Birds of Prey by M. E. Braddon

"Birds of Prey" by M. E. Braddon is a novel likely written in the late 19th century, characterized by its exploration of human relationships, moral dilemmas, and social commentary. The narrative revolves around Philip Sheldon, a surgeon-dentist recently relocated from his small provincial town to London's Fitzgeorge Street, where he grapples with a failing practice and the weight of his past romantic disappointments. The themes of respectability, class, ambition, and underlying tension in human connections are poised against a backdrop of societal expectations, setting the stage for complex character interactions. At the start of the novel, the narrative introduces the meticulously maintained house of Mr. Sheldon, drawing a contrast between his outward respectability and the inner turmoil of his life. We learn about his previous flirtation with Georgina Cradock, who is now married to his acquaintance Tom Halliday. As Sheldon observes their life upon their visit to London, his suppressed emotions resurface, leading to a blend of nostalgia and discontent. The opening chapters unfold with an examination of Mr. Halliday's mysterious illness, and through dialogues with his brother George and housekeeper Nancy, a sense of impending conflict and intrigue begins to shadow the seemingly mundane existence of the characters, drawing the reader deeper into their world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth), 1835-1915
Title Birds of Prey
Credits Produced by J. Ingram, G. Smith, T. Riikonen, and PG Distributed Proofreaders
Reading Level Reading ease score: 66.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Fiction
Category Text
eBook-No. 9362
Release Date
Last Update Jan 2, 2021
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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