Evil Genius

by Wilkie Collins

Unlike his usual style, this is a novel of conscience, without much melodrama; Collins weaves a story of what he delicately calls "sexual frailty." Trapped in an adulterous union, neither of two involved are happy in it. The husband has been divorced by his wife, and she has sole custody of their child. Now she is being courted by another man, and has almost decided to marry him. Not surprisingly, it was commercially most profitable, while inviting the disapprobation of Victorian society for its themes of adultery, divorce, custodial battles and women's rights.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?