The Lesser-Known Novels By Frances Hodgson Burnett

July 17, 2023

Literature

Nesha Ruther

Writer at Bond & Grace

When you think of author Frances Hodgson Burnett, you likely think of The Secret Garden (1911), and for good reason, the enchanting story of Mary, Colin, and Dickon have inspired readers for generations. More serious fans likely also know The Little Princess (1905) and Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886) which made Burnett a household name when originally published. What you may not know, however, is that Burnett had a long and fruitful career outside of being a children’s writer, and actually published 50 adult novels and 13 plays.

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Today we are going to be exploring some of the other, lesser-known novels by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

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That Lass o’ Lowrie’s (1877)

Burnett’s first novel, That Lass o’ Lowrie’s, is markedly darker than her children’s works. Set in the fictional village of Riggan in Lancashire, the townspeople’s lives are dominated by the Pit which employs most of the town as miners. Protagonist Joan Lowrie is determined to overcome her circumstances despite harsh work at the Pit and beatings from her abusive father.

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Haworth’s (1879)

Like much of Burnett’s adult fiction, Haworth’s is a story of love and class politics set in a small manufacturing town. As a runaway child, Jem Haworth collapsed in the snow in front of a foundry. As an adult, Jem takes over the foundry and turns it into Haworth’s Iron Works, but not without great sacrifice and brutality.

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A Fair Barbarian (1880)

‍A Fair Barbarian deals with the cultural differences between England and America that Burnett had to navigate for much of her life, herself having been born in England but moving to Tennessee as a teenager. Protagonist Octavia Bassett is the jewel of her small Nevada town, but faces a serious culture shock in the traditional English village where she visits her aunt.

A Lady of Quality (1896)

Burnett’s most successful adult novel, A Lady of Quality was the second-best selling book the year of its publication. Considered a departure from her earlier works, the novel’s protagonist Clorinda Wildairs is willful and strong, refusing the submissive gender stereotypes set out for her even if it means committing terrible violence.

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The Shuttle (1906)

Another novel that plays with the cultural differences between British and Americans, and the tensions between old money and new. The novel follows the marriage and subsequent children of the broke British noble Sir Nigel Anstruthers and American heiress Rosalie Vanderpoel.

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While often darker and more mature than her children’s novels, Burnett’s adult work contains the same rich characters, clever wit, and piercing social observation. While we couldn’t include all 50 on this list, these five will give you a strong sense of this remarkable writer, and why she was one of the premier authors of her time!