Walter Hartright is an art teacher who is hired to give drawing lessons to two sisters at a grand estate. He falls in love with one of them, Laura, but knows that he is too poor and lowly to be considered as a suitor. She is already engaged to Sir Percival, and so Walter tries to hide his love for her. However, a mysterious woman dressed all in white warns them against Sir Percival, claiming that he is a villain. Walter follows the clues to discover the identity of the woman in white and find out what terrible secret she is hiding.

I laughed uproariously, I cried bitterly, I was eaten up with suspense, I cringed in horror, and I cheered for my heroes until the very last page. This is a magnificent lion of a book. It has little sparks of glory all through it, shining out to combat the black ooze of the villains.

This is one of my two favorite books from Wilkie Collins, the other being The Moonstone. Reading it for the second time was just as wonderful as the first time, because there is still the intensity of suspense even when you already know the ending. The writing is just so phenomenal, and every little detail of the story overlaps into a bigger drama.

The plot has a lot of layers, because Walter has to investigate the history of Sir Percival, trying to find out whether or not he is a villain. The woman in white is lurking in the background leaving cryptic messages. Laura is dealing with the social pressure to marry Sir Percival, and Marian is acting as an intermediary between all of them. The plot covers several years as their circumstances change and the characters are forced into difficulties. It's fascinating to see how all the clues come together in the end, and everything is finally explained. It's part adventure, part mystery, and part romance.

I love Walter's character. He is protective of those weaker than himself. He is the soul of honor and generosity. I love that he has a steady personality with a lot of wisdom. He takes the time to consider his actions. He doesn't mind the drudgery of working at the same thing day in and day out. He is just really reliable, but also very passionate. But he keeps his passion in check, and directs all that energy to doing good for others. I adore him so much!

The two sisters, Marian and Laura, are wonderful characters. They are both really complex and multi-layered. Marian is especially resourceful and courageous. Laura is more emotional and sensitive. I really loved the sisterly bond between them, and the strong friendship that carries them through terrible times.

The villain, Sir Percival, doesn't seem that bad at first, but gradually we begin to discover just how evil he really is. And there is another villain, Count Fosco, who has a very unique personality. He has these birds and white mice as pets, and he acts very affectionately towards them. He is very proper and has charming manners, but he is also completely ruthless. It was really interesting to see just how these bad guys develop their plans, and leave the heroes helpless until the woman in white provides the final clue.

Such a masterpiece! This book is a forever favorite!