The Heart of Penelope: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Heart of Penelope: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Heart of Penelope is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Lowndes, Marie Belloc (1868–1947).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Heart of Penelope" by Marie Belloc Lowndes is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story centers around Sir George Downing, who returns to London after a twenty-year exile due to a scandal involving a woman that marked his past. As he navigates his reintegration into society, themes of redemption, memory, and the complexities of relationships emerge, particularly against the backdrop of his former life and the elegant society he once knew. The opening of the novel introduces Sir George Downing as he reflects on his return to England, grappling with the weight of his past mistakes and their implications. His absence seems to have stripped him of the youthful optimism he once had, and his memories are tinged with both nostalgia and regret. Downing's life is complicated further by his marriage to Prudence Merryquick, an American woman who aspires to a different kind of life. The juxtaposition of his past in London and the present he encounters sets up a conflict that explores themes of identity, belonging, and the effects of time on personal relationships. As the narrative unfolds, readers begin to grasp the depth of Downing's inner turmoil and the societal expectations he faces.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Heart of Penelope
- Author credits: Lowndes, Marie Belloc (1868–1947)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- English fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Novels
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


