This novel explores the lives of several women in late 19th-century England, focusing on the challenges they face due to societal expectations and the limited opportunities available to them. It delves into themes of marriage, independence, and the emerging feminist movement, portraying the struggles of "odd" women—those who are left over when men are subtracted from the population, deemed surplus and facing a life without the prospect of marriage. Through its characters, the book critiques the social and economic pressures that force women into unhappy marriages or condemn them to a life of poverty and loneliness, advocating for women's education and autonomy as essential to their liberation and fulfillment.

The 4142nd greatest book of all time