First published 1752
Arabella has spent her youth reading French romances in her father's isolated country estate. When she ventures into Bath and London society, she views every encounter through the lens of her beloved novels. Men approaching her at social gatherings become dangerous ravishers in her mind. A woman in men's clothing transforms into a distressed lady requiring rescue. When a gentleman shows interest, Arabella throws herself into the Thames rather than submit to what she imagines is an abduction attempt. Her romantic fantasies create chaos at every turn. The sheltered young woman must navigate a world that refuses to conform to the dramatic plots she has memorized. Her misadventures reveal both her innocence and the gap between literary fantasy and social reality. The question becomes whether Arabella can learn to see people as they truly are.
Genres: fiction, classics, romance, 19th-century
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Bath, London
Period: 19th-century
465 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics