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Book Review By John Van der Kiste
Mrs. Craddock by W. Somerset Maugham

Bertha Ley announces on her 21st birthday that she intends to marry Edward Craddock, whom her family think is not good enough for her. After their honeymoon she realizes that he is an insensitive bore, and when she becomes pregnant she fears that something is about to go very wrong, but he does not believe her. Their son is stillborn, and she learns she will never conceive again. Unable to get over the loss, she finds no comfort in religion, and goes to stay in her aunt's flat, planning to leave him. He repeatedly urges her in his letters to come home, which she does after a trip with her aunt to Paris.

Once back she settles down to a life of boredom just as Edward is beginning a political career. Needing another holiday, she visits Rome with her aunt, and on her return to London she meets Gerald Vaudrey, a cousin she has never met before. Flattered by his attentions, she falls in love with him, but he fears the temptation he is putting in her way, and suddenly leaves for the United States next day. Two weeks later she receives a letter from him, keeps it unopened for a month before destroying it, and realises she must return to her husband.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - very sensitive (sigh)
Time/era of story - 1900-1920's
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 8 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK - France - Italy
Misc setting

Writing Style
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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