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kimveach's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I assumed this novel was a romance, but it was a tale of class, obsession, and revenge. While I can appreciate this classic, I didn't enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Violence, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, and Racial slurs
noel_rene_cisneros's review against another edition
Brontë construye esta historia como una serie de matrioskas cada una cuenta una historia dentro de la cual se cuenta otra historia —que, generalmente, profundiza en el relato de la novela misma—. Lockwood es un hombre que renta la granja de los Tordos al dueño de Cumbres borrascosas, al iniciar la novela acude a Cumbres borrascosas a presentarse con su arrendador, Heathcliff, ahí conoce a la nuera de éste, Cathy, una joven que se muestra hosca. Lockwood tiene que quedarse por el mal clima y, mientras duerme, ve el fantasma de Catherine Earnshaw —de quien lee una serie de cartas y un diario—. Brontë hace propio para su novela las narraciones más diversas y así construye al vengativo Heathcliff y a Catherine de quien estuvo enamorado —que se casó con Edgar Linton, el antiguo dueño de la granja de los Tordos—, como una noticia que vamos conociendo a partir de pedazos de información, de dimes y diretes, Brontë construye su historia, la historia de amores que no se consuman, de amores que se malean y de jóvenes obligados a padecer la tiranía.
sarahk00p's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
goodolnicole's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Incest, and Physical abuse
marcird's review against another edition
2.0
Too dark and depressing and 19th century English for my tastes.
rachkhhh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
elimds9's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite classic lit book. I have no idea what made me pick it up but I enjoyed every page. Maybe it's because I relate to stubborn characters.
psicmarie's review against another edition
4.0
Un clásico muy particular, con alto contenido sensible por como se muestra el bien y el mal en contraste. Fue algo desconcertante leerlo pero así es el corazón humano dominado por las pasiones sin brida y jinete. El final quizás un poco rápido y repentino pero que a mí me deja conforme.
islandofgreen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
eddlovesyou's review against another edition
5.0
TW for swearing and mentions of mental illness (big kiss emoji)
Spoiler-free section ★★★
Reading this book has been a very long journey to me. My thoughts are really fuckin rambled but I'm gonna do my best to explain. Summed up my feelings are:
"WuTheRbIng HeihgT is tH e GreAtesT Bo OnK eVer!!!!!"
BUT more eligibly - it's a story about awful, awful people, and that's awesome!
I have never read a book with more evil, selfish main characters and the fact that I am torn between rooting for them and rooting for their opposing, more evil and more selfish counterparts is absolutely delectable.
I never felt a page didn't have a purpose as it continually strived to progress this insufferably long story of love, possessiveness and above all: forgiveness.
I'm not sure how much others would agree with me that that is the strongest theme of the book but I also don't care to listen to others' opinions on Wuthering Heights as I think it's amazing and great and the idea of someone disliking it would make me cry.
But I'll talk more about the themes (and probably crying) in the spoiler section.
Wuthering Heights is extremely character driven with the whole book basically being a gossip story as we follow one character telling another character about other characters.
I'm not going to lie, if this book was written in modern times I would've cringed at this but my girl Emily was a fuckin genius for writing it like this, especially considering that she was a rich bitch who managed to write a servant WELL and our main love interest was a PoC? Damn Emily You Are Woke.
Plus several characters are very much coded as mentally ill - very interesting seeing as it's written in 1847 but like our main girl Catherine definitely has a PD. And personally I found that very relatable. I know I might read into this a bit more than others, but I really found a connection in how far she's willing to go, just being completely driven by emotion.
I had to put it down for longer periods just because I needed time to reflect because I was overwhelmed by all of my own PD overemotionality.
Okay, anyway. If you don't like dialogue this is Hell on Earth but it's not without it's twists and turns, this old-ass book had me laughing out loud at some of the shit these pompous bastards are getting up to. I love it.
To conclude,
please read Wuthering Heights or at the very least listen to Kate Bush's homage song. It's also very good. Okay.
Spoiler section ★★★
Holy fuck, did I mention I love this book? Nelly is the smartest and the dumbest bitch ever, oh my god.
I love that we're always seeing things from her perspective, from what I can tell she's basically excluded in retellings but she's the BEST CHARACTER! If she really was just a passive bystander I would get it, but Nelly is the toughest nut in this neighbourhood, oh my god, I love that she's so fuckin opinionated about literally everything and she treats everyone like a mild nuisance even if she'd do anything for them. I love that we get to know characters like Catherine and Heathcliff and (Catherine) Junior through her and how often she'll stop just to shittalk these people, even when she admits to seeing them as her family and siblings and refuses to be separated from them.
Please love Nelly, I'd fight for that woman.
I love that she's so flawed, every character is so flawed and unique and seeing them grow, and grow up, makes my heart swell.
Which brings me to my earlier point! This is a story about ~forgiveness~.
Because everyone involved is a bad person. Except Edgar. Like I honestly wanted him to be a little bad just because he seemed like the only character who never did anything to wrong, never acted too selfish. But he just was Like That. Best boy. But that was a problem too, no? Like that big-ass heart let too many step on him. Heathcliff literally said he'd crush his ribcage like a walnut, which might be the funniest fuckin thing I've ever heard.
My point is: I think Edgar needed to be tougher in the world he lived in and staying the sweet, little cuck he was kinda was his undoing. He was too ~forgiving~.
Every character has multiple crossroads where they need to forgive someone.
From Hindley and Catherine needing to forgive their dad from bringing home a stray boy,
to Heathcliff needing to forgive Catherine for shittalking him and marrying Edgar,
to Edgar needing to forgive Catherine for loving Heathcliff,
to... everyone needing to forgive everyone for all the shit they're doing by the end, jesus christ.
And not everyone can forgive. Not everything can or SHOULD be forgiven, and I think Wuthering Heights really brings that up. I mean look at Heathcliff who, in his final days, let go of all his hatred, all that he had pent up since he was a kid, this lifelong desire to just fuck over absolutely everyone - and then died, a happy man.
Does He Deserve That Happiness Though? Ehhh. Debatable.
I found it so interesting how even at the worst of times, there was always a part of me that wanted him to be happy. I think he was wronged from a very young age, even Nelly our local Nice Guy (Nelly voice: "m'lord") pinches him just to see how he'll react. Thanks ELLEN!
So there's something almost satisfying in seeing him go off and get revenge on all these bad people.
But in the process he becomes the worst of all.
Seeing his downfall and how he grows into being the main villain while still being a man full of thought is so fuckin tight, dude.
Every scene post-Catherine's death where he mentions her is so beautiful, the way he completely romanticises her as something to escape to, even digging up her body to fulfill his need for comfort after he's driven everyone away.
And the fact that there's this horrible tragedy in thinking: what if him and Catherine had gotten together? Because there's no guarantee things would have been any better. It could've been a lot worse for all we know. Even with all the pain and suffering, at least we had a happy ending. Right?
I mean Junior and Hareton are cousins but it's hard not to root for them. They're so cute!!! Even if Junior is a lil shit who gives him lil slaps. Other than that, very cute.
I think their growth is probably my favourite part of the whole book. Every time you see Hareton there's heartache carried from Nelly until the end where we see him become a soft, gentle man like he was always meant to be. And then the contrast of watching the entirety of Junior's growth and see her naivety fade as she matures. My babies, all grown up.
I'm going to go personal now. Personal Mode Activated.
I think I found this book so profound because it's all written around a terrible, horrible, toxic relationship. Catherine and Heathcliff can't understand how bad they are for each other because they only want to see the good parts. It drives them forward, it's like a second nature that they belong to each other. It doesn't matter that they're completely dysfunctional.
I mean apart they're already pretty bad people but together they're a Storm Of Shittiness. A Shitstorm, If You Will. And I find that relatable. I think if you've ever been in a mutually toxic relationship but ESPECIALLY if there's been mental illness involved, you'll find something personal in Wuthering Heights.
Same goes for the end of the book, where we see Hareton and Junior, coming out of the mouth of Hell as two pretty good kids that try to leave behind their parents' toxic behaviours.
I think it's wonderful to see all of these chaotic, mentally ill people be represented as main characters but also that they're not ever forgiven for acting out. Nelly never lets Catherine think it's okay to have temper tantrums and when Junior starts, she's like "oh my god, here we go again." I think it's important to read a book like this, at least to me, that's so grounding while still dealing with some taboo thoughts and feelings.
In conclusion! Wutherbing Heihgt is the greatest boonk ever, please read.
Thank you so much for reading this very confusing review, I love you, stay safe.
Spoiler-free section ★★★
Reading this book has been a very long journey to me. My thoughts are really fuckin rambled but I'm gonna do my best to explain. Summed up my feelings are:
"WuTheRbIng HeihgT is tH e GreAtesT Bo OnK eVer!!!!!"
BUT more eligibly - it's a story about awful, awful people, and that's awesome!
I have never read a book with more evil, selfish main characters and the fact that I am torn between rooting for them and rooting for their opposing, more evil and more selfish counterparts is absolutely delectable.
I never felt a page didn't have a purpose as it continually strived to progress this insufferably long story of love, possessiveness and above all: forgiveness.
I'm not sure how much others would agree with me that that is the strongest theme of the book but I also don't care to listen to others' opinions on Wuthering Heights as I think it's amazing and great and the idea of someone disliking it would make me cry.
But I'll talk more about the themes (and probably crying) in the spoiler section.
Wuthering Heights is extremely character driven with the whole book basically being a gossip story as we follow one character telling another character about other characters.
I'm not going to lie, if this book was written in modern times I would've cringed at this but my girl Emily was a fuckin genius for writing it like this, especially considering that she was a rich bitch who managed to write a servant WELL and our main love interest was a PoC? Damn Emily You Are Woke.
Plus several characters are very much coded as mentally ill - very interesting seeing as it's written in 1847 but like our main girl Catherine definitely has a PD. And personally I found that very relatable. I know I might read into this a bit more than others, but I really found a connection in how far she's willing to go, just being completely driven by emotion.
I had to put it down for longer periods just because I needed time to reflect because I was overwhelmed by all of my own PD overemotionality.
Okay, anyway. If you don't like dialogue this is Hell on Earth but it's not without it's twists and turns, this old-ass book had me laughing out loud at some of the shit these pompous bastards are getting up to. I love it.
To conclude,
please read Wuthering Heights or at the very least listen to Kate Bush's homage song. It's also very good. Okay.
Spoiler section ★★★
Holy fuck, did I mention I love this book? Nelly is the smartest and the dumbest bitch ever, oh my god.
I love that we're always seeing things from her perspective, from what I can tell she's basically excluded in retellings but she's the BEST CHARACTER! If she really was just a passive bystander I would get it, but Nelly is the toughest nut in this neighbourhood, oh my god, I love that she's so fuckin opinionated about literally everything and she treats everyone like a mild nuisance even if she'd do anything for them. I love that we get to know characters like Catherine and Heathcliff and (Catherine) Junior through her and how often she'll stop just to shittalk these people, even when she admits to seeing them as her family and siblings and refuses to be separated from them.
Please love Nelly, I'd fight for that woman.
I love that she's so flawed, every character is so flawed and unique and seeing them grow, and grow up, makes my heart swell.
Which brings me to my earlier point! This is a story about ~forgiveness~.
Because everyone involved is a bad person. Except Edgar. Like I honestly wanted him to be a little bad just because he seemed like the only character who never did anything to wrong, never acted too selfish. But he just was Like That. Best boy. But that was a problem too, no? Like that big-ass heart let too many step on him. Heathcliff literally said he'd crush his ribcage like a walnut, which might be the funniest fuckin thing I've ever heard.
My point is: I think Edgar needed to be tougher in the world he lived in and staying the sweet, little cuck he was kinda was his undoing. He was too ~forgiving~.
Every character has multiple crossroads where they need to forgive someone.
From Hindley and Catherine needing to forgive their dad from bringing home a stray boy,
to Heathcliff needing to forgive Catherine for shittalking him and marrying Edgar,
to Edgar needing to forgive Catherine for loving Heathcliff,
to... everyone needing to forgive everyone for all the shit they're doing by the end, jesus christ.
And not everyone can forgive. Not everything can or SHOULD be forgiven, and I think Wuthering Heights really brings that up. I mean look at Heathcliff who, in his final days, let go of all his hatred, all that he had pent up since he was a kid, this lifelong desire to just fuck over absolutely everyone - and then died, a happy man.
Does He Deserve That Happiness Though? Ehhh. Debatable.
I found it so interesting how even at the worst of times, there was always a part of me that wanted him to be happy. I think he was wronged from a very young age, even Nelly our local Nice Guy (Nelly voice: "m'lord") pinches him just to see how he'll react. Thanks ELLEN!
So there's something almost satisfying in seeing him go off and get revenge on all these bad people.
But in the process he becomes the worst of all.
Seeing his downfall and how he grows into being the main villain while still being a man full of thought is so fuckin tight, dude.
Every scene post-Catherine's death where he mentions her is so beautiful, the way he completely romanticises her as something to escape to, even digging up her body to fulfill his need for comfort after he's driven everyone away.
And the fact that there's this horrible tragedy in thinking: what if him and Catherine had gotten together? Because there's no guarantee things would have been any better. It could've been a lot worse for all we know. Even with all the pain and suffering, at least we had a happy ending. Right?
I mean Junior and Hareton are cousins but it's hard not to root for them. They're so cute!!! Even if Junior is a lil shit who gives him lil slaps. Other than that, very cute.
I think their growth is probably my favourite part of the whole book. Every time you see Hareton there's heartache carried from Nelly until the end where we see him become a soft, gentle man like he was always meant to be. And then the contrast of watching the entirety of Junior's growth and see her naivety fade as she matures. My babies, all grown up.
I'm going to go personal now. Personal Mode Activated.
I think I found this book so profound because it's all written around a terrible, horrible, toxic relationship. Catherine and Heathcliff can't understand how bad they are for each other because they only want to see the good parts. It drives them forward, it's like a second nature that they belong to each other. It doesn't matter that they're completely dysfunctional.
I mean apart they're already pretty bad people but together they're a Storm Of Shittiness. A Shitstorm, If You Will. And I find that relatable. I think if you've ever been in a mutually toxic relationship but ESPECIALLY if there's been mental illness involved, you'll find something personal in Wuthering Heights.
Same goes for the end of the book, where we see Hareton and Junior, coming out of the mouth of Hell as two pretty good kids that try to leave behind their parents' toxic behaviours.
I think it's wonderful to see all of these chaotic, mentally ill people be represented as main characters but also that they're not ever forgiven for acting out. Nelly never lets Catherine think it's okay to have temper tantrums and when Junior starts, she's like "oh my god, here we go again." I think it's important to read a book like this, at least to me, that's so grounding while still dealing with some taboo thoughts and feelings.
In conclusion! Wutherbing Heihgt is the greatest boonk ever, please read.
Thank you so much for reading this very confusing review, I love you, stay safe.