With precise plotting and a deep understanding of human nature, George Eliot’s most autobiographical novel offers a vivid portrayal of rural life and the complex bond between siblings. Maggie Tulliver and her brother Tom grow up together on the banks of the River Floss, but their relationship changes as they enter adulthood. Intelligent and independent, Maggie struggles against the restrictions of nineteenth-century society in her search for love, while Tom embraces convention and his father’s hopes for him to become a businessman. As tensions rise, Tom becomes increasingly disapproving of Maggie’s choices, and when he discovers her involvement with Stephen Guest, her cousin’s fiancé, he turns away from her. Ostracised by her brother and community, Maggie is left isolated until tragic events ultimately bring the siblings together again.