Estella

Estella is a retelling of the story of Charles Dickens' novel, Great Expectations, by Australian author, Kathy George. This version is told from the viewpoint of Estella, the adopted daughter of Miss Havisham. Estella arrived at Satis House when she was three and has no knowledge of her parents. To say that Miss Havisham lives in the past would be an understatement as she has never moved on from the time that her future husband left her before the wedding. Miss Havisham brings up Estella 'to break men's hearts'.

This version of the story relates Estella's early upbringing at Satis House, her later education in France and then her time in London where she is to learn about society and find a husband. Estella finds the London social life exhausting as she is pursued by a number of young men and makes an unfortunate decision in order to escape the London social scene. Throughout the novel is woven Estella's relationship with Pip, the young lad who Miss Havisham also appears to be grooming. It is many years before Estella discovers how she really wants to live her life and who her real friends are.The ending of the story is different from that of Charles Dicken's novel.