Amber

Author: (USA) Windsor
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2002-05-01
Features: The female self-awareness reflected in The Amber is also related to the specific genre of historical romance novels. Historical romance novels target female readers, and female authors have more or less freed themselves from the notion of writing for men. Although they still bear the marks of patriarchal society in language and thought, their rejection of the rational elements in male culture makes these novels, in a certain sense, more distinctly feminine. It should be noted that the growth of female self-awareness and the emphasis on female independence in The Amber do not mean it is a feminist novel, as Rosalind Coward points out: "It would be a great mistake to assume that a novel is of feminist interest simply because it places women's experiences at the center." However, The Amber indeed exhibits characteristics that are strikingly different from Wuthering Heights by Sir Walter Scott. In historical fiction, it portrays the independence of women, which is an undeniable fact.
Amber, the scion of the nobility, finds herself in the countryside. She is naturally beautiful and extraordinary. This girl, who was originally pure and unwilling to stay confined, gradually becomes aware of the ways to transcend the rigid social norms and achieve female independence in London's materialistic and treacherous society. She repeatedly finds herself in peril, encountering challenges such as fraudulent marriage, poisoning, robbery, and plague. In this process, she demonstrates bravery, independence, and self-confidence, but at the same time, she sacrifices her youth and kindness, and becomes entangled with the greed, selfishness, indulgence, and unscrupulousness of patriarchal society. After experiencing these rich and trials, Amber eventually gives up everything,, and leaves London for the American continent in pursuit of true love.