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shieldbearer's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
This is precisely the type of novel I usually cannot bring myself to care for, but I will admit that the characters are drawn with such nuanced skill here that I cannot help but be invested even though the plot is so terribly uninteresting to me, personally. These sorts of "oh WHO shall Saunterblugget Hampterfuppinshire marry???" plots just don't do it for me in general, especially since the focus is exclusively on the upper class. Having read "Blood in the Machine" by Brian Merchant, the Luddites are far more on my radar than they were, and seeing machine breaking get mentioned off handedly, and yet no actual engagement with it, made me feel like it were truly a missed opportunity, though I know this is partly modern sensibility at play.
All that said, the misogyny, antisemitism, racism and antiromanyism really hampered my enjoyment. To a large extent, some of this is a product of its time, I'm aware, and it's what one often signs up for when reading these old novels, but still... I think the main things that I am enthralled by when it comes to this novel is Eliot's skill in bringing out nuanced, realistic characters (in the sense that they have very human, very flawed thoughts and impulses, in ways I truly wish more authors would write) and by the missed opportunities.
All that said, the misogyny, antisemitism, racism and antiromanyism really hampered my enjoyment. To a large extent, some of this is a product of its time, I'm aware, and it's what one often signs up for when reading these old novels, but still... I think the main things that I am enthralled by when it comes to this novel is Eliot's skill in bringing out nuanced, realistic characters (in the sense that they have very human, very flawed thoughts and impulses, in ways I truly wish more authors would write) and by the missed opportunities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Classism, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Racism, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death, and Cursing
Minor: Child death, Cancer, and Death of parent
qqjj's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Racial slurs, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Miscarriage
meganisreading's review against another edition
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. For me, George Elliot writes with all the style, humour and wit of Dickens, but with characters (especially female characters) who aren’t 2D and based on bad stereotypes. The narrator has such a wonderfully charming voice and lets the characters and their humanity speak for itself. So much of it I have underlined as either witty, intelligent or just beautiful writing. I loved all the characters and, although it is a very slow read, I found that spending so long with the characters helped me to adore them even more.
It obviously isn’t very progressive past the fact that the white middle-class female character are written as well as the men, which is important to note. From the short biography at the beginning of the book, it seems Elliott wasn’t the most progressive even for women’s rights at the time. However her work speak with a really humanist tone all the same - even if lacking in the diversity I would expect from a book written today.
It obviously isn’t very progressive past the fact that the white middle-class female character are written as well as the men, which is important to note. From the short biography at the beginning of the book, it seems Elliott wasn’t the most progressive even for women’s rights at the time. However her work speak with a really humanist tone all the same - even if lacking in the diversity I would expect from a book written today.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs
skudiklier's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Okay, wow. I enjoyed this book a lot more than it seems other people do. It's my favorite college professor's favorite book, and she regularly brought it up in classes, so it's been on my tbr list for years. I didn't know how long or intricate it was, but I'm glad I didn't know anything really going in.
Halfway through I had to make a list of characters I actually liked, since several of them fell into a category of something like "I root for them in spite of not really liking them." But it all progressed in a much better way than I thought it would.
Halfway through I had to make a list of characters I actually liked, since several of them fell into a category of something like "I root for them in spite of not really liking them." But it all progressed in a much better way than I thought it would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Drug use, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts
These are just the more specific content warnings I wrote down while reading the book:abotoldaccount's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Sexism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Medical content
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