Companion to Sensation Fiction

This comprehensive collection offers a complete introduction to one of the most popular literary forms of the Victorian period, its key authors and works, its major themes, and its lasting legacy.§Places key authors and novels in their cultural and historical context§Includes studies of major topics such as race, gender, melodrama, theatre, poetry, realism in fiction, and connections to other art forms§Contributions from top international scholars approach an important literary genre from a range of perspectives§Offers both a pre and post-history of the genre to situate it in the larger tradition of Victorian publishing and literature§Incorporates coverage of traditional research and cutting-edge contemporary scholarshipThe Victorian era saw a huge proliferation of fiction, with novels finding the largest audience they had ever enjoyed. This comprehensive collection offers a complete introduction to sensation fiction, one of the most popular, and criticized, forms of the period.§Contributions from some of the best scholars from around the world place key authors and novels in their cultural and historical context, and bring to bear a range of perspectives to explore important related issues, including law, publishing history, poetry, theatre, visual art, race, and gender.§Examining both the pre and post-history of the genre, to situate it in the larger tradition of Victorian publishing and literature, this companion is the definitive guide to a hugely influential literary movement and the major topics in its production and reception.