68 pages • 2 hours read
John FowlesThe French Lieutenant's Woman
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1969A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles is a postmodern exploration of Victorian society, focusing on Charles Smithson, an aristocrat in Lyme Regis. He is engaged to Ernestina Freeman but becomes fascinated with Sarah Woodruff, a woman ostracized due to a scandalous past involving a French lieutenant. The novel examines Charles's internal conflict and societal pressures, leading to multiple possible endings.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman is praised for its innovative narrative techniques and richly detailed Victorian setting. Critics admire its metafictional elements and in-depth character development. However, some find its experimental style challenging and its multiple endings confusing. Overall, it is a thought-provoking and engaging read.
Who Should Read The French Lieutenant's Woman?
A reader who enjoys The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles likely appreciates intricate narratives, rich character development, and historical settings. Fans of novels like Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë or Possession by A.S. Byatt will find similar pleasures in Fowles' blend of Victorian themes and modernist techniques.