Moll Flanders – Daniel Defoe

     Moll Flanders is the life story of a girl who managed to do everything wrong. Born to a convict, Baby Moll is given to a woman who raises and teaches orphans a useful trade. As she grows up her cleverness and determination to make something of her life endears her to the local nobility. In her teens, they hire her to be a companion to their daughters. The elder son wants her as a mistress and gives her money for her “favors.” According to Moll this is what first set her upon the path to misfortune. She eventually marries the younger brother against the family’s wishes and has a couple of kids. When her husband passes away of illness, the family adopts the kids and disowns Moll. This is where the tale starts to get interesting. 

     She begins her search to find another husband. No matter what happens she can’t manage to keep a husband. She manages to marry a shady merchant, her half brother (by accident), a conman/bandit, becomes mistress to a married man, and marries a banker. When her last husband dies, she thinks she is too old and poor to be interesting to men. She goes to a woman who has helped her in the past and becomes a fairly skilled thief. Eventually, she is caught and sent to the same prison she was born in. In a twist of fate, her third husband, the conman, is being held there also. They “sincerely repent” their crimes (i.e. kiss the warden’s butt) and instead of being hung, they are sent to the Colonies as indentured servants. Fortunately, they have enough money saved to buy their freedom. At this point, they pretty much reach happily ever after and do nothing wrong ever again.

     I liked this book but I want to know a few things. How many kids did she have? I tried to count but I couldn’t keep track of them all and their fates. A couple of them were mentioned in passing but the only one that manages to be mentioned as an adult is the son by her brother but there isn’t anything about his sister. The friend who helps her was a midwife. Why didn’t she learn how to do that instead of being a thief or get a job as a seamstress which the author makes a point of telling the readers is one of her talents. Aside from these questions, it was a good book. If you like old fiction (1700’s old), this story has definitely stood the test of time.