Kept in the Dark

"Kept in the Dark" by Anthony Trollope is a 19th-century novel about Cecilia Holt, a young woman whose tranquil life in Exeter changes when she gets engaged to Sir Francis Geraldine. The story looks closely at love, what society expects, and the effects of the decisions we make, especially Cecilia's rocky relationship with Sir Francis and her own personal battles. Cecilia starts off not really believing in love, however, her engagement briefly makes her happy, but as time goes on, she notices Sir Francis is distant and cold, leading her to question if they are right for each other. She bravely decides to break off the engagement, which changes her, but also how she sees love, friendship, and who she is.