Vanity Fair

"The book is a densely populated, multi-layuered panorama of manners and human frailties ... The novel deals mainly with the interwoven fortunes of two women, the wellborn, passive Amelia Sedley and the ambitious, essentially amoral Becky Sharp, the latter perhaps the most memorable character Thackeray created. The adventuress Becky is the character around whom all the men play their parts." Merriam-Webster's Ency of Lit. *** "Becky Sharp, one of the most resourceful, engaging, and amoral women in literature, is the heroine of this sparkling satirical panorama of British society during the Napoleonic Wars." *** "Becky Sharp and her husband stand in contrast to the lives of Dobbin and Amelia in this revelation of societal classes." *** "A satirical look at Victorian manners recounting the experiences of two finishing school graduates, Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley."