Trilby

Trilby, written by George du Maurier and published in 1894, is a Gothic horror novel that tells the story of Trilby O'Ferrall, a poor artist's model who becomes a famous singer under the influence of the sinister musician Svengali. The novel was immensely popular, second only to Bram Stoker's Dracula during the Fin de siècle period, and it inspired various cultural references, including the term 'trilby' for a style of hat. Its themes of manipulation and transformation have influenced later works, notably Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera, and it introduced the phrase 'in the altogether' into the English language.