Last month I read The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue. We read Room by her back in 2012. There is absolutely no resemblance between the 2 books other than than the fact that they are very well-written and thought-provoking.
The protagonist in the story, set in the 1850s in London, is a feminist way before her time, being single and a business owner. The plot centers around Emily "Fido" Faithfull and her reunion with a former friend, a pathologically narcissistic and now unhappily married woman. Alternating between the viewpoints of Fido, her friend Helen and Helen's husband, Harry, the book raises interesting questions about the motivations of those 3 characters and the nature of love and friendship. We learn about the archaic system that prevents married women from owning property, the strict mores of the time and the completely male-dominated culture and laws.
I liked this book and I liked it even more when I read afterward that it is based on a true story. Warning: DON'T read the afterword before you read the book!
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