The Child Wife

"The Child Wife" by Captain Mayne Reid is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story takes place in the backdrop of Newport, exploring the complexities of love, society, and personal identity as seen through the lives of its characters. The narrative primarily follows Julia Girdwood and her cousin Cornelia Inskip, two young women navigating social dynamics and romance during a summer season. At the start of the novel, Julia and Cornelia are introduced as they enjoy a picturesque view from their apartment in a hotel. As they engage in dialogue, their contrasting personalities become apparent, with Julia displaying a more contemplative and somewhat proud demeanor compared to the lively and carefree Cornelia. Their plans for a clandestine swim lead them to excitement and peril, ultimately culminating in a dramatic rescue. The beginning of the story sets the tone for exploring themes of social class, beauty, and the expectations placed on women, as well as hinting at the romantic entanglements that will unfold throughout the narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Thomas Mayne Reid was a British novelist who fought in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). His many works on American life describe colonial policy in the American colonies, the horrors of slave labour, and the lives of American Indians. "Captain" Reid wrote adventure novels akin to those by Frederick Marryat (1792-1848), and Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). They were set mainly in the American West, Mexico, South Africa, the Himalayas, and Jamaica. He was an admirer of Lord Byron. His novel Quadroon (1856), an anti-slavery work, was later adapted as a play entitled The Octoroon (1859) by Dion Boucicault and produced in New York.