Two Penniless Princesses

Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary), 1823-1901Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 386K words
Chapters: 39

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.Two Penniless Princesses by Charlotte M. YongeAuthor: Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary), 1823-1901,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Dec 1, 2001

Editor's review

Charlotte M. Yonge's Two Penniless Princesses is a work tagged as juvenile belles lettres, and its story revolves around two princesses who have not a penny to their name; the title itself sets the disparity of rank and the predicament of circumstance before the reader. The author wrote for many years historical and domestic fiction for young readers, and this work continues her method of letting character situation drive the plot and of conveying moral character amid adventure and daily life. For readers who wish to understand the landscape of nineteenth-century English children's or juvenile literature, it offers a sample for observing the narrative interests and value expressions of the time. The prose bears the marks of its era and is rather unhurried in narration, suiting reading in instalments. As one reads, one may note how the two princesses handle choices when lacking material security, and how the author uses the contrast of rank to create drama. As a public-domain ebook, it is better suited as supplementary reading within the context of genre fiction and children's literature than as a modern novel of strong plotting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century English children's or juvenile literature
Young readers who enjoy themes of disparity in rank and adventure in difficult circumstances
Students who need a public-domain English text for reading practice or textual analysis
Literature enthusiasts who wish to understand Charlotte M. Yonge's narrative style

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting fast-paced modern plots with strong conflict
Readers unaccustomed to nineteenth-century English narration and value expressions
Readers seeking detailed historical background notes or research materials

Reading tips

Read the opening first to grasp the two princesses' rank and predicament, then follow the plot to see how they handle choices.
Read with the classification context of nineteenth-century children's literature in mind, and note how the author balances adventure and moral education.
Do not wrestle with period diction word by word; grasp the character relationships and the flow of events first, then go back to verify.
It suits reading one or two chapters a day; after finishing, note in a few sentences how the princesses' circumstances change and what key decisions they make.

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 book for children or for adult readers?

The metadata classifies it as juvenile belles lettres, that is, literature for young readers, so it is generally aimed at younger readers. Yet nineteenth-century juvenile reading differs from modern children's fiction in pace and expression, and adult readers may also read it as a sample of genre literature.

Is "two penniless princesses" meant literally?

From the metadata one can confirm only the title and the classification, not the details of the plot. The reader may take the title as a contrast between rank and circumstance; its specific meaning must be seen in how the author develops the two princesses' predicament and choices.

Does reading this book require historical background knowledge?

Not necessarily. The metadata provides no specific historical setting, and the reader may begin directly from the characters' situation. If one wishes to understand the value expressions and narrative habits of nineteenth-century children's literature, some general knowledge of the genre's background helps, but detailed historical notes are not essential.

Is this book suitable for English reading practice?

It can serve as a public-domain English text for reading practice in instalments. The prose has a period style and sentences may be long; it is advisable to grasp the plot first, then deal with unfamiliar words and long sentences. For readers with basic English, reading with a dictionary is safer.

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About the author

Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary), 1823-1901 Author

Charlotte M. Yonge (1823–1901) was a prolific nineteenth-century British novelist and writer of children's literature, with 65 works held in this collection. Public information is limited, but her representative works reveal the range of her writing: family novels such as The Heir of Redclyffe and The Daisy Chain centre on everyday life and moral growth; A Book of Golden Deeds and The Little Duke, aimed at young readers, recount historical stories and heroic character; she also wrote a life of John Coleridge Patteson, missionary bishop of the Melanesian Islands. Her works generally deal with family, faith, duty and history in a gentle, realistic style, and were influential among Victorian readers, with many long surviving as reading for young people.