The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ I enjoyed this book. It had been some time since I last read Victorian literature, but I approached this novel with curiosity and enthusiasm. The writing is excellent, and it engaged me from the very beginning. The mystery and overall plot were engaging, though there were a few aspects I found challenging. In particular, the characters often seemed unable to say things directly and instead spoke in roundabout ways. I assume this reflects how people, especially in the upper and middle classes, communicated during that period. The same applies to some of the dramatic situations, which were sometimes prolonged by the women in the story and, on a couple of occasions, by the men as well. 

Despite the above, there were several characters I particularly enjoyed. First, Betteredge, the Verinder family’s chief servant, who narrates the first part of the book and cites Robinson Crusoe like it's the bible. There is also a deeply religious woman who tries to convert everyone through her books, and a doctor whose crucial insight proves important in solving the mystery.