Evelina

A dazzling epistolary novel about class differences and the challenges of asserting oneself as a woman: 17-year-old Evelina has grown up in the household of an English country parson. Her noble father refuses to acknowledge her, and her deceased mother came from humble beginnings. When the pretty but naive Evelina is introduced to the high society of London by a family friend, intrusive suitors quickly take advantage of her unclear social status. And then Evelina's brazen grandmother from Paris shows up, determined to force the young woman to claim her inheritance. What will the handsome, charming Lord Orville think of her?

Burney paints a humorous portrait of society and vividly captures the gallant world of balls and amusement parks in the 18th century. With a sharp pen, she exposes clichés, prejudices, and narrow-mindedness across all social classes – a true reading pleasure!

With plenty of humor, Burney explores the life of the English aristocracy, their social pretensions, and their hidden weaknesses – always with a critical eye on the subordinate position of women.