Lilian

"Lilian" by Arnold Bennett is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story introduces the titular character, Lilian Share, a young woman disillusioned with her mundane office job—a typewriting establishment in London's West End. The opening chapters explore Lilian's internal struggles, ambitions, and the societal expectations placed upon her as she navigates the complexities of her life in a world filled with luxury and superficiality. At the start of the novel, Lilian is depicted alone in the typewriting office late at night, feeling a profound sense of ennui and longing for a more glamorous life. Her isolation is disrupted by an incident involving a night-watchman, which throws her into a moment of fear and introspection. As the narrative progresses, we learn about her background—a sheltered childhood and the death of her parents—highlighting her growing resentment toward the world that she feels has abandoned her. The dynamics in the office, particularly with her employers, Felix and Miss Grig, further complicate her desires for independence and love, indicating the themes of ambition and entrapment that will likely unfold throughout the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Enoch Arnold Bennett was an English author, best known as a novelist, who wrote prolifically. Between the 1890s and the 1930s he completed 34 novels, seven volumes of short stories, 13 plays, and a daily journal totalling more than a million words. He wrote articles and stories for more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, worked in and briefly ran the Ministry of Information during the First World War, and wrote for the cinema in the 1920s. Sales of his books were substantial, and he was the most financially successful British author of his day.