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A review by zefancifulreader
The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister by Anne Lister
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
It was an honour to read this diary.
It is THE example of how women carried on dual lives in a time when being queer was not an option. It also historically confirms that there were definitely lesbians in the Regency Era, which makes it such an important body of work.
As a book, it’s tedious and sometimes very boring. However, I found the juxtaposition between the un-coded and coded portions of the text completely fascinating. If you were to just read the un-coded words you would get the picture of a boring, shrewd, and honestly, rather self-important, lady, with no real depth. (Imagine all the slow parts of Pride and Prejudice without any of the drama.)
BUT THEN, you read the coded portions and you find an independent, smart, definitely shrewd, rather terrible but also self-conscious, woman who only wears black and is hungry for love and companionship. She’s honestly a fucking ICON.
It’s important to note that this book only covers her early years when she’s still very much in her angsty, “the love of my life is married” era which is excellent drama but doesn’t get to the true companionship Anne is searching for (and will ultimately find).
It is THE example of how women carried on dual lives in a time when being queer was not an option. It also historically confirms that there were definitely lesbians in the Regency Era, which makes it such an important body of work.
As a book, it’s tedious and sometimes very boring. However, I found the juxtaposition between the un-coded and coded portions of the text completely fascinating. If you were to just read the un-coded words you would get the picture of a boring, shrewd, and honestly, rather self-important, lady, with no real depth. (Imagine all the slow parts of Pride and Prejudice without any of the drama.)
BUT THEN, you read the coded portions and you find an independent, smart, definitely shrewd, rather terrible but also self-conscious, woman who only wears black and is hungry for love and companionship. She’s honestly a fucking ICON.
It’s important to note that this book only covers her early years when she’s still very much in her angsty, “the love of my life is married” era which is excellent drama but doesn’t get to the true companionship Anne is searching for (and will ultimately find).