W. Somerset Maugham

Maugham's first published novel - a vividly realistic portrayal of slum life. Down among the drab slums of Lambeth, eighteen-year-old Liza is the darling of Vere Street. Vibrant and bewitching, she has found an adoring if conventional beau in Tom. When she meets Jim Blakeston, a married man new to the area, she is immediately magnetized by his attentions. But the streets are wise to their illicit, passionate affair and before long the secret is out.

Liza of Lambeth

Sarah Escorsa

A tragic yet beautifully written tale. Some say that as Maugham's first novel it is also his weakest, but I disagree. Granted, the slang is a bit annoying at first but you get used to it after a few pages.

The story is tragic but Maugham writes beautifully and depicts life in one of the poorer areas of London at the end of the 19th century very vividly. He manages to recreate an atmosphere that makes the story and the characters come alive.

Liza of Lambeth

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