A Dark-Adapted Eye

A Dark-Adapted Eye

infobox Book |
name = A Dark-adapted Eye
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell)
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Crime / Mystery novel / Psychological thriller
publisher = Viking
release_date = March 1 1986
media_type = Print/Audiobook
pages = 304 (paperback)
isbn = ISBN 0140086366
preceded_by =
followed_by = A Fatal Inversion

"A Dark-Adapted Eye" (1986) is a psychological thriller novel by Ruth Rendell, written under the nom-de-plume Barbara Vine. The novel won the American Edgar Award.

Plot summary

Largely set during World War II, the story is told by Faith Severn, who at the prompting of a true-crime writer recounts her memories of her aunt, the prim, fastidious, and snobbish Vera Hillyard. Vera's life is initially centred on her beautiful younger sister, Eden, even to the exclusion of her own son, Francis, with whom she has a poor relationship. Later, Vera has a second son, Jamie, to whom she is intensely devoted, while Eden marries the scion of a wealthy family.

When Eden is unable to have children with her husband, she begins to demand custody of Jamie, who she claims is being poorly raised by Vera. To the bewilderment and shock of the rest of the family, the custody battle escalates to violent levels, leading to tragedy and a series of disturbing revelations.

TV adaptation

"A Dark-Adapted Eye" was dramatised (with the storyline significantly altered) by the BBC in 1994. The production starred Helena Bonham Carter as Faith, Celia Imrie as Vera, Sophie Ward as Eden, and Steven Mackintosh as Francis.

This psychological mystery/thriller, adapted from Ruth Rendell's novel of the same name, depicts a family on the edge. Two sisters, the elder obsessive Vera, and the younger, manipulative Eden, cut a path of jealousy, murder and revenge that leads to the destruction of their entire family.

A note on the title

A dark-adapted eye is only an eye which has gotten used to the dark.

External links

*imdb title|id=0109541|name=A Dark Adapted Eye


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