A Critical Edition of Caroline Norton's Love in "The World"

Love in the World is an unpublished novel by Caroline Norton that delves into the perils of courtship during the 1820s London social season, drawing upon her own experiences as a debutante. The novel follows a naïve young girl named Alixe, who encounters both a worthy and an undesirable suitor, offering a window into the fashionable society of the time.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 10 October 2023
Publisher: Anthem Press

Caroline Norton's long-lost book, which has remained unpublished until now, tells the story of Alixe, a young girl who is thrust into the perilous world of courtship during the London social season. Through her encounters with both a worthy and an undesirable suitor, Norton offers an intriguing glimpse into the fashionable society of the 1820s, where Love in the World takes place. By placing her heroine in these challenging situations, Norton drew upon her own experiences of the bon ton, as the novel is set during her first ball in March 1826, when she made a grand entrance onto the scene, later reminiscing, "I came out... to find all London at my feet." She believed that London could be as ruthless as the metropolitan social scene, and in warning the reader about the dangers of fashionable society, she made ample use of her observations as a debutante during her first London season.

Love in the World is a highly readable and coherent narrative with an indeterminate ending that sheds light on Norton's life and times. The plot initially follows a pattern that is broadly representative of her own experience before taking unexpected and surprising turns. This novel offers a captivating glimpse into the social and romantic dynamics of the 1820s, providing a valuable window into the lives of the characters and the world they inhabit.

Weight: 446g
Dimension: 160 x 236 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839987281