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hygrpfrt's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
mon_ique's review against another edition
2.0
2022- What say I, about such a story? Enchanting elements -few. Riotous and Vibrant personalities -abundant.
I really enjoyed Helena and the family atmosphere that she was able to thrive in with Percival's family.
I wish the book dwelled more on that!
In all seriousness, I think the dwelling on what's bad in the world was the turn off. Here is dedicated chapters and details of Lady D-'s past misdeeds, (oh, just flirtations and dissipation, yet am i shocked by this being published in 1801? A little... The maligning of Clarence with a mistress? A lot shocked) and spend more time than I'm comfortable with, with the brash Mrs. Freke. Is that a purposeful play on words, on the character described as a 'man-woman'? I'd rather not know, so my journey in Belinda's contrasting morality and prudence and kindness (such a contrast highlights the moral of the story quite elegantly...) Has ended about %48 in.
Do I delight in knowing who she ends up with? Quite indifferently, hence, a last peep at the last page which shows what happens with Lady D- suffices enough.
Edgeworth really seemed to delight in long speeches and chaotic commentary, just to highlight how good of a female Belinda was. Flawed. And yet, Belinda wasn't annoying, I liked her for her quiet courage.
I really enjoyed Helena and the family atmosphere that she was able to thrive in with Percival's family.
I wish the book dwelled more on that!
In all seriousness, I think the dwelling on what's bad in the world was the turn off. Here is dedicated chapters and details of Lady D-'s past misdeeds, (oh, just flirtations and dissipation, yet am i shocked by this being published in 1801? A little... The maligning of Clarence with a mistress? A lot shocked) and spend more time than I'm comfortable with, with the brash Mrs. Freke. Is that a purposeful play on words, on the character described as a 'man-woman'? I'd rather not know, so my journey in Belinda's contrasting morality and prudence and kindness (such a contrast highlights the moral of the story quite elegantly...) Has ended about %48 in.
Do I delight in knowing who she ends up with? Quite indifferently, hence, a last peep at the last page which shows what happens with Lady D- suffices enough.
Edgeworth really seemed to delight in long speeches and chaotic commentary, just to highlight how good of a female Belinda was. Flawed. And yet, Belinda wasn't annoying, I liked her for her quiet courage.
una_macchia's review against another edition
Well that was exhausting. I was actually engrossed for a while (approximately through the first half/two thirds) but then finished it feeling like -- what for? I actually liked the reconciliation between Lady Delacour and her husband, but after that everything became much more overtly moralistic and sententious. Which is interesting in a way because Maria Edgeworth's early 19th century morals were very different from mine, but it's also rather tedious at times. We learn exhaustively how important it is for a woman to behave within a narrow set of restrictions, because if she doesn't she'll inevitably come to a bad end like Mrs Freke (what an on-the-nose name), unless, like Lady Delacour, she has a perfect paragon handy to put her life back together. I must say I did not expect Mr Vincent to become a cautionary tale against the evils of gambling, or that Clarence Hervey's attempt at grooming an ignorant orphan into his perfect wife by keeping her secluded for two years would be recounted sympathically as a minor failing. (Vincent's moral failure, despite his harsh lesson and sincere avowal never to gamble again, is enough for Belinda to end their engagement -- fair enough. But everything Hervey did in secret is perfectly honourable and no obstacle to their marital happiness??) We also get more bonus racism and anti-Semitism, so that's fun.
[It does annoy me that so many people talk about Edgeworth, as well as other novelists like Frances Burney, only in relation to Jane Austen, and only as writers who are obviously far inferior to Austen. Bleh.]
[It does annoy me that so many people talk about Edgeworth, as well as other novelists like Frances Burney, only in relation to Jane Austen, and only as writers who are obviously far inferior to Austen. Bleh.]
mg_espi's review against another edition
3.0
3/2022 Esta era una de las novelas favoritas de Jane Austen y a mí se me ha atascado un poco, pero no era ella, he sido yo.
Me ha costado un poco entrar en el ritmo pausado de esta novela, tarda bastante en que empiecen a pasar cosas, pero alrededor del tercio ya salí del atasco y todo bien, teniendo en cuenta que no es una acción trepidante.
Pensaba todo el rato qué suerte no estar sujetas a tantísimas normas hechas solamente por aparentar y que me gustaría ver una adaptación.
Si os gustan las novelas de tacitas, dadle.
La traducción (maravillosa y llena de detalles) es de @noemijfurquet
Me ha costado un poco entrar en el ritmo pausado de esta novela, tarda bastante en que empiecen a pasar cosas, pero alrededor del tercio ya salí del atasco y todo bien, teniendo en cuenta que no es una acción trepidante.
Pensaba todo el rato qué suerte no estar sujetas a tantísimas normas hechas solamente por aparentar y que me gustaría ver una adaptación.
Si os gustan las novelas de tacitas, dadle.
La traducción (maravillosa y llena de detalles) es de @noemijfurquet
heather_freshparchment's review against another edition
2.0
2.5. There were witty moments and I loved the diversity in this book, but the diversity wasn't handled as well as it could have been (19th-century norms). By halfway through, the twists and turns became outlandish, the ending was too ambiguous, and I found that I just didn't care about any of the characters anymore.
hartsea's review against another edition
4.0
Lady Delacour forever! There's a duel between two women dressed in men's clothes, and the witty and fun Lady Delacour doesn't die at the end. I mostly couldn't give it five stars because I never warmed to Clarence as Belinda's love interest. It's also drags a bit at times.