The French Lieutenant's Woman

A fallen angel… Fallen angels are expelled from heaven… A fallen woman… Fallen women are expelled from society… “She is… a little mad. Let us turn. I don’t like to go near her.” They stopped. He stared at the black figure. “But I’m intrigued. Who is this French lieutenant?” “A man she is said to have…” “......more

With a title like The French Lieutenant’s Woman it’s gotta be a romance novel with a cover featuring some Fabio-like male model in a 19th century French army uniform that’s ripped to pieces to expose his abs as some buxom wench showing a lot of thigh clings to him, and he waves a sword in the air? N......more

This has sat on my Goodreads TBR for almost thirteen years, probably because I sensed that it's the kind of book I would find different and clever more than good and enjoyable. And, while it ended up being a bit more readable than I expected, my misgivings were exactly right. The French Lieutenant’s......more

I think the greatest strength of this book is the utter uniqueness of it. I don't think I've ever read a book like it. It is set in the Victorian year of 1867, and yet, the sensibility of the book is thoroughly grounded in the 1960s (when it was written). The language, metaphors, and focus of the bo......more

A wonderful story, spoiled a little (for me) by some of its more postmodern elements and occasional swathes of long-winded prose.......more