"Can You Forgive Her?" by Anthony Trollope is the first of the Palliser series, weaving a complex tapestry of relationships and societal expectations in Victorian England. The novel explores the dilemmas of its heroine, Alice Vavasor, who must choose between following her ambitions and succumbing to societal pressures. Caught between two suitors, her safe, predictable cousin George and the daring, politically inclined Grey, Alice's journey is one of self-discovery and the search for genuine happiness amidst external influence and internal conflict.