One of Our Conquerors — Volume 5

"One of Our Conquerors — Volume 5" by George Meredith is a novel written during the late 19th century. The narrative explores complex family dynamics, societal expectations, and individual aspirations through the lives of its characters, particularly focusing on Nesta, her father Victor, and her mother Nataly, as well as their interactions with others in their social sphere. The book seems to delve deeply into themes of love, honor, and the struggle against societal constraints. The opening portion of the novel introduces the characters and sets the stage for ongoing interpersonal conflicts. It begins with Victor, who reflects on his recent interactions and the return of his daughter, Nesta. As he contemplates his role as a father and his relationship with his wife, Nataly, we see the emotional complexities unfolding within their family. Nesta's interactions with her father and a notable absence of her mother convey a sense of tension, highlighting the threads of affection, anxiety, and societal judgment that weave through their lives. We are introduced to a circle of acquaintances that complicate their relationships further, particularly the influence of a figure known as Mrs. Marsett. This opening hints at deeper struggles with reputation, societal pressures, and the longing for personal connection amidst the tumult of public scrutiny. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

George Meredith was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first, his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but Meredith gradually established a reputation as a novelist. The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (1859) briefly scandalised Victorian literary circles. Of his later novels, the most enduring is The Egoist (1879), though in his lifetime his greatest success was Diana of the Crossways (1885). His novels were innovative in their attention to characters' psychology, and also portrayed social change. His style, in both poetry and prose, was noted for its syntactic complexity; Oscar Wilde likened it to "chaos illumined by brilliant flashes of lightning". Meredith was an encourager of other novelists, as well as an influence on them; among those to benefit were Robert Louis Stevenson and George Gissing. Meredith was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times.