The Bracknels

In The Bracknels, a sharp-edged family drama unfolds inside a wealthy household where wit, resentment, and affection are constantly at war. Breakfast at the Bracknel table introduces Amy, the quick-tongued daughter who needles her domineering father, the fragile mother who tries to keep peace, the rebellious Alfred, and the brilliant younger Denis, while the arrival of the tutor Hubert Rusk stirs fresh unease. Beneath the family's sarcasm lies a deeper crisis: Mr. Bracknel, a self-made businessman worn down by work and disappointment, is increasingly alarmed by his sons' idleness, especially Alfred's recklessness and Denis's uncertain future. A private summons from Mary Brooke draws him into an older, more complicated emotional past, where concern for Rhoda, hints of a hidden son named John, and memories of lost affection complicate his harsh practicality. Back at home, croquet, tea, and garden conversation become a stage for flirtation and jealousy, especially as Amy watches Rusk gravitate toward May. As tensions rise, the novel sharpens its portrait of a family held together by duty and divided by desire, secrecy, and longing. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.