Cover of The Merry-go-round

The Merry-go-round

    W. Somerset Maugham's The Merry-go-round is a classic romance novel. Key subjects include single women, social classes, man-woman relationships and husband and wife.

    On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 459 times in the last 30 days.

    It is in the public domain in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg.

    About The Merry-go-round

    "The Merry-go-round" by W. Somerset Maugham is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story begins to unfold through the interactions of Miss Elizabeth Dwarris, a wealthy and overbearing woman, and her equally stubborn cousin, Miss Ley. The narrative introduces themes of family dynamics, power, and independence, specifically revolving around the tyrannical presence of Miss Dwarris in the lives of her relatives. At the start of the book, we are introduced to Miss Elizabeth Dwarris, who wielded her wealth to manipulate and subdue her poorer relatives. She takes delight in controlling their thoughts and actions, deriving pleasure from their discomfort. Particularly noteworthy is her contentious relationship with Miss Ley, who is uniquely able to challenge Dwarris with her wit and bluntness. Their exchanges hint at a longstanding feud, illustrating the tension between authority and rebellion within family structures. The opening portion effectively sets the stage for a story that promises to explore complex interpersonal relationships and the consequences of power and independence.
    Summary from Project Gutenberg (automatically generated)

    Themes, setting & tropes

    Genres

    Subjects

    • Single women
    • Social classes
    • Man-woman relationships
    • England, Social life and customs
    • Husband and wife

    Quick answers

    Who wrote The Merry-go-round?

    The Merry-go-round was written by W. Somerset Maugham.

    What genre is The Merry-go-round?

    It is usually shelved as Classic Love Stories.

    Is The Merry-go-round free to read?

    Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.

    What books are similar to The Merry-go-round?

    Readers who like it often enjoy Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Joan and Co and The Green Dolphin.

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