Physical description

367p. ; Title page missing ; Contents : The mother and the son, Book VII ; Fruit and seed, Vol VIII ; Front cover advertises 'Mariwari Ceylon Tea', rear cover advertises 'Empire Cocoa Essence and Robt. Harper & Co.'. Advertisements are examples of nineteenth century advertising and illustrate the use of books to cross-promote a range of products.
Bookbinder's details 'T. Craig, 268 Post Office Place, Melbourne', printed lower ths on front end paper.

Publication type

fiction

Inscriptions & markings

Stamp 'T. Craig, 268 Post Office Place, Melbourne'

Summary

Daniel Deronda contains two parallel narratives that are united by the title character. The novel begins in September 1865 with the meeting of Daniel and Gwendolen Harleth in the fictional town of Leubronn, Germany. Daniel finds himself attracted to, but wary of, the beautiful, stubborn, and selfish Gwendolen, whom he sees losing all her winnings in a game of roulette. The next day, Gwendolen receives a letter from her mother telling her that the family is financially ruined and asking her to come home. Gwendolen pawns a necklace and debates gambling again to make her fortune. However, her necklace is returned to her by a porter, and she realises that Daniel had seen her pawn the necklace and had redeemed it for her. From this point, the plot breaks off into two separate flashbacks; one gives us Gwendolen's history and the other Daniel's.