Lady Audley's Secret Volume 1 (No Spoilers)

[Charlene]

This is the discussion topic for Volume 1 which is the first part of Lady Audley's Secret.

There are about 3 versions used in print (We only know the breaks for 2):
For Oxford Classics- Chapter 1 to 29 (Each volume starts with chapter 1)
Penguin edition. Volume 1 has chapters 1-19;
Another version has just 42 chapters. Volume 1 is chapters 1 to 19.

Please no spoilers (use spoiler html if necessary). There will be a separate thread for entire book with spoilers.

spoiler html= <**spoiler**> (if using don't include the **)

[☯Emily , The First]

I started this book earlier this week and so far I am enjoying it. However, my copy has terrible typos which are really distracting.

As you start reading, please write down what you think Mrs. Audley's secret is.

[☯Emily , The First]

Mary Elizabeth Braddon led a unconventional life. Her biography reads like one of her novels: https://maryelizabethbraddon.com/biog...

[☯Emily , The First]

Lady Audley's Secret is considered a sensation novel. The following link describes a sensation novel, why it was popular for a time and some of the authors associated with the genre. http://www.mantlethought.org/world-li...

[Kathleen]

Thanks for the links, Emily! "Controversial plots, transgressive heroines, escapist adventures …" I can't wait.

[Anastasia Kinderman, The Only]

☯Emily wrote: "Lady Audley's Secret is considered a sensation novel. The following link describes a sensation novel, why it was popular for a time and some of the authors associated with the genre. ..."

Fascinating! I feel like I've been missing out.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I loved this book! Won't be rereading but will follow the discussion.:)

[Viv]

I've had this on my TBR for a while and looking forward to finally getting stuck in! I've read the first couple of chapters and am intrigued so far. Plus, the writing style is pretty easy going for the Victorian era :-)

[Charlene]

I will probably start this over the weekend.

If anyone else has a different breakdown of the volumes for their copy of Lady Audley's Secret please post it so I can update the starting post for everyone. We know there is at least one more different version out there.

[Charlene]

☯Emily wrote: "Lady Audley's Secret is considered a sensation novel. The following link describes a sensation novel, why it was popular for a time and some of the authors associated with the genre. ..."

I have almost all the classic sensation fiction listed in the article on my to be read shelf even before I knew about it.

[☯Emily , The First]

My edition has 42 pages and is not divided into volumes. However, I have found information that indicates that the first volume was chapters 1-19.

I have now completed the first 19 chapters. It is clear that Robert thinks that Lady Audley has (view spoiler)[ committed bigamy and murder (hide spoiler)], so the only questions are "Is he right?" and "Can he prove it?"

[Viv]

Charlene wrote: "I will probably start this over the weekend.

If anyone else has a different breakdown of the volumes for their copy of Lady Audley's Secret please post it so I can update the starting post for ev..."

I have the Penguin edition. Volume 1 has chapters 1-19; volume 2 chapters 1-13 and volume 3 chapters 1-10.

[Charlene]

Viv wrote: "Charlene wrote: "I will probably start this over the weekend.

If anyone else has a different breakdown of the volumes for their copy of Lady Audley's Secret please post it so I can update the sta..."

I updated the first post to include the Penguin edition information.

[Charlene]

I haven't quite finished the first volume yet. I do have to say that I agree with Alicia Audley that Lady Lucy Audley does seem very child-like and self centered.

[Charlene]

Viv wrote: "I've had this on my TBR for a while and looking forward to finally getting stuck in! I've read the first couple of chapters and am intrigued so far. Plus, the writing style is pretty easy going for..."

I find that the writing style reminds me of Anne Bronte a bit. It is fairly simple and not too wordy.

[Viv]

Yes, I agree Charlene re comparison with Anne Bronte. I have a lot going on at the moment in my life, so making slow progress but hopefully will catch up a bit at the weekend - am certainly enjoying it so far.

[Kathleen]

FYI, I have a kind of weird Dover edition that only has 40 chapters. How weird that the number of chapters are different. There's no volume breaks, so I'm just going to read through chapter 19 and go to the spoiler thread and peek.

This was very slow going for me at first, I kept getting lost in the long descriptions. It started to pick up at about chapter five, and I think I'll be okay now. :-)

[Charlene]

Kathleen wrote: "FYI, I have a kind of weird Dover edition that only has 40 chapters. How weird that the number of chapters are different. There's no volume breaks, so I'm just going to read through chapter 19 and ..."

The last chapter title for my copy is "The Blacksmith's Mistake". I don't know if that will help you out.

[Kathleen]

Thank you Charlene! Strange--my copy doesn't have that title. They must have changed those too! It's okay, I'll just read until I think, "Hey, didn't a blacksmith just make a mistake?"

[Kathleen]

Mystery solved! There is no "The Blacksmith's Mistake" chapter in my copy, but the blacksmith's mistake occurs in the chapter "The Writing in the Book." I have no idea why they would have combined those two chapters, but I guess I have now entered volume two.

It took a bit of warming up but I am enjoying this now. I found it interesting that Robert Audley is described frequently as "lazy." He seems quite industrious to me!

[☯Emily , The First]

Robert is lazy because he doesn't have inclination to work at a job. However, the disappearance of his friend is making changes in his outlook. It will be interesting to see if this is a permanent change.

[Kathleen]

I guess I was thinking lots of rich Victorian characters don't work, so it just struck me that this was frequently repeated. It made me think though, when I got to a line where he says he would make a good detective because he is patient, that perhaps laziness can have a good outcome if it breeds patience.

[Charlene]

The novel was written after the peak of the industrial revolution which caused a change in work habits. So I wonder if the mention of Robert being lazy is a way to just make him memorable to the reader. Sort of going against a stereotype?

[☯Emily , The First]

Actually, I think the author is making him part of the idle rich, at least in the beginning of the novel.

[Kathleen]

I like both of these ideas! He was certainly made memorable to me. He's the only character who we really get to see into.

And being portrayed as the idle rich at first would set us up to notice the change in him.

[Charlene]

Kathleen wrote: "Mystery solved! There is no "The Blacksmith's Mistake" chapter in my copy, but the blacksmith's mistake occurs in the chapter "The Writing in the Book." I have no idea why they would have combined ..."

Over in Volume 2 thread I posted the last chapter title from my copy for you. This one must be that elusive third version that we didn't have division of volumes for.