Marie Corelli Books

My dad read this novel as a young man and when I was old enough he gave me his battered, torn copy with a rubber band wrapped around it. It is about a young woman, Thelma, who lives in Scandinavia with her grandfather and a mysterious creature who lives in a cave. A group of young Enlishmen come to Scandinavia to fish. There Sir Philip meets Thelma and falls in love with her. There is a mystery about who and what happened to Thelma's parents.

Sir Philip takes Thelma to England and "high" society. Thelma doesn't have anyone to teach her "Society ways." She is appalled and hurt by the comments and innuendos of the society matrons. Thelma listens and believes the gossip that she hears. The story is resolved as Thelma and Sir Philip come to and understanding of each other's backgrouds.

This was originally published as part of an anthology of short stories and was so well liked that an attractive illustrated gift book of only 5,000 were printed. Thank you Kessinger Publishing for bringing back what one reviewer in Marie's day called a "feverishly eccentric" book. This story rates as the best of Marie Corelli's heretically religious fantasy stories and still does not to this day, fail to impress, charm, or seduce the reader. What a find! What a treat! If you want just a big toe in the waters of Marie Corelli's works, this is the book to buy.

In 1910, Marie Corelli managed to have this little book published. Its content is little more than that of a pamphlet, and is written as a "fantasy" about a motorcar driven by "the Avenger, the Destroyer, the Torturer of Soul," in short, the Devil. I believe it is intended as a warning against modern technology invading the British society, but I'd rather like to leave its interpretation to you. Even the avid fans of her books feel very perplexed after reading it. I have read many books of Corelli, but still don't know how to think about it. Real curio.

Kessinger's edition is probably reproduced from an older one, which was printed in large, old letters with Severn's illusrations. But the illustrations are far from clear; they are heavily blurred, but whether the blur was originated from the original book, or found only in this edition (or my copy) is not known.

By the way, Arthur Severn is a son of much famous Joseph Severn, who nursed the dying poet John Keats in Roma.

The writing of Marie Corelli was a glorious discovery. The Devils Motor is a short tale put out with illustrations by Arthur Severn. It lacks the depth and intensity of The Sorrows of Satan but it is still a fine read. Corelli exhibits less compassion for the devil in this tale than in The Sorrows of Satan. There is still a bit of a Faustian overture in this tale. Ultimately one can still save ones soul. Corelli seemed obsessed with salvation. She went against the grain of much late 19th Century literature and achieved great success. As in The Sorrows of Satan there is finally gradually, gently and by faint degrees, glimmers of pale gold dividing the darkness with the wavering rise of dawn. (her words) Indeed, from darkness unto light. It is a biblical theme Marie Corelli knew all too well and a fine job she does.

This eulogistic and contemporary study of Marie Corelli and her vast success reveals as much, if not more, of the writers' own personal prejudices as it does about Corelli. The writers see Corelli as a great propagandist for what is right and wrong in the world, and thus attempt to excuse or expiate her own tendency for hypocrisy and an inability to know her own mind. This is an insight into one kind of her contemporary admirers, but does her less justice than the more even handed biographies of Eileen Bigland and Brian Masters.