In Convent Walls

Emily Sarah HoltProject Gutenberg · United StatesMar 2023

2.5

Word count: 552K words
Chapters: 56

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.In Convent Walls by Emily Sarah HoltAuthor: Holt, Emily Sarah, 1836-1893,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Feb 1, 2009

Editor's review

This work is a historical novel by Victorian author Emily Sarah Holt, set within the walls of a convent. Holt consistently engaged with the social and religious conflicts of Reformation-era England, and this book continues that concern, presenting through her characters' fates the tension between institutions and individual conscience. As a free Project Gutenberg eBook, its value lies first in accessibility: readers can encounter the original text of a nineteenth-century English historical novel at no cost and observe the narrative strategies and value positions of popular historical writing of the period. The prose bears clear marks of its era, with a slow narrative pace and frequent religious discussion, making it suitable for readers interested in English church history, convent themes, or Victorian popular literature. It is best read as both historical document and literary text: attend to the story, but also to how the author narrates the past. For readers studying nineteenth-century historical fiction or religious-themed writing, the book offers an analyzable sample; general readers will need some English reading stamina and historical background.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the English Reformation and convent history
Literature students studying Victorian historical fiction
Readers seeking free public-domain English originals
Readers with English proficiency who enjoy slow-paced historical narrative

Not a good fit for

General leisure readers seeking fast-paced plotting
Learners whose English is not yet equal to nineteenth-century prose
Readers with little interest in religious topics or church history

Reading tips

Learn the basics of the English Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries before starting.
Read alongside Holt's other historical novels to observe her narrative patterns and religious stance.
Skim long religious passages and follow the main line of character action and conflict.
After reading, note how the author uses fiction to express value judgments about historical events.

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 a history or a novel?

It is a historical novel by Emily Sarah Holt, unfolding character-driven narrative against a convent background, not a scholarly history. Historical background is involved, but plot and characterization include literary invention; readers should distinguish fact from fictionalized expression.

How difficult is the English, and is it suitable for non-native readers?

The text comes from a nineteenth-century author, with long sentences and considerable religious and period vocabulary, making it harder overall than modern popular fiction. It suits readers at university English level with some knowledge of English history; beginners may wish to use annotated editions or introductory guides.

Why is this book published by Project Gutenberg?

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free eBooks and specializes in works whose copyright has entered the public domain. Holt died in 1893, so her works are in the public domain and can be digitized and released free, giving readers and researchers access to the original text.

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About the author

Emily Sarah Holt Author · British · 1836–1893

Emily Sarah Holt (1836–1893) was a British historical novelist, born at Stubbylee, Bacup, Lancashire, and died in London on Christmas Day 1893. She wrote more than fifty books, mostly historical fiction for young readers, drawing on subjects from the Middle Ages to the Stuart era and marked by a strong Protestant Evangelical spirit. The library holds 19 of her works, including Clare Avery: A Story of the Spanish Armada, Mistress Margery, Robin Tremayne and The White Rose of Langley, as well as tales set against the Gunpowder Plot and the 1745 uprising. Her fiction emphasises historical atmosphere and moral instruction and found readers in the late Victorian period; public information on the details of her life is limited.