The Wings of the DoveThe Wings of the Dove
Score Classic
What it's about
Kate Croy and Merton Densher, a journalist, are secretly engaged in London, but neither has money. Then Kate befriends Milly Theale, a young, very rich American who is dying, and who falls for Densher. Kate devises a plan: Densher will court and marry Milly, and after her death he'll inherit her fortune, and he and Kate can marry. They follow her to Venice.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels and is one of Henry James's great late works, a subtle story of love and betrayal.
You'll love it if you liked
The Age of Innocence
The House of Mirth
Tess of the D'UrbervillesGood to know
James's late style is famously complicated, with long, winding sentences. It's slow.
By the numbers
- Readers9 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller7 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
More by Henry James
If you like this, read next
The Brothers Karamazov
The Thorn Birds
The Great Gatsby
Middlemarch
Lolita
Giovanni's RoomExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Wings of the Dove worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels and is one of Henry James's great late works, a subtle story of love and betrayal. It ranks #2,398 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Wings of the Dove about?
Kate Croy and Merton Densher, a journalist, are secretly engaged in London, but neither has money. Then Kate befriends Milly Theale, a young, very rich American who is dying, and who falls for Densher. Kate devises a plan: Densher will court and marry Milly, and after her death he'll inherit her fortune, and he and Kate can marry. They follow her to Venice.
How long does it take to read The Wings of the Dove?
About 15 hours (592 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Wings of the Dove?
If you liked it, try The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton or Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.