Desperate Remedies
Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy, published by Penguin Books Limited in 1998, is a revised edition that spans 460 pages. This novel presents a tale of mystery, entanglement, surprise, and moral obliquity, centering on Cytherea, who becomes a lady’s maid to the eccentric Miss Aldclyffe. As Cytherea navigates her feelings for Edward Springrove, she discovers his engagement to his cousin, leading her into the manipulative world of Miss Aldclyffe’s steward, Manston.
Readers will encounter themes of blackmail, murder, and romance woven throughout the narrative, reflecting Hardy’s early exploration of psychological and sexual dynamics. The story draws on elements of the sensation novel, reminiscent of the works of Wilkie Collins, while also providing insights into country life. This edition allows readers to appreciate Hardy’s literary craftsmanship and the complexities of his characters, making it a significant work within the realms of fiction and literary criticism.
Official synopsis Publisher
Hardy described Desperate Remedies as a tale of ‘mystery, entanglement, surprise and moral obliquity’. Cytherea has taken a position as lady’s maid to the eccentric arch-intriguer Miss Aldclyffe. On discovering that the man she loves, Edward Springrove, is already engaged to his cousin, Cytherea comes under the influence of Miss Aldclyffe’s fascinating, manipulative steward Manston. Blackmail, murder and romance are among the ingredients of Hardy’s first published novel, and in it he draws blithely on the ‘sensation novel’ perfected by Wilkie Collins. Several perceptive critics praised the author as a novelist with a future when Desperate Remedies appeared anonymously in 1871. In its depiction of country life and insight into psychology and sexuality it already bears the unmistakable imprint of Hardy’s genius.
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