Harriet Martineau's 'Deerbrook' is a poignant exploration of social mores and personal desire, set against a richly depicted 19th-century English village backdrop. Martineau, with her incisive observations and elegant prose, captures the emotional landscape of Edward Hope, a physician ensnared by convention, duty, and tumultuous affection for his sister-in-law, Margaret Ibbotson. As the novel unfo...