Anna of the Five Towns , first published in 1902, is one of Arnold Bennett’s earliest published works. It’s his first novel to take place in the Five Towns, a fictional district in Middle England based on the real Stoke-on-Trent, and the setting for many of his later books.

The story takes place in an industrial district in late nineteenth-century England, where the rigid social structures and morals of the Methodist church define the area’s way of life. The novel follows Anna Tellwright, a young woman who lives with her younger sister and their authoritarian father. Her life takes a decisive turn when one day she unexpectedly inherits the fortune of her long-dead grandmother. The novel explores themes of personal autonomy, love, and social expectations, particularly as they affect women in an industrial society.