A review by wealhtheow
A Lady of Quality by Frances Hodgson Burnett

3.0

A melodramatic, wholly unbelievable and highly unrealistic view of a willful, stubborn, and high spirited woman’s rise to power in early eighteenth century England. Raised by a drunken lout of a father, Clorinda rides wild horses and carouses to keep up with even the most degenerate of his fellows. When she comes of age, she decides to become a proper lady. I liked Clorinda, for who could not—I have never read another heroine of so wild of spirit yet such a self-controlled manner. I especially love that she’s far more likely to break into a violent fury than burst into tears.

Content warnings:

soooo much classism, weird sexism, a young Black page who's only in a few pages but is a racist stereotype every time, murder, and Clorinda kills a dog

Can be read online here.