The Story of Charles Strange: A Novel. Vol. 1

Wood, Henry, Mrs., 1814-1887Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.5

Word count: 260K words
Chapters: 27

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.The Story of Charles Strange: A Novel. Vol. 1 (of 3) by Mrs. Henry WoodAuthor: Wood, Henry, Mrs., 1814-1887,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 20, 2012

Editor's review

The first volume of The Story of Charles Strange opens a three-volume novel by Mrs. Henry Wood, a prolific Victorian novelist. Available as a free eBook from Project Gutenberg, it preserves the original English text and is suited to readers interested in nineteenth-century British literature and serial fiction. This volume mainly sets up character relationships and suspense; its pacing shows the typical features of serial novels of the time: small climaxes between chapters and close attention to dialogue and domestic scenes. Its value lies not in experimental literary innovation but in offering a sample for observing Victorian social ethics, family secrets, and popular narrative technique. Read it as a period text that requires patience rather than a fast-paced modern suspense novel. For readers studying Victorian popular literature or looking to expand their reading of English originals, this eBook volume is an affordable entry point.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers interested in Victorian British fiction
Self-learners who want free English-language public-domain books
Literature students studying the narrative structure of nineteenth-century serial novels
Casual readers who enjoy family secrets and ensemble characters

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced modern suspense or strong plot momentum
Beginners whose English reading ability is not yet sufficient for nineteenth-century long sentences
Readers who expect a single self-contained volume and do not want to continue into sequels

Reading tips

Begin with the opening character introductions, jot down the relationships simply, then move into the plot.
Read each chapter as a serial installment and note the suspense and hooks left at chapter endings.
When encountering unfamiliar period language, skip it first to keep reading fluid; there is no need to check every word.
After finishing this volume, pause briefly before starting Volume II to keep the character threads clear.

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

Is this a complete story or the first part of a trilogy?

This is the first volume of a three-volume novel, and the story does not conclude here. It mainly introduces characters and lays out the plot; readers need to continue with Volumes II and III to understand the full arc.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

This edition is a free electronic text provided by Project Gutenberg, preserving the original English and suitable for reading on electronic devices. It has no modern annotations or introduction, so readers must adapt to nineteenth-century expression on their own.

Can I read this without having read other works by Mrs. Henry Wood?

Yes. This is an independent story and does not depend on prior events from the author's other works. Knowing that she was a Victorian popular novelist can help set expectations for pacing and moral concerns.

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About the author

Wood, Henry, Mrs., 1814-1887 Author

Mrs. Henry Wood (1814–1887) was a British novelist of the Victorian era. Public information about her is limited, and few details of her life are known, yet the library holds 36 of her works, suggesting that she was widely read in her day. She is best known for the novel East Lynne, which deals with domestic upheaval, marital crisis and emotional entanglement; its intricate plot, strong sentiment and moral admonition made it a favourite on the stage as well. She also wrote the three-volume The Story of Charles Strange, the Johnny Ludlow series and The Channings, most of which are set against the daily life of country gentry and ordinary people and rely on serial-style suspense to drive the narrative.