A very modern approach to a Victorian era story. This book made me feel both excitement and frustration, but all in all, very interesting and worth a read if the reader is into classical literature.

You can simply read this book as a novel – but it will possibly frustrate you and have you wondering what the heck Sarah’s motives were and how in tarnation the book ends; because this is a novel about the craft of writing and it’s not necessarily a tale for your enjoyment. It is a Victorian novel written in the 60s. Sarah, or the “French Lieutenant’s Woman”, however, is a 20th century woman. The things she does and the decisions she makes are those of a 20th century character existing in a Victorian landscape. The narrator is also from the 20th century – and makes anachronistic observations throughout the telling. The writer even makes an appearance as a character in the end – when he offers 3 possible endings – one, the type of ending that would be expected if it were completely in Victorian times – and the other two as options depending on how “evolved” Sarah’s character became by the end of the novel. Enjoyable on your own, but much better understood and appreciated if you can discuss with others after reading.

First of all, what a beautiful cover. I think the book is a genius work of postmodern techniques. It starts as a common Victorian Fiction, but with the debates around science, religion, it moves away and ends up critiquing the era and realist literature. I feel like it becomes a parody. The multiple endings, the characterization, the narrator techniques, the intertextuality - can it get better than this?