Corelli refused to spend a penny on advertisements for the novel. Instead, she relied entirely on word-of-mouth, newspaper articles, and the controversy it generated., TRUE Despite this, it became one of the best-selling novels of the entire 19th century., Corelli deliberately wrote the book for the "decadent" readers of the 1890s., FALSE Corelli positioned the book as a moral counterweight to the "decadent" literature of the 1890s (for example, Oscar Wilde). Ironically, its sensational content and gothic style meant it was devoured by the very same decadent readers it was supposedly condemning., In Victorian England, putting "Satan" in a book's title was seen as deeply provocative, even blasphemous. Corelli's publisher, however, advised her to use it as a marketing tool., FALSE Corelli's publisher warned her against using the word "Satan" in the title, fearing outrage and boycotts., he book's massive popularity led to it being sold in the newly emerging railway bookstalls., TRUE It was a distribution channel previously reserved for cheap periodicals and guidebooks, and it made the book accessible to middle-class commuters and travelling readers., Queen Victoria was so taken with Corelli's earlier work that she requested a specially bound, illustrated edition of The Sorrows of Satan for her personal library., TRUE The Queen's endorsement was the seal of approval that Corelli boasted about for the rest of her career., Newspapers and literary magazines argued that the novel was morally corrupting and disapproved of it., FALSE They ran heated editorial debates about whether the novel was morally corrupting or morally improving. Some called it a masterpiece of spiritual insight; others denounced it as trashy sensationalism., Several conservative lending libraries and religious institutions refused to stock the book because of its devilish title and themes., TRUE As with many banned books, this only increased public demand.

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