Sacrifice

"Sacrifice" by Stephen French Whitman is a novel written in the early 20th century." The story revolves around Lilla Delliver, an orphaned girl navigating the complexities of her upbringing and her emotional inheritance from her neurotic parents. As Lilla matures, she grapples with her sensitive nature, her pursuit of beauty and art, and the profound questions of love, tragedy, and identity that echo through her life experiences. "The opening of the novel introduces Lilla as the product of her parents' tumultuous and privileged lives, marked by their emotional woes and social status." Following the death of her parents in a railway accident, Lilla is taken in by her Aunt Althea, who attempts to shape her aristocratic upbringing with sophistication and cultural exposure. As Lilla grows, she becomes increasingly aware of her fragility and the weight of expectations placed upon her, particularly relating to her beauty and connections with men. The narrative cleverly unfolds the contradictions of Lilla's desires and her surroundings, hinting at a foreboding sense of destiny as she encounters various suitors whose affections intertwine with her complex emotions.

Sacrifice, by Stephen French Whitman. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #22928.