How did that even work out? George also wants to bolt back to Australia, which… I get it, it’s nice here. But was anyone surprised how strongly he feels it, or how quickly he just gives up his son again? Oh, and then it’s suddenly Russia—so what did you think of Alicia’s letter? Are there any hints in it that really stand out? Anything else worth bringing up from this chapter?

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 20

By Superuser

“Whatever the mystery is, it just keeps getting darker and more tangled the farther I go, and I can’t really turn back—it feels like something else is pushing me toward where my friend is supposed to be buried, even though I don’t even know the spot.” Also, I was kinda unsure about a few things: Robert talking about Alicia like she’d genuinely try to make him happy—was anyone else surprised by that? And what’s everyone think about how the servant girls made that dramatic exit to go tell Papa? The Pretty Lady’s been seeing Georgey too—if that’s Lady Audley, does it make her seem more sympathetic? I’m also not sure where Mrs. Plowson fits in all of this, and I keep feeling like the plot is kind of wandering toward the conclusion everyone already expects.

Our Next Reading - Book Nomination Thread

By DogGolden

Hey Classic Book Club folks—looks like it’s time to pick what we’re reading next. We’re doing it in two steps. First is nominations, where everyone can throw out a book they want the group to read. This thread is in contest mode, so just drop a comment with the title. You can add why you picked it and a quick summary if you want. For anything already suggested, you can upvote it, and also upvote any other books you’d rather see. Just heads up: upvotes aren’t visible to everyone here in contest mode (only mods see them), and the nominee comments show up in random order. A few rules for what’s allowed: - Has to be public domain. As a rough guide, everything published before 1927 is considered public domain in the US. Project Gutenberg is an easy place to check. - No books from the “year of” subs for specific titles (they restarted Jan 1). Those are: War and Peace, Les Misérables, Middlemarch, The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Quixote, Anna Karenina. - Different author than the one we’re currently reading (we’re doing Charlotte Brontë right now, so her other works won’t be eligible until after this vote). - Also no books from the discussion archive in the sidebar—please check what we’ve already done. The top picks from nominations go to a finalists thread with a poll (max six options). The six most upvoted books become finalists, and then whoever wins that poll is what we’ll read next here. Timing (may shift a bit depending on your time zone): - May 19–26: nominations - May 27–June 3: finalists We’ll announce the six finalists on May 26. That’s it—thanks, and go nominate!

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 13

By Superuser

I’m still not caught up yet, so if you want to talk about stuff, feel free to bring your own prompts. Also, is there anything else you want to discuss?

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 23

By Superuser

So Robert kinda just walks off like he’s made peace with his friend’s death… but then—wait—there’s that woman with the handkerchief, and she seems to think Robert was right? Now I’m confused in the best way. Feels like more family drama incoming. Also, I didn’t really ask a question earlier, but is this kind of messy family stuff normal in real life for people? Like, do you get the awkward Christmas/Easter silences and awkward phone calls and visits, or is it more calm than that? What did you all think about Robert and Clara’s meeting? And anything else worth bringing up from this chapter?

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 8

By Superuser

“Before the Storm” sounds way too ominous from the start. Of course the dinner’s pushed back, so Alicia tries to charm her cousin. And I keep getting stuck on that little line about heavy suppers—like, does food seriously mess with your mood? Do you ever get weird/vivid dreams if you eat cheese late at night? That whole cheese thing from A Christmas Carol is popping into my head now. Also, Robert is getting all excited about Lucy’s handwriting… good grief. Is this just another moment where someone misses the obvious? Like George would’ve known Lucy’s writing, right? (Though I’d probably only be right about 90% of the time with my own partner, so maybe I’m not judging too hard.) Then there’s that secret passage—sounds exciting at first, but it fizzles hard. The boys are delayed, Alicia shows everyone around, there’s the last painting, one candle, the sun’s gone down, Robert wants to go first… and then nothing happens. Am I supposed to be expecting more than just the setup? And those last lines from the baronet are creepy in the “uh oh” way. I’m not going to start guessing wildly, but yeah—the tension is definitely building. Braddon, please don’t make me wait too long.

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 26

By Superuser

- Anyone ever reject a super rich Baronet’s marriage offer from a fellow who does fox hunting? If you have, what actually happened after that? (Obviously you can make it up—this is the internet.) - Also, what even is a “vinegar top”? We’ve seen some weird shirt stuff in here before, and I’m still confused. - Have you ever split your hair on the wrong side by accident? - Lady’s basically getting Michael to deal with Bob—how guilty is she really? Like 1 if it’s totally a setup and she’s innocent, all the way to 10 if she’s some full-on villain. Where would you land? - Anything else you want to talk about?

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 32

By Superuser

Didn’t see anything get posted yet. If I’m mistaken I’ll take this down—Reddit’s been acting weird lately. I’m guessing otherside is probably asleep.

Why do literary critics lie about their reading speed?

By Wren4

Harold Bloom saying he could get through like 500–700 pages in an hour always sounded completely impossible to me. And then there’s Dan Schneider claiming he finished *Infinite Jest* in 7–8 hours, basically because it was “so bad it cut through it like water.” The thing is, *Infinite Jest* is over 500,000 words. So even if you somehow read the whole thing in 8 hours, you’d be averaging well over a thousand words every minute the whole time. Stanislas Dehaene even says that speed-reading around 1,000 wpm “must be viewed with scepticism,” so for someone to pull that off for hours straight feels way beyond ridiculous. Plus, even the so-called pros claiming 1000–2000 wpm can only retain about half the info on average, so who knows what they’re actually getting. It just strikes me as weird to lie about, like they need the public to see them as really smart. And honestly, I feel like it’s worth putting an asterisk next to literary critics when there’s a chance they didn’t truly read what they’re reviewing, and instead just skimmed.

Beautifully-Crafted Horrors in Literature

By ivycreek

I’ve been into books forever, and I’m still working through my English lit undergrad when one of my favorite professors made me read Ursula Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” I don’t think I’ve ever been hit this hard by something that feels both messed up in a fascinating way and kind of hard to look away from. Big spoilers, obviously— What really gets me is how she builds this “perfect” little society where everyone’s supposedly getting the most pleasure out of drugs, sex, and pain, and it sounds almost like it’d be fun to visit… until the story just drops this twist that honestly shouldn’t be a surprise if you’re paying attention. Still, I was shocked anyway. The whole idea that they keep one kid hidden under the floorboards for the rest of his life, just so the rest of the city can be happy, is brutal—yet somehow I couldn’t stop noticing how the reveal lands like a twist even though the signs feel like they were there the whole time. I’m wondering if there are any other short stories or short texts like that—this kind of “stunning horror” vibe where something looks beautiful on the surface and then turns. I haven’t read many things like it besides this, and I’m honestly really impressed with how Le Guin manages to make a whole gorgeous, twisted setup feel so intense in such a small amount of space. Thanks!

Lady Audley's Secret: Chapter 2

By Superuser

George Talboys is an interesting one—I’m not totally sure what to make of him yet. The whole situation with him and Miss Morley feels kind of random, but in a way that makes me want to know more. I also can’t decide how I feel about what happens after his story with his wife and all the bad luck that follows. And him going after fortune in Australia while leaving her behind just doesn’t sit right with me. The part that really bugs me is that after three years he’s only written one letter—either it’s just there to move the plot along, or it makes him look pretty untrustworthy. And if Lucy really is his wife, my opinion on her hasn’t shifted much either, honestly.

Lady Audley’s Secret: Final Wrap Up

By bookishSail1997

Overall, I kind of liked it, I guess? Some bits stuck with me more than others, but I’m not sure I’d call it a favorite. I don’t really have any parts I want to erase from my brain, and no big secrets either. If I had to give a quick description, I’d probably just say it’s one of those books that makes you keep reading even when you’re not totally sure where it’s going. Braddon’s writing was fine to me, maybe a little uneven in spots, but still good enough. Rating-wise, maybe something like 1 double quarter pounder with cheese out of 2, if that makes sense.

Lady Audley’s Secret: Chapter 12

By Superuser

I’m still not totally caught up, so if you’ve got prompts, feel free to toss them my way. Also, if there’s anything else you want to dig into, let me know.

Lady Audley’s Secret Chapter 37

By Superuser

Robert still feels like he’s somehow responsible for what happens to Lady A, even though part of me keeps thinking… she did set that fire and tried to murder someone. But I guess he won’t look at it like that because it’d be “ungentlemanly” or whatever. Also, I keep getting hung up on all the train timetable/travel details. They finally get to Villebrumeuse, and Lady A is still feeling awful. I don’t know—do people actually feel sorry for her, or am I missing something? And the whole sanitarium thing is weird. It doesn’t look too bad, kind of like a hotel, and I wouldn’t want my freedom taken either. Madame Taylor is definitely not buying that, though. What did you think of her reaction? I also can’t get past George being in the well. It made me wonder if Robert could’ve gone that route earlier when he and Lady A were arguing. And were you more shocked by how he was killed, or by the confession? Any other thoughts people had about this chapter?