Ann Veronica Annotated

By: Wells, H. G.

Ann Veronica describes the rebellion of Ann Veronica Stanley against her middle-class father's stern patriarchal rule. The novel created a sensation when published in the fall of 1909 because of the feminist sensibilities of the heroine and also because of the affair Wells was having with Amber Reeves, the woman who inspired the novel's eponymous character. Although the novel now seems very tame, Ann Veronica was considered a scandalous work by many in its day and was denounced as "capable of poisoning the minds of those who read it" by The Spectator.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B086PLNN39
• ISBN13: 9798634778594
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

"Why can't they be like we were perfect in every way?"

"What's the matter with kids today?" lyrics from "Bye Bye Birdie". Ann Veronica "Vee" asks why women can't be like men and sets out to find the answer. She encounters all kinds of men, some stuffy and some devious. She may someday find the perfect man; she will never find me. She tries to be independent but is constantly thwarted—until she realizes there are better things than just competing. We grow with Vee as she offers long, Ayn Rand-style speeches on political freedom, love, equality, and more. Eventually, the talk drifts away and, by luck, circles back to the story. We're taken on a travelogue and involved in a lengthy discussion about the prison dinghies. Just as it starts to get interesting, the story abruptly halts in the middle of a thought. The story is okay, and some topics still resonate today. However, like much fiction, it mainly serves as a platform for H.G.’s ideas on free love. The illustrated versions don't add interesting visuals. The annotated version may reflect the author's personal thoughts.