The Channings

The Channings: A Story (1862) is a novel by Mrs. Henry Wood. Written towards the beginning of her career as a leading English novelist of the Victorian era, The Channings: A Story is a sweeping exploration of religion, society, crime, and the bonds of brotherhood. Blending several literary genres, including mystery, Gothic, and romance, Wood’s novel is a masterful and underappreciated work of fiction that remains essential nearly two centuries after it was published. The novel opens with a church service, an elaborate ceremony performed under the watchful eye of the Reverend John Pye. Following a mediocre choir performance, Pye enters the vestry to discover a commotion involving a prank played on Bywater, whose surplice had been covered in ink by a devious, unidentified culprit. Soon after, the reader is introduced to the Channing brothers. Charley, the younger, is a bookish preteen who undergoes extensive bullying and is referred to as “Miss Channing” by the other boys. His brother, Tom, is a senior at their school who wields his power over his brother while defending him when the need arises. Wood’s novel follows these youths into adulthood, tracing their growth into young men in a society grounded in faith and perseverance. When one brother is accused of a serious crime, the other—believing him to be guilty—takes his place. Forced to reassess their relationship by the extent of his sibling’s sacrifice, the other must find out who committed the theft in order to free his savior and to restore the Channing family reputation. The Channings: A Story is a powerful novel by an author with a deep understanding of English society, the pressures of boyhood, and the common values capable of holding loved ones together. This edition of Mrs. Henry Wood’s The Channings: A Story is a classic work of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

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