Trilby

by George Du Maurier

"Trilby" by George du Maurier is a sensation novel published in 1894. Set in bohemian 1850s Paris, it follows three British art students who befriend Trilby O'Ferrall, a tone-deaf artist's model beloved by all who meet her. When the sinister musician Svengali enters her life, he transforms her through hypnosis into a celebrated opera singer. But this mysterious power comes at a terrible cost, leading to tragedy for all involved. The novel shaped popular notions of bohemian life and became a cultural phenomenon.