Extraordinarily long (over 900 pages) but gripping story of a girl who appears to have everything - wealth, beauty, brains and financial independence. Upon Cecilia's first arrival in London society the novel has a satirical tone, not inlike Jane Austen, but as the story progresses it becomes much darker and grimmer. Cecilia is exposed to the shallowness of her friends, the untrustworthiness of her guardians, the weakness of her lover, the snobbery of his relations and the decietful manipulation of the one man she thinks she can trust. The injustice and frustrations of her situation drive her to mental breakdown and her prized freedom turns out to be largely illusory. Well worth reading, and look out for her miserly but good-hearted and vivacious guardian, Mr Briggs.