The Adventures of an Ugly Girl (1893) is a novel by Elizabeth Burgoyne
Corbett. While she is mostly remembered today for New Amazonia, a
feminist utopian novel which depicts the emergence of an advanced
society of women in the not-so-distant future, Corbett was also a
pioneering romance and detective novelist. While little is known about
Corbett, her surviving novels and stories suggest she was a passionate
campaigner for women's suffrage in an era of conservative politics and
traditional values. "'Why, what does it matter how your hair is dressed,
or what sort of a gown you put on? You may just as well spare your
pains, for unfortunately nothing that you can do seems to mitigate your
ugliness. I'm sure I cannot think where you get it.'" Dora Courtenay is
moments away from meeting her new stepmother, but can't find anything
proper to wear for the occasion. Despite her sister Belle's constant
bullying, she finds the confidence to get herself dressed and, with her
brother Jerry's encouragement, goes downstairs to finish preparing the
dining room for their guest. As her father and his new bride wait in the
next room, Dora, unaware of their presence, makes a crude joke about
Lady Elizabeth, only to discover that her insult, however innocent, was
overheard. Despite this blunder, the two start off on even ground,
leading Dora to believe that she could grow to admire her new
stepmother. Soon, however, her step grandfather the Earl of Greatlands
makes a surprising request: he would like to marry her, making Dora a
Countess. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset
manuscript, this edition of Elizabeth Burgoyne Corbett's The Adventures
of an Ugly Girl is a classic of Victorian romance literature reimagined
for modern readers.
