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mercybrewer's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.75
Lots of triggering content (SA)
daylighthoax's review
2.0
what the fuck was that, I dare to say that this girl had stockholm syndrome and was an inspiration to the creators of 50 shades of grey and 365 days, I read it only because of my lit classes
paulahe's review
2.0
Well that's about 3 weeks of my life taken up! This book could so easily be halved. Not ont I'd recommend.
seatea's review
3.0
anyone who thinks beauty and the beast is about stockholm syndrome obviously hasnt read this
watching pamela's total shift in personality in the last 150 pages is more nauseating than any horror on the planet and you cant change my mind
watching pamela's total shift in personality in the last 150 pages is more nauseating than any horror on the planet and you cant change my mind
wille44's review
0.5
Samuel Richardson's literary contributions have probably aged the worst of any 18th century writer. No one can deny his titanic influence, he was credited with popularizing the sentimental novel, a novel as a vehicle to generate feeling for the characters, a focus that became a hallmark of the medium. Unfortunately Richardson was very much shaped in the Neoclassical mold of his era and his preachy, static, unending books earned a good deal of scorn and parody in his own time to go along with his massive popularity. He insisted on writing to instruct first and entertain second, and coming to his books now finds the latter dissipated entirely, and the former outdated and useless.
Pamela synthesizes the worst of these traits, a story about a girl enduring repeated sexual assault until her refusal to have a good time convinces the abuser to marry her. Historical context would paint this tale as one that was actually somewhat progressive for it's era, but obviously Richardson's heavy handed insistence on women being virtuous while absolving men of this same requirement is useless for any contemporary reading. This leaves us with the form as the point of interest, but the story is paced disastrously, is crushingly repetitive, it's characters are vehicles of moral teaching first and human second (or not very at all) and his epistolary style is not well done even by its own limited standards, reading more like journal entries (and are literally that for a good portion) rather than providing any dynamic conversational back and forth.
His next novel, Clarissa, while being three times as long and also deeply flawed, has a significantly better moral message and theme, characters that are fleshed out and examined with greater depth and affect, stretches the epistolary format to it's creative limit, and has a much more satisfying build up and payoff with its plot movements. All that being said it's still a rough read, but it's leagues better than Pamela, which absolutely no one should be reading. It provides nothing academically interesting or relevant that its successor doesn't do significantly better, and would be better left lost to time along with Richardson's later works.
Pamela synthesizes the worst of these traits, a story about a girl enduring repeated sexual assault until her refusal to have a good time convinces the abuser to marry her. Historical context would paint this tale as one that was actually somewhat progressive for it's era, but obviously Richardson's heavy handed insistence on women being virtuous while absolving men of this same requirement is useless for any contemporary reading. This leaves us with the form as the point of interest, but the story is paced disastrously, is crushingly repetitive, it's characters are vehicles of moral teaching first and human second (or not very at all) and his epistolary style is not well done even by its own limited standards, reading more like journal entries (and are literally that for a good portion) rather than providing any dynamic conversational back and forth.
His next novel, Clarissa, while being three times as long and also deeply flawed, has a significantly better moral message and theme, characters that are fleshed out and examined with greater depth and affect, stretches the epistolary format to it's creative limit, and has a much more satisfying build up and payoff with its plot movements. All that being said it's still a rough read, but it's leagues better than Pamela, which absolutely no one should be reading. It provides nothing academically interesting or relevant that its successor doesn't do significantly better, and would be better left lost to time along with Richardson's later works.
theoissocool's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
diana_eveline's review against another edition
2.0
"O how can wicked men seem so steady and untouched with such black hearts, while poor innocents stand like malefactors before them!”
Pamela, a maid-servant of a respectable lady, finds herself without a master upon the passing of her lady. The son of her lady, Mr. B., kindly offers her a position in his household. Little does she know he has his mind set on entirely different things. For weeks on end he tries to bully her into letting him have her virtue. She begs him to let her go home to her parents. He pretends to let her go but meanwhile sends her off to a different house of his, far away from her parents. She is to be kept there until she has a change of heart. Here she discovers, after many struggles and challenges, that she loved him all along.
I have to admit that I have never been so happy to have finished a book. I would have quit it a while ago, had it not been a mandatory read for a course I am following. It was absolutely dreadful. Not only was it far too lengthy and repetitive but the moral is revolting! Yes, it is good to be virtuous and the happy ending is pleasant but Mr. B. represents this idea that if you want something (or someone) enough and you bully to no extend, you will get what you want.
When Pamela had a sudden change of heart, I was astonished and even disgusted when I found out she was only 16. She dotes on his love and says she has never experienced any form of dedication quite like his. Well, I should think not, being only 16! I suppose people married a lot younger back then but surely someone could have told the girl that there would be others who would love her and pay attention to her? Perhaps someone who isn't so set on having his way...
The final notes in the book gave a slightly different perspective on the story than I had but still praised the book for showing that "love" can concur even social class. I can see how this book would have been a grand success in 1740, since parts of it are beautiful and very passionate. I just found the whole thing rather vulgar and unbelievable. The only thing that prevented me from giving this book one star was the moments of tension when Pamela managed to outwit Mr. B and his sister, Mrs. Davers, on several occasions. Those parts made for a few short-lived pageturning moments. Sadly, I cannot say that for the rest of the book.
Pamela, a maid-servant of a respectable lady, finds herself without a master upon the passing of her lady. The son of her lady, Mr. B., kindly offers her a position in his household. Little does she know he has his mind set on entirely different things. For weeks on end he tries to bully her into letting him have her virtue. She begs him to let her go home to her parents. He pretends to let her go but meanwhile sends her off to a different house of his, far away from her parents. She is to be kept there until she has a change of heart. Here she discovers, after many struggles and challenges, that she loved him all along.
I have to admit that I have never been so happy to have finished a book. I would have quit it a while ago, had it not been a mandatory read for a course I am following. It was absolutely dreadful. Not only was it far too lengthy and repetitive but the moral is revolting! Yes, it is good to be virtuous and the happy ending is pleasant but Mr. B. represents this idea that if you want something (or someone) enough and you bully to no extend, you will get what you want.
When Pamela had a sudden change of heart, I was astonished and even disgusted when I found out she was only 16. She dotes on his love and says she has never experienced any form of dedication quite like his. Well, I should think not, being only 16! I suppose people married a lot younger back then but surely someone could have told the girl that there would be others who would love her and pay attention to her? Perhaps someone who isn't so set on having his way...
The final notes in the book gave a slightly different perspective on the story than I had but still praised the book for showing that "love" can concur even social class. I can see how this book would have been a grand success in 1740, since parts of it are beautiful and very passionate. I just found the whole thing rather vulgar and unbelievable. The only thing that prevented me from giving this book one star was the moments of tension when Pamela managed to outwit Mr. B and his sister, Mrs. Davers, on several occasions. Those parts made for a few short-lived pageturning moments. Sadly, I cannot say that for the rest of the book.
noteworthy_fiction's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0