While her sisters penned wildly passionate novels with heroic protagonists and Gothic undertones, Anne Brontë’s masterwork is firmly rooted in reality. Its frank depiction of marital breakdown and a woman’s forthright and daring response to her situation sent shockwaves through Victorian England, and the novel quickly became a publishing phenomenon. Returning to the unadulterated text of the first printing, this exceptional new edition includes Anne’s heartfelt preface defending her work, as well as an essential new introduction by historical novelist Tracy Chevalier.