Clarissa by Samuel Richardson

This epistolary novel rewards the reader proportionately to the effort put in. That is to say, one ought to be prepared to give the whole thing a serious and careful reading in order to derive pleasure or knowledge from the experience. If you're willing to put the time in, though, this novel has many rewards. The plot could be summarized in a sentence: the best and most virtuous girl in the world runs away with a rake, who rapes her, and then she dies of a broken heart. However, as one sinks into the ever more complex layers of meaning and signifier in the text, this novel becomes increasingly compelling and addictive.