No Name by Wilkie Collins (1862)

Name: No Name
Author: Wilkie Collins

No Name follows the intertwined lives of a young man and Magdalen as they navigate love, family secrets, and societal constraints, revealing hidden truths that test their bonds amidst tragedy and unexpected revelations. The story explores themes of inheritance, personal turmoil, and the haunting shadows of past decisions.

By Wilkie Collins · First published 1862 · Genre: Victorian Literature, Gothic Fiction, Social Commentary · 56 chapters · 315,409 words

First lines

The hands on the hall-clock pointed to half-past six in the morning. The house was a country residence in West Somersetshire, called Combe-Raven. The day was the fourth of March, and the year was eighteen hundred and forty-six.

No sounds but the steady ticking of the clock, and the lumpish snoring of a large dog stretched on a mat outside the dining-room door, disturbed the mysterious morning stillness of hall and staircase. Who were the sleepers hidden in the upper regions? Let the house reveal its own secrets; and, one by one, as they descend the stairs from their beds, let the sleepers disclose themselves.

What this Textopian page supports

No Name is listed on Textopian as a novel by Wilkie Collins, dated 1862 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Wilkie Collins
Date: 1862 CE
Language: English
Genres: Victorian Literature, Gothic Fiction, Social Commentary, Mystery, Drama
Length: 315,409 words
Structure: 56 chapters, 4,145 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

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Genres

Victorian Literature — The novel is set in the Victorian era and reflects the social issues and moral dilemmas of that time.
Gothic Fiction — It incorporates elements of mystery, psychological tension, and themes of identity and social status.
Social Commentary — The narrative critiques societal norms, particularly regarding gender and inheritance.
Mystery — The plot revolves around the search for identity and the uncovering of secrets.