Review: "The Shuttle" by Frances Hodgson Burnet
The Shuttle may be downloaded for free from our ebook catalog. The following review was originally published on Frisbee: A Book Journal.
Burnett's style is vigorous and confident, and the theme is the tragic reduction of Rosy Vanderpoel from confident golden girl to battered woman, and the attempts of her sister, Bettina, to rescue her. Rosy, a blossoming, lovely heiress in New York, marries Sir Nigel, who despises Americans but has entrapped her for her money. Back on his mouldering estate in England, he abuses her psychologically and physically until she turns over most of her money to him (which he squanders on frivolous trips). He also cuts off Rosy's communications with her family (though he himself writes occasional letters to placate them) and reduces her to a nervous wreck. When the Vanderpoels visit Europe, he tells them Rosy is away. She is utterly isolated and shattered.
But the heroine is her younger sister, Betty, a beautiful, brilliant young woman who, 12 years after the marriage, when she is grown up, sets out to rescue Rosy. She does not believe her sister dropped them, and her father, a businessman, also suspects she may be Sir Nigel's victim. There's something of the fairy tale about this, with one princess rescuing another. Burnett's description of Betty's impressions of Sir Nigel's estate is enchanting: it's a kind of Sleeping Beauty's castle in need of repairs. And Rosy's 12-year-old son, the crippled Ughtred, is reminiscent of heroes of her children's books.
The writing is superb, and Burnett knows so much about the psychology of the battered woman. She understands PTSD before its time. The battered woman is not a masochistic victim, but often a successful woman brought down by isolation and constant belittling and tantrums. The abuser often is charming and sympathetic in public: only his wife and children know his other side. How Burnett knew this I don't know: she also writes about this in The Making of a Marchioness.
Discussion
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The Little Princess has always been one of my favorite books, but I have never read the majority of Burnett's work, despite often intending to. I think this review has given me the motivations I was lacking. The story sounds wonderful - thank you!
I too have never read any of Burnett's adult literature. I'm now tempted to delve into this one. Thanks for the review, Kat!
I hope you have a chance to read this! It's great. I put it off for years because my old copy (turn of the 20th century) was so musty.
I wonder if her other adult books are as good.
Kat
I like the sound of this. I've read The Making of a Marchioness which I really enjoyed. I'm reading a biography of Emily Dickinson at the moment and apparently Frances Hodgson Burnett visited her home - amazing how all these writers seem to connect.
Very, very good book. So much so that it inspired my WIP. 🙂
I really enjoyed this. I've been a fan of Burnett's children's books since I was, well, a child, and this was a great find. Betty is a bit of a Mary Sue but she's so likeable you don't really mind.
It does make one wonder what Burnett experienced in her first marriage. She really had the abusive partner psychology nailed.
I'm reading Stieg Larsson's books and I think Burnett would have approved of Lisbeth Salander. 😉
This is now a favorite--thank you for this review, which motivated me to give "The Shuttle" a try. I started reading it online, but was enjoying it so much that I went ahead and ordered the book. I remembered reading and vaguely enjoying The Secret Garden and A Little Princess when I was younger, but had no idea that Frances Hodgson Burnett had done more than that. This is a real keeper! It does have a bit of a fairy tale feeling to it, but is also full of vitality. Betty is like a breath of fresh air.
I'd love to read other of her adult books and haven't gotten around to it, but The Shuttle is one of my favorites. It's great to see so many people reading and enjoying it.