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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
I tried so hard to get through this, but I just couldn't. I enjoyed Middlemarch but for some reason didn't have the patience to deal with the unceasing 19th century descriptive prose.
This is a chunker of a classic that we have to read for class.
While enjoyable at the beginning, the descriptions are way too detailed for my enjoyment and after 300 pages I wasn't invested in the story or the characters anymore.
I practically skimmed the rest of the novel, skipping parts of descriptions and reading the dialog to find out what was going on.
While an interesting premise, this novel is way too complex for its own good. What is considered a masterpiece by many just fell flat for me, but I do sincerely hope you find otherwise!
While enjoyable at the beginning, the descriptions are way too detailed for my enjoyment and after 300 pages I wasn't invested in the story or the characters anymore.
I practically skimmed the rest of the novel, skipping parts of descriptions and reading the dialog to find out what was going on.
While an interesting premise, this novel is way too complex for its own good. What is considered a masterpiece by many just fell flat for me, but I do sincerely hope you find otherwise!
I read Middlemarch by George Eliot a few years ago and I loved it! So I was excited to jump into another one of her novels and it did not disappoint! Eliot has a way of creating and developing characters and are super relatable, even today. Daniel, the main character, doesn’t know who his parents are, and seeks to find himself throughout the novel. Gwendolyn, the other main character, is stubborn, selfish, and only cares about being rich (well she cares about her mother, so I’ll give her that one). But she develops quite exceptionally throughout the novel and through her connection to Daniel, she becomes a better person and realizes a lot more about herself!
The book also represents Jewish people and their relationship to people of other religions in England at the time of publication (1800s). While some have negative perceptions, other characters show compassion towards the Jewish characters and it was so great to see such compassion from a book written back then!
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it if you enjoy classic literature such as the works Dickens and Austen!
The book also represents Jewish people and their relationship to people of other religions in England at the time of publication (1800s). While some have negative perceptions, other characters show compassion towards the Jewish characters and it was so great to see such compassion from a book written back then!
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it if you enjoy classic literature such as the works Dickens and Austen!
I was always weary about reading Eliot and this book has all the reasons why I didn't want to pick it up. It honestly would have worked better as two separate books and I suspect that Deronda would have faded into obscurity while the Harleth part would have thrived.
After reading this, it honestly just feels like everyone is pretty much an asshole. Deronda, Gwendolen, everyone around them. Or plain simpering and pathetic without backbone, like Gwendolen's mother and Mirah. The only decent people are Catherine Arrowpoint, Herr Klesmer, Rex and Anna. Yep. That's it.
I felt bad for Gwendolen, despite her being pretty awful in the beginning. No woman should have to be sold like she was to keep her family afloat. Yes, she did a shitty thing to Glasher, but it's quite convenient that Glasher takes it out on her and not on the man. Way to go, girl.
I get that was how things were back then, but this book so full of misoginy and general assholishness about everything that I just finished it out of spite and will never read anything by Eliot again.
I've not felt this way since I read "Atlas Shrugged"
After reading this, it honestly just feels like everyone is pretty much an asshole. Deronda, Gwendolen, everyone around them. Or plain simpering and pathetic without backbone, like Gwendolen's mother and Mirah. The only decent people are Catherine Arrowpoint, Herr Klesmer, Rex and Anna. Yep. That's it.
I felt bad for Gwendolen, despite her being pretty awful in the beginning. No woman should have to be sold like she was to keep her family afloat. Yes, she did a shitty thing to Glasher, but it's quite convenient that Glasher takes it out on her and not on the man. Way to go, girl.
I get that was how things were back then, but this book so full of misoginy and general assholishness about everything that I just finished it out of spite and will never read anything by Eliot again.
I've not felt this way since I read "Atlas Shrugged"
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I really enjoyed the novel, I found it disappointing as Eliot's final work. With a masterpiece like Middlemarch coming before, I was expecting something mind-blowing, which I simply didn't get. Also, the blurb on the back of the book gave away the most critical plot point, which only ends up being revealed within the final 150 pages of a 700 page novel. Perhaps part of my impatience arose from that. Although it has typical Eliot asides into history, psychology, etc., it was much more of a blatant romance novel than either Middlemarch or Mill on the Floss, which is not something I expected from her. This was recommended to me by an English prof of mine who helped me with my senior thesis on the influence of the male gaze in Austen and Eliot. While interesting from that point of view, I was disappointed overall. I do not, however, regret having read those 700 pages.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated