Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love how much more realistic this was in comparison to Emily and charlottes work- no intense Byronic heroes here which was refreshing! However I did find Helen’s character far more interesting at the start of the novel, and during her diary- she became a little too one note and pious for me and returning to care for her horrific husband frustrated me. The piety of this book is to be expected for the time period but I did find it a slot at times. However- Anne knows how to write drama and there were times, especially at the end of the novel, that I positively devoured it. Defo one you need to read in big chunks as it’s hard to get into just a few chapters at a time. Obvious references to her brother in lord lowborough and how his fortune might have changed made me very sad.
Re-read
"I would not send a poor girl into the world, unarmed against her foes, and ignorant of the snares that beset her path; nor would I watch and guard her, till, deprived of self-respect and self-reliance, she lost the power or the will to watch and guard herself.”
Here is another book I should have read ages ago! When you hear the name of Bronte, you always think of [b:Jane Eyre|11016|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508416692l/11016._SY75_.jpg|2977639] (which I loved) and [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Brontë|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587655304l/6185._SY75_.jpg|1565818] (not so keen). Anne however seems to only get a side notation, but she really deserves her place next to her sisters.
Her style is indeed totally different, favouring a realist treatment to a romantic one, bringing to the light some very unsavory elements. Anne didn't just dare to speak in a frank manner of depravity, alcoholism, and the horrendous powerlessness of married women in a patriarchal society that saw them as little more than objects, but she gave us a woman who confronted these. Helen is not perfect, far from it, but she fights back, and Anne gives her the only excuse a Victorian public would have accepted, the well-being and salvation of her child.
I must admit I was pleasantly surprised and rushed through the novel.
"I would not send a poor girl into the world, unarmed against her foes, and ignorant of the snares that beset her path; nor would I watch and guard her, till, deprived of self-respect and self-reliance, she lost the power or the will to watch and guard herself.”
Here is another book I should have read ages ago! When you hear the name of Bronte, you always think of [b:Jane Eyre|11016|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508416692l/11016._SY75_.jpg|2977639] (which I loved) and [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Brontë|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587655304l/6185._SY75_.jpg|1565818] (not so keen). Anne however seems to only get a side notation, but she really deserves her place next to her sisters.
Her style is indeed totally different, favouring a realist treatment to a romantic one, bringing to the light some very unsavory elements. Anne didn't just dare to speak in a frank manner of depravity, alcoholism, and the horrendous powerlessness of married women in a patriarchal society that saw them as little more than objects, but she gave us a woman who confronted these. Helen is not perfect, far from it, but she fights back, and Anne gives her the only excuse a Victorian public would have accepted, the well-being and salvation of her child.
I must admit I was pleasantly surprised and rushed through the novel.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
slow-paced
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Anne is the "forgotten" Bronte sister with Charlotte writing "Jane Eyre" and Emily writing "Wuthering Heights". I feel this classic is underated but then again I've read it with age and experience, rather than as a "romantic" teenager who wanted to believe love could conqueror all!
The story is written in three parts with Gilbert Markham writing letters to a friend about a widow who has come to live in the district and is residing with her young son at Wildfell Hall. I wasn't sure if I liked Gilbert as he is quite a conceited young man. He falls for the widow, Mrs Graham, who is the subject of a lot of local gossip as she keeps to herself and supports herself and her son by selling her paintings. Gilbert believes the gossip because she is so secretive and after seeing her embrace her landlord Mr Laurence, behaves really poorly due to jealousy.
The story then changes to Mrs's Graham's POV through diaries she gives to Gilbert to read. This reveals that she isn't Mrs Graham at all but rather Mrs Helen Huntington and Mr Laurence is in fact her brother who is helping her as she has fled her abusive husband with her young son. This was a shocking thing to do at the time and legally Helen had no right to her son or her own property and what was her's was his. This section of the book is quite long, but it does reveal how Helen at 18 years old meet Arthur Huntington who was handsome and charming, and despite warnings from her Aunty of his partying ways, chose to still marry him because she believed she could "change" him.
She then details through her diaries his drinking, leaving her for long periods whilst he parties in London, and bringing friends home for months to relieve his boredom when the London season is over. Arthur is cruel, volient and unfaithful. Anne Bronte presents a strong contrast between genders of this time where his behaviour was, if not acceptable, still allowed, yet as a women she was to tolerate it, not complain and never able to leave him. It is only after Arthur starts teaching their three year old son to drink, smoke and swear that she decides to leave him for her son's sake.
The final section of the book reverts back to Gilbert's letters to his friend where he explains he loves Helen more than ever and understands why she left her husband. He and Helen agree not to see each other because she dosen't want to break her wedding vows (she is still the pious, moral young woman). But then Helen finds out her husband has had an accident and he has been deserted by his friends and is all alone so returns to look after him! I was quite annoyed with her at this point but then again I thought many women even today return to abusive husbands over and over again despite the knowledge and supports in place and change in social values. But then the happy ending comes anyway, with Arthur dying and she is able to reunit with Gilbert and they marry.
What I liked about this novel was its realism, especially compared to "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights". Also the lack of "Byronic" hero such as Heathcliffe or Rochester was refreshing. Instead I felt it showed character development and transformation, especially of Gilbert who in the final section seemed to have matured. He dosn't pressure her to run away with him and betray her own values, even though he dosen't agree with her returning to look after Arthur. He dosen't harrass her in anyway, even via messages or letters, but gives her the space she needs before they marry.
Of course, there is moralising in this book and talk of God and doing what's right on earth to be rewarded in heaven (this demonstrates more than anything Arthur's unwillingness to change his ways even with his fear of death) so that was hard to read at times! But I still give this book 5 stars for Anne writing such a reaslitic and bold novel that at times moved me to tears.
The story is written in three parts with Gilbert Markham writing letters to a friend about a widow who has come to live in the district and is residing with her young son at Wildfell Hall. I wasn't sure if I liked Gilbert as he is quite a conceited young man. He falls for the widow, Mrs Graham, who is the subject of a lot of local gossip as she keeps to herself and supports herself and her son by selling her paintings. Gilbert believes the gossip because she is so secretive and after seeing her embrace her landlord Mr Laurence, behaves really poorly due to jealousy.
The story then changes to Mrs's Graham's POV through diaries she gives to Gilbert to read. This reveals that she isn't Mrs Graham at all but rather Mrs Helen Huntington and Mr Laurence is in fact her brother who is helping her as she has fled her abusive husband with her young son. This was a shocking thing to do at the time and legally Helen had no right to her son or her own property and what was her's was his. This section of the book is quite long, but it does reveal how Helen at 18 years old meet Arthur Huntington who was handsome and charming, and despite warnings from her Aunty of his partying ways, chose to still marry him because she believed she could "change" him.
She then details through her diaries his drinking, leaving her for long periods whilst he parties in London, and bringing friends home for months to relieve his boredom when the London season is over. Arthur is cruel, volient and unfaithful. Anne Bronte presents a strong contrast between genders of this time where his behaviour was, if not acceptable, still allowed, yet as a women she was to tolerate it, not complain and never able to leave him. It is only after Arthur starts teaching their three year old son to drink, smoke and swear that she decides to leave him for her son's sake.
The final section of the book reverts back to Gilbert's letters to his friend where he explains he loves Helen more than ever and understands why she left her husband. He and Helen agree not to see each other because she dosen't want to break her wedding vows (she is still the pious, moral young woman). But then Helen finds out her husband has had an accident and he has been deserted by his friends and is all alone so returns to look after him! I was quite annoyed with her at this point but then again I thought many women even today return to abusive husbands over and over again despite the knowledge and supports in place and change in social values. But then the happy ending comes anyway, with Arthur dying and she is able to reunit with Gilbert and they marry.
What I liked about this novel was its realism, especially compared to "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights". Also the lack of "Byronic" hero such as Heathcliffe or Rochester was refreshing. Instead I felt it showed character development and transformation, especially of Gilbert who in the final section seemed to have matured. He dosn't pressure her to run away with him and betray her own values, even though he dosen't agree with her returning to look after Arthur. He dosen't harrass her in anyway, even via messages or letters, but gives her the space she needs before they marry.
Of course, there is moralising in this book and talk of God and doing what's right on earth to be rewarded in heaven (this demonstrates more than anything Arthur's unwillingness to change his ways even with his fear of death) so that was hard to read at times! But I still give this book 5 stars for Anne writing such a reaslitic and bold novel that at times moved me to tears.
Started out pretty good, but after the diary part starts, it goes quickly downhill. That part could have been much shorter, her husband is an ass, we get it, we don't need to read ALL the ways he's an ass.
Last part was just not for me, her going back, all the miscommunication, pussyfooting around saying what needs to be said, sigh, noooooooo.
The title is all wrong, it should have been My Husband Is an Ass, Let Me Count the Ways... or this book should have been called I'm an Angel, Let me Count the Ways... Helen became so sanctimonious yet so judgmental of others, I wanted to smack her.
And in the end, I don't think Gilbert is a much better choice of husband, but whatever.
Also, if you're going to leave eventually anyway, why not sooner, maybe after Offensive and Hurtful Thing #20 instead of waiting till #100. I know leaving was not the done thing back then, but she does it later anyway, so way wait sooooooo long?? Oh right, even after Offensive and Hurtful Thing #whatever her husband is still redeemable/lovable... give me a break, no one is that delusional, especially because she identifies the same problems in the marriages of her friends.
Last part was just not for me, her going back, all the miscommunication, pussyfooting around saying what needs to be said, sigh, noooooooo.
The title is all wrong, it should have been My Husband Is an Ass, Let Me Count the Ways... or this book should have been called I'm an Angel, Let me Count the Ways... Helen became so sanctimonious yet so judgmental of others, I wanted to smack her.
And in the end, I don't think Gilbert is a much better choice of husband, but whatever.
Also, if you're going to leave eventually anyway, why not sooner, maybe after Offensive and Hurtful Thing #20 instead of waiting till #100. I know leaving was not the done thing back then, but she does it later anyway, so way wait sooooooo long?? Oh right, even after Offensive and Hurtful Thing #whatever her husband is still redeemable/lovable... give me a break, no one is that delusional, especially because she identifies the same problems in the marriages of her friends.
I will definitely be rereading this book and hastening to read Anne's other book now. My opinion of Anne Bronte is very high after reading this, and I'm so delighted to have finally read her. I'm struggling to decide whether I like her writing style better than her sister Charlotte (!!); Anne seems much more tale-telling, less somber, yet clearly getting a point across. I delighted in hating Mr. Huntingdon (the bastard!) and I'm amazed Anne was allowed to print the content she did! This book really let me understand the Victorian culture much better in a lot of ways (gentlemen camaraderie, temptation, double standards, the private sphere, treatment of one's children), and it didn't seem like it had to hide behind formal or vague or artful discourse. I felt so much sympathy and pride in the heroine Helen and can't imagine how she maintained her fortitude. She sacrificed so much of her life, because of one foolhardy mistake (she so stubbornly repeatedly turned a blind eye on all her self-declared red-flag dislikes about Huntingdon), yet she wouldn't leave the propriety of chasteness and loyalty, and she spoke strongly about what she believed in. She had very difficult decisions to deal with! I like the organization of the novel and the discussion of alcohol and other temptations. It was all very well done.