The Romance of a Shop - Amy Levy (1888) The Romance of a Shop tells the captivating story of four sisters — Fanny, Gertrude, Lucy, and Phyllis Lorimar. When their father passes away, the sisters are faced with the daunting prospect of abject poverty. But with Gertrude's visionary proposal to open a photography shop, the sisters embark on a journey of self-discovery, challenging social norms and advocating for their right to independent thought. Set against the backdrop of urban life in the late 19th century, Levy beautifully examines the opportunities and difficulties faced by the "New Woman" during a time of great societal change. With richly drawn characters and a compelling storyline, The Romance of a Shop is an inspiring tale of love, family, and the pursuit of independence. "A bright and clever story, full of sparkling touches." - Oscar Wilde Amy Levy (1861 – 1889) was an English essayist, poet, and novelist best remembered for her literary gifts; her experience as the second Jewish woman at Cambridge University, and as the first Jewish student at Newnham College, Cambridge; her feminist positions; her friendships with others living what came later to be called a "New Woman" life, some of whom were lesbians; and her relationships with both women and men in literary and politically activist circles in London during the 1880s. The Romance of a Shop (1888), Levy's first novel, is regarded as an early "New Woman" novel and depicts four sisters who experience the difficulties and opportunities afforded to women running a business in 1880s London, Levy wrote her second novel, Reuben Sachs (1888), to fill the literary need for "serious treatment ... of the complex problem of Jewish life and Jewish character", which she identified and discussed in a 1886 article "The Jew in Fiction." Levy wrote stories, essays, and poems for popular or literary periodicals; the stories "Cohen of Trinity" and "Wise in Their Generation", both published in Oscar Wilde's magazine The Woman's World , are among her most notable. In 1886, Levy began writing a series of essays on Jewish culture and literature for The Jewish Chronicle , including The Ghetto at Florence , The Jew in Fiction , Jewish Humour , and Jewish Children. Levy's works of poetry, including the daring A Ballad of Religion and Marriage , reveal her feminist concerns. Xantippe and Other Verses (1881) includes "Xantippe", a poem in the voice of Socrates's wife; the volume A Minor Poet and Other Verse (1884) includes more dramatic monologues as well as lyric poems. Her final book of poems, A London Plane-Tree (1889), contains lyrics that are among the first to show the influence of French symbolism. Notable works: Xantippe and Other Verse (1881) - A Minor Poet and Other Verse (1884) - The Romance of a Shop (1888) - Reuben Sachs: A Sketch (1888) - A London Plane-Tree and Other Verse (1889) - Miss Meredith (1889)