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The Beguiled
Wounded and near death, a young Union Army corporal is found in the woods of Virginia during the height of the Civil War and brought to the nearby Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies. Almost immediately he sets about beguiling the three women and five teenage girls stranded in this outpost of Southern gentility, eliciting their love and fear, pity and infatuation, and pitting them against one another in a bid for his freedom. But as the women are revealed for what they really are, a sense of ominous foreboding closes in on the soldier, and the question becomes: Just who is the beguiled?
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
About the author
Thomas Cullinan
15 books47 followersThomas Cullinan born on November 4, 1919. He was a Cleveland author and playwright. He graduated from Cathedral Latin High School in 1938 and attended Western Reserve University for three years. After leaving Western Reserve he worked as a roofing sales man for several years. In 1945 he started working for the Cleveland Plain Dealer where he worked for the accounting department. In 1957 he left the Plain Dealer and began writing for television station KYW Channel 3's weekly television series titled Breakthrough, a program which examined the lives of famous scientists. He left Channel 3 and from 1959 to 1967 he wrote and produced the television show Perspective for Western Reserve University.
Throughout his career he wrote various radio commercials, industrial films, documentaries, and television scripts. In the early part of his career he concentrated on play writing. His early plays include St. Columkille's Eve, which in 1948 was under option to be produced on Broadway, Native Shore, Maddigans Wedding, and First Warm Day of Spring. His greatest commercial successes were Mrs. Lincoln which was produced by the Cleveland Play House in 1968 and was held ov er for six months. His Black Horse Tavern was produced in 1976 and was Cleveland's Bicentennial play.
He was the winner of several awards including the Cleveland Arts Prize in 1971 and two Ford Foundation grants. The first, in 1964, allowed him to spend six months in Berlin as part of the Literarisches Colloquium. Also at this six person colloquium was British playwright Tom Stoppard who wrote the original one act version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which was produced along with Cullinan's one act play The Sentinel.
The other Ford grant, awarded in 1966, sent him to the University of Utah for one year where he was playwright in residence. While there his play Madigans Wedding was produced.
Later in his career Cullinan's emphasis shifted to writing novels. His novel The Beguiled was published in 1966 and in 1970 was made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood. His other novels include The Besieged, The Eighth Sacrament, and the The Bedeviled.
Throughout his life he was keenly interested in helping those interested in the theater. He participated in Cuyahoga Community College's Writer's Conference in 1977 and 1978. From 1978 to 1995 he was a judge for the Marlilyn Bianchi Kids' Playwriting Festival. It was while attending the 1995 festival that he collapsed and died on June 11, 1995.
His last play The Rose of Tralee was a college graduation gift to his son. It was finished posthumously by his son and his wife and was produced by the Dobama Theatre in 1996.
Throughout his career he wrote various radio commercials, industrial films, documentaries, and television scripts. In the early part of his career he concentrated on play writing. His early plays include St. Columkille's Eve, which in 1948 was under option to be produced on Broadway, Native Shore, Maddigans Wedding, and First Warm Day of Spring. His greatest commercial successes were Mrs. Lincoln which was produced by the Cleveland Play House in 1968 and was held ov er for six months. His Black Horse Tavern was produced in 1976 and was Cleveland's Bicentennial play.
He was the winner of several awards including the Cleveland Arts Prize in 1971 and two Ford Foundation grants. The first, in 1964, allowed him to spend six months in Berlin as part of the Literarisches Colloquium. Also at this six person colloquium was British playwright Tom Stoppard who wrote the original one act version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which was produced along with Cullinan's one act play The Sentinel.
The other Ford grant, awarded in 1966, sent him to the University of Utah for one year where he was playwright in residence. While there his play Madigans Wedding was produced.
Later in his career Cullinan's emphasis shifted to writing novels. His novel The Beguiled was published in 1966 and in 1970 was made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood. His other novels include The Besieged, The Eighth Sacrament, and the The Bedeviled.
Throughout his life he was keenly interested in helping those interested in the theater. He participated in Cuyahoga Community College's Writer's Conference in 1977 and 1978. From 1978 to 1995 he was a judge for the Marlilyn Bianchi Kids' Playwriting Festival. It was while attending the 1995 festival that he collapsed and died on June 11, 1995.
His last play The Rose of Tralee was a college graduation gift to his son. It was finished posthumously by his son and his wife and was produced by the Dobama Theatre in 1996.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 557 reviews
July 4, 2017
At the end of this novel I was left sort of speechless, and left in awe after finishing it.
As the blurb tells us, as the story begins we find ourselves in Virginia, "during the height of the Civil War." The residents of the Miss Martha Farnworth Seminary for Young Ladies find their routine interrupted when thirteen year-old Amelia Dabney is out picking mushrooms one day and comes upon a wounded Union soldier. Surrounded by cannon fire, she helps him to his feet and takes him to the school. Corporal John McBurney tells her he'll be there long enough to get his injuries tended to, and then he'll leave immediately and "be no further trouble."
That's what he says, but as the story progresses, we learn that we can't always take McBurney at face value. Far from it. As each of the women and the girls at the house interact with him, his presence interrupts the regular, familiar routine of the house and worse, setting off a bizarre chain of events that no one could have predicted. Wait. I take that back -- the one person who realized from the beginning that "You chil'ren have brought destruction in this house" is the slave Mattie, who sees McBurney for what he really is, but who cannot convince the rest of the women otherwise before it's too late.
The story is related through the alternating points of view of the small group of females at the school, which gives it a much more complete feel than it may have had from a third-person narrator alone. As perspectives shift, we start to realize just what it is about each person's psyche or past that draws them to McBurney; we also get different interpretations of the same events, which are often misinterpreted, bringing in a fuller picture of exactly what's going on in the house. And just as the school is isolated because of a war that has divided the country, the divisions within also serve to isolate its residents until they are forced to come to a consensus over what needs to be done to bring things back to the way they were before. The question is, though, how can any of these lives ever be the same again?
It's a hell of a page turner , and Cullinan is a master of ratcheting the psychological tension to the point where I couldn't put it down. Unlike a LOT of readers, I thought the alternating points-of-view approach was a great one. And also unlike a lot of readers, I didn't judge the novel on the old Clint Eastwood film made from this book, which was nerve wracking, for sure, but very different from the original story. There's so much psychological tragedy going on in the novel, and while the film version didn't spare the horror, it's of a different variety altogether than what's in the book.
Very highly recommended.
As the blurb tells us, as the story begins we find ourselves in Virginia, "during the height of the Civil War." The residents of the Miss Martha Farnworth Seminary for Young Ladies find their routine interrupted when thirteen year-old Amelia Dabney is out picking mushrooms one day and comes upon a wounded Union soldier. Surrounded by cannon fire, she helps him to his feet and takes him to the school. Corporal John McBurney tells her he'll be there long enough to get his injuries tended to, and then he'll leave immediately and "be no further trouble."
That's what he says, but as the story progresses, we learn that we can't always take McBurney at face value. Far from it. As each of the women and the girls at the house interact with him, his presence interrupts the regular, familiar routine of the house and worse, setting off a bizarre chain of events that no one could have predicted. Wait. I take that back -- the one person who realized from the beginning that "You chil'ren have brought destruction in this house" is the slave Mattie, who sees McBurney for what he really is, but who cannot convince the rest of the women otherwise before it's too late.
The story is related through the alternating points of view of the small group of females at the school, which gives it a much more complete feel than it may have had from a third-person narrator alone. As perspectives shift, we start to realize just what it is about each person's psyche or past that draws them to McBurney; we also get different interpretations of the same events, which are often misinterpreted, bringing in a fuller picture of exactly what's going on in the house. And just as the school is isolated because of a war that has divided the country, the divisions within also serve to isolate its residents until they are forced to come to a consensus over what needs to be done to bring things back to the way they were before. The question is, though, how can any of these lives ever be the same again?
It's a hell of a page turner , and Cullinan is a master of ratcheting the psychological tension to the point where I couldn't put it down. Unlike a LOT of readers, I thought the alternating points-of-view approach was a great one. And also unlike a lot of readers, I didn't judge the novel on the old Clint Eastwood film made from this book, which was nerve wracking, for sure, but very different from the original story. There's so much psychological tragedy going on in the novel, and while the film version didn't spare the horror, it's of a different variety altogether than what's in the book.
Very highly recommended.
June 30, 2021
The Beguiled is a novel of rivalry, manipulation and revenge with psychological suspense and sexual tension
a Union soldier in the American civil war is found injured in woods at south, near a seminary for young women
his presence caused a state of disruption, the women at school are different in backgrounds and beliefs, but some of them had something in common which is their fascination with the enemy soldier
the narration display the effect of lies and isolation on characters, and to how extent, the sexual attraction could affect the good sense and behavior
the novel was published in 1966, told from multiple perspectives, well written but with a lot of details and repetition
a Union soldier in the American civil war is found injured in woods at south, near a seminary for young women
his presence caused a state of disruption, the women at school are different in backgrounds and beliefs, but some of them had something in common which is their fascination with the enemy soldier
the narration display the effect of lies and isolation on characters, and to how extent, the sexual attraction could affect the good sense and behavior
the novel was published in 1966, told from multiple perspectives, well written but with a lot of details and repetition
June 3, 2023
“The knowledge of unhappiness makes it impossible to ever more experience unalloyed bliss. That's only possible in a state of innocence.”
― Thomas Cullinan, The Beguiled
“Well, if I cannot be sensible and popular at the same time, then I will always choose the virtue rather than the friends.”
― Thomas Cullinan, The Beguiled
Simmering. Southern. Gothic. Madness.
This is a Historical Fiction novel that I would also not hesitate to call Gothic or even Horror, set in the time of the American Civil War where a wounded soldier in Virginia shows up at a boarding school of sheltered young girls who take him in to nurse him back to health. As this charming soldier recovers he befriends all the females at the school bringing forth their innermost feelings as they begin to turn on the soldier and each other.
This book beguiled me. I cannot say I started off loving it but it kind of simmers, slowly wrapping itself around you. It's a very well written book that is extremely difficult to get into at least at first.
There are a huge cast of characters and the story is told from multiple viewpoints. It can be confusing to remember everybodys' name and keep track of all that is happening.
The other thing about The Beguiled is there are few..very few..likeable characters. The atmosphere of the book I'd have to describe as claustrophobic. Everything that happens, occurs within the confines of this school..not a very pleasant place to be.
I like the quiet and very dark humor the writer uses when describing the characters, particularly Alice.
The first time I read this it left a bad taste in my mouth. I had to read it a second time to really appreciate it although I will say outright it is not for everyone.
I was expecting to rate this a 4. I took off a star because toward the end there is an animal killed and although the scene is short and vital for the story I do not like those types of scenes so I took off a star.
I'd still recommend this. It's well written and is now a film though I have yet to see the film version. And it will linger in your mind long after you've turned the last page.
― Thomas Cullinan, The Beguiled
“Well, if I cannot be sensible and popular at the same time, then I will always choose the virtue rather than the friends.”
― Thomas Cullinan, The Beguiled
Simmering. Southern. Gothic. Madness.
This is a Historical Fiction novel that I would also not hesitate to call Gothic or even Horror, set in the time of the American Civil War where a wounded soldier in Virginia shows up at a boarding school of sheltered young girls who take him in to nurse him back to health. As this charming soldier recovers he befriends all the females at the school bringing forth their innermost feelings as they begin to turn on the soldier and each other.
This book beguiled me. I cannot say I started off loving it but it kind of simmers, slowly wrapping itself around you. It's a very well written book that is extremely difficult to get into at least at first.
There are a huge cast of characters and the story is told from multiple viewpoints. It can be confusing to remember everybodys' name and keep track of all that is happening.
The other thing about The Beguiled is there are few..very few..likeable characters. The atmosphere of the book I'd have to describe as claustrophobic. Everything that happens, occurs within the confines of this school..not a very pleasant place to be.
I like the quiet and very dark humor the writer uses when describing the characters, particularly Alice.
The first time I read this it left a bad taste in my mouth. I had to read it a second time to really appreciate it although I will say outright it is not for everyone.
I was expecting to rate this a 4. I took off a star because toward the end there is an animal killed and although the scene is short and vital for the story I do not like those types of scenes so I took off a star.
I'd still recommend this. It's well written and is now a film though I have yet to see the film version. And it will linger in your mind long after you've turned the last page.
October 21, 2017
BORING! I am giving 2 stars because I liked the atmosphere the author created but it was just so boring. This book was not on my radar but a friend suggested we read this and see the movie. It took me forever to read cuz it was so boring. Hope the movie is better. Did I mention I think it's boring? Moving on.
June 25, 2017
I picked it up ahead of Coppola's movie coming out this week and I honestly think this is going to be one of those cases where the movie is better than the book. I've been waiting months for the book to come out of out-of-print status.
1) It's told from alternating points of view. It becomes a really fascinating example of unreliable narration because the various views correct each other and you come to read through the lies each of them believes about themselves. But there are 8 goddamn women and I could only tell 4 of them apart.
2) None of the women like each other. They're mean, catty, and hateful towards each other, which I credit to a male author. Sorry, there's bound to be some sort of sisterhood between at least two of the women in a case like this but there isn't any. It reads like a man's interpretation of inter-personal relationships. They're also incredibly narcissistic and selfish.
3) The book is clearly written by a playwrite. It's 400 pages of dialogue and there are maybe 3 rooms/sets total in all 400 pages that the novel takes place. Very little description & action, so that it becomes really hard to tell what the fuck is going on. It reads very much like a play.
4) IT GOES NOWHERE. There are climaxes throughout the book that you think would lead somewhere and they don't. Build up of bad person --> person does bad thing --> person is caught --> everyone decides to ignore said action and gaslight themselves --> repeat. It goes nowhere because of the hateful treatment of the female characters to each other, they dislike each other so much that they dig each other deeper into this mess when it could have been easily resolved. They all lack the motivation to do anything about the situation without a clear reason why.
5) Any description of this book containing horror or suspense is false. The only suspense is reading all 400 in hopes of coming across the advertised suspense to find there is none. This book could easily be a "female" horror novel in the style of Crimson Peak or Rebecca but it was written by the wrong person.
I'm disappointed.
1) It's told from alternating points of view. It becomes a really fascinating example of unreliable narration because the various views correct each other and you come to read through the lies each of them believes about themselves. But there are 8 goddamn women and I could only tell 4 of them apart.
2) None of the women like each other. They're mean, catty, and hateful towards each other, which I credit to a male author. Sorry, there's bound to be some sort of sisterhood between at least two of the women in a case like this but there isn't any. It reads like a man's interpretation of inter-personal relationships. They're also incredibly narcissistic and selfish.
3) The book is clearly written by a playwrite. It's 400 pages of dialogue and there are maybe 3 rooms/sets total in all 400 pages that the novel takes place. Very little description & action, so that it becomes really hard to tell what the fuck is going on. It reads very much like a play.
4) IT GOES NOWHERE. There are climaxes throughout the book that you think would lead somewhere and they don't. Build up of bad person --> person does bad thing --> person is caught --> everyone decides to ignore said action and gaslight themselves --> repeat. It goes nowhere because of the hateful treatment of the female characters to each other, they dislike each other so much that they dig each other deeper into this mess when it could have been easily resolved. They all lack the motivation to do anything about the situation without a clear reason why.
5) Any description of this book containing horror or suspense is false. The only suspense is reading all 400 in hopes of coming across the advertised suspense to find there is none. This book could easily be a "female" horror novel in the style of Crimson Peak or Rebecca but it was written by the wrong person.
I'm disappointed.
December 4, 2017
3.5/5
Like many people I think, I had never heard of The Beguiled before I had heard of Sofia Coppola’s adaptation (I wasn’t even aware of the adaptation of 1971 starring Clint Eastwood) (but then again I don’t care much for Clint Eastwood.) I watched the trailer and was entranced by what I saw: a gothic tale set in the Civil War with a wounded Union soldier rescued by *Southern belles* from an all-girls boarding school. This screamed of my favorite trope (dangerous girls and women) and when I saw it was based on a book, I couldn’t resist and bought a copy.
I’m not going to make you wait any longer—I loved it. I loved it and yet it is flawed. But first, let’s start with the positive things.
So what did I love? Well, to begin with, I loved the atmosphere. You know how much I enjoy atmospheric reads and this one had it going on. The story is what we call in French a "huis clos"—which can be translated as "no exit" or "behind closed doors." The action only takes place in Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies and none of the characters can really get out. Thus develops throughout the novel a feeling of isolation and entrapment. It was also quite aesthetically pleasing (I can imagine easily why Coppola chose to adapt it into a film,) what with the description of the girls’ dresses, etc.
And then there are the characters. The story is told from the points of view of all the ladies of the house: Miss Martha, the headmaster, her sister Miss Harriet, the five teenage girls and Matilda (or Mattie,) the house slave. I was particularly attached to two characters, Amelia, who discovers McBurney (the infamous Union soldier) and who is more woodland creature than actual girl, and 10 year old Marie Devereaux, who is precocious and mischievous and who knows everything about everyone. It was fascinating to see the effect of the soldier on the women and girls, inciting in them curiosity, love, lust or even hatred.
The first issue I have lies in the pacing. It is slow—too slow. I don’t mind slow-paced stories but I really had some trouble getting into it at first. But after 30 pages or so, I became really engrossed in it.
Still, it felt repetitive at times since we often see the same action through the eyes of different girls. Another criticism regarding the multiple points of view is that I couldn’t really differentiate between them all. In the beginning, I even had trouble saying who was who because the writing is exactly the same (except maybe for Mattie’s POV) which is weird since the voice of middle aged Miss Martha should be rather different from that of 10 year old Marie, no matter how precocious the latter is.
Despite these flaws, I still think this is a book worth reading, especially if you enjoy tales where women show their darker sides. The setting definitely added to my enjoyment of the book, so there’s also that.
p.s. If you don’t want to read the book and only want to see Coppola’s adaptation, please keep in mind that she erased the two POC characters of the book: Edwina, who is supposed to be from a mixed-race background (and becomes in Coppola’s version a white blond woman) and Mattie, the house slave who in the end turns out to be cleverer than most of the girls. For a story set during the Civil War, I find that disappointing and ignorant at best.
Like many people I think, I had never heard of The Beguiled before I had heard of Sofia Coppola’s adaptation (I wasn’t even aware of the adaptation of 1971 starring Clint Eastwood) (but then again I don’t care much for Clint Eastwood.) I watched the trailer and was entranced by what I saw: a gothic tale set in the Civil War with a wounded Union soldier rescued by *Southern belles* from an all-girls boarding school. This screamed of my favorite trope (dangerous girls and women) and when I saw it was based on a book, I couldn’t resist and bought a copy.
I’m not going to make you wait any longer—I loved it. I loved it and yet it is flawed. But first, let’s start with the positive things.
So what did I love? Well, to begin with, I loved the atmosphere. You know how much I enjoy atmospheric reads and this one had it going on. The story is what we call in French a "huis clos"—which can be translated as "no exit" or "behind closed doors." The action only takes place in Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies and none of the characters can really get out. Thus develops throughout the novel a feeling of isolation and entrapment. It was also quite aesthetically pleasing (I can imagine easily why Coppola chose to adapt it into a film,) what with the description of the girls’ dresses, etc.
And then there are the characters. The story is told from the points of view of all the ladies of the house: Miss Martha, the headmaster, her sister Miss Harriet, the five teenage girls and Matilda (or Mattie,) the house slave. I was particularly attached to two characters, Amelia, who discovers McBurney (the infamous Union soldier) and who is more woodland creature than actual girl, and 10 year old Marie Devereaux, who is precocious and mischievous and who knows everything about everyone. It was fascinating to see the effect of the soldier on the women and girls, inciting in them curiosity, love, lust or even hatred.
The first issue I have lies in the pacing. It is slow—too slow. I don’t mind slow-paced stories but I really had some trouble getting into it at first. But after 30 pages or so, I became really engrossed in it.
Still, it felt repetitive at times since we often see the same action through the eyes of different girls. Another criticism regarding the multiple points of view is that I couldn’t really differentiate between them all. In the beginning, I even had trouble saying who was who because the writing is exactly the same (except maybe for Mattie’s POV) which is weird since the voice of middle aged Miss Martha should be rather different from that of 10 year old Marie, no matter how precocious the latter is.
Despite these flaws, I still think this is a book worth reading, especially if you enjoy tales where women show their darker sides. The setting definitely added to my enjoyment of the book, so there’s also that.
p.s. If you don’t want to read the book and only want to see Coppola’s adaptation, please keep in mind that she erased the two POC characters of the book: Edwina, who is supposed to be from a mixed-race background (and becomes in Coppola’s version a white blond woman) and Mattie, the house slave who in the end turns out to be cleverer than most of the girls. For a story set during the Civil War, I find that disappointing and ignorant at best.
June 28, 2017
I found him in the woods
Ok, this is a crazy-mad piece of fiction which takes the Southern Gothic genre and ramps it up so far that it teeters on the brink of bonkers black comedy - yet I enjoyed it hugely.
Set against the American Civil War, a group of girls and women are holed up in a schoolhouse while the fighting goes on around them. The introduction of a wounded soldier into this hothouse atmosphere releases high emotions of sexuality, jealousy, passion and lies... and not a little violence. Only this 'cat amongst the pigeons' tale soon starts to veer away and we're rapidly beginning to wonder whether it's actually a case of a pigeon amongst cats...
The story is told via the voices of the women who pass the narrative baton to and fro, and they're not so much characters as functions of the story. It's hard, sometimes, to keep them separate in the mind precisely because they're just names and actions, and there are places where I had to just go with the flow. Cullinan writes a restrained, elegant prose which is gloriously, wildly at odds with the things that happen and it's this refusal to allow the overblown events to be duplicated in an overheated writing style which makes this work.
A surprising and surprisingly enjoyable read - but definitely mad!
Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley.
Ok, this is a crazy-mad piece of fiction which takes the Southern Gothic genre and ramps it up so far that it teeters on the brink of bonkers black comedy - yet I enjoyed it hugely.
Set against the American Civil War, a group of girls and women are holed up in a schoolhouse while the fighting goes on around them. The introduction of a wounded soldier into this hothouse atmosphere releases high emotions of sexuality, jealousy, passion and lies... and not a little violence. Only this 'cat amongst the pigeons' tale soon starts to veer away and we're rapidly beginning to wonder whether it's actually a case of a pigeon amongst cats...
The story is told via the voices of the women who pass the narrative baton to and fro, and they're not so much characters as functions of the story. It's hard, sometimes, to keep them separate in the mind precisely because they're just names and actions, and there are places where I had to just go with the flow. Cullinan writes a restrained, elegant prose which is gloriously, wildly at odds with the things that happen and it's this refusal to allow the overblown events to be duplicated in an overheated writing style which makes this work.
A surprising and surprisingly enjoyable read - but definitely mad!
Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley.
August 7, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this novel, set in the time of the American Civil War. I had not heard of this until the film came out, but never got to see it. The story has a feel of Gone with the Wind with a touch of the War of the Roses (film with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner) and was told from several different points of view. It took a while to get the characters straight but after that, I couldn't put it down! Slightly wordy in places, but a really good read for historical fiction lovers.
An ARC of this book was provided by Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
An ARC of this book was provided by Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
July 25, 2024
July 14, 2017
It took me over twenty years to track down and read this book after seeing the 1971 Clint Eastwood/Geraldine Page film on cable, and I was not disappointed in the least.
March 4, 2018
Parto col dire che le stelle in realtà sono 3.5.
Questo libro l’ho trovato in biblioteca nelle novità. E siccome volevo andare a vedere il film, ma poi non sono riuscita a vederlo, ho colto l’occasione e l’ho preso al volo 😊.
La storia è molto semplice. Durante la guerra civile, in un collegio femminile della Virginia, una delle ragazze porta un soldato dell’Unione ferito. Il libro è scritto dai punti vista delle cinque ragazze, delle due istitutrici e della serva di colore. Ogni capitolo cambia prospettiva, ma il bello è che la storia non si interrompe. È difficile da spiegare. Ed è bello leggere i pensieri di ognuna, scoprire la storia di ognuna dalle altre. Capire cosa pensano una dell’altra. Davvero intrigante. Anche perché altro che signorine per bene...all’inizio è molto lento, ma poi piano piano il ritmo sale. E la tensione si taglia con un coltello. Bello davvero..e poi finisce con il botto. Spiazzante. Anche se mi è piaciuto molto, l’ho trovato troppo lento in alcuni punti, per poi concludersi velocemente. Lasciandomi un po’ con l’amaro in bocca. Peccato. Cque credo che vedrò il film appena possibile. Voglio proprio vedere come è riuscita Sofia Coppola a ricreare questa tensione e tutti i personaggi.
Questo libro l’ho trovato in biblioteca nelle novità. E siccome volevo andare a vedere il film, ma poi non sono riuscita a vederlo, ho colto l’occasione e l’ho preso al volo 😊.
La storia è molto semplice. Durante la guerra civile, in un collegio femminile della Virginia, una delle ragazze porta un soldato dell’Unione ferito. Il libro è scritto dai punti vista delle cinque ragazze, delle due istitutrici e della serva di colore. Ogni capitolo cambia prospettiva, ma il bello è che la storia non si interrompe. È difficile da spiegare. Ed è bello leggere i pensieri di ognuna, scoprire la storia di ognuna dalle altre. Capire cosa pensano una dell’altra. Davvero intrigante. Anche perché altro che signorine per bene...all’inizio è molto lento, ma poi piano piano il ritmo sale. E la tensione si taglia con un coltello. Bello davvero..e poi finisce con il botto. Spiazzante. Anche se mi è piaciuto molto, l’ho trovato troppo lento in alcuni punti, per poi concludersi velocemente. Lasciandomi un po’ con l’amaro in bocca. Peccato. Cque credo che vedrò il film appena possibile. Voglio proprio vedere come è riuscita Sofia Coppola a ricreare questa tensione e tutti i personaggi.
March 23, 2017
Upon seeing a trailer for the upcoming Sofia Coppola remake, I was quick to pick up the creepy and disturbing 1971 film adaptation of this book, which piqued my interest in the source material. Tracking down a copy was a challenge, but my local library's interlibrary loan came to the rescue and got an old, battered edition into my hot little hands. Unfortunately, after all of that buildup and trouble, I was left unsatisfied after finishing. There is an intriguing tale centered on lies and isolation within these pages, but one has to wade through the meandering, dull plot riddled with repetition and unnecessary detail to get to it. It was interesting to receive the story from so many perspectives, which served to enhance the characters from the movie, but I didn't need to know quite so much about each individual's backstory, especially when the information added very little or went nowhere. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more if I had been able to read it first, but overall I found the film content to be tighter and more focused, making it more worth my time.
August 7, 2019
Quite a book! I have mixed feelings about it. First of all, it was a really good book, but at the same time, difficult to read - 50 pages maximum in one sitting. Actually, rather long one, too. This could have been a good 100-150 page novella instead of about 400-page, single-space, 8 font book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it. And still trying to figure out the moral. I need some thinking.
***
Hate when the cover is from movie, especially when I don't like 2 actors from 3, but couldn't resist to buy this. Noting normal to read...
*Sighs a person who owns 2 full shelves of unread books*
***
Hate when the cover is from movie, especially when I don't like 2 actors from 3, but couldn't resist to buy this. Noting normal to read...
*Sighs a person who owns 2 full shelves of unread books*
December 17, 2018
hella good
February 9, 2018
Splendido crescendo, nella storia come nel tono in cui viene raccontata dalle protagoniste, verso un finale gelido come si attiene all'educazione di una brava donna della confederazione.
L'alternarsi delle protagoniste nel raccontare la vicenda aggiunge sapore al racconto.
L'alternarsi delle protagoniste nel raccontare la vicenda aggiunge sapore al racconto.
January 23, 2018
Nel Collegio per signorine di Miss Martha Farnsworth sono rimaste solamente cinque allieve.
Siamo nella Virginia insanguinata dalla guerra civile, tra l’eco di un cannone e un colpo di fucile la vita della scuola diretta dall’austera Miss Martha scorre lenta e sempre uguale: lezioni di cucito, musica e francese, le incombenze domestiche, i pasti e le preghiere.
In questo mondo tutto al femminile irrompe il caporale John McBurney, disertore dell’esercito nordista gravemente ferito.
Assediate dalla guerra e dalla noia, le donne della scuola accolgono il soldato nemico e se ne prendono cura. Un po’ alla volta, inevitabilmente, intrecciano con lui una danza sottile fatta di sfida, di potere e seduzione.
Diffidenti, audaci, tenere, gelose, spaventate e possessive, le ragazze di Miss Farnsworth svelano una dopo l’altra la propria vera natura. Un gioco dall’esito imprevedibile e che si rivelerà fatale per qualcuno.
Attirata dal trailer del film di Sofia Coppola basato appunto su questo romanzo di Thomas Cullinan ho deciso di leggere prima il libro e poi guardare il film. La delusione è stata grande.
Il libro si caratterizza per i capitoli narrati da ognuna delle ragazze e insegnanti del Collegio. In pochissime pagine capiremo che quasi nessuna ragazza ci potrà piacere: quello che balza subito all’occhio è la cattiveria insita in quasi tutte loro. Nessuna si sopporta, nessuna apprezza l’altra, nessuna prova amore o empatia nei confronti delle compagne. Questo mi ha reso estremamente difficile, anzi direi impossibile, affezionarmi a qualcuna di loro.
Non ci si può affezionare nemmeno con Miss Martha, direttrice del Collegio, e con Miss Harriett, sorella di Miss Martha. La prima, bigotta e al tempo stesso pervertita; la seconda, ubriacona e debole.
Cosa dire del caporale? Un enorme punto interrogativo così come l’intero libro.
Di lui sappiamo poco e nulla, e di quel poco che sappiamo non possiamo fidarci perché fidarsi di McBurney è impossibile. Non ho capito il suo comportamento, non me lo sono spiegata e Thomas Cullinan di certo non mi ha facilitato il compito visto che non ha rivelato niente sul caporale.
Perché si è comportato in quel modo?
Cosa lo ha realmente spinto al Collegio di Miss Martha?
Perché mentire?
Perché imbrogliare?
Non si sa. Non riceveremo mai una risposta, neppure un indizio, niente di niente.
Come se non bastasse il libro è veramente noioso: 400 pagine di nulla se non comportamenti immaturi da parte di ragazzine che non sanno nemmeno pulirsi e che non hanno un briciolo di educazione per sé, per i pari e per gli adulti. Le ultime 100 pagine sono state le più interessanti ma la mia curiosità è scemata presto, nel momento in cui ho capito che l’autore non avrebbe spiegato nulla.
L’inganno di Thomas Cullinan mi ha profondamente delusa. Mi ha annoiato dalla prima all’ultima pagina. L’ho portato a termine con la vana speranza che ci fosse almeno un capitolo conclusivo che potesse spiegare il perché dell’intera vicenda ma purtroppo non ho avuto nemmeno questa soddisfazione.
Un libro che non vi consiglio.
Siamo nella Virginia insanguinata dalla guerra civile, tra l’eco di un cannone e un colpo di fucile la vita della scuola diretta dall’austera Miss Martha scorre lenta e sempre uguale: lezioni di cucito, musica e francese, le incombenze domestiche, i pasti e le preghiere.
In questo mondo tutto al femminile irrompe il caporale John McBurney, disertore dell’esercito nordista gravemente ferito.
Assediate dalla guerra e dalla noia, le donne della scuola accolgono il soldato nemico e se ne prendono cura. Un po’ alla volta, inevitabilmente, intrecciano con lui una danza sottile fatta di sfida, di potere e seduzione.
Diffidenti, audaci, tenere, gelose, spaventate e possessive, le ragazze di Miss Farnsworth svelano una dopo l’altra la propria vera natura. Un gioco dall’esito imprevedibile e che si rivelerà fatale per qualcuno.
Attirata dal trailer del film di Sofia Coppola basato appunto su questo romanzo di Thomas Cullinan ho deciso di leggere prima il libro e poi guardare il film. La delusione è stata grande.
Il libro si caratterizza per i capitoli narrati da ognuna delle ragazze e insegnanti del Collegio. In pochissime pagine capiremo che quasi nessuna ragazza ci potrà piacere: quello che balza subito all’occhio è la cattiveria insita in quasi tutte loro. Nessuna si sopporta, nessuna apprezza l’altra, nessuna prova amore o empatia nei confronti delle compagne. Questo mi ha reso estremamente difficile, anzi direi impossibile, affezionarmi a qualcuna di loro.
Non ci si può affezionare nemmeno con Miss Martha, direttrice del Collegio, e con Miss Harriett, sorella di Miss Martha. La prima, bigotta e al tempo stesso pervertita; la seconda, ubriacona e debole.
Cosa dire del caporale? Un enorme punto interrogativo così come l’intero libro.
Di lui sappiamo poco e nulla, e di quel poco che sappiamo non possiamo fidarci perché fidarsi di McBurney è impossibile. Non ho capito il suo comportamento, non me lo sono spiegata e Thomas Cullinan di certo non mi ha facilitato il compito visto che non ha rivelato niente sul caporale.
Perché si è comportato in quel modo?
Cosa lo ha realmente spinto al Collegio di Miss Martha?
Perché mentire?
Perché imbrogliare?
Non si sa. Non riceveremo mai una risposta, neppure un indizio, niente di niente.
Come se non bastasse il libro è veramente noioso: 400 pagine di nulla se non comportamenti immaturi da parte di ragazzine che non sanno nemmeno pulirsi e che non hanno un briciolo di educazione per sé, per i pari e per gli adulti. Le ultime 100 pagine sono state le più interessanti ma la mia curiosità è scemata presto, nel momento in cui ho capito che l’autore non avrebbe spiegato nulla.
L’inganno di Thomas Cullinan mi ha profondamente delusa. Mi ha annoiato dalla prima all’ultima pagina. L’ho portato a termine con la vana speranza che ci fosse almeno un capitolo conclusivo che potesse spiegare il perché dell’intera vicenda ma purtroppo non ho avuto nemmeno questa soddisfazione.
Un libro che non vi consiglio.
October 1, 2017
Sabba nel collegio per signorine
Cosa accadrebbe se il diavolo andasse a far visita ad un'allegra brigata di belle ed innocenti fanciulle? Cosa accadrebbe se il luogo, dove queste belle fanciulle si sono isolate, le avesse cambiate a tal punto da renderle pericolose? Cosa accadrebbe se queste innocenti fanciulle fossero diventate un po' streghe? Ovviamente non streghe nel significato letterale del termine, ma in quello metaforico. L'isolamento cambia le persone. È un dato di fatto cui non si può obiettare.
Quindi, il romanzo "L'INGANNO", dello scrittore americano Thomas Cullinan, racconta l'incontro tra un potenziale diavolo e una combriccola di probabili streghe. Il romanzo pubblicato nel 1966 ha il suo punto di forza nella suspense, generata lentamente, pagina dopo pagina, un dialogo dopo l'altro. Sono soprattutto i dialoghi rievocati dai personaggi femminili di questa storia a creare la suspense. Ogni donna riferisce la storia dal suo punto di vista, così come l'ha vissuta o ha interpretato ciò che ha visto. Ogni donna ha più di un capitolo a lei dedicato in questo romanzo. Dai racconti di ogni donna emerge la sua psicologia, delineata nella sua complessità. Ogni donna, o ragazza che sia, ha i suoi difetti e i suoi pregi, ma soprattutto ognuna ha un sogno e, quasi per tutte, si tratta di una fantasia romantica, sentimentale, melodrammatica.
Il collegio femminile, in Virginia, e i suoi immediati dintorni sono l'ambientazione del romanzo. Il collegio femminile è il luogo nel quale due donne adulte, sorelle ed insegnanti, una serva e cinque allieve sono confinate a causa della guerra civile americana. In quel luogo, sperduto e quasi privo di contatti col mondo l'esterno, tra quelle donne, segreti e invidie reciproche sono destinate a scatenarsi, quando il loro isolamento viene interrotto dall'arrivo di un uomo, un soldato gravemente ferito.
Le donne lo assistono, lo curano, se ne invaghiscono. Le fanciulle lo sognano come futuro, possibile marito. Non rimarranno per sempre in quel collegio femminile. Ognuna progetta di fuggire da lì al fianco di quel giovane soldato, bello e forte, ma anche astuto e scaltro. La sua maliziosità emerge fin dalle sue prime parole. Per ognuna ha occhi teneri e sentimenti apparentemente puri. È l'unico maschio. È il gallo nel pollaio. È il diavolo che mette a repentaglio l'innocenza delle fanciulle e l'integrità morale delle insegnanti e della serva. Il gioco diventa sempre più pericoloso, poiché il suo agire fraudolento innesca imprevedibili reazioni a catena.
Le donne dovranno fare i conti con loro stesse, mentre il misterioso giovane si diverte a intessere relazioni e a far palpitare i cuori di ognuna promettendo di realizzare i loro sogni e alimentando i loro sogni e le loro speranze. L'aitante giovane sa dimostrarsi diverso con ognuna, tanto da impedire al lettore di crearne una biografia lineare o semplicemente autentica. Forse lui è semplicemente un adulatore, un uomo contento e abile nel saper approfittare di tante innocenti creature. Le sue parole persuasive, i suoi molteplici racconti personali sono reali o sono bugie? Quanto c'è di vero in ciò che racconta? Chi è veramente il giovane soldato nordista, John McBurney?
In un crescendo di suspense, le menzogne si trasformano in tragedia. La trama è avvincente e coinvolgente. Tanti sono i colpi di scena che rendono imprevedibile questo romanzo scritto nel 1966. Scoprire chi è che inganna chi è il piacere che lo scrittore concede al lettore paziente, al termine delle oltre cinquecento pagine di cui il romanzo si compone.
August 23, 2017
You know how you read A Rose for Emily and your mind was blown? Well, The Beguiled tries so hard to capture that magic but fails... It's slow.. it's boring.. and when you're finally at the point where something does happen YOU DON'T FUCKING CARE anymore.
July 2, 2018
I was expecting a little more from this movie directed by Sofia Coppola, with Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning.
The unexpected arrival of a wounded Union soldier at a girls school in Virginia during the American Civil War leads to jealousy and betrayal.
The unexpected arrival of a wounded Union soldier at a girls school in Virginia during the American Civil War leads to jealousy and betrayal.
June 17, 2019
"Should I tell the truth? No, it wasn't granted. In fact, I haven't really prayed for years. I just go through the motions to keep my sister happy and to maintain the image of a devout teacher in a Christian school. I fear God - as I fear many things - but I don't pray to Him. Because I know the thing I would ask for, if I did pray, would not be granted. Indeed, I suppose if I were God, I would not grant it either."
I only discovered this book as a result of the Sofia Coppola film re-make, and being the purist that I am, wanted to ensure I'd read the book before I sat down to watch the movie.
And this is the part of my review where I interject and say how immensely differently the Coppola film is to the book. The film is rubbish, whilst the novel by Thomas Cullinan is simple, pure, unequivocal brilliance.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
The characters are intriguing, their stories of origin each as mysterious and curious as the next. However, it's impossible to know who, if anyone is telling the truth at any point during the course of the story, and it's that fact which makes this novel so great.
The story is told in various first-person perspectives from each of the female characters. As it unravels, the reader gains the impression that what is going to happen has already happened, and there is now only left the how. The sole male character, the central focus of the story, never has the opportunity to give his version of events, so what the reader gets instead is a version relayed by a number of female characters, none of whom seem to trust each other, but who are all undoubtedly working together nonetheless.
It left me with so many questions: Why did they do what they did? Was any of it necessary? Were they selfless Christians, or were their actions the result of selfish desires? Were they really who they said they were? To what extent (if at all) were they being honest in their accounts, and their histories? And how many times had this happened before?
I can talk about this novel for hours and hours and hours, always wondering, never concluding, my musings and theories expanding and spiraling all at once. This is easily my favourite read of 2019, and I expect it'll remain a favourite forever.
5 out of 5 well-deserved stars.
I only discovered this book as a result of the Sofia Coppola film re-make, and being the purist that I am, wanted to ensure I'd read the book before I sat down to watch the movie.
And this is the part of my review where I interject and say how immensely differently the Coppola film is to the book. The film is rubbish, whilst the novel by Thomas Cullinan is simple, pure, unequivocal brilliance.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
The characters are intriguing, their stories of origin each as mysterious and curious as the next. However, it's impossible to know who, if anyone is telling the truth at any point during the course of the story, and it's that fact which makes this novel so great.
The story is told in various first-person perspectives from each of the female characters. As it unravels, the reader gains the impression that what is going to happen has already happened, and there is now only left the how. The sole male character, the central focus of the story, never has the opportunity to give his version of events, so what the reader gets instead is a version relayed by a number of female characters, none of whom seem to trust each other, but who are all undoubtedly working together nonetheless.
It left me with so many questions: Why did they do what they did? Was any of it necessary? Were they selfless Christians, or were their actions the result of selfish desires? Were they really who they said they were? To what extent (if at all) were they being honest in their accounts, and their histories? And how many times had this happened before?
I can talk about this novel for hours and hours and hours, always wondering, never concluding, my musings and theories expanding and spiraling all at once. This is easily my favourite read of 2019, and I expect it'll remain a favourite forever.
5 out of 5 well-deserved stars.
July 27, 2017
I was beguiled by the premise of the book, but found it to be a bit of a cumbersome read. The POVs switch so quickly at the beginning of the book that I kept going back to Amelia's report to McBurney on the students of the school to try and straighten out who was who.
As the book moved along, the chapters got too long and we were belaboring tiny details yet we still could hardly distinguish one character from another. Only Amelia stands out as a paragon of virtue especially where nature is involved. She seemed to value McBurney for who he was and not for what he could do for her.
Mattie was also a character who stands out from the pack. Her comment early on is a fitting epitaph for this book: "I didn't have any notion then how much evil we got in us, all of us. Seems like none of us every stop to think how evil can collect in us. . .how one little mean thought can pile on another 'til finally we got a mighty load of badness stacked up inside us. . .and then all it takes is maybe one nasty word to set off the trigger in us. . .and maybe that's some little triflin thing that wouldn't even have raised our tempers in a calmer time. . .and then we rush ahead and do things we coulda sworn to the Lord Almighty in the beginning we never had in us to do”
I don't think the movie seems as interesting now -- Nicole Kidman as a dried up old maid? Kirsten Dunst as an 18-year-old girl of mixed race? And Colin Ferrell seems a bit too much of a hunk to play a scrawny 21-year-old soldier. I was trying to picture them in these roles while I was reading the book and I just couldn't do it.
As the book moved along, the chapters got too long and we were belaboring tiny details yet we still could hardly distinguish one character from another. Only Amelia stands out as a paragon of virtue especially where nature is involved. She seemed to value McBurney for who he was and not for what he could do for her.
Mattie was also a character who stands out from the pack. Her comment early on is a fitting epitaph for this book: "I didn't have any notion then how much evil we got in us, all of us. Seems like none of us every stop to think how evil can collect in us. . .how one little mean thought can pile on another 'til finally we got a mighty load of badness stacked up inside us. . .and then all it takes is maybe one nasty word to set off the trigger in us. . .and maybe that's some little triflin thing that wouldn't even have raised our tempers in a calmer time. . .and then we rush ahead and do things we coulda sworn to the Lord Almighty in the beginning we never had in us to do”
I don't think the movie seems as interesting now -- Nicole Kidman as a dried up old maid? Kirsten Dunst as an 18-year-old girl of mixed race? And Colin Ferrell seems a bit too much of a hunk to play a scrawny 21-year-old soldier. I was trying to picture them in these roles while I was reading the book and I just couldn't do it.
January 5, 2020
1.5 Stars
This dragssss. Long story short, The Beguiled has like 6 uninteresting narrators and zero twists in its plot. From page one you know that something goes wrong with McBurney due to "clever" foreshadowing, so I was nonplussed when it did. Also, none of the characters have anything more to them than what you get on the first page. It seemed like the author was setting up some big reveals in regards to some, and then nothing ever happened. I felt bait-and-switched. Basically, there is zero mystery in The Beguiled after you read the first chapter.
This dragssss. Long story short, The Beguiled has like 6 uninteresting narrators and zero twists in its plot. From page one you know that something goes wrong with McBurney due to "clever" foreshadowing, so I was nonplussed when it did. Also, none of the characters have anything more to them than what you get on the first page. It seemed like the author was setting up some big reveals in regards to some, and then nothing ever happened. I felt bait-and-switched. Basically, there is zero mystery in The Beguiled after you read the first chapter.
August 20, 2017
3.25 stars. This book was really slow. At times it was great, but for the most part it was... just good. Review to come.
March 4, 2020
I loved every minute with these dark characters in this secluded school. Nothing scarier than watching what humans turn into when fear, lies and pride get involved.
October 21, 2018
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with this novel, but goodness! As far as classic reads go, this is a pearler. It’s a modern classic, given it was published in 1966, but a classic nonetheless. It absolutely ripples with atmosphere, set in Virginia (the South) during the American Civil War. The sense of time and place is vividly recreated; the old Southern customs standing strong against the incoming Yankee tide while also fraying them at the edges. The Beguiled has a gothic feel to it: the isolation of the school, the thick vein of foreboding running right through the narrative, the powerlessness of the women and girls, stuck in the middle of nowhere with war raging around them, isolated from trustworthy assistance, and the sense of impropriety simmering below the surface.
‘I didn’t have any notion then how much evil we got in us, all of us. Seems like none of us ever stop to think how evil can collect in us…how one little mean thought can pile on another ‘til finally we got a mighty load of badness stacked up inside us…and then all it takes is maybe one nasty word to set off the trigger in us…and maybe that’s some little triflin thing that wouldn’t even have raised our tempers in a calmer time…and then we rush ahead and do things we coulda sworn to the Lord Almighty in the beginning we never had in us to do.’
The Beguiled is told in the first person, alternating between each of the women and girls that live at the school. We only ever experience John McBurney through their impressions. The style of story telling was very intimate, and consequently, extremely absorbing. It is a rather long novel but it reels you in, the suspense securing your attention, along with the beautiful writing and strong character development. Thomas Cullinan has a brilliant sense of humour and his characters, with their introspective musings and entitled cutting remarks were incredibly entertaining, particularly little Marie and Emily. I enjoyed discovering the backstories of each, teasing out the relationship dynamics, and getting a sense of the pecking order within the house. There were moments of such ridiculousness when it came to John McBurney’s outrageous conduct coupled with the most extraordinarily obvious lies he repeatedly told; yet it all worked so well within the context in which it was presented. The way he charmed his way into the household, systematically taking each woman’s measure and then setting about pressing the right buttons on each to serve whatever purpose he deigned necessary at the time. He was indeed a first class charlatan, a priceless creation on the part of Thomas Cullinan.
I really enjoyed this novel. I feel that The Beguiled is an excellent example of fiction written by an author who knew exactly what they were doing at every step of their story. I have been told that the film doesn’t do this novel justice. I’m yet to see the film so I can’t confirm or deny this claim, but if you have doubts about this novel based on the film, I do urge you to set them aside and give it a go. This is one classic that is well worth picking up and getting lost in.
Thanks is extended to Penguin Books UK via NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Beguiled for review.
‘I didn’t have any notion then how much evil we got in us, all of us. Seems like none of us ever stop to think how evil can collect in us…how one little mean thought can pile on another ‘til finally we got a mighty load of badness stacked up inside us…and then all it takes is maybe one nasty word to set off the trigger in us…and maybe that’s some little triflin thing that wouldn’t even have raised our tempers in a calmer time…and then we rush ahead and do things we coulda sworn to the Lord Almighty in the beginning we never had in us to do.’
The Beguiled is told in the first person, alternating between each of the women and girls that live at the school. We only ever experience John McBurney through their impressions. The style of story telling was very intimate, and consequently, extremely absorbing. It is a rather long novel but it reels you in, the suspense securing your attention, along with the beautiful writing and strong character development. Thomas Cullinan has a brilliant sense of humour and his characters, with their introspective musings and entitled cutting remarks were incredibly entertaining, particularly little Marie and Emily. I enjoyed discovering the backstories of each, teasing out the relationship dynamics, and getting a sense of the pecking order within the house. There were moments of such ridiculousness when it came to John McBurney’s outrageous conduct coupled with the most extraordinarily obvious lies he repeatedly told; yet it all worked so well within the context in which it was presented. The way he charmed his way into the household, systematically taking each woman’s measure and then setting about pressing the right buttons on each to serve whatever purpose he deigned necessary at the time. He was indeed a first class charlatan, a priceless creation on the part of Thomas Cullinan.
I really enjoyed this novel. I feel that The Beguiled is an excellent example of fiction written by an author who knew exactly what they were doing at every step of their story. I have been told that the film doesn’t do this novel justice. I’m yet to see the film so I can’t confirm or deny this claim, but if you have doubts about this novel based on the film, I do urge you to set them aside and give it a go. This is one classic that is well worth picking up and getting lost in.
Thanks is extended to Penguin Books UK via NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Beguiled for review.
August 31, 2019
3.5 Stars
Along with many other readers, I came to this book – first published in 1966 – via the recent film adaptation by Sofia Coppola. The novel itself is a brooding, tempestuous slice of Southern Gothic, a mood that is mirrored in Coppola’s adaptation, complete with its evocative Virginia setting. Even though the film had already shaped much of the visual imagery in my mind, it was still interesting to read Cullinan’s source novel to gain a greater insight into the characters. If the narrative is of interest, I would recommend both – although you might want to read the book first before watching the film.
The story is set in a girls’ boarding school in Virginia in the midst of the American Civil War. As a consequence of the unrest, only five pupils remain at the school, along with the forthright headmistress, Miss Martha Farnsworth, her somewhat submissive sister, Harriet, and their perceptive cook/‘help’, Mattie. Miss Martha runs a tight, morally upstanding ship, aiming to educate her young ladies in both mind and spirit before they are released into the wider world.
As the novel opens, the school’s sheltered routine is interrupted when one of its pupils, Amelia Dabney, discovers a wounded Union soldier – Corporal John McBurney – while out picking mushrooms in the woods. In an effort to assist Corporal McBurney, Amelia helps him back to the school where he is taken in and treated by Miss Martha and the girls. At first, there is much discussion amongst the residents as to whether McBurney should be handed over to the Confederates; however, it is soon agreed that he should stay there covertly, at least until his severely injured leg has had time to heal. In essence, this seems to be the most charitable thing to do.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2019...
Along with many other readers, I came to this book – first published in 1966 – via the recent film adaptation by Sofia Coppola. The novel itself is a brooding, tempestuous slice of Southern Gothic, a mood that is mirrored in Coppola’s adaptation, complete with its evocative Virginia setting. Even though the film had already shaped much of the visual imagery in my mind, it was still interesting to read Cullinan’s source novel to gain a greater insight into the characters. If the narrative is of interest, I would recommend both – although you might want to read the book first before watching the film.
The story is set in a girls’ boarding school in Virginia in the midst of the American Civil War. As a consequence of the unrest, only five pupils remain at the school, along with the forthright headmistress, Miss Martha Farnsworth, her somewhat submissive sister, Harriet, and their perceptive cook/‘help’, Mattie. Miss Martha runs a tight, morally upstanding ship, aiming to educate her young ladies in both mind and spirit before they are released into the wider world.
As the novel opens, the school’s sheltered routine is interrupted when one of its pupils, Amelia Dabney, discovers a wounded Union soldier – Corporal John McBurney – while out picking mushrooms in the woods. In an effort to assist Corporal McBurney, Amelia helps him back to the school where he is taken in and treated by Miss Martha and the girls. At first, there is much discussion amongst the residents as to whether McBurney should be handed over to the Confederates; however, it is soon agreed that he should stay there covertly, at least until his severely injured leg has had time to heal. In essence, this seems to be the most charitable thing to do.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2019...
July 27, 2017
6/2/17
I've been looking forward all spring for a movie tie-in edition of The Beguiled. I adore all these actresses and I'm one of the unpopular few who don't mind the film covers. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be picking up my copy next week.
7/11/17
I had been anticipating The Beguiled for months and it was just as wonderful as I wanted it to be. It was a slow burning, literal chemise-ripping, southern gothic fanfare. I loved all the ladies individually with their separate personalities and special talents. Even the adults added their own southern spice to the dramatic gumbo of The Beguiled. Corporal John McBurney may have tasted from the forbidden fruit but he definitely paid for it. I know I personally would have been beguiled from the smooth talking Irishman. I mean, come on.
Corporal McBurney
John was a suave, winking weasel but you couldn't help but be enamored by his charm. He had the entire house wrapped around his wee finger. He was a complex and intriguing character to read. It was a roller coaster of a book and would have been quite boring without his antics.
Amelia
Sweet little Amy was the one who found him injured in the woods and brought the firecracker into the school. She was a intuitive and smart little girl. She understood nature and loyalty. She stood by John's side until he inevitably turned on her as he did with everyone. Don't cross a little lady when she's got Mother Nature on her side.
Edwina
Miss Morrow was a snobby little bobby but she made herself a pariah. She was rude to others and shunned attempts at kindness. She was burned by McBurney's duplicity and she set the second half of the book into motion. Her actions increased the drama, danger, and intrigue of the more exciting scenes. I can't blame her too much but she's the product of her raising. Raising by a contraband riverboat-hopping father, that is.
Marie
Marie Deveaux was the unabashed, spoiled little Cajun heiress who had the best lines. She emitted sass and was one of my favorite characters. She was the youngest lady and stole every scene. She was mischievous and sneaky. She stirred up drama and foiled McBurney's plans against her unknowingly. She only had five lines in the movie barely. It's a shame but I know her true character. She's an adorable, yet demonic, little cherub.
Alice
Alice was the minx of the house and she was practically frothing with horniness. Her mother was a harlot and her "ardor" was passed on to her daughter. Alice wasn't a villain, but she was complex. Sure, she was a shameless flirt and trollop, but she wasn't too vindictive. She played games but she wasn't awful in my opinion. It was fun to roll my eyes at her antics and appreciate her silly character. She was the Corporal's second choice but she was first in drama. Alice Simms is a hellcat but a intriguing lady to say the least.
Finally my favorite lady: Miss Martha
Miss Martha was the headmistress of the school and baddest bitch in the South. She was no-nonsense and divine. She was full of secrets and smart as a whip. Her sister Harriet was a lush who snuck wine from the cellar and the antithesis of Miss Martha. Miss Martha kept the school together and was suspicious of Corporal from the moment she saw him limp through her door. She was rad and helped move the book along. You don't want to get on her bad side, especially with her skilled hands and a threadbare copy of Gray's Anatomy
The Beguiled was a fantastic read that I extremely enjoyed with a fair film adaptation. If you like drama, cattiness, and dangerous flirtation all tied up in a Civil War yellow ribbon: this is the book for you. It was written by a man but he perfectly captured the desperate measures girls will take when a handsome man turns up during a Y chromosome drought. Just don't go breaking their hearts or you'll pay the price...
I've been looking forward all spring for a movie tie-in edition of The Beguiled. I adore all these actresses and I'm one of the unpopular few who don't mind the film covers. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be picking up my copy next week.
7/11/17
I had been anticipating The Beguiled for months and it was just as wonderful as I wanted it to be. It was a slow burning, literal chemise-ripping, southern gothic fanfare. I loved all the ladies individually with their separate personalities and special talents. Even the adults added their own southern spice to the dramatic gumbo of The Beguiled. Corporal John McBurney may have tasted from the forbidden fruit but he definitely paid for it. I know I personally would have been beguiled from the smooth talking Irishman. I mean, come on.
Corporal McBurney
John was a suave, winking weasel but you couldn't help but be enamored by his charm. He had the entire house wrapped around his wee finger. He was a complex and intriguing character to read. It was a roller coaster of a book and would have been quite boring without his antics.
Amelia
Sweet little Amy was the one who found him injured in the woods and brought the firecracker into the school. She was a intuitive and smart little girl. She understood nature and loyalty. She stood by John's side until he inevitably turned on her as he did with everyone. Don't cross a little lady when she's got Mother Nature on her side.
Edwina
Miss Morrow was a snobby little bobby but she made herself a pariah. She was rude to others and shunned attempts at kindness. She was burned by McBurney's duplicity and she set the second half of the book into motion. Her actions increased the drama, danger, and intrigue of the more exciting scenes. I can't blame her too much but she's the product of her raising. Raising by a contraband riverboat-hopping father, that is.
Marie
Marie Deveaux was the unabashed, spoiled little Cajun heiress who had the best lines. She emitted sass and was one of my favorite characters. She was the youngest lady and stole every scene. She was mischievous and sneaky. She stirred up drama and foiled McBurney's plans against her unknowingly. She only had five lines in the movie barely. It's a shame but I know her true character. She's an adorable, yet demonic, little cherub.
Alice
Alice was the minx of the house and she was practically frothing with horniness. Her mother was a harlot and her "ardor" was passed on to her daughter. Alice wasn't a villain, but she was complex. Sure, she was a shameless flirt and trollop, but she wasn't too vindictive. She played games but she wasn't awful in my opinion. It was fun to roll my eyes at her antics and appreciate her silly character. She was the Corporal's second choice but she was first in drama. Alice Simms is a hellcat but a intriguing lady to say the least.
Finally my favorite lady: Miss Martha
Miss Martha was the headmistress of the school and baddest bitch in the South. She was no-nonsense and divine. She was full of secrets and smart as a whip. Her sister Harriet was a lush who snuck wine from the cellar and the antithesis of Miss Martha. Miss Martha kept the school together and was suspicious of Corporal from the moment she saw him limp through her door. She was rad and helped move the book along. You don't want to get on her bad side, especially with her skilled hands and a threadbare copy of Gray's Anatomy
The Beguiled was a fantastic read that I extremely enjoyed with a fair film adaptation. If you like drama, cattiness, and dangerous flirtation all tied up in a Civil War yellow ribbon: this is the book for you. It was written by a man but he perfectly captured the desperate measures girls will take when a handsome man turns up during a Y chromosome drought. Just don't go breaking their hearts or you'll pay the price...
Shelved as 'to-be-revisited'
August 8, 2024pre-read: the only reason i'm even adding this to my tbr is because i want to see what exactly sofia coppola erased, but considering it was also written by a white person in the 60's i probably shouldn't expect too much. i also really hate the fact that there are no prettier covers than the coppola adaptation :/ ugh
July 25, 2017
I'm finally finished and boy was this a long book!!! It was very detailed and I felt like I didn't want to miss any small detail but after a while if I expected to finish in this century, I had to start skimming. So I was enthralled when I saw the preview for the 2017 movie with Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst. I was not impressed with the movie. Then I found out the original movie from 1971 with Clint Eastwood was on HBO so I watched it and it was better than the remake. Then I found out the book was available and decided to read it too.
Each chapter is written from a different character's POV and we have 8 character POVs which was a lot. It was hard keeping track of who was narrating the chapter for some characters. I felt like I got to know Emily Stevenson the least.
They really did change a lot of things up from the book.
There is a court scene towards the end that was not in either movies and that was the best part of the book in my opinion. McBurney was really funny and there were some killer lines! Overall I enjoyed this book but would've enjoyed it more if it wasn't so long (7300 Kindle locations.) I did feel like I was transported back to the Civil War era. I really liked Mattie, Marie, and Harriet, in that order. The others were just ok.
Each chapter is written from a different character's POV and we have 8 character POVs which was a lot. It was hard keeping track of who was narrating the chapter for some characters. I felt like I got to know Emily Stevenson the least.
They really did change a lot of things up from the book.
There is a court scene towards the end that was not in either movies and that was the best part of the book in my opinion. McBurney was really funny and there were some killer lines! Overall I enjoyed this book but would've enjoyed it more if it wasn't so long (7300 Kindle locations.) I did feel like I was transported back to the Civil War era. I really liked Mattie, Marie, and Harriet, in that order. The others were just ok.
December 18, 2020
“How could I hate you,” I said. “I don’t even know you.”
The Beguiled is astounding in every way. This is the historical novel I have been waiting for.
The Beguiled is the story of a small group of Confederate women and girls who nurse an injured Union soldier back to health. The Beguiled is told by each of the women and girls in turn, with intriguingly conflicting accounts of the events that follow the soldier’s arrival. There are no unbiased narrators here. None of the characters demand sympathy; it is something the reader chooses to give or to withhold, like the restrained sympathy Miss Martha chooses to give Corporal McBurney.
To further explain the plot would spoil it, so let it suffice to say that The Beguiled is a slow-burn drama of manners and deception. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a book with fast-paced action from the start. It is about the complex dynamics between men and women, the claustrophobia of women and girls in wartime, and the hypocrisy and profound cognitive dissonance that was asked of people in the name of the war effort during the American Civil War. While I greatly enjoyed Coppola’s film adaptation, it feels defanged in comparison to the novel and its more overt handling of war crimes and slavery.
Most authors are most confident writing main characters of the same gender as themselves. One of my reading goals for this year is to read (well-written) books focused on characters of one gender but written by the other. I really enjoyed The Beguiled in the context of this goal.
The Beguiled is astounding in every way. This is the historical novel I have been waiting for.
The Beguiled is the story of a small group of Confederate women and girls who nurse an injured Union soldier back to health. The Beguiled is told by each of the women and girls in turn, with intriguingly conflicting accounts of the events that follow the soldier’s arrival. There are no unbiased narrators here. None of the characters demand sympathy; it is something the reader chooses to give or to withhold, like the restrained sympathy Miss Martha chooses to give Corporal McBurney.
To further explain the plot would spoil it, so let it suffice to say that The Beguiled is a slow-burn drama of manners and deception. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a book with fast-paced action from the start. It is about the complex dynamics between men and women, the claustrophobia of women and girls in wartime, and the hypocrisy and profound cognitive dissonance that was asked of people in the name of the war effort during the American Civil War. While I greatly enjoyed Coppola’s film adaptation, it feels defanged in comparison to the novel and its more overt handling of war crimes and slavery.
Most authors are most confident writing main characters of the same gender as themselves. One of my reading goals for this year is to read (well-written) books focused on characters of one gender but written by the other. I really enjoyed The Beguiled in the context of this goal.
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