Wanda, Vol. 2

Ouida, 1839-1908Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 413K words
Chapters: 42

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.Wanda, Vol. 2 (of 3) by OuidaAuthor: Ouida, 1839-1908,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 23, 2016

Editor's review

Volume 2 of Wanda picks up the characters and conflicts of the first volume and drives the narrative toward more concentrated conflict and emotional turning points. In this volume Ouida continues her fine environmental description and dramatic character relationships; the plot is denser than in Volume 1, and readers can see more clearly how the main characters' personalities and choices propel the story. As a public-domain ebook, this volume is provided free by Project Gutenberg, making it convenient for readers to continue reading on electronic devices. Note that Volume 2 is not a standalone work; reading it without Volume 1 will lose a great deal of background information, so it is best to proceed in order. The language of the original English carries the expressive habits of nineteenth-century literature, with many long sentences and modifiers, and requires patience in reading. For readers who have finished Volume 1 and wish to follow the characters' fates, this volume is a key link in understanding the whole structure; for readers studying Victorian novel narrative, it also offers a view of Ouida's handling of plot turns and character psychology.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have finished Volume 1 of Wanda and want to continue
Scholars and students studying the narrative structure of nineteenth-century English fiction
English-language readers who enjoy fine description and dramatic character relationships
Readers accustomed to reading long public-domain ebooks volume by volume

Not a good fit for

Readers who have not read Volume 1 and want to start in the middle
Readers who need a Chinese translation or a bilingual edition
Readers who prefer short works and lack patience for long serials

Reading tips

Be sure to finish Volume 1 before starting this volume, so that character relationships are not broken.
Before reading, quickly review the main characters and closing events of Volume 1 to establish continuity.
Pay attention to the turning points in the characters' choices in this volume; brief notes can help with understanding later volumes.
If you read slowly, set a fixed number of pages per day to maintain a sense of plot continuity.

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?

It is not recommended. The three-volume Wanda is a continuous story, and Volume 2 directly continues the characters and events of Volume 1; without the earlier background it is difficult to understand the characters' motives and the development of the plot. It is best to read in the order of Volume 1, then Volume 2.

How does this volume differ from Volume 1?

In the common structure of three-volume novels, the second volume usually serves to advance conflict and deepen character relationships, and its plot is often denser than the mainly expository first volume. The specific reading experience varies by reader, but overall this volume is closer to the development and turning stage of the story.

How can I maintain continuity when reading the electronic edition?

You can put the three volumes in the same reader and create a reading list, arranged in order; after finishing each volume, record the main characters and key events before moving on to the next. This reduces forgetting caused by gaps between readings.

Is the original English edition difficult to read?

This is a nineteenth-century English novel with long sentences, many modifiers, and vocabulary characteristic of its period; it is more difficult than contemporary popular reading. Readers with college-level English reading ability can make progress with a dictionary, but patience is needed and speed should not be the goal.

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About the author

Ouida, 1839-1908 Author

Ouida (1839–1908) was the pen name of the British novelist Maria Louise Ramé, though public information about the details of her life is limited. She was a prolific writer, and this library holds twenty-four of her works, including novels and short-story collections. Her representative works include A Dog of Flanders, The Nürnberg Stove, Under Two Flags, and Bébée. Her stories often center on animals, children, and the poor, with sentimental and dramatic plots and ornate, romantic prose. She was popular in the Victorian era, and A Dog of Flanders in particular circulated widely and has been adapted many times. On the whole, she is known for accessible and emotionally charged storytelling, and she left a mark on children's literature and popular fiction.