Received as a belated Christmas present from a friend :o) Looking forward to reading this classic so putting it near the top of my TBR pile. It will be in my permanent collection once I have read it.

'Moll Flanders recounts the story of her extraordinary life, from her birth in Newgate prison to her declining years in married prosperity. After being seduced in the home of her adoptive family she lives off her wits and her beauty, as a whore, 'five times a Wife', and a theif, and is eventually transported to Virginia for her crimes. Rich and penitent, Moll reflects on a world that is both good and evil, just as the reader both abhors and admires her. Arguably the first English novel, Moll Flanders is also a romance, it's heroine in perpetual search for a lost familial paradise.'

I finally got round to finishing this book after I started it in April! I just ended up leaving it and not fancying picking it back up. I am glad I finished it, but I am not sure that I will read it again. The wording was quite old fashioned and I think I struggled the most because there were no chapters, so I just felt like I was reading a continuous passage (I have been conditioned to look for chapters!!!). It was a good book but not brilliant. Reserved for 4evagreen :o)

To be released, as part of a trade, to 4evagreen :o)

Book arrived safely this morning as part of a swap. Have seen various screen adaptations of the story but never read the book.

The full title of this classic novel is 'The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders' and this in many respects an apt summary of this book. It tells the life story of the titular character.

There are several themes that run through this book but perhaps the most prominent one is Greed. The author seems to take great efforts to paint Moll as covetous. Moll sees people in particular her husbands as commodities — they appear little more than business transactions. Then when here first husband dies she seems happy to abandon her children to the care of their paternal grandparents. Then later in life even when she becomes relatively wealthy as a thief she is unable to forsake her criminal ways despite the main initial driving force, notably poverty, no longer applies. She continually raises the financial target where she states she will go on the straight and narrow.

Now initially I must admit that I found the early years of Moll's life rather tedious and I was tempted on more than one occasion to throw in the towel. However, I persevered and as she re-counted her criminal career I found it much more entertaining. On the whole I found this a little laborious but ultimately am pleased that I managed to finish it but may leave it a while before I challenge another classic.

Placed in the waiting room Manchester bound platform to be taken on its travels. Enjoy!

If you've found this book and you're new to this, welcome to bookcrossing! I hope you enjoy looking around the bookcrossing site. If you decide to join bookcrossing (it's free, so no reason not to if you're interested!) please feel free to list me (Tanamo) as the member who referred you. Even if you don't join I'd appreciate it if you'd leave a quick journal note so I can see where the book ended up - you can do it anonymously if you wish.