The first of Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous “medicated novels,” those works written based on ideas from his subconscious, Elsie Venner: A Romance of Destiny is a story as original as it is disturbingly horrifying. The novel tells the tale of Elsie Venner, a young woman whose mother was bitten by a rattlesnake while pregnant. Bernard Landgon, a high school teacher, takes special interest in one of his students, Elsie, who does not interact with other teenagers. After following Elsie to her “secret place” where she seems to be able to charm rattlesnakes, Langdon comes to the conclusion that she is half-woman and half-snake. After researching snake poisons and charms, Langdon is determined to help Elsie break free of her curse. As Langdon is faced with the dangers of killing part of the girl in the process, the book takes a turn when Elsie’s father intervenes, Langdon discovers Elsie’s love for him and someone suddenly dies.
This book was created from a scan of the original artifact, and as such the text of the book is not selectable or searchable.
