Read this when
The Portrait of a Lady
She turned down two good men to stay free, then married the one who wanted to own her. Chapter 42 is the night she finally sees it.
Who it's for
Isabel is proud of her freedom and good judgement, which makes her fall especially instructive: readers who blame themselves for 'not seeing it' can watch how charm, taste and a trusted friend's encouragement led a smart woman into a trap.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Henry James's novel, serialized in 1880-81 and published as a book in 1881. Isabel Archer, a young American woman who prizes her independence, comes into a large inheritance arranged by her cousin Ralph Touchett and turns down proposals from Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood.
Where to find it
Public domain in the US (1881, English); free on Project Gutenberg and Standard Ebooks, with free LibriVox recordings. In print (Penguin, Oxford, Norton) and in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); commercial au.
Before you start
Heads up: Coercive control in a marriage.
Age: Ages 16+
Men's vows are women's traitors!William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act 3, Scene 4
