59 pages • 1 hour read
An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age Inspired by the True Story of Arabella Huntington Who Became the Richest Woman in the Country
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
An American Beauty (2023) is a historical novel based on the life of Arabella “Belle” Huntington, one of America’s wealthiest women during the Gilded Age. Penned by Shana Abé, a bestselling American author who otherwise primarily writes romance and YA fiction, An American Beauty explores themes of The Influence of Beauty and Wealth on Social Mobility, The Tension Between Societal Expectation and Personal Ambition, and Women’s Agency in a Patriarchal Society.
This guide is based on the 2023 Kensington Books Kindle edition.
Plot Summary
The book is divided into six chronologically arranged parts, each detailing a specific phase in Arabella “Belle” Huntington née Yarrington’s life. These are bookended by a Prologue and an Epilogue.
In the Prologue, Lucy Clarence, an employee from a publishing house, visits Belle at her New York residence in 1902; Belle is now Collis Huntington’s widow. Lucy’s employer is attempting to extort money from Belle by blackmailing her about her past, but Belle refuses to yield.
Part I covers Belle’s life as a “Champagne Girl” in an illicit gambling parlor in Richmond, Virginia, run by a man named Johnny Worsham. One night at the parlor, 17-year-old Belle captures the attention of railroad tycoon Unlock all 59 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
