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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
2.0
It is like Les Liaisons dangereus by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos but for for prudes. Apart from being boring, it is extremely boring - so many letters is just Pamela telling her parents how everyone loves her and her husband.
mandyfish's review against another edition
4.0
Unintentionally funny and a big fat romp of an 18th century novel. I loved it. Pamela is such a spazz. This book spawned a spin-off book, entitled "Shamela." Also funny. If you want to add some 18th century lit to your catalog, read this one. It's a ridiculous page turner.
alexarpad's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Absolutely despicable book. Multiple attempts of rape, sexual harassment of the 16-year-old Pamela, kidnapping and imprisonment of her, gaslighting and blaming her for everything happening to her while all she wants is to get back to her poor parents. I wanted to stop reaading so many times and needed to take many breaks. There is SO much abuse in the first half of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Sexual harassment
tonatyuh's review against another edition
2.0
i'm sorry :(
you know, i really enjoyed the first half of this novel. it was engaging, and if read in a horror-novel type of way just very unsettling and terrifying.
reading from the oxford university press edition, it includes two letters from book critics of the time/ the editor just praising pamela and the examples it will give the youth of the era. I think that's where i went wrong: i was maybe reading it with a mindset that was a tad too modern and easily despised Mr. B, and so when subsequent events unravel in the second half i was just left scratching my head.
and now that im writing it, to be honest, i don't even think that mindset is what caused me to rate this low. pamela's second half is written in way that resembles a conduct book of that time period; books where men wrote to girls and women on how to behave/act. also, it becomes repetitive as hell and just boring to be honest.
i give it two stars 'cause the first part really did get my attention and i even took a glimpse of the goodreads score and went "it's not that bad y'all" but then the second half happened and i was like "oh."
i would love to see a reimagining of this novel, tho. NOT a modern retelling, but similar story beats but the second half deviating heavily from what we actually do get.
you know, i really enjoyed the first half of this novel. it was engaging, and if read in a horror-novel type of way just very unsettling and terrifying.
reading from the oxford university press edition, it includes two letters from book critics of the time/ the editor just praising pamela and the examples it will give the youth of the era. I think that's where i went wrong: i was maybe reading it with a mindset that was a tad too modern and easily despised Mr. B, and so when subsequent events unravel in the second half i was just left scratching my head.
and now that im writing it, to be honest, i don't even think that mindset is what caused me to rate this low. pamela's second half is written in way that resembles a conduct book of that time period; books where men wrote to girls and women on how to behave/act. also, it becomes repetitive as hell and just boring to be honest.
i give it two stars 'cause the first part really did get my attention and i even took a glimpse of the goodreads score and went "it's not that bad y'all" but then the second half happened and i was like "oh."
i would love to see a reimagining of this novel, tho. NOT a modern retelling, but similar story beats but the second half deviating heavily from what we actually do get.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
One of the hardest books I've ever read - not because of difficult content or language, but sheer length and the inability to end!
My edition was 450 pages of minuscule type, no chapter breaks, thin paper. A mountain of a book to conquer, but I was determined I would finish this and be able to SAY I'd finished this.
It is worth it, such a famous and trend-setting novel. But it is frustrating for a modern reader to put themselves through.
In epistolary (letter) form, servant Pamela writes to her poverty-stricken parents of her trials beating of the advances of her (dead) mistress's son, her master, who takes a shine to the teenage employee.
Her faith, her pride, her horror of dishonour all conjoin in her letters to show us a determined young lady. Her master tries every trick in the book (outright physical assault, hiding in Pamela's room, through to kidnap!) but fainting, arguing and pleas for mercy fend off his attempts. Can Pamela's charms and determination outlast his ardour?
I did like this, but it DOES go on forever. It's hard to believe just what 'Mr B' tries in order to seduce/force himself on Pamela. And that she's successful for so long.
The story takes a turn partway and the pair emerge into a new relationship, one very much of another era, which is fascinating as much as it is hard to understand in this day and age. There are instances where I could see the influences on both Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, with lines, characters and plot-lines that their authors could have taken from Richardson's work.
The religion is hard to swallow for a modern non-believer, with one particular line about atheists both hilarious and offensive. A later plot about another woman is wrapped up remarkably quickly after all that has gone before. I found the turnaround of Mr B a little convenient, and got very tired of Pamela's dad weeping so very often. But I do understand that in the mode of writing at the time this would have been stylistically common.
This is a classic I'm really pleased to say I've read, but not one I'm likely to revisit. Certainly not a joy to read like Pride and Prejudice or Evelina, but a seminal piece of literary history.
My edition was 450 pages of minuscule type, no chapter breaks, thin paper. A mountain of a book to conquer, but I was determined I would finish this and be able to SAY I'd finished this.
It is worth it, such a famous and trend-setting novel. But it is frustrating for a modern reader to put themselves through.
In epistolary (letter) form, servant Pamela writes to her poverty-stricken parents of her trials beating of the advances of her (dead) mistress's son, her master, who takes a shine to the teenage employee.
Her faith, her pride, her horror of dishonour all conjoin in her letters to show us a determined young lady. Her master tries every trick in the book (outright physical assault, hiding in Pamela's room, through to kidnap!) but fainting, arguing and pleas for mercy fend off his attempts. Can Pamela's charms and determination outlast his ardour?
I did like this, but it DOES go on forever. It's hard to believe just what 'Mr B' tries in order to seduce/force himself on Pamela. And that she's successful for so long.
The story takes a turn partway and the pair emerge into a new relationship, one very much of another era, which is fascinating as much as it is hard to understand in this day and age. There are instances where I could see the influences on both Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, with lines, characters and plot-lines that their authors could have taken from Richardson's work.
The religion is hard to swallow for a modern non-believer, with one particular line about atheists both hilarious and offensive. A later plot about another woman is wrapped up remarkably quickly after all that has gone before. I found the turnaround of Mr B a little convenient, and got very tired of Pamela's dad weeping so very often. But I do understand that in the mode of writing at the time this would have been stylistically common.
This is a classic I'm really pleased to say I've read, but not one I'm likely to revisit. Certainly not a joy to read like Pride and Prejudice or Evelina, but a seminal piece of literary history.
shaanzeh1_'s review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Kidnapping and Sexual harassment
koutsoukoutou's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Man, the ending pissed me off
Edit: Had to read this for class, and now that I've also read some articles on the novel I can kinda see what Richardson was trying to do, but still, not a novel for someone who cares about plot
Edit: Had to read this for class, and now that I've also read some articles on the novel I can kinda see what Richardson was trying to do, but still, not a novel for someone who cares about plot
hopegreen's review against another edition
1.0
a truly agonising read for me and every single other student in my online lecture hall. my virtue in having the strength to finish this monstrosity was very much not rewarded. i understand its historical significance, but putting it on our reading list for week 3 was a crime.