The Frozen Deep

Présentation de l'éditeur One of Hesperus Press's ten classic novels given a stunning new look, this Wilkie Collins tale is well worth discovering. Originally performed as a play starring Dickens and Collins - few people know of this prose version, found here in a new edition, a little masterpiece by the author of The Moonstone and The Woman in White, which was to be the inspiration for Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Based on the doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, The Frozen Deep is a dramatic tale of vengeance and self-sacrifice. Exchanging vows of love with sailor Frank Aldersley the night before his departure, Clara Burnham is haunted by the memory of Richard Wardour, and his mistaken belief that they will one day marry. On different ships, the two men have no cause to meet - until disaster strikes and they find themselves united by their battle for survival. When they learn of their rivalry, there follows an act of pure selflessness, making The Frozen Deep one of Collins' most moving and tragic works. Revue de presse 'Collins's storytelling talents were utterly mesmorising for Victorian readers - and they are no less captivating for readers today' --The Guardian 'Novelist and playwright Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) is known for the first full length detective stories written in English. 'Woman in White' and 'Moonstone' are his most well-known and popular novels. 'The Frozen Deep' is the tale of Clara Burnham and the two romantic rivals for her attention, and is based on an 1845 expedition to the Arctic that ends in disaster. It also served as inspiration for 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, Collins' friend and collaborator.' --The Bloomsbury Review Biographie de l'auteur A close friend and collaborator with Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins cornered the Victorian market in literary sensationalism. A pioneer of detective fiction, he produced such novels as 'The Moonstone' and 'The Woman in White' which were huge hits with the reading public. Collins was a flamboyant member of the Victorian Establishment, renowned as much for his personal life as for his extremely popular writing. He is regarded by many as the creator of the full-length detective story.