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Tag Archives: 19th Century
A Victorian novel about decision paralysis: Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope
Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope has a name that is a bit off-putting. It suggests an obnoxious main character who will be hard to sympathise with. I didn’t find this to be the case. The main character, Alice … Continue reading
Posted in Classic, General adult audience, Novel, Novel of Manners, Romance, Social Novel, Victorian
Tagged 100/500/100, 19th Century, Anthony Trollope, authors with day jobs, British, character-driven, classic, decision making, decision paralysis, drama, exam period friendly, fiction, historical, humour, marriage, Palliser Novel, politics, relationships, society, Victorian Era
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These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder is the last of the Little House books that Wilder completed and also my favourite. At the end of Little Town on the Prairie Laura received her teaching certificate. Now Laura has … Continue reading
Posted in 10 years and up, 20th Century YA, Young Adult
Tagged 10 and up, 19th Century, American, character-driven, children's classic, coming-of-age, courtship, education, farming, fiction, good out loud, historical, Little House Book, North Dakota, pioneering America, prairies, school, semi-autobiographical, YA classic, young adult
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Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder continues the Little House books. The Long Winter is over, the prairie is filling up and Laura is old enough to get summer work sewing in the growing town. When winter … Continue reading
Posted in 10 years and up, 20th Century Children's, 20th Century YA, Children's Classics
Tagged 10 and up, 19th Century, American, character-driven, children's classic, coming-of-age, education, farming, good out loud, historical, Little House Book, North Dakota, pioneering America, prairies, school, semi-autobiographical, young adult
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A Country Gentleman and His Family by Margaret Oliphant
A Country Gentleman and His Family by Margaret Oliphant is surprisingly well written. Mrs Oliphant was a Victorian authoress who wrote novels to support herself and several dependents so was prolific but variable in quality. This book had skillful characterisation … Continue reading
Posted in British, Classic, Family Drama, General adult audience, Novel of Manners, Pastoral novel, Romance, Social Novel, Victorian
Tagged 100/500/100, 19th Century, British, character-driven, classic, domestic realism, drama, exam period friendly, fiction, marriage, relationships, remarriage, siblings, society, talent, widowhood, women
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Esther Waters by George Moore
Esther Waters by George Moore strives for realism as it portrays the choices and struggles of Esther, a house servant, as she seeks to provide for her illegitimate son. Esther herself is a strong character but by no means flawless. … Continue reading
Posted in Classic, General adult audience, Novel, Realism, Social Novel, Victorian
Tagged 19th Century, British, character-driven, classic, domestic realism, drama, exam period friendly, fiction, injustice, realism, servants, single mothers, society, women
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The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder is the 5th of the Little House series about Laura’s pioneering childhood on the American prairies. It tells of the winter when the blizzards are so early, long and severe that the trains … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics
Tagged 19th Century, 7 and up, adventure, American, children's classic, classic, good out loud, hardship, historical, Little House Book, overcoming adversity, pioneering America, prairies, semi-autobiographical, survival, winter
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Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
Mary Barton is a story that looks at the difficulties of lower class people in manufacturing towns during the Industrial Revolution. It has some really engaging characters and charming story-telling. My enjoyment was up there with North and South and … Continue reading
Posted in British, General adult audience, Romance, Social Novel, Victorian
Tagged 19th Century, British, character-driven, classic, coming-of-age, drama, fiction, industrial revolution, realism, society, working class
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Miserable, Not Romantic: The Happy Ever After of Marrying a Scoundrel Explored in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë is a book about what happens if you actually marry Mr Rochester or Mr Willoughby. Helen marries a careless but charismatic man and finds that her influence quickly wanes after their marriage. … Continue reading
Posted in British, Classic, Diarial, General adult audience, Novel, Pastoral novel, Realism, Romance, Social Novel, Victorian
Tagged 19th Century, British, Brontë sisters, classic, divorce, domestic abuse, drama, ethics, fiction, grace, relationships, substance abuse
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Persuasion by Jane Austen
Persuasion is probably my favourite Jane Austen novel. It lacks the bright humour of Pride and Prejudice, but both book and heroine share a lovely, gentle pensiveness. It explores ideas of regret and duty, as well as the difference between being … Continue reading
Posted in British, Fiction, General adult audience, Novel, Novel of Manners, Pre-Victorian
Tagged 19th Century, British, classic, fiction, good out loud, Jane Austen, novel of manners
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Spending time with a delightful dead guy: The Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb
I was curious about Charles Lamb after references to him in Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I was surprised at how enjoyable The Essays of Elia and The Last Essays of Elia actually were. Published in magazines … Continue reading →