Reviews - Maurice | The StoryGraph

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4.07k reviews for:

Maurice

E.M. Forster

4.08 AVERAGE

alisynamant's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

chilipepperdeluxe's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

orlando_eyzen's review against another edition

4.75

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lidia10's review against another edition

4.5

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

klwilcoxon's review against another edition

5.0

Written in 1913-14 during the Edwardian era, the book took me a while to settle into the language and behavioral norms of the time. What I especially like about the book is that it is not a love story, but a man coming to terms with and finally embracing himself. He has two loves in his life. He meets and falls in love with Clive during college. Being the former aggressor, Clive decides he wants to live the "normal" life after college and marries - though it is a chaste marriage. Maurice is heartbroken but tries to carry on a friendship with his former lover and wife. While visiting Clive, he meets a socially inferior servant in the household. Maurice is tortured and tries hypnotism to cure his "disease". It doesn't work and he and servant eventually get together and fall in love. Clive is aghast at this and tries to convince Maurice to be "normal". The story ends with a permanent parting of ways between the two. Maurice is true to himself.

jennifer_mangieri's review against another edition

3.0

Forster wrote this classic novel in the years immediately preceding the First World War, but at his request it wasn't published until after his death in 1970. In the 1910s it absolutely would have been considered scandalous for its story of two young men falling in love, including their physical involvement with one another.

Because I read that this book had a happy ending, I admit I was expecting something different than what actually happens. I think the novel is more remarkable for its deep examination of Maurice's personal journey and transformation, than its story of his relationships.

I don't buy Maurice's relationship with Alec - but I think Alec represents a direction forward for Maurice that's radically different than anything he ever envisioned - which is pretty amazing!