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mellanclear's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
vpetra416's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.0
borealis85's review against another edition
4.0
A nice, well researched historical renaissance novel with Victorian touch. Everything that you expect from good historical fiction: A couple of historical characters to google, great personal adventures and tragedies in a very real setting.
Romola as such is ofcourse perhaps a bit too well off with access to education and privileges, but Eliot hardly tries to hide the links to 1850's struggles between religion, traditional values and earthly lusts and pleasures.
Romola as such is ofcourse perhaps a bit too well off with access to education and privileges, but Eliot hardly tries to hide the links to 1850's struggles between religion, traditional values and earthly lusts and pleasures.
caterpillarnotebooks's review against another edition
3.0
in the words of the inimitable yana zlochistaya, it's giving ap history creative assignment
rancuceanu's review against another edition
4.0
I hesitated between 3 and 4 stars, finally I made it 4 by rounding up from 3.5. Atypical for Eliot, and definitely the most difficult to read, but still feeling the hand of the Mistress (is this the equivalent of Master for a women writer?)
anneliesb's review against another edition
4.0
I have never clicked that button "I'm finished!" with so much relief. That exclamation mark behind it jumps off the screen for me right now. I started reading this in October 2015, just over a year ago. There were times I thought this was just a slow read, there were times that I completely forgot about it and there were times I thought about giving up altogether.
I usually don't do New Year's resolutions, but this year I made a 'before the end of year' resolution, to clean up some sludge from my currently reading list. Now this one is gone I might even work my way through some more German fairytales before 2017.
The fact that it took me so long to read by no means means that it is bad. It is just rather demanding and has chapters which are mostly focussed on politics rather than moving the plot forward.
Unlike most Victorian novels this one is set in 15th century Florence, rather than 19th century England. I felt that George Eliot was maybe a bit overambitious with this one.
The novel is set in Italy and she uses translated Italian phrases and sayings, which affect the natural flow of the language. There's also a mount of 15th century Italian politics involved which needs a lot of explaining. It is so easy to lose reading momentum when you arrive at a patch with several 'political' chapters.
Actually the last 60 pages of my edition are appendices with notes and glossaries of Italian terms and historical figures. So, you could check something in the back every other page to slow you down even further.
It doesn't help that most of the characters are rather caricatural. There's saintly Romola, selfish, opportunist Tito, simple, childlike Tessa,...
My favorite character was Monna Brigida, she's a minor character, but probably most human.
I usually don't do New Year's resolutions, but this year I made a 'before the end of year' resolution, to clean up some sludge from my currently reading list. Now this one is gone I might even work my way through some more German fairytales before 2017.
The fact that it took me so long to read by no means means that it is bad. It is just rather demanding and has chapters which are mostly focussed on politics rather than moving the plot forward.
Unlike most Victorian novels this one is set in 15th century Florence, rather than 19th century England. I felt that George Eliot was maybe a bit overambitious with this one.
The novel is set in Italy and she uses translated Italian phrases and sayings, which affect the natural flow of the language. There's also a mount of 15th century Italian politics involved which needs a lot of explaining. It is so easy to lose reading momentum when you arrive at a patch with several 'political' chapters.
Actually the last 60 pages of my edition are appendices with notes and glossaries of Italian terms and historical figures. So, you could check something in the back every other page to slow you down even further.
It doesn't help that most of the characters are rather caricatural. There's saintly Romola, selfish, opportunist Tito, simple, childlike Tessa,...
My favorite character was Monna Brigida, she's a minor character, but probably most human.
____w____'s review against another edition
4.5
changed my views on history and representation in history
slrsmith's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as Middlemarch but I liked it. Interesting setting. Interesting use of historical interpretation of 15th century Florence and its most (in)famous names.