Synopsis
Hester tells the story of the aging but powerful Catherine Vernon, and her conflict with the young and determined Hester, whose growing attachment to Edward, Catherine's favorite, spells disaster for all concerned.
Catherine Vernon, jilted in her youth, has risen to power in a man's world as head of the family bank. She thinks she sees through everyone and rules over a family of dependents with knowing cynicism. But there are two people in Redborough who resist her. One is Hester, a young relation with a personality as strong as Catherine's, and as determined to find a role for herself. The other is Edward, who Catherine treats like a son. Conflict between the young and the old is inevitable, and in its depiction of the complex relationships that develop between the three principal characters, Hester is a masterpiece of psychological realism. In exploring the difficulty of understanding human nature, it is also a compulsive story of financial and sexual risk-taking that inevitably results in a searing climax. Margaret Oliphant is one of the great Victorian novelists, and this edition re-establishes her importance.
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About the Author
Philip Davis is the author of The Victorians 1830-1880 in the new Oxford English Literary History series.
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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Search results for Hester (Virago Modern Classics)
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Hester (Virago Modern Classics)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0140161023I3N00
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Hester (Virago Modern Classics)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0140161023I4N00
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Hester: A Story of Contemporary Life.
Published by
Viking Penguin: Virago Classics, New York, NY, 1985
ISBN 10: 0140161023
ISBN 13: 9780140161021
Used
Paperback
Seller: Black Cat Hill Books, Oregon City, OR, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Very Near Fine in Wraps: shows only the most minute indications of use: just a hint of spine lean; the pages have tanned just slightly, due to aging. The binding is secure; the text is clean. Free of creases to the covers. Free of underlining, hi-lighting, notations, or marginalia. Free of creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A handsome nearly-new copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing a couple of minor, unobtrusive flaws. Shows no indications of having been read or even opened - except of course for the spine lean. Virtually 'As New'. NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (7.75 x 5 x 1.3 inches). 341 pagesxxi, 495 pages. New Introduction by Jennifer Uglow. Language: English. Weight: 16.5 ounces. Reprint Edition (1985); First printing thus. First published in 1883.Trade Paperback. Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant (née Margaret Oliphant Wilson) (4 April 1828 25 June 1897), was a Scottish novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. Her fictional works encompass domestic realism, the historical novel and tales of the supernatural. Reprint Edition (1985); First printing thus. First published in 1883. Seller Inventory # 51264