Reviews

Romola by George Eliot

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sophiewelsh's review against another edition

challenging informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

George Eliot really did not need to go attempt to write The Great Italian Novel. This book suffers most by comparison with her others, but it still presents compelling questions. The contrast between Tito and Romola being dedication to ease and dedication to finding a cause worth dedication is fascinating. The religious elements and commentary about women, multilayered as it always is with our dear Marian Evans writing under wraps, is compelling. Still though. Too many Brits obsessed with Italy in this time period. EM Forster, where you at?

themauvereader's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

chalkletters's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

As mentioned in my The Mill on the Floss review, Romola is the high water mark showing how far through George Eliot’s works I made it when trying to read the entire canon of a single author. During my last attempt, I’m not even sure I made it to the title character before giving up, and I can still see why! I’ve previously praised Silas Marner and Adam Bede for being easier to read than I expected, but Romola was hard going all the way through. I’m starting to wonder if it’s a historical fiction problem, because I similarly struggled with Rob Roy.

While George Eliot gives a lot more historical context in Romola than she does in her English novels, it’s not enough and it’s not particularly engaging. It’s not crucial to the plot that readers understand the conflict between Florence and Rome, or the religious debate happening between various flavours of Christianity, but the book might read better with some background knowledge because without it, certain passages are a slog of detail not moving the plot and characters forward.

The character-focused stories are interesting! Tito is an incredibly morally flawed character who sits at the centre of a web of consequences, all of which he’s trying to avoid. Wanting to find out whether he succeeds or fails is definitely enough to keep a reader going, even without the nobler and more likeable characters who rotate around him. Tessa and Romola are similar to Hetty and Dinah in the way George Eliot describes them, but they have a very different dynamic.

There’s a lot of potential for drama, even without a full understanding of the cultural context, but Romola never quite lives up to that potential. The ending, in particular, all came a bit too quickly and wrapped up too neatly. Romola’s conversion to Christianity was another place that lacked the necessary depth, which undermined the whole of the Girolamo Savonarola plot line.

I don’t think Romola will be one of the George Eliot novels that I revisit, but I’m glad I can say I’ve read it now and finally take it off my TBR!

Content Warnings

jocelynw's review

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3.0

Only George Eliot's incredible gift with interiority could get me to wade through this much political intrigue. I avoid looking for plot summaries, because it tends to ruin my pleasure in reading, but I probably would have been better served by doing so here, with all the maneuvering taking place. If the book were comprised of just the Romola/Tito/Baldassare/Tessa chapters, that would have gotten five stars from me. I love Eliot's habit (see also Arthur Donnithorne, because I read Adam Bede most recently) of having a character do one slightly questionable, easily recoverable thing that they have the opportunity to amend but don't that makes you think, "Oh dear - well" and then she sloooooowly spins that out into their downfall.

msrichardsreads89's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

5.0

This book is a masterpiece. Eliot's skill with plot and setting are superb. She made Renaissance Florence come alive with detailed imagery and dynamic characters. Her writing is elegant with dry wit. The atmosphere of political intrigue and church politics was fascinating. I loved Romola's story even more. It was heartbreaking and emotional but beautifully written. Savonarola is an interesting historical figure, and I enjoyed seeing him come alive in this book.

This is a novel that is best consumed slowly. This was a labor of love. It is dense and complex, but so rewarding. It is a book that I want to reread multiple times and will gain more insight each time I read it.