Novels about divorce or court cases have never been high on my list of favorite books, court dramas about divorce cases even less so. Thus it was with some hesitation that I picked up The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue. I had enjoyed the two other books by Donoghue I had read and I wanted to try some of her historical fiction, but I was not at all sure The Sealed Letter was a book for me. How wrong I was! :)
The Sealed Letter is a story of a marriage and a story of a friendship. It is based on a real-life scandalous divorce case of Vice-Admiral Henry John Codrington and his wife Helen nee Smith. Vice-Admiral Codrington accused his wife of having had an affair with a young army officer. Tangled into the case was also Helen Codrington's long time close friend Emily "Fido" Faithfull, a pioneer in the British women's movement. If you are interested in knowing more about the real-life Codrington divorce case Martha Vicinus has written an essay about the trial. The essay is included in her book Intimate Friends -Women Who Loved Women, 1778-1928. In the essay there is also a photograph of the real Emily Faithfull.
The Sealed Letter is an absolutely wonderful read! I would give it 5/5 stars were I to rate it. It is a well crafted historical novel. Donoghue has clearly done her research and the story is full of interesting details about life and customs of 1860s Britain. The story is told alternatingly from the point of view of Henry "Harry" Codrington, Helen and Fido. The characters felt very real with their imperfections. I mostly symphatised with Fido, felt exasparated and often angry with Helen, and sometimes sorry for Harry.
Those who, like me, are interesting in the early women's movements get an interesting insight into what it was like to be a business woman in the 1860s London and about some of the trials and tribulations of the early women's rights activists at Langham Place. The rights of women, or rather the lack of them, are perfectly portrayed in the narrative from many points of view (single woman, mother, wife, daughter). And the chapters about the actual trial were not boring at all, but very interesting! :) I must say The Sealed Letter exceeded all my expectations. It kept me in its grip from the first page to the last, and the ending then! It was simply perfect! Of all the books I've read this year the ending of Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski is my favorite, but the ending of The Sealed Letter comes a close second. All in all I really loved this book! And it truly put Emma Donoghue up there among my favorite authors.
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