A Sunless Heart

by Edith Johnstone

In A Sunless Heart , Edith Johnstone establishes a feverish atmosphere for her novel’s story of emotional and physical hardship and the power of bonds between women. Its first third focuses on Gasparine O’Neill, who shares an intense connection with her sickly twin brother, Gaspar. Living in poverty, the two struggle to live decently until Gaspar dies. Here gritty naturalism gives way to fantasy, as Gasparine is rescued from despair by the brilliant Lotus Grace, a much-admired teacher at the local Ladies’ College. Sexually exploited from the age of twelve by her sister’s fiancé, Lotus cannot love anyone, not even her illegitimate child. Gasparine devotes herself to Lotus, but Lotus finds her final brief happiness with a woman student, Mona Lefcadio, a passionate Trinidadian heiress. Exploring issues of race, sexuality, and class in compelling prose, A Sunless Heart is a startling re-discovery from the late-Victorian era. The appendices to this Broadview edition provide contemporary documents that illuminate the tension between romantic friendship and lesbian consciousness in the novel and address other debates in which the novel the nature of Creole identity, the education of women, and the dangers of childhood sexual exploitation.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Victorian, 19th Century, LGBT, Womens, British Literature

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1894

Reviews

[Nancy Oakes]

another 19th century novel in the category of "If you thought Victorian fiction is dull, you'll change your mind when you read this book." I do believe this is the first time I've encountered a Victorian novel that didn't shy away from the particulars of childhood sexual abuse. There's more, of course, including two women caught up in their desire for each other, but everything about the main character's life stems from and has been shaped by an horrific incident in her past.

Sadly I won't be able to get around to talking about this book until Tuesday or Wednesday but I was definitely wowed.

more soon

[charlotte,]

Rep: sapphic mcs

CWs: child sexual abuse

[Rach H]

Five stars until the ending, which was both an emotional downer and a narrative letdown. In regards to the latter—while the main event of that final chapter was something I'd seen coming for ages, the execution (particularly of the denouement) felt extremely rushed, as if Johnstone got bored of the story and wanted to just tie it up as quickly as possible instead of letting it come to its natural conclusion. All this is to say—the ending was unsatisfying and a bummer.

But I greatly enjoyed everything leading up to it! A Sunless Heart is the deepest wallow in all sorts of interesting relationship dynamics, and I love that kind of stuff.

(And it is SUCH fanfiction fodder. I hope this book continues to climb out of obscurity, and that fans will start writing for it!)

[Miranda]

2.5 stars.

This could have easily been a 4 star book, regardless of its weird beginning, as a result of Lo’s story and the feminist messages she embodies and expounded. But the rocky first volume, vaguely abusive undertones to Lotus’s relationships, and the extremely infuriating ending ruined the story for me, as did the brief suggestion that a man and his offer of marriage would act as salvation.

[siya]

3.5

this is such an underrated gem! although a bit messy, edith johnstone writes with such heart and originality. its a shame this book has been left to waste in relative obscurity. it deserves so much more love.

[Julia]

Not much fun to read, but I liked all the feminist stuff. Extra points for being super gay.

[Morgan]

What an ending---not sure if I'm disappointed or respect this level of derailment (probs both)

[Ella Thomas]

19th-century glass closet. That’s all I’m gonna say

[Ailis Hayden]

Devastating

[Roger Whitson]

A powerful New Woman novel about loss, Edith Johnstone's A SUNLESS HEART is probably one of the best novels I've read this year. It includes so many taboo subjects — sexual assault, incest, female friendships and LGBTQ characters, mixed-race relationships — that I'm surprised to see that it was received well when first published. Johnstone's narrative voice is also so original and so compelling that, despite taking a little while to get used to, it quickly became a delight to read.

A SUNLESS HEART melds the pacing of a sensation novel with the social awareness of Dickens or Eliot. The result is a unique story that is centered in the culture of the 1890s yet also responds to contemporary issues. Further, Johnstone's character Lotus Grace is probably one of my favorite Victorian heroines ever. She has a strength and a vulnerability that easily contends with that of Jane Eyre, Margaret Hale, or Dorothea Brooke. Anyone interested at all in feminist criticism in the Victorian period should totally read this book STAT.

[Presley Abdul]

This book is beyond interesting. I'll write a full review about further reflection.

[Philip Zaborowski]

More like 3.5 stars, but I'm feeling generous tonight.

[Grace Duncanson]

2.5 stars. I can't say this book was enjoyable, but the writing was nice and the subjects addressed were very unique for the period.

[mr. darcy’s left pinky toe]

historical fictional lesbians always get me going.

[E]

the cruelty of the introduction to describe this work as, “While it has power, it is not a lost masterpiece.“