Mary: A Fiction (version 2)

Published in 1788, 'Mary: A Fiction' by Mary Wollstonecraft is a tragic narrative that critiques marriages devoid of love, positioning itself as an early example of feminist fiction. The story follows Mary, a neglected second-born daughter in a loveless marriage, who becomes the heiress to her family's fortune after her brother's death. Forced into an unwanted marriage with a weak man, she finds solace in her deep affection for her sickly friend Ann and her aspirations for a more meaningful life, challenging societal norms and expectations.