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andipants's review against another edition
DNF at 87 pages. Couldn't do it. I didn't go in expecting a pleasure read; I wanted to read this book because it is Historical and Important and referenced in like everything ever written on romance novels and a lot of things written about novels in general, so I figured it would be A Good Thing To Have Read. But oh, wow, is it annoying. Other reviewers have already sufficiently detailed the deficiencies in the plot (tl;dr: the same things keep happening over and over again, and Pamela just keeps being shocked, shocked, I say, when Douchey McCreepface keeps acting like a douchey creep). I'll also add that the premise of it all being Pamela's own letters, and specifically the subsequent lack of dialogue markers, makes it annoyingly difficult at some points to keep track of who is talking and when. In the end, I've read enough to get the flavor, and I've looked up the plot summary so I know what happens, and that's good enough for me. Life's too short to waste on books you don't like.
katelynzleee's review
1.0
One of the most atrociously horrendous books I’ve had the displeasure of reading during my undergrad.
singalongjunk14's review
3.0
I read this book for my Rise of the Novel college class. We were instructed and taught accordingly as we read the entirety of the book (Vol I and II). I’ve never been a huge fan of epistolary novels, but I recognize the importance of the literary style in the early novel for sure. In terms of this piece, especially from a modern perspective, I did not appreciate the graphic nature of the approaches (those deemed “romantic”) towards Pamela and felt that the ending was disappointing. This is a long read and takes a substantial amount of time to complete. Though it does serve as a solid ground for discussion about early literature and the formation of the novel, I don’t appreciate Samuel Richardson’s way of communicating his views on virginity and purity through Pamela.
alishaabrahamsreads's review against another edition
First of all Pamela is 15 and Mr. B is a grown man, so already a bad start. Then there is the constant sexual assault, gaslighting, and manipulation... what a healthy relationship! Pamela's loss of autonomy and essentially the book ending with her experiencing stockholm syndrome was the icing on the top.
Overall really uncomfortable -- but a good discussion piece for my class (which is why I read it)
Overall really uncomfortable -- but a good discussion piece for my class (which is why I read it)
bbgx's review against another edition
3.0
Strong start, very boring middle and honestly a wild 180 in Pamela’s attitude. Quite repetitive and at times infuriating but overall I can see why it caused such discourse when it was first release. The impact this book had on the Brontë sisters and Austen is undeniable. Jane eyre is basically a more concise and tragic retelling of this.