The Moonstone in All The Year Round

Here in the European publication of this novel, we can see the stark contrast between the two publications. There are no images in Charles Dickens’ publication, instead only a wall of text. This looks more like a proper ‘adult book’, and therefore the readers would read it with a more serious tone. As the central figure of the prologue, Sir John Herncastle, is from England, readers in that country may be more inclined to associate with him in the story and develop a connection to him as the ‘hero’. Much different from the American publication, the focus has shifted from the Indian priests and the mystery of the moonstone, to the European characters of this story. Although still a mystery novel and the defining detective novel, it still feels as if something is lacking from this publication.