I first was intrigued by the critical-acclaim about The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, especially the one from T. S. Elliot who called it as the first, the longest, and the best of the modern English detective novel. And Elliot even said that this genre was invented by Collins, not Poe; The Moonstone is basically well-known as The Father of the Detective Novel. I heard lots of positive reviews surrounding The Moonstone since many years ago, but couldn't catch up to read until now. 
 Reading The Moonstone is my favorite in October as this book gave me such pleasure and left remarkable enjoyment -- something I never experienced in long times. I love how Collins creating tension and suspense interestingly, and the narrative is also on point. It gave me surprises continuously until the end. Collins is surely talented and a genius in storytelling. 
 And personally, I also love The Moonstone because its heroine -- Rachel Verinder -- is a strong, tough, witty, and straightforward. And even challenges the concept of gender roles in society, and wants to be treated as equal as men. Reminds me a lot of Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, also Scarlett O'Hara of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell -- my two favorites heroines, and now three, of all times; for me, Rachel Verinder is more complicated and stubborn, though. Her chosen-life is also more dilemmatic...