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birtelesemann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Bullying, and Death of parent
overbooked207's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
1st book of January 2023 and 1st of the year:
“‘May she wake in torment!' he cried, with frightful vehemence, stamping his foot, and groaning in a sudden paroxysm of ungovernable passion. ‘Why, she's a liar to the end! Where is she? Not there-not in heaven--not perished--where? Oh! You said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray one prayer--I repeat it till my tongue stiffens-may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you--haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always- take any form- drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!” - Emily Brontë.
I read this years ago, but I think I listened to it too fast and didn’t remember much of it, so I decided to give it another try because I remember loving the quotes and the atmospheric setting, and I’m glad I did! The atmosphere and writing are rich, haunting, and poetic, and so many of the quotes, like the one above, quickly became new favorites of all time, said quotes being infinitely quotable and full of drama, passion, love(even if it’s toxic), and poetry! Almost every character is the absolute worst, but sometimes that’s exactly what I want to consume because it can be so entertaining, and I love watching/analyzing the characters’ complexities and thoughts/actions even as I’m shaking my head(tho reading about what Heathcliff does was hard). And winter is one of the perfect times to read this as you get cozy with a hot beverage and blankets. The audiobook read by Joanne Froggatt was also amazing! I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot more than the second, but the quotes made it up to me.
But please be aware of the TWs that are unfortunately prevalent in classic lit for unchecked racism, ableism, sexism, classism, incest, etc., and read/enjoy it critically and with that in mind. Other TWs include abuse(child, domestic, physical, and verbal), alcoholism, death, ghosts, grief, guns, and violence🥀🍂🪦💔
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Classism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
artemisvlassi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Minor: Death, Gaslighting, and Incest
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have many tabbed pages and highlighted passages! I’m glad I finally read this classic and now I’m curious to read more from Emily Brontë.
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism, Alcoholism, and Bullying
Minor: Racial slurs and Suicidal thoughts
cinthiaurora's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wouldn’t necessarily say she ending is unsatisfactory but it is frustrating how Mr. Lockwood’s character was truly obsolete all along. Nelly is also kind of a frustrating character because she’s such a passive narrator. Her will never influences the outcome of the story. I know it’s because she’s a servant, but you’d think she’d have at least some influence over her own actions. Her primary purpose really IS to just be there and observe, and occasionally be used as a tool to move the plot along. Kind of depressing for a character who’s dialogue narrates literally the entire book.
Also, most of the characters are extremely unlikable but you’ll love it if you know that already going in.
Final note; I disagree with the general consensus that this book is slow-paced. Someone dies or gets married nearly every chapter, and there’s several years long time jumps… I don’t know how much faster it can really get.
Graphic: Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Incest, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
leapyear_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
now, the things i didnt love about the book: the part of the book where the affair between catherine linton and linton is dealt with is just dragged on for too long…they should have been left side characters rather than create a new generation of protagonists. also, heathcliff is literally an abomination of a human and his violence really made me cry, BUT THEN every time he talks about catherine i see him as a person again. damn your genius miss brontë.
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Confinement, Death, Grief, Incest, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Bullying, Classism, and Alcoholism
stellabyproxy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this novel is a dark illustration of the thin line between love and hate and how rage can become one’s undoing. we follow heathcliff and catherine in their life story as each inflicts unspeakable heartbreak on the other and miscommunication leads to a chess game of vengeance unleashed on their descendants.
“… they may bury me twelve feet deep, and throw the church down over me, but i won’t rest till you are with me.”
the perfect illustration of this novel for me would be invisible string by taylor swift, the notion that heathcliff and catherine are tethered to one another by their childhood infatuation turned obsession and a “love” that is destined to be their undoing. with the world against them, and eventually them against each other, we see how misery creates company. how heathcliff’s revenge plot becomes a complex chess game that catalyses everyone’s downfall, even his own.
i have not broken your heart — you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.
is the entire premise of their story, as each character’s actions directly lead to their own unhappiness. vengeance runs thick and cold, like a raving river, fuelled by uncontained rage and unaddressed emotion; each victim by circumstance lives long enough to become a villain by choice.
the only character that i was rooting for from the moment of their introduction to their very end was hareton, and his story i find joy in. the perfect way of changing course and allowing history to not repeat itself, to put an end to a generational tale of manipulation and i find it to be brontë’s slim offering of an apology for an entire tale of hate and agony.
“it was a strange way of killing: not by inches, but by fractions and hairbreadths,”
p.s. thank you for the birthday gift marcíano 🤍 i pray our story does not suffer the same fate as heathcliff and catherine.
Graphic: Grief, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Incest
Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Confinement, and Misogyny
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, and Alcoholism
tonihdd3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Bullying
Minor: Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse
christinewonder's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief
l_gs's review
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Confinement
Minor: Death, Grief, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, and Hate crime