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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Not Eliot's best.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fantastic read. Easygoing pace makes for a relaxing read (you know, a rainy Saturday, might-take-a-nap-with-the-book-on-my-lap kinda read). The captivatintly tangental storyline makes for delightful reading, as though someones sharing bits of juicy, provincial gossip with you, circa 1850.
Adam Bede, the main character, is as appealing an antihero as any. His puritan virtue is as implausible as it is charming, and the absolutely sinful situations he finds himself in and his dealings therein relfect the moralities of the times.
This story makes for both a great character study and fabulous historical insight. I'd reccommend it to any fans of Bronte sisters, Austen, Dickens, Defoe, Shelley, or the other Romantic greats.
Adam Bede, the main character, is as appealing an antihero as any. His puritan virtue is as implausible as it is charming, and the absolutely sinful situations he finds himself in and his dealings therein relfect the moralities of the times.
This story makes for both a great character study and fabulous historical insight. I'd reccommend it to any fans of Bronte sisters, Austen, Dickens, Defoe, Shelley, or the other Romantic greats.
Phew! Okay, so this was a loooong book. A lot of the time it felt like it was just never going to go anywhere, but when it did it got really good.
I didn’t know anything about the book before I started so, from the opening, I assumed this would be all about Dinah and the problems of the new Methodist religion. Basically, I thought it would be very preachy and a bit boring. Then we were introduced to Hetty and shit got real.
The driving force behind the book was definitely the characters. I’ve never read Eliot before but her ability to create distinct voices for her characters came across straight away. By the end of the book, even characters that I’d hated at the start became dear to me. For example, Lisbeth Bede, who I found so irritating with her constant crying and inability to leave Adam to do what he wanted, turned out to be quite a boss once I’d spent the book getting to know her. Another thing that bothered me at the start was the sheer number of characters we were introduced to, but due to the voices given to them by Eliot, I found I knew who everyone was and was even able to appreciate their development throughout the novel.
There are a lot of interesting themes in Adam Bede, so I’m hoping to be able to focus on it for my Victorian Lit coursework. Even though religion is probably the main one, personally I’d rather explore the representation of women and the ideas of youth and beauty Eliot provides. Reading it as a 21st Century feminist proves rather problematic, especially when looking at Bartle’s belief that women are useless and have no value. This isn’t even some petty “woman get back in the kitchen” joke, he genuinely hates women. Even Mrs Poyser at one point admits the failings of other women. So that aspect made me a bit sad.
I’d recommend this book if you’re interested in exploring the fallen woman or even if you just like character-driven stories. It would be ideal for someone who likes pastoral settings and stories about rural life, but the story is definitely more than just a tale about people in the country.
I didn’t know anything about the book before I started so, from the opening, I assumed this would be all about Dinah and the problems of the new Methodist religion. Basically, I thought it would be very preachy and a bit boring. Then we were introduced to Hetty and shit got real.
The driving force behind the book was definitely the characters. I’ve never read Eliot before but her ability to create distinct voices for her characters came across straight away. By the end of the book, even characters that I’d hated at the start became dear to me. For example, Lisbeth Bede, who I found so irritating with her constant crying and inability to leave Adam to do what he wanted, turned out to be quite a boss once I’d spent the book getting to know her. Another thing that bothered me at the start was the sheer number of characters we were introduced to, but due to the voices given to them by Eliot, I found I knew who everyone was and was even able to appreciate their development throughout the novel.
There are a lot of interesting themes in Adam Bede, so I’m hoping to be able to focus on it for my Victorian Lit coursework. Even though religion is probably the main one, personally I’d rather explore the representation of women and the ideas of youth and beauty Eliot provides. Reading it as a 21st Century feminist proves rather problematic, especially when looking at Bartle’s belief that women are useless and have no value. This isn’t even some petty “woman get back in the kitchen” joke, he genuinely hates women. Even Mrs Poyser at one point admits the failings of other women. So that aspect made me a bit sad.
I’d recommend this book if you’re interested in exploring the fallen woman or even if you just like character-driven stories. It would be ideal for someone who likes pastoral settings and stories about rural life, but the story is definitely more than just a tale about people in the country.
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
slow-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
challenging
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
George elliot writing style is not for me.
A very simple tale, expansively told. From a small handful of fairly orthodox (bordering on the dull) characters, George Eliot carefully, tenderly maps the workings of the human mind and its impulses. Adam Bede is probably the least bold of the George Eliot works I've read, but it is still filled with the introspection, thoughtfulness and moral questing that are such quintessential attributes of the author.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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