Innocent (1914) is a novel by Marie Corelli. Published at the height of Corelli's career as one of the most successful writers of her generation, the novel combines fantasy and romance to tell a story of self-discovery, ambition, and the ideals of the early feminist movement. Due for reassessment by...

Innocent (1914) is a novel by Marie Corelli. Published at the height of Corelli's career as one of the most successful writers of her generation, the novel combines fantasy and romance to tell a story of self-discovery, ambition, and the ideals of the early feminist movement. Due for reassessment by a modern audience, Innocent is a must read for fans of Victorian literature.

Abandoned as a baby, Innocent is raised by Hugo Jocelyn on the ancestral farm of Sieur Amadis, a legendary French knight. Growing up in this idyllic setting, Innocent develops a love for medieval literature while constructing elaborate fantasies about her mysterious origins. When Jocelyn dies, he reveals the identity of her parents: Lady Blythe, a noblewoman; and Pierce Armitage, an artist.

Forced to face reality for the first time in her life, Innocent makes her way to London, where she begins a promising career as a professional writer. Despite her early success, Innocent encounters a friend of her parents who, unbeknownst to her, reveals her whereabouts and sets the stage for their reconciliation.