A review by ririkolyana
Behind a Mask, Or, a Woman's Power by Louisa May Alcott

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I recently reread this novella through a Gothic Lit independent study focusing on the Gothic home and Gothic body and I wanted to up my original score a little bit. I think this novella really shines if taken in conversation with other governess novels of its time. In many ways, this is a direct reply to works like Jane Eyre and Lady Audley's Secret, both governess novels about the socially mobile poor and their relationships with men. I also get a bit of Fosco from The Woman in White vibes from Jean, re: working with a system and exploiting expectations.