Your Affectionate Godmother

"Your Affectionate Godmother" by Elinor Glyn is a work of fiction written in the early 20th century. This book takes the form of letters from a godmother, addressing her young goddaughter Caroline as she prepares to step into society. The intimate correspondence imparts advice on navigating life, beauty, love, and the expectations surrounding marriage, setting the tone for a character-driven exploration of gender roles and societal norms. The opening of the book introduces readers to Caroline, who is about to return from a formative stay in Paris. Her godmother immediately seeks to prepare her for the complexities of adulthood, discussing the importance of understanding one’s place in the world and avoiding self-delusion. She emphasizes the need for Caroline to be thoughtful about her ambitions and relationships, suggesting that happiness requires effort and a clear sense of self. Additionally, the godmother distinguishes between American and English attitudes, hinting at broader themes of cultural differences. The practical and sometimes candid nature of the godmother's advice paves the way for the themes that will unfold in their subsequent discussions about relationships and societal expectations. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Elinor Glyn was a British novelist and scriptwriter who specialised in romantic fiction, which was considered scandalous for its time, although her works are relatively tame by modern standards. She popularized the concept of the it-girl, and had tremendous influence on early 20th-century popular culture and, possibly, on the careers of notable Hollywood stars such as Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson and, especially, Clara Bow.