This book revisits Jean Rhys's ground-breaking 1966 novel to explore its cultural and artistic influence in the areas of not only literature and literary criticism, but fashion design, visual art, and the theatre as well. Building on symposia that were held in London and New York in 2016 in honour of the novel's half-century, this collection demonstrates just how timely Rhys's insights into colonial history, sexual relations, and aesthetics continue to be. The chapters include an extensive interview with novelist Caryl Phillips, who in 2018 published a novel about Rhys's life, an account of how
Wide Sargasso Sea
can be read through the lens of the #MeToo Movement, a clothing line inspired by the novel, and new critical directions. As both a celebration and scholarly evaluation, the collection shows how enduring Rhys's novel is in its continuing literary influence and social commentary.
"The enduring power and influence of Wide Sargasso Sea is admirably served by this collection of essays ? . The volume is the first to be devoted entirely to Rhys's most famous text and will become essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the enduring appeal of the novel. ? Overall, this is an impressive collection, thoughtfully assembled. It admirably testifies to the richness of Rhys's vision in Wide Sargasso Sea, her "right-handed" marriage to Jane Eyre." (Andrew Thacker, New West Indian Guide, Vol. 96 (3-4), September, 2022)