An overlooked, entertaining, and scathing look at the hypocrisies and classism of mid-Victorian upper-class society. Like Jane Austen, Linton does a fantastic job of creating ridiculous characters that often border on being caricatures, which in this case is not a flaw but rather a strength that contributes to the one's enjoyment and understanding of the novel. It is unclear what Linton, a professed anti-feminist, intends for her message to be, but I actually found the ambiguity of the novel's message to be one of its neatest parts. You can read this and cheer for Perdita, the protagonist, as she struggles against traditional views of instilled idleness for upper-class females, or you can read The Rebel of the Family as an amusing study of society. Either way, you are sure to be entertained. ( )

Lady Wombat says:

A fascinating look at how an anti-feminist of the late 19th century tackled the "new woman." Rather than a diatribe or screed, Linton creates an ambiguous portrait of a girl totally at odds with the values of her conventional family. "

So, this woman in the Victorian club specializes in lesser-known female Victorian authors and she recommended a bunch of books to me. Neat thing to specialize in, huh? I realize some of these are less lesser-known than others; she does too.

Guess what this book has? Lesbians! Whee!

BTW I am going to repeat this message for several other books, so...get used to it.