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How long does it take to read The Princess Casamassima?

Henry James

The Princess Casamassima by Henry James takes about 9 hours 22 minutes to read at 250 words a minute.

About 9 hours 22 minutes

A week or two of reading

First published 1886. 511 pages, about 140,525 words.

19 days at 30 minutes a day

Estimate based on 275 words per page.

At other speeds

Slow, 150 words a minute 15 hours 37 minutes
Average, 250 words a minute 9 hours 22 minutes
Fast, 400 words a minute 5 hours 51 minutes

The page count is the median across 37 editions, so your copy may differ. How we calculate.

About the book

The illegitimate and impoverished son of a dressmaker and a nobleman, Hyacinth Robinson has grown up with a strong sense of beauty that heightens his acute sympathy for the inequalities that surround him. Drawn into a secret circle of radical politics he makes a rash vow to commit a violent act of terrorism. But when the Princess Casamassima—beautiful, clever and bored—takes him up and introduces him to her own world of wealth and refinement, Hyacinth is torn. He is horrified by the destruction that would be wreaked by revolution, but still believes he must honour his vow, and finds himself gripped in an agonizing and, ultimately, fatal dilemma. A compelling blend of psychological observation, wit and compassion, The Princess Casamassima (1886) is one of Henry James's most deeply personal novels.

Subjects: Social life and customs, Fiction, Romance, Radicalism, Political violence, Manners and customs

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