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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let's get this out of the way--most of the characters in this book are awful. Catherine, Heathcliff, Hindley, etc., are extremely self-serving people who are also bad parents. However, it's hard to dispute that this book birthed both an aesthetic (love on the moors) and a genre (dark romance w/paranormal undertones).
Emily Brontë also arguably did Rashomon before Rashomon. With its avant garde format of shifting narration, we get the story of Heathcliff told through many perspectives... but never his own. The two most important relationships in his life--his obsessive love for Catherine, and hispaternal love for Hareton-- remain enshrouded, sparking room for debate and reflection. IMO, Heathcliff's overheard realization that he loved Hareton and doesn't want to stand in the way of his happiness is the thing that allows Heathcliff to free himself of the mortal coil, enabling his reunion with Catherine at last. Hareton is more Heathcliff's son than Linton. Thus, in his own dysfunctional way, Heathcliff comes to fulfill the promise that Catherine and Hindley's father initially intended, i.e., for Heathcliff to become part of the family. In all, this is a bleak and at times frustrating story that nonetheless haunts.
Emily Brontë also arguably did Rashomon before Rashomon. With its avant garde format of shifting narration, we get the story of Heathcliff told through many perspectives... but never his own. The two most important relationships in his life--his obsessive love for Catherine, and his
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hated it at the start. Started so slowly I struggled through the first quarter. I appreciated the arc through the end, and that some characters grew and others simply did not at all.
This book is obviously a very different type of read. For me, it was worth it just to read the famous, "whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." This book is difficult, it's old English, yes it's a little different, but something about me loves classic English literature so so much.
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Yes