Evelina: Or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World (Penguin Classics)

Frances Burney (Fanny Burney, Margaret Anne Doody)

I read this as part of Operation Being a Well-Rounded Adult since I had heard of it and knew that...more

I read this as part of Operation Being a Well-Rounded Adult since I had heard of it and knew that it inspired Jane Austen. What I didn't realize was that it is clearly the basis for the reams of shoddy Regency Romance novels and the plot has been stolen again and again by less talented authors. While I enjoy contrived period touches as much as the next consumer of printed cotton candy, reading an actual period novel was a refreshing reminder that ridottos and evenings at Vauxhall gardens really happened. I always regretted how few novels Jane Austen wrote so if you're looking for another romantic but highly supressed novel, this is a gem. Lord Orville is no Mr. Darcy of course but how much brooding do you need?    hide