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Fenton's Quest
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1871
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About the author
Mary Elizabeth Braddon
1,053 books385 followersMary Elizabeth Braddon was a British Victorian era popular novelist. She was an extremely prolific writer, producing some 75 novels with very inventive plots. The most famous one is her first novel, Lady Audley's Secret (1862), which won her recognition and fortune as well. The novel has been in print ever since, and has been dramatised and filmed several times.
Braddon also founded Belgravia Magazine (1866), which presented readers with serialized sensation novels, poems, travel narratives, and biographies, as well as essays on fashion, history, science. She also edited Temple Bar Magazine. Braddon's legacy is tied to the Sensation Fiction of the 1860s.
She is also the mother of novelist W.B. Maxwell.
Braddon also founded Belgravia Magazine (1866), which presented readers with serialized sensation novels, poems, travel narratives, and biographies, as well as essays on fashion, history, science. She also edited Temple Bar Magazine. Braddon's legacy is tied to the Sensation Fiction of the 1860s.
She is also the mother of novelist W.B. Maxwell.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 21, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
September 6, 2021
Another cracking good read from ME Braddon. It's hard to describe her books without spoilers. This one deals with marriage and money, money and marriage. Women being forced to marry and the pressures to marry for money rather than for love. Like all her books there is a mystery at the core, and like all I've read it's screamingly obvious to the reader what is really happening. But that doesn't detract from the suspense of the story. The characters are well drawn, each with a distinctive voice.
I just cannot get enough of Braddon's books!
Like this review? Why not check out my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews?
I just cannot get enough of Braddon's books!
Like this review? Why not check out my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews?
December 30, 2023
‘Fenton’s Quest’ once more sees ME Braddon at the peak of her powers. Jilted in his absence by the girl he loves, and who then disappears, Fenton begins a search for her, in the process uncovering a trail of treachery, deceit, greed and cupidity. Alas, when he does find his Marion, it brings him no especial joy.
‘Fenton’s Quest’ is not quite a detective novel, but it is not far short of one. While the reader has a fairly clear idea of the forces that shape the events in the history, the actors themselves do not. Of course, a Braddon novel would not be complete with a single plot, and here there are two minor plots linked to the bigger story with as hearty a collection of villains as any reader could wish. The portrayal of character could perhaps be improved upon, but the complexities of the plot leave little room for aught else.
If there is a fault to be found with the style, it is an excessive use of the idea that nature reflects human moods and emotions: if Fenton is depressed, the skies are grey and lowering. In the days of his happy courtship, the birds twittered, the sun shone brightly – and so on.
An emotional rollercoaster ride.
‘Fenton’s Quest’ is not quite a detective novel, but it is not far short of one. While the reader has a fairly clear idea of the forces that shape the events in the history, the actors themselves do not. Of course, a Braddon novel would not be complete with a single plot, and here there are two minor plots linked to the bigger story with as hearty a collection of villains as any reader could wish. The portrayal of character could perhaps be improved upon, but the complexities of the plot leave little room for aught else.
If there is a fault to be found with the style, it is an excessive use of the idea that nature reflects human moods and emotions: if Fenton is depressed, the skies are grey and lowering. In the days of his happy courtship, the birds twittered, the sun shone brightly – and so on.
An emotional rollercoaster ride.
September 9, 2020
(Actually, read in some epub with a yellow cover, which has very few typos.) I love a good sensational novel, but this is no Lady Audley's Secret. There's love and betrayal and mysterious disappearances and secrets and terrible people; but it's a novella pumped up with far too many words. Conversations wind on at incredible length; descriptions detail every atom of matter in the vicinity; and characters ruminate and ruminate and ruminate ... In fact, I soon developed a cynical suspicion that Braddon was being paid by the word.
I can't even say that the characters are interesting. They are, in fact, pretty generic: the Beautiful Ingenue, the Terrible Rogue, the Crafty Miser--boring. Gilbert Fenton is about the only interesting character, and he's not all that complicated. He is, however, a remarkably good man--honest and devoted and sincere--and easy to like.
But the book is five cents' worth of plot pretending to be a $3 novel.
I can't even say that the characters are interesting. They are, in fact, pretty generic: the Beautiful Ingenue, the Terrible Rogue, the Crafty Miser--boring. Gilbert Fenton is about the only interesting character, and he's not all that complicated. He is, however, a remarkably good man--honest and devoted and sincere--and easy to like.
But the book is five cents' worth of plot pretending to be a $3 novel.
December 13, 2023
A new favorite of Braddon's for me. Delightful, surprising, suspenseful read! If Victorian British novels are your cup of tea, this one should fulfill all the hoped-for categories: arranged marriage, dastardly men, chivalrous men, lovesick women, misers, and spendthrifts. Enjoy!
February 4, 2017
Wonderful Read!
Modern writers could take lessons from this excellent novel.
M. E. Braddon is a very accomplished writer from the Elizabethan era.
Modern writers could take lessons from this excellent novel.
M. E. Braddon is a very accomplished writer from the Elizabethan era.
February 8, 2018
I listened to this as a free download from LibriVox. org.
February 10, 2023
Excellent.
January 25, 2015
It's true: the good aare rewarded in the end and those who behaved badly received the "right" penalty. But ... but ... this is a great book if you can abide victorian structures
March 17, 2015
Somewhat predictable and slow moving, but a nice read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews