Novel 073: Bithia Mary Croker, Pretty Miss Neville (1883)
An Irish girl grows up and goes to India.
This is the second of Croker’s fifty-some novels (the other of her novels I’ve recommended, Novel 013, was approximately her thirtieth). Its first volume, describing its narrator’s Irish childhood, is especially engaging.
“Altogether this is an attractive and brightly written story, above the average of its class not only by its conception and execution, but also, and particularly, by the graceful manner of its narration.” Athenaeum, May 12, 1883
“On the whole, we prefer the Irish scenes, to the Indian; but both are described with much liveliness, and make sufficiently good reading. . . . Some of her characters . . . are very pleasantly drawn.” Spectator, July 21, 1883
“The story embraces a considerable range of incident; . . . there is not a dull page . . . from the beginning to the end.” Saturday Review, September 29, 1883
Download this week’s novel:
v.1 https://archive.org/details/prettymissnevil02crokgoog