New Magdalen

Published in 1873, 'New Magdalen' by Wilkie Collins follows Mercy Merrick, a woman struggling on the streets who seeks a fresh start after meeting clergyman Julian Gray. She volunteers as a nurse during the Franco-Prussian War, but when she witnesses the death of Grace Roseberry, she takes on Grace's identity to escape her past and navigate a society reliant on social status. The novel explores themes of identity, social class, and the challenges of reinvention in a rigid society.