Part of the Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Literature Arranged in A-Z format and featuring over 140 contributors Written by an international cast of leading scholars, overseen by an Advisory Board of 37 specialists Entries explore the history and tradition of the novel in different areas of the world; formal elements of the novel (story, plot, character, narrator); technical aspects of the genre (such as realism, narrative structure and style) as well as subgenres, including the bildungsroman and the graphic novel; theoretical problems, like definitions of the novel; and topics in book history and the novel's relationship to other arts and disciplines Fully indexed for easy navigation Online version provides students and researchers with 24/7 access to authoritative reference and powerful searching, browsing and cross-referencing capabilities.