The Judgment of Eve, Vol. 1

by G. H. Hollister

Excerpt from The Judgment of Eve
In Queningford there were not many suitors for a young lady to choose from, but it was understood that, such as there were, Aggie Purcell would have her pick of them. The other young ladies were happy enough if they could get her leavings. Miss Purcell of the Laurels was by common consent the prettiest, the best-dressed, and the best-mannered of them all. To be sure, she could only be judged by Queningford standards; and, as the railway nearest to Queningford is a terminus that leaves the small gray town stranded on the borders of the unknown, Queningford standards are not progressive.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

151 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1907

Reviews

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Judgment of Eve is the shortest Sinclair book yet in my reading of her entire bibliography. The author sets the scene wonderfully, and introduces the reader at once to protagonist, Aggie. Aggie herself is well-educated, but in true Edwardian fashion, the first quarter of the plot deals with which of her two suitors she will choose to marry. She is rather a progressive woman, willing to work if her fiance's salary fails to rise as he has been promised. Sinclair's prose is shrewd, as ever: 'Nature, safeguarding her own interests, had whispered to Aggie that young ladies who live in Queningford are better without intellects that show'.

After a move to London, the intellect which Aggie prizes above all else disappears once one child after another is born. Our protagonist rises to the challenge of motherhood, but Sinclair makes us aware that it - and the never-ending domesticity which comes with it - is far from a perfect life for Aggie: 'It was as if Nature had conceived a grudge against Aggie, and strove, through maternity, to stamp out her features as an individual'. Sinclair paints the role of the traditional Angel in the House in a very interesting light, essentially turning it on its head.

The Judgment of Eve is a short book, but it unquestionably has a lot of depth to it, and both asks and answers a plethora of question about womankind and their place within the world. Had it not been so brief, I would have definitely given it a five-star rating; regardless, it deserves to be read by a far wider audience.

[Eve Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Painful and sad, really short but cuts into the life of Aggie. She chooses her man and has a whole lotta babies. I'm not sure she changes throughout the book, you just learn more about her so you get an idea that she is how she is. It's an interesting look into people's choices and how they spend their time and life. It was also pretty sad her husband didn't let her work. Although, I don't think she would have worked for long, you know coz all the babies.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful short novel about how men are selfish and women can deceive themselves. That's it, really. Painful but so real, and beautifully written.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sinclair is always worth reading, but this, like Hardy's Jude the Obscure, is one of those stories where one feels that knowledge of, and availability of reliable, contraception would have stopped there being a story in the first place.