Wylder's Hand
by Le Fanu, J. Sheridan
- Used
- first
- Condition
- About Very Good
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Carleton, Publisher, 1865. First American Edition. About Very Good. First American edition. (Also first single-volume edition following the three volume British Bentley edition of 1864. Crawford 093.) 480 pp. Publisher's purplish cloth, front stamped in blind, spine in gilt, blue endpapers. About Very Good overall with head and tail cloth worn away, rubbing along edges, tips worn and a little frayed, gilt dulled, tiny stains to top edge. Internally in very nice shape, bookplate on paste down, contents clean and fairly bright. A Victorian sensation novel, sort of a prototypical crime novel, by the Irish writer mainly known for his ghost stories.
Reviews
On Apr 29 2015, The Old Library Bookshop said:
A dreadful secret pervades this novel, written in 1864 in a style that blends the Dickensian with a touch of Poe’s Gothic darkness, resulting in a blend that is unique and captivating. The narrator starts his tale with his visit to Brandon Hall where a wedding is to take place uniting two branches of the Brandon/Wylder family. Mark Wylder and Dorcas Brandon are the loveless couple. In this dreary setting, there are are a few bright lights, according to the narrator, in the persons of Rachel Lake, a distant poor relation, Rev. William Wylder, Mark’s brother, and his homely little wife, and Lord Chelford, family patriarch. Things take an ominous turn, however, when Rachel’s only brother, Stanley Lake, appears on the scene. Rachel is certain his return bodes ill as his hatred for Mark smolders in his “yellow” eyes. A few nights later, her foreboding becomes reality as Stanley entangles her in his awful secret. Mark disappears, and in time Dorcas and Stanley wed. Meanwhile, the hypocritical attorney Joshua Larkin uses his position to unscrupulously enrich his coffers. Le Fanu’s prose is touched with supernatural elements that turn out to have grounding in reality. Like Dickens, Le Fanu can paint such a vivid portrait of character and setting that the reader feels he is personally acquainted with the people and places in the story. Like Poe, Le Fanu uses those elements to envelope the reader with a sense of gathering darkness and, at last, allows him or her to breathe easier as the dark begins to fade and secrets come to light.
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Burnside Rare Books, ABAA (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 140940431
- Title
- Wylder's Hand
- Author
- Le Fanu, J. Sheridan
- Book Condition
- Used - About Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First American Edition
- Publisher
- Carleton, Publisher
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1865
Terms of Sale
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2010
Portland, Oregon
About Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Burnside Rare Books specializes in literary first editions and works of cultural and historic significance. We are located in Portland, Oregon and welcome visitors by appointment.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...