Dorothy's Double. Volume 2

Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 250K words
Chapters: 25

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Dorothy's Double. Volume 2 (of 3) by G. A. HentyAuthor: Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 27, 2011

Editor's review

This is the second volume of G. A. Henty's three-volume novel Dorothy's Double, a typical Victorian historical adventure novel. Henty's works center on a young protagonist who grows through major historical events; this volume continues the character relationships and suspense of the previous volume and advances the misunderstandings and adventures arising from the "double's" identity. Its value lies not in literary experimentation but in offering a sample for observing how nineteenth-century British popular historical fiction wove together patriotism, male coming-of-age, and plot suspense. Readers will see Henty's customary structure: historical background is laid out, the protagonist proves his courage in crisis, and supporting characters drive misunderstandings and turns. Because it is the middle volume of a three-volume work, the plot is incomplete, and the reading experience depends on the other volumes. This edition is the Project Gutenberg electronic text, preserving the original with no annotations. It suits readers studying Victorian popular fiction, Henty's works, or the historical adventure genre, and can also serve as extensive English reading material, though readers should note its period limitations, including its handling of imperial narrative and gender roles.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying Victorian popular fiction and the historical adventure genre
Readers working systematically through Henty's works who need to fill in the middle volume of the three-volume set
Learners seeking graded extensive reading material in English who can accept an old-fashioned narrative pace
Readers interested in coming-of-age and imperial narratives in nineteenth-century British historical fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers who want a single volume that stands alone and do not wish to read the other volumes
Readers sensitive to old-fashioned narrative pacing and the period limitations expressed in the text
General readers who need a Chinese translation or detailed historical annotations

Reading tips

Be sure to read Volume 1 first before starting this volume; otherwise the character relationships and the "double" suspense will not connect.
Keep notes on the main characters' positions and the points of misunderstanding; the middle volume often relies on gaps in information to drive the plot.
Separate the historical background from the fictional plot, and note how Henty uses real events as a stage for the young protagonist's adventures.
After finishing this volume, read Volume 3 to see how the threads are resolved, and reflect on the period limitations of the book's imperial narrative and gender roles.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can Volume 2 be read on its own?

Not advisable. This is the middle volume of a three-volume work; the character relationships and central suspense carry over from the previous volume, and this volume does not resolve them at the end. Reading it alone would leave you without the antecedents and make it hard to judge where the plot is heading. It is best to read Volumes 1, 2, and 3 in order.

Is this novel by Henty suitable for young readers?

In terms of reading difficulty, the English original and the old-fashioned narrative pace pose some challenge for young readers; in terms of content, the book carries the imperial narrative and gender-role assumptions common in the nineteenth century. If given to young readers, it is best accompanied by background explanation that guides them to examine the period limitations rather than accept them directly as historical fact.

Does this edition have annotations or a Chinese translation?

No. This is the electronic edition of the original English text provided by Project Gutenberg, with no Chinese translation, scholarly annotations, or introduction. Readers who need historical background will have to consult relevant materials themselves or choose an annotated print edition for parallel reading.

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About the author

Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902 Author

George Alfred Henty (1832–1902) was a well-known British writer of historical adventure novels for young readers in the nineteenth century. The collection here contains 107 of his works, most of them drawn from major historical events in Europe and the Americas: By Right of Conquest is set during Cortez's conquest of Mexico, Under Wellington's Command takes the Peninsular War as its background, and For the Temple deals with the fall of Jerusalem. He typically placed a young hero at the centre of real historical scenes, weaving military campaigns and political struggles together with personal adventure. The plots are tightly paced and rich in detail, and they reflect a distinctly British outlook and the moral tastes of the Victorian age. His output was considerable, and his books had a lasting influence on later historical adventure fiction. Public information about his family, education and career is limited, so no speculation is offered here.