What Maisie Knew

What Maisie Knew is a coming-of-age story that details the character's cognitive development in interesting, experimental ways. It is Henry James' increasingly scandalous novel of divorce, infidelity, and the deterioration of the institution of family. Though in some ways on the cusp of Modernism, James is still very much stuck in the 19th century--his descriptions drag on, his diction is haughty and difficult. While certainly an elaborate, well-crafted novel, it is not exactly one that is initially readable.

"She was at the age for which all stories are true and all conceptions are stories."

"She was as droll as a charade or an animal towards the end of 'natural history' -a person whom people, to make talk lively, described to each other and imitated."

"She took refuge on the firm ground of fiction, through which indeed there curled the blue river of truth."

"Everything had something behind it: life was like a long, long corridor with rows of closed doors."

"There had been times when she had had to make the best of the impression that she was herself deceitful; yet she had never concealed anything bigger than a thought."

"'Fear, unfortunately, is a very big thing, and there's a great variety of kinds.'"

"'We do nothing in life but quarrel.'"

"'I've not killed anything,' he said; 'on the contrary I think I've produced life. I don't know what to call it - I haven't even known how decently to deal with it, to approach it; but, whatever it is, it's the most beautiful thing I've ever met - it's exquisite, it's sacred.'"

"'Have you been a hideous little hypocrite all these years that I've slaved to make you love me and deludedly believed you did?'"