Cover of The Golden Calf by Mary Elizabeth Braddon Ebook The Golden Calf
Ebook · Fractal Press

The Golden Calf

Author
Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Language
English
Length
470 pages
ISBN
9781836101475
Published
3 February 2026
Imprint
Fractal Press
  • Victorian fiction
  • ambition
  • social mobility
  • class conflict
  • poverty
  • moral temptation
  • female independence
  • boarding school
  • wealth and greed
  • personal aspiration

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Description

The Golden Calf is a Victorian novel of ambition, class conflict, and moral temptation. Ida Palliser, a poor but gifted young woman at a harsh boarding school, longs to escape poverty and claim a brighter future. Torn between pride, independence, and the lure of wealth, she seeks advancement through talent and marriage. Braddon explores the corrupting power of money, the cruelty of social hierarchy, and the difficult choices faced by women striving for security and self-worth.

Author

Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835–1915) was a prominent English novelist and playwright best known for her Victorian sensation fiction. Rising from modest beginnings, she gained fame with Lady Audley’s Secret, which cemented her reputation for blending mystery, psychology, and social critique. Prolific and influential, Braddon wrote more than 80 novels and helped shape popular Victorian literature.

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