Adam Bede, Volume 1

'Adam Bede' by George Eliot is a captivating novel set in the pastoral countryside of early 19th-century England, exploring the complexities of love, morality, and the resilience of the human spirit. The story revolves around the honest and hardworking carpenter, Adam Bede, known for his integrity and steadfastness. Adam is deeply devoted to his work and his family, especially his younger brother, Seth Bede, a kind-hearted and pious young man. The novel opens with Adam's unrequited love for the beautiful and vain Hetty Sorrel, a local dairy-maid whose head is easily turned by flattery and admiration.