House With The Green Shutters by George Douglas Brown
The novel is a stark portrayal of small-town life in Scotland at the turn of the 20th century, focusing on the Gourlay family, who are brought to ruin by the tyrannical and arrogant John Gourlay. Despite his initial success as a merchant, Gourlay's hubris and inability to adapt to changing times lead to his downfall, exacerbated by the malicious gossip and envy of his neighbors. The story is a grim depiction of the destructive power of pride and the often cruel nature of community life, where the failings of one family become a spectacle for public scorn and schadenfreude. The green shutters of the Gourlay's house come to symbolize the envy and the facade of respectability that hide the family's internal decay and disintegration.
The 2763rd greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1901
- Nationality
- Scottish
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- Unknown
- Words
- 78,000
- Original Language
- English
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This book is on the following lists:
- 746th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)