Miss Marjoribanks

Miss Marjoribanks, published in 1866, is a witty and socially astute novel by Margaret Oliphant, part of her Chronicles of Carlingford series. The story follows Lucilla Marjoribanks, an ambitious and clever young woman who returns home determined to “improve” her small-town society and take her place as a social leader. With satirical flair and keen insight, Oliphant explores gender roles, social ambition, and Victorian domestic life. Lucilla is a delightful heroine—managing drawing-room politics with charm and shrewdness. The novel remains a subtle, feminist commentary on power and propriety.