Edith Lyle : $b A novel

"Edith Lyle: A Novel" by Mary Jane Holmes is a work of fiction written in the late 19th century. The novel follows the life of Edith Lyle, who faces numerous hardships, including the death of her husband, Abelard, during a tragic accident that also involves the Schuyler family. As the narrative unfolds, themes of love, loss, and social class come into play, particularly focusing on the relationships between Edith, her ambitious mother, and the influential Schuyler family. The opening of the novel introduces readers to the Schuyler family's return to their ancestral home in Hampstead, igniting excitement within the local community. It describes a tragic accident where a young carpenter, Abelard Lyle, sacrifices his life to save young Godfrey Schuyler, setting off a sequence of events that intertwines the lives of the characters. Through the perspective of Esther, a village schoolmistress, we learn about the changes confronting the community and the complexity of familial and societal expectations that shape Edith's experiences. As Edith navigates her grief and the challenges imposed by her mother's ambitions, her journey becomes a poignant exploration of love, societal standing, and the struggle for identity amidst tragedy. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mary Jane Holmes was an American author who published 39 novels, as well as short stories. Her first novel sold 250,000 copies; and she had total sales of 2 million books in her lifetime, second only to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her books included: "Tempest and Sunshine" (1854), "English Orphans" (1855), "Homestead on the Hillside" (1855), "Lena Rivers" (1856), "Meadow Brook" (1857), "Dora Deane" (1858), "Cousin Maude" (1860), "Marian Gray" 186^, "Hugh Worthington" (1864), "Cameron Vide" (1867). "Rose Mather" (1868), "Ethelyn’s Mistake" (1869), "Edna Browning" (1872), "Mildred" (1877), "Forest House" (1879), "Daisy Thornton," "Queenie Hetherton" (1883), "Christmas Stories" (1884), "Bessie's Fortune" (1885). "Gretchen" (1887), "Marguerite" (1891).