Turquoise and Ruby

Meade, L. T., 1854-1914Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 475K words
Chapters: 48

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.Turquoise and Ruby by L. T. MeadeAuthor: Meade, L. T., 1854-1914,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Jul 8, 2013

Editor's review

Turquoise and Ruby is likewise from the hand of L. T. Meade, classed as juvenile literature, and issued as a free ebook by Project Gutenberg. Its title, which compares two gemstones, readily suggests a narrative built on contrasts—perhaps of character, fate, or emotional relationships—a device not uncommon in Meade's stories for young readers. Its value for readers lies more in the readability of the text itself and in its significance as a period sample: the language is plain and the chapters move forward clearly, making it a light work for understanding the narrative conventions of late nineteenth-century English juvenile fiction. As a public-domain electronic edition, it is convenient for searching keywords and excerpting passages, and it suits reading alongside the author's other works to observe her usual methods of characterization and plot organization. While reading, note how the book judges family, friendship, and character, for that is where such works carry the attitudes of their age.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want to understand Meade's narrative style in her juvenile fiction
Learners who need public-domain English texts for excerpting and comparative reading
Readers interested in gem imagery and the paired-contrast technique used for characters
Teachers and students studying the linguistic features of old-era children's literature

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer modern suspense or high-conflict plots
English beginners who want detailed annotations and introductory guidance
Readers with little patience for old-fashioned moralizing narratives

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and chapter titles to grasp the pacing of character contrasts and plot development.
While reading, mark recurring imagery and evaluative statements to help summarize themes.
Read alongside The Squire's Little Girl to compare the same author's approach.
If using for language study, choose one passage per chapter for sentence-by-sentence translation or rewriting practice.

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

What do the turquoise and ruby in the title refer to?

The public-domain materials alone cannot confirm the specific references in the book; readers must look for them in the text. Typically such gem imagery may be used for character contrast, symbolic personality traits, or plot clues, so it is advisable to note related descriptions and recurring metaphors while reading before drawing conclusions.

Is this book similar in style to the author's other works?

Given its classification as juvenile literature and the public-domain information, it can be expected to follow the narrative approach aimed at young readers: clear character relationships, steady chapter progression, and period moral evaluation. Whether it closely resembles any specific work, however, can only be judged after actual comparison; it is best not to conclude in advance.

What should I pay attention to when reading a public-domain e-book?

Public-domain electronic texts typically lack modern annotations, introductions, and consistent formatting, so readers need to supply historical background themselves and watch for old-style spelling and expressions. Using searchable reading software is recommended for looking up words, marking passages, and cross-referencing context to improve reading efficiency.

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About the author

Meade, L. T., 1854-1914 Author

L. T. Meade (1854–1914) was an author of English-language children's and young adult fiction active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Fifty-six of her works are held in this catalogue, suggesting a substantial and widely circulated output. Her representative works include school stories such as A World of Girls: The Story of a School, A Sweet Girl Graduate and Three Girls from School; a mystery-flavoured title, A Master of Mysteries; and stories set among city children, such as Scamp and I: A Story of City By-Ways and A London Baby: The Story of King Roy. Her writing generally centres on girls' growth, school life and family circumstances, with accessible plots that emphasise character and feeling while combining moral instruction with entertainment. Public information is limited, and details of her life, nationality and career cannot be reliably established; this entry describes only the themes and style suggested by the works held here.