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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 stars.
There are two distinct parts to the book, both in terms of narrative and in terms of impact. The book starts rather sedately with the Markham family realising a new tenant at Wildfell hall and Gilbert Markham's gradually falling in love with Helen, that tenant. As he betrays his passion for her and the jealousy it brings, she shares her past with him, the second narrative.
Helen's back story is easily the flesh of this book. It punches you deeply and the story of martial abuse is shared openly and brutally. You feel an utter repulsion for Arthur Huntington, which Anne Bronte conveys with just minimal allusion to the incidents. Helen's frustration is ours, her tears are ours. I was torn between admiring her spunk kn standing up to her wastral of a husband and his lady love and being irritated by her compliance with her husband's wishes to stay on in their house, to the extent of endangering her son's lifestyle. Somehow, the two layers jarred with me. How could such a strong willed woman be so compliant? Anyway, this part of the book was truly brilliant. Deserved a 5 star.
The part dealing with Gilbert's romance with Helen just didn't work for me. I felt it just too light. Here was a woman with such a heavy baggage and a deep suspicion of men. She has repelled the persistent advances of other men. But her barriers seem to break almost instantaneously with Gilbert. That whole romance part was just too juevenile for me. It was unnecessary and I think Helen would have ended as a much stronger character in our mind if she remained a single woman.
There are two distinct parts to the book, both in terms of narrative and in terms of impact. The book starts rather sedately with the Markham family realising a new tenant at Wildfell hall and Gilbert Markham's gradually falling in love with Helen, that tenant. As he betrays his passion for her and the jealousy it brings, she shares her past with him, the second narrative.
Helen's back story is easily the flesh of this book. It punches you deeply and the story of martial abuse is shared openly and brutally. You feel an utter repulsion for Arthur Huntington, which Anne Bronte conveys with just minimal allusion to the incidents. Helen's frustration is ours, her tears are ours. I was torn between admiring her spunk kn standing up to her wastral of a husband and his lady love and being irritated by her compliance with her husband's wishes to stay on in their house, to the extent of endangering her son's lifestyle. Somehow, the two layers jarred with me. How could such a strong willed woman be so compliant? Anyway, this part of the book was truly brilliant. Deserved a 5 star.
The part dealing with Gilbert's romance with Helen just didn't work for me. I felt it just too light. Here was a woman with such a heavy baggage and a deep suspicion of men. She has repelled the persistent advances of other men. But her barriers seem to break almost instantaneously with Gilbert. That whole romance part was just too juevenile for me. It was unnecessary and I think Helen would have ended as a much stronger character in our mind if she remained a single woman.
This is just a fabulous story. I found myself wanting to scream “run Helen run! Run away from this horrible man!” And she does. I love how the Brontë sisters created fully realized empowered female characters who have amazing resolve. In Helen Graham, Anne Brontë has made a resilient female who finds empowerment within the structures and limitations of 19th century British life. She uses her conscience and maternal obligations to seize power over her life and future. By using the feminine aspect of gender, Anne Brontë shows how women could resist the absolute tyranny of men in this patriarchal system. I loved this book so much. (Although I should confess I listened to it as an audio book.) I love Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights and have read them several times. I had my doubts about Anne, but she far exceeded my expectations, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall belongs in the canon of 19th century literature.
3.75
It was good but to be quite honest I could have done with a tl:dr abridgment of the middle part which just drug on and on.
It was good but to be quite honest I could have done with a tl:dr abridgment of the middle part which just drug on and on.
Anne Brontë had me READING reading. My jaw constantly dropped at how well she builds tension and drama here. Being in Hellen’s head while she withstands her terrible husband, her backbone never bending while she trusts the process with that Brontë-level moral grit, PACKAGED IN MAYBE THE SWEETEST SLOW BURN EVER? I’m thrilled.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes