In this article we will review Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy.
Book Plot
Cytherea has taken a position as lady’s maid to the eccentric arch-intriguer Miss Aldclyffe. On discovering that the man she loves, Edward Springrove, is already engaged to his cousin, Cytherea comes under the influence of Miss Aldclyffe’s fascinating, manipulative steward Manston.
Blackmail, murder and romance are among the ingredients of Hardy’s first published novel, and in it he draws blithely on the ‘sensation novel’ perfected by Wilkie Collins. Several perceptive critics praised the author as a novelist with a future when Desperate Remedies appeared anonymously in 1871. In its depiction of country life and insight into psychology and sexuality it already bears the unmistakable imprint of Hardy’s genius.
Desperate Remedies Rating : 3,78
Also book has 368 pages
Desperate Remedies Review
As a fan of unusual literary works, I couldn’t resist the idea of a young Thomas Hardy attempting a sensational novel in the style of Wilkie Collins. While “Desperate Remedies,” Hardy’s first novel, may not be a complete success with its underdeveloped crime-detective plot, it does contain some beautiful writing and unique characters. The themes found in this novel, such as women struggling against Victorian sexual norms, can be seen in Hardy’s later works. The female characters, particularly Miss Aldclyffe and Anne Seaway, are intriguing and well-developed. The male character Aeneas Manston adds a sinister element to the story, although he doesn’t fully live up to his potential. The novel’s rural setting is vividly described by Hardy. Overall, while the first half of the novel is stronger than the second, approaching “Desperate Remedies” with the right expectations can enhance the reading experience.
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