Tenterhooks

Ada LeversonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 291K words
Chapters: 30

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. Tenterhooks by Ada Leverson. Author: Leverson, Ada, 1862-1933. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Nov 1, 2003

Editor's review

Tenterhooks is a novel by the English writer Ada Leverson, one of her series depicting Edwardian marriage and society in a light, witty vein. Leverson is known for sparkling dialogue and fine observation of upper-class psychology, and this book continues in that mode: the plot turns on misunderstandings, testing, and emotional tug-of-war within marriage, with playful language and understated irony — an easy read that is nonetheless perceptive. Its value lies in presenting, through a comic shell, women's circumstances and inner lives in marriage, making it a good entry into one light strand of early twentieth-century British social fiction. Do not expect grand narrative; it is better suited to savoring the sharpness of dialogue and the subtle turns of character psychology. For readers who enjoy Austen-style social comedy and want a change of era, this is a public-domain work worth reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of English fiction who enjoy Austen-style social comedy
Readers interested in Edwardian British women's writing
Readers who want to learn English expression through light, witty dialogue
Teachers and students who need public-domain texts for literature selections

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong plots and fast-paced narrative
Readers expecting deep social critique or grand themes
Beginners completely unfamiliar with early twentieth-century British social settings

Reading tips

Read the first few chapters to sort out the relationships, then move into close reading of the dialogue
Pay attention to what characters imply and appreciate Leverson's understated irony
Read alongside other Edwardian women's novels for comparison
After finishing, revisit key conversations to trace how misunderstandings drive the plot

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

Do I need to read other books in the series first?

No. The book can be read independently; its characters and plot stand on their own. If the social circle the author depicts interests you, you can then seek out other books in the series for further reading; it will not affect your understanding of this book.

Is the language level suitable for English learners?

It is moderately advanced. Sentences are not complex, but the dialogue contains much understated irony and period social vocabulary, requiring a certain foundation in English reading. It is advisable to use annotations or a translation alongside to gradually grasp the implications.

Why is it said to resemble Austen?

Both excel at portraying the psychological games of marriage and society through witty dialogue, with plots turning on misunderstandings and testing. But Leverson's era is later, her tone lighter, and her irony more understated; readers can compare the similarities and differences for themselves.

Comments

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About the author

Ada Leverson Author · British · 1862–1933

Ada Leverson (1862–1933) was a British novelist, born in London into a wealthy Jewish family and known for her witty comedies of manners. A close friend of Oscar Wilde, she was called "the Sphinx" by him and supported him during his trial and imprisonment. Her works focus on the emotional manoeuvring of marriage and social circles, with a light, ironic tone and a gift for revealing her characters' self-deception through dialogue and detail. Six of her works are held in this collection: Love's Shadow, Tenterhooks, The Twelfth Hour, The Limit, Love at Second Sight and Bird of Paradise. Public information is limited, and her life and work are chiefly discussed in relation to the friendships and style described above.