Armadale

Discover the enthralling narrative of Wilkie Collins's 'Armadale', a classic Victorian sensation novel that transcends time. This gripping tale unfolds with the shocking deathbed confession of Allan Armadale, propelling readers into a world of intrigue steeped in dark secrets and moral complexities. At the heart of this novel lies Lydia Gwilt—a wicked female villain, captivating and terrifying, whose nefarious schemes create a web of confusion and peril. T.S. Eliot hailed 'Armadale' as Collins's finest romance, emphasizing its depth and the profound impact of its characters. Within these 752 pages, readers will navigate romantic rivalries, inherited curses, and the consequences of choice within a vividly drawn historical context. This specific trade paperback edition, published by Penguin UK, enhances your reading experience with an insightful introduction and notes by John Sutherland, illuminating the novel's relationship to contemporary society and technology. Explore the layers of Collins's narrative that mirror the sensational journalism of his era, as well as his innovative use of the penny post and telegraph that drives the story forward. Ideal for literature enthusiasts and collectors, 'Armadale' is a must-have addition to any bookshelf, brought to life in this beautifully crafted edition. With FREE shipping available, indulge in this sensational tale and experience the timeless appeal of one of literature's most notorious female villains. Please note combined shipping is not applicable for this product. Expect delivery within 10 days.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780140434118
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 1995
Publisher: Penguin UK
Pages: 752


Description:
An innovative novel featuring an astonishingly wicked female villain, Wilkie Collins's Armadale was regarded by T.S. Eliot as 'the best of his romances'. This Penguin Classics edition is edited with an introduction and notes by John Sutherland.
When the elderly Allan Armadale makes a terrible confession on his death-bed, he has little idea of the repercussions to come, for the secret he reveals involves the mysterious Lydia Gwilt- flame-haired temptress, bigamist, laudanum addict and husband-poisoner. Her malicious intrigues fuel the plot of this gripping melodrama- a tale of confused identities, inherited curses, romantic rivalries, espionage, money - and murder. The character of Lydia Gwilt horrified contemporary critics, with one reviewer describing her as 'One of the most hardened female villains whose devices and desires have ever blackened fiction'. She remains among the most enigmatic and fascinating women in nineteenth-century literature and the dark heart of this most sensational of Victorian 'sensation novels'.
John Sutherland's introduction illustrated how Wilkie Collins drew on scandalous newspaper headlines and on new technology particularly the penny post and the telegraph - to lend extra pace and veracity to his tale. This edition also contains notes, further reading and an appendix on stage dramatisations of Armadale.
Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was born in London in 1824, the eldest son of the landscape painter William Collins. In 1846 he was entered to read for the bar at Lincoln's Inn, where he gained the knowledge that was to give him much of the material for his writing. From the early 1850s he was a friend of Charles Dickens, who produced and acted in two melodramas written by Collins, <
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