Henrietta

by Charlotte Lennox, Ruth Perry (Editor), Susan Carlile (Editor)

A pioneer in the tradition of English women's fiction, Charlotte Lennox was valued friend to both Samuel Richardson and Samuel Johnson and a major influence on Jane Austen. The heroine of Charlotte Lennox's Henrietta is a young Englishwoman who resists her aunt's pressure to convert to Catholicism and is set adrift in London society. But unlike many of her passive, vulnerable contemporaries in fiction, the admirable Henrietta makes her way in the world relying on her own cleverness, conviction, and wit. This groundbreaking work of satire and human folly is republished here in a fully annotated modern edition.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, 18th Century

328 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1758

About the author

Charlotte Ramsay Lennox (born: c. 1730) was a British author and poet of the 18th century. She is most famous now as the author of The Female Quixote and for her association with Samuel Johnson, Joshua Reynolds, and Samuel Richardson, but she had a long career and wrote poetry, prose, and drama.

Reviews

[Katarzyna Bartoszynska · Rating 4 out of 5]

De-lightful. It's rare to read a novel whose didacticism you actually find pleasure in. A key component is the wicked satire and wit of it - moralistic it may be, but humorless it is not. But it's also a rare case where a heroine's virtue is actually endearing. I think this is largely because, unlike so many 18th century female characters, she's got common sense, wit, and a healthy dose of moxy. She does burst into tears occasionally, but you can hardly blame her, given the frustrations and travails she's put through, and she is also perfectly capable of laying the smack down when the need arises, which is pretty awesome. She gets pale and her eyes flash and she speaks with lofty contempt - the kind of detail you will either find utterly insipid or totally awesome (I, having been taught by my father at a young age to idolize Edmund Dantes as a raging badass, fall in the latter camp, surprise surprise). Although she is an absolute paragon of virtue, she is neither heartless nor dull. Basically - she's actually someone you could see yourself wanting to be when you grow up. Why aren't all romance novels like this?

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henrietta is a sensible girl who is put in a bad situation. She doesn't have enough money to support her status or find a 'good match.' Her adventures paint a fascinating picture of the life of an intelligent mid-18th century woman. Henrietta can come off as a bit aloof, but the novel provides enough to make her an interesting protagonist. As one of the novels that influenced Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice is a line from this book), this book is a must read for her fans and anyone curious about the time period.

[Selene Colburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A female free thinker was, in [Henrietta's:] opinion, so shocking a character that she would have much rather seen it the object of abhorrence than mirth." Another story of unprotected females let loose on the world. Perfect beaching read, if you're a complete weirdo (note the sand wearing grooves in the binding of my copy).

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much. There were a number of surprising turns and gasp out loud moments, but Henrietta is likable heroine (but a little too righteous) and her ultimately beau is adorable. My only qualm is that many of the other ladies are made into coarse villains to highlight Henrietta's virtue, which is now a little antiquated, but it's still a fun read.

[Audiobook Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcomc...