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mon_ique's review against another edition
4.0
What a sentimental little thing! I loved it.
Took me long enough to finish haha.
I've taken away so many great quotes, and I will (wo)manfully admit that I cried a little at the end. The justice of it all...
The language at times was trying and difficult to understand, but the main passages more or less came through...
I feel like I did when I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time, at like, age 11. One day I may try again, or to be sure, I will definitely read more Edgeworth. I appreciated the seriousness and the humor, entwined with emotion. There was one passage so very awkward to read, but it just adds to the historical charm of the characters portrayed.
Made it in the quote book:
“Think no more of love, but as much as you please of friendships.”
“Friend...though the length of our acquaintance might not justify the word, yet regard and intimacy are not always in proportion to the time people have known each other, but to their mutual perception of certain attaching qualities, a certain similarity and suitableness of character.”
“When anything’s upon my heart, good morning to my head, it’s not worth a lemon.”
Took me long enough to finish haha.
I've taken away so many great quotes, and I will (wo)manfully admit that I cried a little at the end. The justice of it all...
The language at times was trying and difficult to understand, but the main passages more or less came through...
I feel like I did when I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time, at like, age 11. One day I may try again, or to be sure, I will definitely read more Edgeworth. I appreciated the seriousness and the humor, entwined with emotion. There was one passage so very awkward to read, but it just adds to the historical charm of the characters portrayed.
Made it in the quote book:
“Think no more of love, but as much as you please of friendships.”
“Friend...though the length of our acquaintance might not justify the word, yet regard and intimacy are not always in proportion to the time people have known each other, but to their mutual perception of certain attaching qualities, a certain similarity and suitableness of character.”
“When anything’s upon my heart, good morning to my head, it’s not worth a lemon.”
elysareadsitall's review against another edition
5.0
This book follows Lord Colambre as he tries to find love and a home he can be proud of. It's a highly political story about Ireland and England and the upper class. Edgeworth's style is superb; it's learned without being pretentious. She also makes it easy to love the protagonist by calling him 'our hero,' giving the readers ownership and involvement in the novel. With novels from this time, it's usually pretty easy to figure out how they will end, so the thing for the author is to make the journey exciting; Edgeworth certainly does that.
benababy85's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Interesting story about absentee landlords in Ireland
elizastudying's review against another edition
4.0
The more Edgeworth I read, the more I enjoy it. She is just a very well-versed, witty writer, who manages to put a lot of opinion and background into her novels without it being annoyingly foregrounded. This one in particular I enjoyed because of its nice mix of intrigue, romance, depictions of Irish peasantry, nationalism, commentary on absentee landlords, and descriptions of the higher classes at the time.
aydaybay's review against another edition
3.0
Better than I anticipated. Wasn't ground breaking but I enjoyed the characters and their interactions.
lnatal's review against another edition
3.0
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
NOTES ON 'THE ABSENTEE'
In August 1811, we are told, she wrote a little play about landlords and tenants for the children of her sister, Mrs. Beddoes. Mr. Edgeworth tried to get the play produced on the London boards. Writing to her aunt, Mrs. Ruxton, Maria says, 'Sheridan has answered as I foresaw he must, that in the present state of this country the Lord Chamberlain would not license THE ABSENTEE; besides there would be a difficulty in finding actors for so many Irish characters.' The little drama was then turned into a story, by Mr. Edgeworth's advice. Patronage was laid aside for the moment, and THE ABSENTEE appeared in its place in the second part of TALES OF FASHIONABLE LIFE. We all know Lord Macaulay's verdict upon this favourite story of his, the last scene of which he specially admired and compared to the ODYSSEY. [Lord Macaulay was not the only notable admirer of THE ABSENTEE. The present writer remembers hearing Professor Ruskin on one occasion break out in praise and admiration of the book. 'You can learn more by reading it of Irish politics,' he said, 'than from a thousand columns out of blue-books.'] Mrs. Edgeworth tells us that much of it was written while Maria was suffering a misery of toothache.
NOTES ON 'THE ABSENTEE'
In August 1811, we are told, she wrote a little play about landlords and tenants for the children of her sister, Mrs. Beddoes. Mr. Edgeworth tried to get the play produced on the London boards. Writing to her aunt, Mrs. Ruxton, Maria says, 'Sheridan has answered as I foresaw he must, that in the present state of this country the Lord Chamberlain would not license THE ABSENTEE; besides there would be a difficulty in finding actors for so many Irish characters.' The little drama was then turned into a story, by Mr. Edgeworth's advice. Patronage was laid aside for the moment, and THE ABSENTEE appeared in its place in the second part of TALES OF FASHIONABLE LIFE. We all know Lord Macaulay's verdict upon this favourite story of his, the last scene of which he specially admired and compared to the ODYSSEY. [Lord Macaulay was not the only notable admirer of THE ABSENTEE. The present writer remembers hearing Professor Ruskin on one occasion break out in praise and admiration of the book. 'You can learn more by reading it of Irish politics,' he said, 'than from a thousand columns out of blue-books.'] Mrs. Edgeworth tells us that much of it was written while Maria was suffering a misery of toothache.
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