Can You Forgive Her?

by Anthony Trollope

"Can You Forgive Her?" by Anthony Trollope is a novel written in the mid-19th century. The story begins with Alice Vavasor, a young woman navigating her relationships and social standing amidst family expectations and personal desires. The novel explores themes of love, duty, and the consequences of choices as Alice grapples with her engagement to the respectable John Grey while her past with her wild cousin George Vavasor complicates her present. At the start of the story, we are introduced to Alice Vavasor, who is living with her father in London after a complicated upbringing that connects her to a prominent family yet leaves her feeling somewhat isolated. Alice's life is depicted as one of tension, particularly in her impending marriage to John Grey, a man of good character, and her tumultuous relationship with George, whom she was once engaged to but had abandoned due to his reckless nature. The opening chapters lay the groundwork for Alice's internal conflicts about loyalty, ambition, and romantic entanglements, as she navigates expectations from both her family and society while trying to define her own identity and desires.