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Is ventriloquism just for dummies? What is at stake in neo-Victorian fiction´s desire to ´talk back´ to the nineteenth century? This book explores the sexual politics of dialogues between the nineteenth century and contemporary fiction, offering a new insight into the concept of ventriloquism as a textual and metatextual theme in literature.

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Introduction: The Victorians for dummies? Talking back to the Nineteenth Century Voices from the Past: Rethinking the Ventriloquial Metaphor Victorian Ventriloquists: Henry James and George Du Maurier Sirens and Svengalis: Nights at the Circus, Alias Grace and Clara Queering the Dummy/ventriloquist Dichotomy: Oscar Wilde and Ventriloquial Influence Sexual Re-scripting: Ventriloquial Repetitions and Transformations in Sarah Waters´ Tipping the Velvet and Affinity Talking to Ourselves? Ventriloquial Criticism and Readership in Neo-Victorian Fiction Afterword: Voices beyond the Victorian era? Wesley Stace and Ventriloquism Notes Bibliography Index

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´Definitions of neo-Victorianism within a theoretical space of performativity frequently fall into a conceptual trap which recycles the motifs of Judith Butler in an uncritical fashion. Helen Davies´s book admirably challenges this position by revitalising the trope of ventriloquism in neo-Victorian fiction and criticism. This is a lively, provocative and engaging book that makes a stimulating contribution to the field. Davies´s own scholarly voice is confident, articulate and alive, and her self-reflective comments on the position of the critic as reader make important points for future researchers.´ - Mark Llewellyn, John Anderson Research Chair in English, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

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HELEN DAVIES is an associate lecturer in English Literature at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. She has published articles on neo-Victorianism, contemporary women´s writing and Oscar Wilde. She is currently on the executive committee of the Contemporary Women´s Writing Association and is the associate editor on neo-Victorian literature and criticism for The Oscholars journal.

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