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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maurice by E M Forster is an instant queer classic, in the sense that it's one of the earliest books written about men falling in and out of love with each other, but also in the sense that it presents a satirical commentary on classism and organised religion; very anti-establishment.
The book maps out a hero's journey for our protagonist Maurice and the catalyst for that adventure is his homosexuality. Maurice Hall is not a very interesting hero. He belongs to the comfortable upper-middle class, and is supposed to inherit his father's firm. He also isn't very clever, or funny, or kind, or rational. He is quite a misogynist actually and the sort to suspect the servants in case something goes missing. Privileged and entitled. So, just like every other white man of his stature in early 1900s. Except that he's attracted to men.
This one anomaly throws his sheltered bourgeoisie life for a loop. His queerness unsettles him, drowns him in loneliness and fear, slowly 'radicalises' him and eventually saves him. He realises how hollow his life is, and how phony and unfair societal structures like class are. By the end of the book, Maurice emerges as the hero who is worthy, courageous, and kind to others as well as to himself. A deeply satisfying narrative arc.
A friend once said that one purpose of fiction is to provide language to emotions and feelings we've all felt but couldn't express in enough words. Good fiction makes you feel seen in truest of ways; that it feels violating. This book uses a running metaphor of a "valley of the shadow of life" to represent the uncertainty and confusion that young queer people sometimes have to go through when they don't have a name for what it is that's wrong with them. Puberty is a strange time for everyone, but queer people can dwell longer in the 'brain fog', figuring out their sexuality or gender, and overcoming the shame that accompanies. The book contains many and many passages that see right through me. It's safe to say i felt thoroughly violated. /j
The most fascinating/endearing thing about Maurice is that E M Forster wrote a happy ending to this book in a time (1913) when happy endings weren't afforded to queer people, because that would be equal to condoning the crime that is homosexuality. He didn't change the ending despite believing that the book won't be published ever as it was. The book did get published finally and posthumously in 1971. Kinda sad that he didn't get to see it happen.
The writing is amazing. I love the prose, it isn't very lyrical or beautiful, but rather daring, brash, and smart. The satire brings out the peculiarity of the mundane and the triviality of the default.
My only complaint is that the last part of the book felt a bit rushed and i wish we could have gotten Alec Scudder's pov for a bit. The ending is absolutely bonkers, though (in a good way).
So many words just to say that I'm absolutely obsessed with this book. Please pick it up, it will add 10 years to your lifetime.
24th July 2021 -
Hold on. let me put this on my favorites shelf real quick.
The book maps out a hero's journey for our protagonist Maurice and the catalyst for that adventure is his homosexuality. Maurice Hall is not a very interesting hero. He belongs to the comfortable upper-middle class, and is supposed to inherit his father's firm. He also isn't very clever, or funny, or kind, or rational. He is quite a misogynist actually and the sort to suspect the servants in case something goes missing. Privileged and entitled. So, just like every other white man of his stature in early 1900s. Except that he's attracted to men.
This one anomaly throws his sheltered bourgeoisie life for a loop. His queerness unsettles him, drowns him in loneliness and fear, slowly 'radicalises' him and eventually saves him. He realises how hollow his life is, and how phony and unfair societal structures like class are. By the end of the book, Maurice emerges as the hero who is worthy, courageous, and kind to others as well as to himself. A deeply satisfying narrative arc.
A friend once said that one purpose of fiction is to provide language to emotions and feelings we've all felt but couldn't express in enough words. Good fiction makes you feel seen in truest of ways; that it feels violating. This book uses a running metaphor of a "valley of the shadow of life" to represent the uncertainty and confusion that young queer people sometimes have to go through when they don't have a name for what it is that's wrong with them. Puberty is a strange time for everyone, but queer people can dwell longer in the 'brain fog', figuring out their sexuality or gender, and overcoming the shame that accompanies. The book contains many and many passages that see right through me. It's safe to say i felt thoroughly violated. /j
The most fascinating/endearing thing about Maurice is that E M Forster wrote a happy ending to this book in a time (1913) when happy endings weren't afforded to queer people, because that would be equal to condoning the crime that is homosexuality. He didn't change the ending despite believing that the book won't be published ever as it was. The book did get published finally and posthumously in 1971. Kinda sad that he didn't get to see it happen.
The writing is amazing. I love the prose, it isn't very lyrical or beautiful, but rather daring, brash, and smart. The satire brings out the peculiarity of the mundane and the triviality of the default.
My only complaint is that the last part of the book felt a bit rushed and i wish we could have gotten Alec Scudder's pov for a bit. The ending is absolutely bonkers, though (in a good way).
So many words just to say that I'm absolutely obsessed with this book. Please pick it up, it will add 10 years to your lifetime.
24th July 2021 -
Hold on. let me put this on my favorites shelf real quick.
Ye quite did enjoy this booketh though I ought to mention thy use of vocabulary is quite complicat’d
f’r mine own owneth did restrain vocabulary. Madeth t all v'ry hard to und'rstand. This booketh is though ov'r one hundr'd years fusty.
f’r mine own owneth did restrain vocabulary. Madeth t all v'ry hard to und'rstand. This booketh is though ov'r one hundr'd years fusty.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes