Reviews

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

haferbaker's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

jenmat1197's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

 

Here is what Amazon says about Vanity Fair: 

"No one is better equipped in the struggle for wealth and worldly success than the alluring and ruthless Becky Sharp, who defies her impoverished background to clamber up the class ladder. Her sentimental companion Amelia, however, longs only for caddish soldier George. As the two heroines make their way through the tawdry glamour of Regency society, battles—military and domestic—are fought, fortunes made and lost. The one steadfast and honourable figure in this corrupt world is Dobbin with his devotion to Amelia, bringing pathos and depth to Thackeray's gloriously satirical epic of love and social adventure."

I am sure I am the last person on earth to read this book.  I tend to shy away from the hefty classics, but I am doing a Rory Gilmore challenge this year and that girl loved a good classic.  I didn't love or hate this book.  It just....was.  It was long and a bit tedious and meandered its way through a story that never really went anywhere.  

juliekreddy's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

carrymey's review against another edition

5.0

Vanity Fair is a jewel of a book. Now many people have said it more eloquently than I ever could, but this book is something else.
I ADORED the authors voice. It was so sarcastic, so funny, so blunt at times.
I ADORED the characters, which were all so flawed and perfectly human. Of course Dobbin was my favorite of the lot.
As for Becky. It was very difficult. I enjoyed how she almost always got her way, how clever she is, how rough. I respect that. But I loathed how she treated people who loved her, namely Rawdon and her son.

This book is an amazing study of characters and highly entertaining.

sabinapavlei's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

jufira42's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative lighthearted slow-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

4.5

louisegraveyard's review against another edition

funny 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? Yes

3.0

vantaesday's review against another edition

3.0

I FINALLY FINISHED THIS KGKGHSAOWIEURWRQ

twas but 500 pages too long

rosie_ac's review against another edition

3.0

Becky is a fascinating character and I imagine the depiction of such an anti-heroine in a semi-sympathetic or admiring light at the time was revolutionary. Though Thackeray’s commentary extrapolating certain characterise to all women is jarring to the modern reader.

Overall, the novel suffers from being overly-long, repetitive, and all the other characters being so one-dimensional as to be boring in the extreme. Becky shines by comparison, but not enough to save the book. I’d recommend listening on audiobook as the perfect book to fall asleep to!

buntingsir's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0