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Hetty Dorval
This first novel, written in 1947 by one of Canada's most distinguished novelists, is a quiet, subtle, morally complex book about a young girl's growth from innocence to maturity. Hetty Dorval seems to have behaved unconventionally, indeed immorally ('a very ugly story has followed her from Shanghai to Vancouver'). But is Frankie's adult perception of Hetty to be preferred to that of her childish innocence when she first met her?
There are thus many ways to read this book. Is Hetty objectively a 'Menace'? Or is this a novel about the pernicious effect of gossip and about Donne's 'no man is an island' quoted on the frontispiece? Hetty has chosen to live outside society, but perhaps she should not be condemned for this; perhaps she should be granted some of the primaeval, elemental qualities of the British Columbia landscape which is so beautifully described.
There are thus many ways to read this book. Is Hetty objectively a 'Menace'? Or is this a novel about the pernicious effect of gossip and about Donne's 'no man is an island' quoted on the frontispiece? Hetty has chosen to live outside society, but perhaps she should not be condemned for this; perhaps she should be granted some of the primaeval, elemental qualities of the British Columbia landscape which is so beautifully described.
130 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1947
2 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Ethel Wilson
15 books16 followersEthel Davis Wilson was a Canadian writer of short stories and novels.
Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she moved to England in 1890 following the death of her mother. In 1898, after the death of her father, she was taken to live with her maternal grandmother in Vancouver, British Columbia. She received her teacher's certificate in 1907, and for thirteen years taught in Vancouver elementary schools.
In 1921 she married Wallace Wilson, President of the Canadian Medical Association and professor of medical ethics at the University of British Columbia.
Wilson is well known as one of the first Canadian writers to truly capture the beauty of British Colombia. She wrote often of places in BC that were important to her and was able to detail the ruggedness and magic of the landscape.
The Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, British Columbia's top fiction award, was created in 1985, commemorating Wilson's achievements.
Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she moved to England in 1890 following the death of her mother. In 1898, after the death of her father, she was taken to live with her maternal grandmother in Vancouver, British Columbia. She received her teacher's certificate in 1907, and for thirteen years taught in Vancouver elementary schools.
In 1921 she married Wallace Wilson, President of the Canadian Medical Association and professor of medical ethics at the University of British Columbia.
Wilson is well known as one of the first Canadian writers to truly capture the beauty of British Colombia. She wrote often of places in BC that were important to her and was able to detail the ruggedness and magic of the landscape.
The Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, British Columbia's top fiction award, was created in 1985, commemorating Wilson's achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
June 9, 2017
A novella about a young girl becoming infatuated with a beautiful woman, and finding as she matures that her idol has feet of clay. The setting in the area around Vancouver, Canada was lovingly portrayed, and I can see why Persephone Books chose this to reprint. A very nice read.
September 20, 2022
This little gem of a book, published in 1947, with its hard green cover and smelly pages, took me back to my fourteenth summer, when I was first permitted to browse and borrow books at the "adult" section of our public library. Oh, the lands I visited and the lives I lived in those multitudes of pages turned!
The pages of this particular book enable the reader to live along with Frances "Frankie" Burnaby, a schoolgirl whose family has a ranch near Lytton, British Columbia. Frankie frequently travels on the back of her pony between the ranch and the village of Lytton, where she stays during the week in order to attend school. On one of those trips, Frankie meets the new neighbour, Hetty Dorval, who is enjoying the landscape on horseback. A new and exciting chapter in Frankie's life begins!
Unbeknownst to her parents, Frankie becomes a regular visitor at Hetty's rented bungalow, but Hetty is flighty and her stay in British Columbia is brief. As Frankie grows and ventures farther and farther from home, she continues to encounter Mrs. Dorval in unexpected places -- in a store in Vancouver; on board a steamship; in London, England. Maturity and life experience enable Frankie to begin to understand both the character of Hetty Dorval and the reputation which follows her.
When events make it necessary for Frankie to intervene, she spends some time reflecting on Mrs. Dorval's shenanigans, and tells the story (in her own words) of the places and ways known to me in which Hetty Dorval has appeared. It is not even Hetty Dorval's whole story because to this day I do not know Hetty's whole story and she does not tell. I only know the story of Hetty by inference and by strange chance.
The author of Hetty Dorval, Ethel (née Bryant) Wilson, was born in South Africa in 1888 and subsequently lived in England. Following the death of both her parents, she moved at the age of ten years to live with her grandmother in Canada. Her work was first published when she was 61 years of age, and within 14 years was followed by five more novels and a short story collection. Her body of work is, in my opinion, one of the treasures of Canadian literature.
Wilson is an accomplished writer who wastes no words. The settings and characters come to life for the reader, and the surprise ending ensures that there is plenty to ponder after the last page has been turned. Highly recommended!
The pages of this particular book enable the reader to live along with Frances "Frankie" Burnaby, a schoolgirl whose family has a ranch near Lytton, British Columbia. Frankie frequently travels on the back of her pony between the ranch and the village of Lytton, where she stays during the week in order to attend school. On one of those trips, Frankie meets the new neighbour, Hetty Dorval, who is enjoying the landscape on horseback. A new and exciting chapter in Frankie's life begins!
Unbeknownst to her parents, Frankie becomes a regular visitor at Hetty's rented bungalow, but Hetty is flighty and her stay in British Columbia is brief. As Frankie grows and ventures farther and farther from home, she continues to encounter Mrs. Dorval in unexpected places -- in a store in Vancouver; on board a steamship; in London, England. Maturity and life experience enable Frankie to begin to understand both the character of Hetty Dorval and the reputation which follows her.
When events make it necessary for Frankie to intervene, she spends some time reflecting on Mrs. Dorval's shenanigans, and tells the story (in her own words) of the places and ways known to me in which Hetty Dorval has appeared. It is not even Hetty Dorval's whole story because to this day I do not know Hetty's whole story and she does not tell. I only know the story of Hetty by inference and by strange chance.
The author of Hetty Dorval, Ethel (née Bryant) Wilson, was born in South Africa in 1888 and subsequently lived in England. Following the death of both her parents, she moved at the age of ten years to live with her grandmother in Canada. Her work was first published when she was 61 years of age, and within 14 years was followed by five more novels and a short story collection. Her body of work is, in my opinion, one of the treasures of Canadian literature.
Wilson is an accomplished writer who wastes no words. The settings and characters come to life for the reader, and the surprise ending ensures that there is plenty to ponder after the last page has been turned. Highly recommended!
January 30, 2012
This was a likable story in the innocent-learns-savvy tradition. But the most memorable character in the book was the setting, the carefully observed river, the mountains framed in a wall mirror, the sublime flight of geese.
February 26, 2024
This is a debut novella by one of British Columbia's best-loved authors. Despite the title, this is told in the first person by Frankie Burnaby. It begins when Frankie is 12-years old. Her parents have a ranch outside of Lytton. Frankie rides her horse into town late Sundays to that she can attend school during the week and returns home on Friday. On one of these trips she meets the beautiful Hetty Dorval. Together they see the wonder of a V-shaped flock of geese flying south for the winter. Then her eyes picked up the movement of the fluid arrow rapidly approaching overhead, and the musical clamour of the wild geese came more clearly and loudly to us.
The beginning of the novel also includes much description of the Thompson River and its confluence with the Fraser River. I had hoped to be able to relate to the scenery in this. I live closer to British Columbia than to any US state. We have driven along the Fraser River a time or two after having taken the ferry to BC on our way to Seattle. I was not disappointed in these descriptions, but others might be less interested.
The writing style is relatively formal. The characterizations of Frankie and Hetty (insofar as we're able to know Hetty!) are good. The plot moves along in stages as Frankie gets older and ends when she is 19. The world is on the cusp of war.
I'm going to have a hard time rating this. I think it's 4-stars, but I was so ready for exactly this type of novel that I might be wrong.
The beginning of the novel also includes much description of the Thompson River and its confluence with the Fraser River. I had hoped to be able to relate to the scenery in this. I live closer to British Columbia than to any US state. We have driven along the Fraser River a time or two after having taken the ferry to BC on our way to Seattle. I was not disappointed in these descriptions, but others might be less interested.
The writing style is relatively formal. The characterizations of Frankie and Hetty (insofar as we're able to know Hetty!) are good. The plot moves along in stages as Frankie gets older and ends when she is 19. The world is on the cusp of war.
I'm going to have a hard time rating this. I think it's 4-stars, but I was so ready for exactly this type of novel that I might be wrong.
Want to read
December 1, 2022**********************
*Swamp Angel 3 stars
*Hetty Dorval TBR
*Swamp Angel 3 stars
*Hetty Dorval TBR
August 2, 2017
I loved the style of this coming-of-age story set mostly in 1940s western Canada. I started out thinking it was going to be a sweet, cosy read and then the final paragraph of chapter one hit me between the eyes. There are murky things going on beneath the calm and beautiful exterior of Hetty, 14-year-old Frankie's beautiful older friend, just as there are dangers lurking under the surface of the beautiful Thompson River.
January 16, 2020
This was really beautifully written, but the story was a bit thin and I felt like I never really knew the characters or their motivations. It was Ethel Wilson’s first novella, and the afterword says she built upon this in other books, but it still felt thin. I really enjoyed the idea of it though, and I loved the descriptions, so I’ll rate it generously. I have a feeling I’ll think about it for a while.
June 22, 2016
Spoilers!
....
Next instalment in my Persephone expedition. This book might be short, but there is plenty to say about it.
Contrary to what the title suggests, the story focuses on Frankie Burnaby, a twelve-year-old girl, living in the Canadian village of Lytton. Her narration however is not as simple as it seems. The mention of Ernestine's fate on page 6 (and other foreshadowing comments later on) not only shocked me out of my reading, but also made it clear that Frankie is also 'talking' from an unknown point in future adulthood. The author goes on blending the girl's perceptions and language with the insights of her older self, a little bit like Dickens' Pip. Over the course of the book, the story that appeared to be a retelling of her life becomes in fact her recounting...of the places and ways known (to her) in which Hetty Dorval has appeared.
From the very first page, Wilson's style is captivating, especially when she describes the various landscapes. British Columbia is painted in beautiful details:
"In the sunlight, the dun-coloured gorges of the blue-green river look yellow and ochreous, and in some places there are outcroppings of rock that are nearly rose red."
"A figure of a man or beast crawling distant across the great folds and crevasses of these sprawling hills would make you stop, look, point with surprise, and question."
Throughout the book, there are many references to light and shadow - "It is the sage-brush that covers nearly everything, and that in the mutations of sunlight and moonlight helps change the known hills to the unfamiliar" - and this very much applies to Hetty. So visible in her angelic beauty and yet her true nature remains unseen. She appears one thing, then another, yet both striking and somewhat ethereal. Even her weapon is said to be of lightness (p.26) and although it means something else, I cannot but wonder if Wilson chose that word on purpose.
Although the novella does show the effects of poisoning gossip and misconceptions to a certain extent, especially without proof, it does take the stereotyped avenue. Hetty is indeed the woman of 'no reputation' that all fear, picking people at her whim and discarding them as easily. However, Wilson focuses on another facet which I would guess was not as usual. There is no malice in Hetty but just an inability to deal with any constraints, social or emotional. The author shows a version of the human character who believes to be outside of society’s rules, but as the quote states at the beginning of the book, "no man is an Iland" and this is what I feel Wilson was aiming for: the effects people have on each other. This is however something Frankie is aware from an early age - "But I lived in a glass goldfish bowl where the behaviour of each fish was visible to all the other fishes, and also to grown-up people outside and in the vicinity of the glass bowl”. We see her, throughout the various episodes, mature from an awe-struck child to a wiser and courageous young adult, prepared to face any eventuality for those she loves.
....
Next instalment in my Persephone expedition. This book might be short, but there is plenty to say about it.
Contrary to what the title suggests, the story focuses on Frankie Burnaby, a twelve-year-old girl, living in the Canadian village of Lytton. Her narration however is not as simple as it seems. The mention of Ernestine's fate on page 6 (and other foreshadowing comments later on) not only shocked me out of my reading, but also made it clear that Frankie is also 'talking' from an unknown point in future adulthood. The author goes on blending the girl's perceptions and language with the insights of her older self, a little bit like Dickens' Pip. Over the course of the book, the story that appeared to be a retelling of her life becomes in fact her recounting...of the places and ways known (to her) in which Hetty Dorval has appeared.
From the very first page, Wilson's style is captivating, especially when she describes the various landscapes. British Columbia is painted in beautiful details:
"In the sunlight, the dun-coloured gorges of the blue-green river look yellow and ochreous, and in some places there are outcroppings of rock that are nearly rose red."
"A figure of a man or beast crawling distant across the great folds and crevasses of these sprawling hills would make you stop, look, point with surprise, and question."
Throughout the book, there are many references to light and shadow - "It is the sage-brush that covers nearly everything, and that in the mutations of sunlight and moonlight helps change the known hills to the unfamiliar" - and this very much applies to Hetty. So visible in her angelic beauty and yet her true nature remains unseen. She appears one thing, then another, yet both striking and somewhat ethereal. Even her weapon is said to be of lightness (p.26) and although it means something else, I cannot but wonder if Wilson chose that word on purpose.
Although the novella does show the effects of poisoning gossip and misconceptions to a certain extent, especially without proof, it does take the stereotyped avenue. Hetty is indeed the woman of 'no reputation' that all fear, picking people at her whim and discarding them as easily. However, Wilson focuses on another facet which I would guess was not as usual. There is no malice in Hetty but just an inability to deal with any constraints, social or emotional. The author shows a version of the human character who believes to be outside of society’s rules, but as the quote states at the beginning of the book, "no man is an Iland" and this is what I feel Wilson was aiming for: the effects people have on each other. This is however something Frankie is aware from an early age - "But I lived in a glass goldfish bowl where the behaviour of each fish was visible to all the other fishes, and also to grown-up people outside and in the vicinity of the glass bowl”. We see her, throughout the various episodes, mature from an awe-struck child to a wiser and courageous young adult, prepared to face any eventuality for those she loves.
October 25, 2020
"Hetty Dorval" is Ethel Wilson's first novel, published in 1947. It's one of those page-turners where the reader is alonside the protagonist in discovering and uncovering things. It's a kind of a coming-of-age story of the girl Frankie Burnaby, but the vehicle that moves it along is the mysterious enigmatic femme fatale Hetty Dorval.
In late August I happened to pass through the main setting of this story, so that added to my appreciation as I was able to envision the dry ranchland and twisting dangerous roads of the Fraser Caynon and the small town of Lytton that sits where the Thompson River meets the Fraser River. (Now I wish we'd had time to stop and have a better look!) Ethel Wilson's description of the British Columbia setting including some of the characters' time spent in my hone town of Vancouver gives "Hetty Dorval" a personal interest that people who haven't experienced this area might not get as piqued about. Indeed as a British Columbian I'm a bit surprised at myself for not having discovered Wilson sooner...I only read one short story of hers many, many years ago for a college English class. I am ashamed to admit that her age, she was born in 1888 and lived into her 90s, and even her name, "Ethel" prejudiced me into thinking she HAD to be stuffy. In truth Wilson has a fascination for the working class and also people on the fringes. Her characters and her stories are complex and meaty.
If I had to make a criticism of "Hetty Dorval" it would be that coincidence factors a bit conveniently often but then again, maybe there IS no coincidence, you never can tell with the character of Hetty. I love the ambiguity of Wilson's characters which is what brings her stories to life. And then there is just her way with words. Here is a delightfully bang-on description of a carnival:
"I went to the fair with Ernestine and her father and mother. We walked through the dark quiet Lytton street under a night of stars towards the garish lights and music. The prancing excitement that Ernestine and I felt was all mixed up with the greasy smells from the hot-dog stand; the sudden light and the sudden darkness; the cacophony of sound; motion revolving horizontally, vertically, passing and repassing; drifting town and country people; darting children; barking dogs; all happening together, noise, flare, smell, motion, and the small crowds standing with upturned faces gazing at the picture in front of the lighted booth of Torquil the Lobster Boy."
The fact that Northrop Frye gives an Afterword to this novel is testament to Ethel Wilson's tremendous gifts as a writer.
In late August I happened to pass through the main setting of this story, so that added to my appreciation as I was able to envision the dry ranchland and twisting dangerous roads of the Fraser Caynon and the small town of Lytton that sits where the Thompson River meets the Fraser River. (Now I wish we'd had time to stop and have a better look!) Ethel Wilson's description of the British Columbia setting including some of the characters' time spent in my hone town of Vancouver gives "Hetty Dorval" a personal interest that people who haven't experienced this area might not get as piqued about. Indeed as a British Columbian I'm a bit surprised at myself for not having discovered Wilson sooner...I only read one short story of hers many, many years ago for a college English class. I am ashamed to admit that her age, she was born in 1888 and lived into her 90s, and even her name, "Ethel" prejudiced me into thinking she HAD to be stuffy. In truth Wilson has a fascination for the working class and also people on the fringes. Her characters and her stories are complex and meaty.
If I had to make a criticism of "Hetty Dorval" it would be that coincidence factors a bit conveniently often but then again, maybe there IS no coincidence, you never can tell with the character of Hetty. I love the ambiguity of Wilson's characters which is what brings her stories to life. And then there is just her way with words. Here is a delightfully bang-on description of a carnival:
"I went to the fair with Ernestine and her father and mother. We walked through the dark quiet Lytton street under a night of stars towards the garish lights and music. The prancing excitement that Ernestine and I felt was all mixed up with the greasy smells from the hot-dog stand; the sudden light and the sudden darkness; the cacophony of sound; motion revolving horizontally, vertically, passing and repassing; drifting town and country people; darting children; barking dogs; all happening together, noise, flare, smell, motion, and the small crowds standing with upturned faces gazing at the picture in front of the lighted booth of Torquil the Lobster Boy."
The fact that Northrop Frye gives an Afterword to this novel is testament to Ethel Wilson's tremendous gifts as a writer.
August 16, 2018
Have I ever mentioned how much I love Persephone Books Editions? They choose (typically female) authors who are lesser known and give their books an extra run. I actually got this one as a gift, and it was so good.
One of the things I loved best about this story is that Frankie frequently waffles between how she views Hetty, and the gossip surrounding Hetty is so strangely specific yet vague at the same time--it really allows us as the readers to decide how to interpret Hetty's character. That being said, this was published nearly 70 years ago, so certainly, we're probably able to interpret things much differently nowadays.
Personally? I really like Hetty. She's quirky, and fun, and doesn't want to be called upon. Ever. She's ran away from a bad past, and found herself a new beau. Good for her! She's living her best life. Granted, in 1947, this might be seen as an unseemly life, but in good ol' 2018, I'm lovin' it. And her. To be fair, I might have thought that Frankie was going to have a life-long crush and lesbian quarter-life crisis about Hetty. She didn't, but hey, it was 1947.
Review cross-listed here!
One of the things I loved best about this story is that Frankie frequently waffles between how she views Hetty, and the gossip surrounding Hetty is so strangely specific yet vague at the same time--it really allows us as the readers to decide how to interpret Hetty's character. That being said, this was published nearly 70 years ago, so certainly, we're probably able to interpret things much differently nowadays.
Personally? I really like Hetty. She's quirky, and fun, and doesn't want to be called upon. Ever. She's ran away from a bad past, and found herself a new beau. Good for her! She's living her best life. Granted, in 1947, this might be seen as an unseemly life, but in good ol' 2018, I'm lovin' it. And her. To be fair, I might have thought that Frankie was going to have a life-long crush and lesbian quarter-life crisis about Hetty. She didn't, but hey, it was 1947.
Review cross-listed here!
October 8, 2009
I had never heard the author when I ordered this book from the library. Its main draw was the fact that it was a Persephone reprint. This first, short novel by Ethel Wilson is filled with wonderful descriptions of the interior of British Colombia. This is a coming of age story of young Frankie who over the course of 7 years (during the 1930's), periodically tangles with Hetty Dorval, a beautiful and completely self absorbed woman with a scandalous past. I loved the sweetness of Frankie’s relationship with her mom and dad and enjoyed reading about her parent’s unusual and deep bond with each other. I found this novella very enjoyable, in particular the final scene between Hetty and Frankie. I was surprised when I realized I was on the last page. A real gem.
January 10, 2019
Очень интересная книга про исчадие ада в женском обличье, мифическую femme fatale, которая магическим образом контролирует все мужское население, и тем самым избавляет это население от всякой необходимости нести ответственность за свои поступки. «Знаете, что про нее говорят? Мужчина бросил свою беременную жену и ушел жить с ней. Ужасная женщина.» Но если посмотреть на Хэтти Дорваль как на альтер эго героини, и на оригинальный merging-and-parting (как это будет по-руськи) между ними в конце - это может быть интересно.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2013
A lovely, finely constructed novel. Especially nice to read when it seems people are unable write like this anymore.
February 12, 2025
SO good, from this reader’s point of view. 🙂❤️
June 12, 2019
Fabulous reading. Wilson uses words for brushstrokes. Foreboding is hardly noticeable but ever-present in the first chapters.
Hetty is one in a billion. I've met a few people somewhat similar in character - the character from lit she resembles is Tom Bombadil. A very puzzling character And the young girl, the narrator, is affected deeply. The only section that keeps the novel at the level of good rather than great is the confrontation scene - the dialogue is often wooden and impossible to believe, too wordy, and more is said than any person - even an articulate 16-year-old would ever say.
Love the way WWII is brewing. Love the insightful description of Hetty - a character on a par with Lady Macbeth both in character and action.
I'm reading through books from a Can Lit course of 50 yrs ago. fun to see the puerile notes in the margins.
Hetty is one in a billion. I've met a few people somewhat similar in character - the character from lit she resembles is Tom Bombadil. A very puzzling character And the young girl, the narrator, is affected deeply. The only section that keeps the novel at the level of good rather than great is the confrontation scene - the dialogue is often wooden and impossible to believe, too wordy, and more is said than any person - even an articulate 16-year-old would ever say.
Love the way WWII is brewing. Love the insightful description of Hetty - a character on a par with Lady Macbeth both in character and action.
I'm reading through books from a Can Lit course of 50 yrs ago. fun to see the puerile notes in the margins.
September 11, 2024
I enjoyed HETTY DORVAL when I read it, but honestly? I don't have much to say.
Frankie is likeable enough, as she's supposed to be, but Hetty is so much more interesting it's hard to justify why she isn't the main character.
I mean, if she was, it would be an entirely different story, so, yes, I KNOW why Frankie is the main character - and she is; this isn't like THE GREAT GATSBY where the first-person narrator and the main character are two different people - but I would much rather have followed Hetty.
For a novel about A Good Woman Vs A Bad Woman, the Good Woman is surprisingly sympathetic to the Bad Woman, which elevated HETTY DORVAL above the rest, but I just don't have a whole lot to say about it, unfortunately.
Frankie is likeable enough, as she's supposed to be, but Hetty is so much more interesting it's hard to justify why she isn't the main character.
I mean, if she was, it would be an entirely different story, so, yes, I KNOW why Frankie is the main character - and she is; this isn't like THE GREAT GATSBY where the first-person narrator and the main character are two different people - but I would much rather have followed Hetty.
For a novel about A Good Woman Vs A Bad Woman, the Good Woman is surprisingly sympathetic to the Bad Woman, which elevated HETTY DORVAL above the rest, but I just don't have a whole lot to say about it, unfortunately.
June 1, 2020
The time is not real clear, but the publication date of 1947 and other clues lead me to put it in the interwar period, when women and men still lived with different sets of social expectations. I read the title character as both a pioneering example of a woman living for herself and at the same, a callous user of men. That ambiguity is, I think, what keeps this novel in the literary conversation.
This edition from Persephone Books includes an afterword by famed Canadian literary critic Northrup Frye, leading this reader to find out about his critical principles. Also included is a letter from the author to her publisher regarding proposed edits, giving a close-up view of the author's thinking about language choices.
This edition from Persephone Books includes an afterword by famed Canadian literary critic Northrup Frye, leading this reader to find out about his critical principles. Also included is a letter from the author to her publisher regarding proposed edits, giving a close-up view of the author's thinking about language choices.
August 14, 2021
Hetty Dorval, by Ethel Wilson.
Had I known a big chunk played out in British Columbia farmland ("western dirt is dull" says my prejudice) I may have passed up my chance to enjoy this coming of age novella. Who comes of age in 100 pages? I'm impressed. I'm seldom moved by descriptive topography but the emerald, no, sapphire, no emerald colours of the winding and unforgiving Thompson River kept reappearing in my mind as I read on, the "hairpin curves" reappearing in the twists of the story and in the lines of the woman from whom the book takes its title. Haunting like Ethan Frome, but intelligent and insightful like an early Muriel Spark. (Feels like a wine tasting🤷♀️) Thank you @persephonebooks! @cristenhemingwayjaynes one for you? I thought of you. #readinginlondon
Had I known a big chunk played out in British Columbia farmland ("western dirt is dull" says my prejudice) I may have passed up my chance to enjoy this coming of age novella. Who comes of age in 100 pages? I'm impressed. I'm seldom moved by descriptive topography but the emerald, no, sapphire, no emerald colours of the winding and unforgiving Thompson River kept reappearing in my mind as I read on, the "hairpin curves" reappearing in the twists of the story and in the lines of the woman from whom the book takes its title. Haunting like Ethan Frome, but intelligent and insightful like an early Muriel Spark. (Feels like a wine tasting🤷♀️) Thank you @persephonebooks! @cristenhemingwayjaynes one for you? I thought of you. #readinginlondon
September 29, 2022
Read this for a Canadian English class at uni. While I think some parts of the book were clever, something about the language was lost on me. The twist didn’t feel much like a twist but rather something inevitable because of who Hetty is. I enjoyed the western to film noir transition but felt like it really left something to be desired. I wanted more of the setting and characters and yet also less of them. This isn’t so much a problem on the book but on my own preference. It was good, just not good for me.
Edit to make this three stars after consideration I think this book was wonderful lol
Edit to make this three stars after consideration I think this book was wonderful lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2021
Hetty Dorval was first published in 1947. This little gem is really the coming-of-age story of Frances Burnaby who lives in Lytton, British Columbia. Wilson does a wonderful job describing the landscape and beauty of western Canada. Within the first few pages, the reader meets the ever mysterious Hetty Dorval who throughout the next six years will influence and widen Frankie's view of the world. This was Ethel Wilson's first novel published when she was 61 years old.
January 26, 2020
The main draw is the prettily written settings, imaging the interior towns of British Columbia. As characters go, the narrator is not herself interesting enough to captivate, and her subject, the titular Hetty, is in a melodramatic reveal scene not as interesting as one might hope either. Although it would've perhaps caused more shock in its day, the build-up of the book doesn't feel paid off, and you don't find yourself emotionally invested in either character's journey.
December 31, 2012
Oh how I adore Persephone Books. This novella was a nice little sojourn into a time and place unfamiliar to me. I quite enjoyed the tale as told by Frankie Burnaby. Frankie is straightforward in her delivery, and I found her seriousness so endearing. Quite clearly, the pre-World War II world that Hetty and Frankie inhabit is much different than mine, but don't we all know a woman like Hetty?
July 22, 2017
This is a pleasant read - another take on the mysterious, shady lady theme seen from the perspective of a young admirer, Frankie. Gradually things emerge about Hetty, time moves on and Frankie's views modify, that well known part of growing up. The scenery of British Columbia makes a splendid backdrop.
November 24, 2017
As a British Columbian living in the UK, I really loved this book. The description of BC was beautiful and the storyline had a good pace. If written in a different time period, this would have been an excellent lesbian themed book. Alas, it wasn’t but it was still an excellent and very unexpectedly touching book.
July 15, 2021
To read this with anything other than a queer lens is a disservice to Frankie & Hetty’s stories and the brilliance of Ethel Wilson’s already historically underestimated writing. If you haven’t before, I strongly encourage you to do so again without the heteronormative assumptions that obstruct meaning & create limitations never meant to bound-in the ever-expansive notion of art.
June 3, 2022
Was just reading through some reviews and someone put it well that the middle chapters set outside of british compmbia felt inconsequential and sort of like a summary, so i lost interest and wasn’t really following but the beginning chapters and ending scenes were very lively and i really enjoyed how she writes
January 23, 2025
Very interesting story about the relationship between innocent young and deceitful old and how that relationship brews throughout life. There are so many ways to interpret and view the relationships that it keeps the story feeling fresh, though I find it somewhat repetitive and would enjoy some more variation mixed in with the moving and seeing Hetty again.
February 10, 2011
My second book published by Persephone Books, Hetty Dorval feels like an underrated tale - much like all of the Persephone reprints!
The length makes it a perfectly quick read and the setting a definitely picturesque one as well. 1940s British Columbia never looked sweeter.
A quick read!
The length makes it a perfectly quick read and the setting a definitely picturesque one as well. 1940s British Columbia never looked sweeter.
A quick read!
November 23, 2013
I enjoyed other work by Ethel Wilson at University, but had never heard of this one when I discovered it on my library shelf. An odd little story, with an open ending, and a lot happening between the lines. Very atmospheric of the Lillooet area of BC, which isn't too far from where I live.
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