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literaryaysh's review against another edition
So long.. but didn’t feel it bc i read it through the year - such an interesting way to connect with characters, perhaps a bit too long.
katyonik's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Clarissa is one of the longest novels written in the English language, and arguably one of the most important. I decided to read it this year when I saw a buddy read organised by the wonderful @nataliestendallwrites. It’s an epistolary novel and plan was to read the letters on the days they were written. I kept up with the schedule until late in September when the letters really petered out and I decided to finish up rather than string 30 pages out over 3 months.
Clarissa is in many ways a cautionary tale about what happens to a young woman who does not obey the wishes of her family. It’s also a cautionary tale about what happens to a family when they put control, obedience and concern with status above the wishes and well-being of a young woman. Its villain is one of the most entitled, self-absorbed, narcissistic, delusional men I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter. Its heroine is held by all as the paragon of womanhood - so virtuous, so kind, so generous - surely too perfect to be true, or even a realistically attainable model for most women to attempt to emulate. The friendship between Clarissa and Anna is true friendship goals - genuine love, affection and respect coupled with forthright honesty. The plot itself is relatively straightforward - girl initially wants to marry boy who family disapproves of and instead require her to marry a man she can’t abide, girl is kidnapped by boy who resorts to vile methods to force her to marry him, she still refuses and unhappiness and tragedy ensues - but it’s telling is anything but. The plot unfolds via letters from a large number of friends, family and acquaintances as well as Clarissa and the evil Lovelace. The letters are so minutely detailed and frequently melodramatic - an eighteenth century soap opera if ever there was one, yet one that highlighted a very important issue - the lack of autonomy for women and the dangers this posed for them. Sometimes I found the reading tedious; at other times it was anything but - a real flurry of activity, sometimes salacious and with many people behaving badly. I was often left gob-smacked and enraged.
Overall I’m really glad to have read this classic
Clarissa is in many ways a cautionary tale about what happens to a young woman who does not obey the wishes of her family. It’s also a cautionary tale about what happens to a family when they put control, obedience and concern with status above the wishes and well-being of a young woman. Its villain is one of the most entitled, self-absorbed, narcissistic, delusional men I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter. Its heroine is held by all as the paragon of womanhood - so virtuous, so kind, so generous - surely too perfect to be true, or even a realistically attainable model for most women to attempt to emulate. The friendship between Clarissa and Anna is true friendship goals - genuine love, affection and respect coupled with forthright honesty. The plot itself is relatively straightforward - girl initially wants to marry boy who family disapproves of and instead require her to marry a man she can’t abide, girl is kidnapped by boy who resorts to vile methods to force her to marry him, she still refuses and unhappiness and tragedy ensues - but it’s telling is anything but. The plot unfolds via letters from a large number of friends, family and acquaintances as well as Clarissa and the evil Lovelace. The letters are so minutely detailed and frequently melodramatic - an eighteenth century soap opera if ever there was one, yet one that highlighted a very important issue - the lack of autonomy for women and the dangers this posed for them. Sometimes I found the reading tedious; at other times it was anything but - a real flurry of activity, sometimes salacious and with many people behaving badly. I was often left gob-smacked and enraged.
Overall I’m really glad to have read this classic
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape and Death
sagesaria's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
alittleillumination's review against another edition
1.0
Had to read this one for class - really wish I hadn't. I don't think I got anything out of it except for the fact that I could finish a 1,500 page novel. Go me!
vannau's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.0
nuska's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting study of characters, but I still think is way too long. Maybe is because English is not my mother tongue, but I found myself distracted at a times. I'd have loved if this book had attracted me, but I'm afraid it wasn't the case, though I feel sorry for Clarissa and her immense innocence.