The French Lieutenant's Woman The French Lieutenant's Woman The French Lieutenant's Woman is a 1969 postmodern historical fiction novel by John Fowles. It was his third published novel, after "The Collector" (1963) and "The Magus" (1965). The novel explores the fraught relationship of gentleman and amateur naturalist Charles Smithson and Sarah Woodruff, the former governess and independent woman with whom he falls in love. The novel builds on Fowles' authority in Victorian literature, both following and critiquing many of the conventions of period novels. Following publication, the library magazine "American Libraries," described the novel as one of the "Notable Books of 1969". Subsequent to
Kiss of the Spider Woman (novel) this it was entered in the Frankfurt Book Fair. It remained banned until 1983 when the Raúl Alfonsín government took control. The English translation of the book was started even before its official publication in Spanish in 1976. Some of the translation proved problematic for Puig including Molina's speech which he could not get to portray the proper sentimental aspects of the voice. The English translation appeared in 1979. The French translation also proved problematic as the publisher edited out some scenes for their explicit nature. In 1981, "Kiss of the Spider Woman" won the best Latin American novel of