Context: This seemed to go on forever. So long in fact that I thought I’d been reading it since birth.
Absolutely awful, long-winded and over-elaborate. The novel doesn’t deserve a lengthier review than that.
Evelinawas bad enough, but Burney has yet another novel, Camilla, on the 1001 list. If it’s as bad as Cecilia, I’d be more than happy to die before reading it.
OPENING LINE
Peace to the spirits of my honoured parents, respected be their remains, and immortalized their virtues!
99TH PAGE QUOTE
This far into the book, some of the plot might be revealed. If you want to see the quote, click show
At dinner, when Sir Robert arrived, the dislike she had originally taken to him, increased already into disgust by his behaviour the preceding evening, was now fixed into the strongest aversion by the horror she conceived of his fierceness, and the indignation she felt excited by his arrogance. He seemed, from the success of this duel, to think himself raised to the highest pinnacle of human glory; triumph sat exulting on his brow; he looked down on whoever he deigned to look at all, and shewed that he thought his notice an honour, however imperious the manner in which it was accorded.
CLOSING LINE
This might reveal the ending. If you want to see the quote, click show
Rationally, however, she surveyed the world at large, and finding that of the few who had any happiness, there were none without some misery, she checked the rising sigh of repining mortality, and, grateful with general felicity, bore partial evil with cheerfullest resignation.
