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The Virginians, Volume II
On the library wall of one of the most famous writers of America, there hang two crossed swords, which his relatives wore in the great War of Independence.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
470 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1857
49 people want to read
About the author
William Makepeace Thackeray
4,476 books1,336 followersWilliam Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist, satirist, and journalist, best known for his keen social commentary and his novel Vanity Fair (1847–1848). His works often explored themes of ambition, hypocrisy, and the moral failings of British society, making him one of the most significant literary figures of the Victorian era.
Born in Calcutta, British India, he was sent to England for his education after his father’s death. He attended Charterhouse School, where he developed a distaste for the rigid school system, and later enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge. However, he left without earning a degree, instead traveling in Europe and pursuing artistic ambitions.
After losing much of his inheritance due to bad investments, Thackeray turned to writing for a living. He contributed satirical sketches, essays, and stories to periodicals such as Fraser’s Magazine and Punch, gradually building a reputation for his sharp wit and keen observational skills. His breakthrough came with Vanity Fair, a panoramic satire of English society that introduced the enduring character of Becky Sharp, a resourceful and amoral social climber.
Thackeray’s later novels, including Pendennis (1848–1850), The History of Henry Esmond (1852), and The Newcomes (1853–1855), continued to explore the lives of the English upper and middle classes, often focusing on the contrast between personal virtue and social ambition. His historical novel Henry Esmond was particularly praised for its detailed 18th-century setting and complex characterization.
In addition to his fiction, Thackeray was a noted public speaker and essayist, delivering lectures on the English humorists of the 18th century and on The Four Georges, a critical look at the British monarchy.
Despite his literary success, he lived with personal struggles, including the mental illness of his wife, Isabella, which deeply affected him. He remained devoted to his two daughters and was known for his kindness and generosity among his friends and colleagues.
His works remain widely read, appreciated for their incisive humor, rich characterizations, and unflinching critique of social pretensions.
Born in Calcutta, British India, he was sent to England for his education after his father’s death. He attended Charterhouse School, where he developed a distaste for the rigid school system, and later enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge. However, he left without earning a degree, instead traveling in Europe and pursuing artistic ambitions.
After losing much of his inheritance due to bad investments, Thackeray turned to writing for a living. He contributed satirical sketches, essays, and stories to periodicals such as Fraser’s Magazine and Punch, gradually building a reputation for his sharp wit and keen observational skills. His breakthrough came with Vanity Fair, a panoramic satire of English society that introduced the enduring character of Becky Sharp, a resourceful and amoral social climber.
Thackeray’s later novels, including Pendennis (1848–1850), The History of Henry Esmond (1852), and The Newcomes (1853–1855), continued to explore the lives of the English upper and middle classes, often focusing on the contrast between personal virtue and social ambition. His historical novel Henry Esmond was particularly praised for its detailed 18th-century setting and complex characterization.
In addition to his fiction, Thackeray was a noted public speaker and essayist, delivering lectures on the English humorists of the 18th century and on The Four Georges, a critical look at the British monarchy.
Despite his literary success, he lived with personal struggles, including the mental illness of his wife, Isabella, which deeply affected him. He remained devoted to his two daughters and was known for his kindness and generosity among his friends and colleagues.
His works remain widely read, appreciated for their incisive humor, rich characterizations, and unflinching critique of social pretensions.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 8, 2025
The Virginians is Thackeray’s ambitious attempt to blend family saga, colonial history, and moral reflection into a single flowing narrative — and Volume 1 sets the stage with elegance, wit, and a softer, more mature tone than Vanity Fair.
This novel follows the next generation of the Warrington family from Henry Esmond, and Thackeray uses them to explore themes of loyalty, identity, empire, and the uneasy ties between England and America on the brink of the Revolutionary War. The tone is reflective rather than biting; Thackeray has aged, and you can feel it in the warmth and compassion he brings to his characters.
The twin brothers, George and Henry, are drawn with psychological depth. Their relationship becomes the emotional spine of the book — full of rivalry, affection, and misunderstandings shaped by two very different worlds.
Thackeray’s historical detail is exquisite, but never heavy-handed. He uses humour and subtle irony to illuminate the absurdities of colonial society without falling into cynicism. Unlike Vanity Fair, where the satire slices like a knife, The Virginians wraps its critiques in softer fabric.
Volume 1 is all set up—but it’s a beautifully layered setup: family honour, moral conflict, and the shaping of young men in a world changing faster than they can understand. It’s Thackeray in a gentler, more philosophical mood.
This novel follows the next generation of the Warrington family from Henry Esmond, and Thackeray uses them to explore themes of loyalty, identity, empire, and the uneasy ties between England and America on the brink of the Revolutionary War. The tone is reflective rather than biting; Thackeray has aged, and you can feel it in the warmth and compassion he brings to his characters.
The twin brothers, George and Henry, are drawn with psychological depth. Their relationship becomes the emotional spine of the book — full of rivalry, affection, and misunderstandings shaped by two very different worlds.
Thackeray’s historical detail is exquisite, but never heavy-handed. He uses humour and subtle irony to illuminate the absurdities of colonial society without falling into cynicism. Unlike Vanity Fair, where the satire slices like a knife, The Virginians wraps its critiques in softer fabric.
Volume 1 is all set up—but it’s a beautifully layered setup: family honour, moral conflict, and the shaping of young men in a world changing faster than they can understand. It’s Thackeray in a gentler, more philosophical mood.
September 17, 2018
More confusion this time surrounding physical North America. The Warringtons of Richmond, Virginia couldn’t possibly have a Dutch merchant neighbor in Albany, New York. There is no island across from Ft. Duquesne on the Monongahela to which an escapee can swim (What? No current?). The Montmorency River at Quebec is not affected by tides. Other than these glaring errors, Thackeray continues to entice the reader forward. This book concentrates on the elder twin George.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews