Coelebs by Ethel Mills (1890)

Name: Coelebs
Author: Ethel Mills

The story revolves around a young woman who becomes involved with a wealthy family and their estate. She begins to uncover dark secrets about the family's past, including a tragedy that occurred years ago. As she digs deeper, she faces opposition from the family members, who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

By Ethel Mills · First published 1890 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Character Study · 30 chapters · 77,225 words

First lines

John Musgrave stood before the fire in his dining-room, a copy of the _Daily Telegraph_ in his hands. He was not reading the paper; he was looking over the top of it at his new housemaid, as she brought in his breakfast, and, with many depreciatory sniffs which proclaimed a soul above such lowly service, set it carefully down upon the snowy damask.

He approved of her. It was natural that he should approve of her, considering he had himself engaged her for three very good reasons; the first and all-sufficient reason being that he invariably engaged his own servants; the second, that she was by no means young; the third, that she was plain and respectable.

What this Textopian page supports

Coelebs is listed on Textopian as a novel by Ethel Mills, dated 1890 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Ethel Mills
Date: 1890 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Character Study, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction
Length: 77,225 words
Structure: 30 chapters, 1,513 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Coelebs by Ethel Mills
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Coelebs?
How does this novel by Ethel Mills fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The book explores complex themes of virtue, respectability, and human relationships through detailed character studies and psychological insights.
Social Commentary — It critiques societal norms regarding marriage, gender roles, and the expectations placed on individuals within a community.
Character Study — The narrative focuses heavily on the internal thoughts and motivations of the protagonist, John Musgrave, and his interactions with other characters.
Psychological Fiction — The book delves into the psychological aspects of its characters, particularly their fears, insecurities, and social anxieties.