In Volume 7, the degradation and humiliation of Clarissa continue, from all the forces of society and the personal nefariousness of the devilish rake Lovelace, while her moral greatness and superiority to Lovelace shine out with an undiminished splendour. One of the earliest and certainly the longest novel in the English language, with a wide-ranging influence not only on the English novel, but also on nineteenth century European literature at large, it is gripping, twisted and a magnificent dramatic soap opera. - Summary by Nicole Lee