I adore this book. It was published in 1878 and has a love story, is mainly set in the
English countryside, John Caldigate has a wild and rough few years spent in the Australian mining
camps, Hester has a mother who is severely religious, there are scoundrels, the
mysterious and alluring Mrs. Smith, a trial, a verdict, and a favorite female
heroine of mine. She is Hester, and she falls in love with John Caldigate. They
met only twice before their marriage; he loved her since the first moment he
saw her in England and his love helped him survive the tough life in Australia.
After they are married the question is raised: is he a bigamist? Did he marry a
woman in Australia?
Hester stands up to her family and stays true to John. When it looks like John
may have a trial and if convicted, face prison, Hester says to him “Thank God,
I am strong, John, and I can bear things that would break down other women. You
shall never see me give way because I am a poor creature.” Trollope then adds “Certainly
she had a right to boast that she was not a poor creature.”
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