The women novelists

"The Women Novelists" by R. Brimley Johnson is a critical study that examines the impact of female authors on the novel's development, particularly in the early 1900s. It looks at how women shaped literature with their unique views. The author shines a light on important figures like Fanny Burney, Jane Austen, and the Brontë sisters. Johnson begins by explaining the situation for women novelists during an early time, pointing out that their work has often been ignored compared to male writers. Early on, women writers often followed male writing styles; however, there was a change as women began to show their clear voices and ideas through writing. The first part of the book touches on moving away from romantic stories about women's lives to more true-to-life characters and situations, a change that became more common in the writings of the women explored in the later parts of the study.