Self-control A Novel

by Mary Brunton

The plot centers around the protagonist, Laura Montreville, who faces various trials and challenges that test her resolve and principles. Through Laura's journey, the novel examines societal expectations, the role of women, and the importance of self-control in navigating personal and social relationships.

Mary Brunton's "Self-Control" was well-received during its time and is notable for its psychological depth and moral seriousness. It remains an important work in the development of the English novel, particularly in its exploration of the inner lives and moral dilemmas of its characters.

427 pages, Paperback

Published July 25, 2024

About the author

Mary Brunton (née Balfour) was a Scottish novelist. Her novels redefine femininity. Fay Weldon praised them as "rich in invention, ripe with incident, shrewd in comment, and erotic in intention and fact."

Brunton started to write her first novel, Self-Control, in 1809 and it was published in 1811.
Self-Control was widely read and went into its third edition in 1812. A French translation (Laure Montreville, ou l’Empire sur soimême) appeared in Paris in 1829.

The other novel that Mary Brunton completed was Discipline (1814). Like Walter Scott's Waverley, published in the same year, it had Highland scenes that were much appreciated. It went into three editions in two years.