The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969)
"The French Lieutenant's Woman" is a novel by John Fowles, published in 1969. It is a historical fiction novel set in Victorian England and tells the story of Charles Smithson, a wealthy young gentleman, and Sarah Woodruff, a mysterious and enigmatic woman with a scandalous past. The novel explores themes of love, gender roles, and the Victorian society's rigid social hierarchy. It is known for its unconventional narrative structure, which includes multiple endings and a narrator who breaks the fourth wall to address the reader directly. It has received widespread critical acclaim for its portrayal of the complex inner lives of its characters and its exploration of the societal constraints of the time period.