Lucretia — Volume 01

"Lucretia — Volume 01" by Edward Bulwer Lytton is a historical novel set in the 19th century, exploring the struggles of ambition and social class within relationships and moral choices. The story begins in Paris during the violent Reign of Terror, where a man protects a boy before an execution. It then moves to England, introducing Lucretia Clavering, a determined woman under pressure from her uncle, Sir Miles St. John. William Mainwaring's attraction to both Lucretia and her half-sister, Susan, highlights the complicated relationships driven by love, ambition, and social rules, defining the book's developing drama.