Book description
In the Latin Quarter of Paris, Trilby O'Ferrall - graceful, charming
and innocent - is working as an artist's model. Her ingenuous nature
makes her the perfect prey for the cruel magnetism of the demonic
musician Svengali, under whose spell she falls. Using hypnotic powers
Svengali shapes her into a virtuoso singer and soon she becomes Europe's
most captivating soprano. But her golden voice, and even her life, will
become fatally tied to him. With its thrilling plot and legendary
villain, Trilby caused a sensation when it appeared in 1894, spawning
songs, shoes and, most famously, the Trilby hat. Yet it is also a
fascinating portrayal of its times, holding up a mirror to fin de si cle
obsessions with sexuality, mesmerism and the occult.
