Gotta admit, I didn’t get this one. The heroine is in a "stifling marriage" which includes a) a house with servants she doesn’t have to pay for, b) two children she admits she loves, c) a husband who’s often away and whom she remembers doing endearing things for her. She has time and space to paint, and doesn’t seem to be busy with anything other than that, save for some social visits.

Then she decides to live for herself and never belong to anyone again (using her parents' money, something she won by gambling, and something she got for her sketches), but ultimately that results in her killing herself because a guy she kissed broke up with her. And she loved the guy very much. Even though she kissed another guy while waiting for the first one to come back to town, because, well, the other guy was around and a womanizer.

I must be missing some background. Anyway, the writing was very enjoyable; it’s a scenic book which engages all the senses. And if you’re into Victorian atmosphere, you won’t regret picking this one up.

★★☆☆☆

(195 pages, ISBN: 0543898083, Worldcat, Open Library)