Possibly the first novel in the English language, Moll Flanders is the fictional autobiography of a delightfully scandalous young female rogue. Born in Newgate Prison in seventeenth-century England, Moll is predestined to poverty and lawlessness, yet relentlessly driven to overcome her fate. Donning whatever mask suits her best in the moment, she appraises theft, prostitution, and bigamy only in terms of their profit potential, her indomitable will undaunted by her bad luck. Eventually, however, a moral sense begins to intrude.
Defoe creates a narrative that brilliantly commentates on morality and self-reliance within the period in which it is set.
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"I was actually surprised by how much I ended up liking this book. The main character is so interesting and she doesn't disturb her narrative with any unnecessary descriptions. I don't think I have ever read a book where the main character gets married so often and who ends up having such agreeable, though poor, husbands. Moll Flanders begins the tale of her life with her humble origins and ends it with a complete reverse in fortune. The first half of the book details her many marriages and how she contrives to be married. And just when you start thinking, "Um, really, the only bad thing you've done is marry half a dozen men...", the second half of the book relates her descent into thievery, which is also very good and very well told. The only thing that pretty much drove me nuts over the course of her life story was, viz. that the author used the word "viz" quite a lot when relating a list of examples pertaining to Moll Flanders' particular circumstances. All in all, I loved that this woman told her story boldly, and though penitent, really made little to no excuses."
— Erin (4 out of 5 stars)
"[One of the] few English novels which we can call indisputably great.”
— Virginia Woolf“A masterpiece of characterization.”
— E. M. Forster“Defoe’s excellence is to make me forget my specific class, character, and circumstances, and to raise me while I read him into the universal man.”
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge“Defoe’s characters…[seem] as real as if we saw them in a mirror that was so clear it was invisible.”
— Kenneth Rexroth" This is one of the first novels ever written. And that is about the most interesting thing about it. I recall very little about it. "
— Carly, 2/20/2014" I want to teach this book so my students can see that people were the same 200 years ago as they are now. They enjoyed sexual scandal and notorious women. What a fun read! "
— Angie, 2/19/2014" For "the first novel ever written," if we buy that claim, this book was absolutely hilarious. So entertaining! Moll's infuriating, though, but you kind of have to love her for her ridiculousness and awfulness. "
— Huma, 2/17/2014" I loved this book! Moll's life is a series of fortunate and unfortunate events. I do not judge her, i liked her strength, her ability to adapt and her will to live! I wanted to know more about her other children though. So little was mentioned about them. But anyway, it's sad that few people have heard about this novel, most are familiar only with Robinson Crusoe. It's a light reading and I recommend it to all who like adventures! "
— Krasimira, 2/17/2014" A bit too long, told quite slow, but very entertaining still. "
— Ab, 2/16/2014" After you read this one. .. you won't trust a woman. "
— Rashid, 2/16/2014" A wonderful story of a very strong woman in a plethora of bad situations. It is so easy to love Moll. Her journey is a pleasure to go on. "
— Cameron, 2/15/2014" Moll Flanders is a character that gets under you skin. One moment, you hate her. The next, you are cheering for her. The one thing I couldn't stand about her was her rather blase treatment of her children. She would give them away for practically no reason, with very little thougth or emotion attached. She is not exactly a squeaky clean heroine, but somehow her crimes endear you to her. And, her sincere repentance makes her likeable in the end. "
— Andrea, 2/15/2014" I can see myself in her. I really have that devilish side when I want to show it, I am just glad I neer got caught. Moll really had an interesting life, even though not all of it was great. "
— Deborah, 2/15/2014" Last year I described this book as being like a big gushy Cinnabon, sweet, sticky, and cloying. I love it to bits, but it does make me feel like I need to wash, or something. "
— Katharine, 2/14/2014" Love this book... It has everything. "
— Joy, 2/14/2014Daniel Defoe (1660–1731), born in London as Daniel Foe, was a novelist, pamphleteer, journalist, and political spy. He is celebrated for his frank and dramatic realism in fiction and the accuracy, vigor, and lucidity of his journalism. Considered the father of the English novel, he was also the first author of ghost stories in English literature. He is best known for his novels Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders.
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.