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kiri_johnston's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
4.0
manorclassics's review against another edition
I'm so disappointed, because I really wanted to love this novel. I quite liked Olive as a character, she was sweet, and I found some of the story interesting, but mostly I was just a bit bored and irritated. I'm not sure why, perhaps it was something about the writing style. I didn't want to force myself through it just to give it a low rating, so I'm stopping here and I guess it's just not for me. Such a shame.
jowmy4's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
tallonrk1's review against another edition
3.0
Olive is only the second book I've read in like the past 1.5 months, which is record slowness for me, but its been so hard to readjust to post-college life and job searching alongside my mental illness. Anyway, Olive was written and published by Dinah Craik in 1850. It details the life of a woman born with scoliosis, which, at the time's period, made her an oddity and subject to prejudice, particularly when it comes to making friendships and finding love. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and though there's a long middle section that lacks narrative momentum or purpose, the last 100 pages or so of the book has a lot of narrative twists that are fun, and the book particularly shines when Olive finds love despite not being physically "normal." I did find the reading experience dry at times, as Craik isn't particularly masterful at plot-building or stylish writing (though there are some sentences here and there that stood out as beautifully written). There are also some sections that are dryly didactic when it comes to religious belief which I didn't care for but is a significant concern of this book. I didn't like this novel as much as I thought I would, but I'm still happy I read it.
81 / B-
81 / B-
manolitagafotas's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
jersy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I thoroughly loved it. It's a very character driven book that benefits from being set over a longer period of time, displaying character change as well as change of opinion about characters in a fascinating way. I couldn't read about these people without them evoking some feeling in me and I was thinking about them when I wasn't reading.
While it explores the roles an unmarried woman can have in society, it's also very much about affection. The writing feels quite old but it's still not too hard to read with the story being easy to follow and the depth being in the details.
While I think this is a book that would be fun to analyze and discuss, it's also really engaging. I can't remember the last time I had so many lively reactions to the events of a book. This should be so much better known.
While it explores the roles an unmarried woman can have in society, it's also very much about affection. The writing feels quite old but it's still not too hard to read with the story being easy to follow and the depth being in the details.
While I think this is a book that would be fun to analyze and discuss, it's also really engaging. I can't remember the last time I had so many lively reactions to the events of a book. This should be so much better known.
aliteraryprincess's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
izabrekilien's review against another edition
4.0
I chose to read this Victorian novel because it was recommended to me and because I'd heard it was some sort of retelling of Jane Eyre, so it fitted my Brontë mania project. Two stones, one bird (poor bird).
And yes, once I reached the end, I saw all the parallels : the plain heroin, the older love interest with a secret, the character with a foreign origin and other things I won't mention here not to spoil those who would want to read this.
At the beginning, I found the story wise and very Victorian, proper and all that, but with a twist that I found original : the way that Olive's parents grew apart. I don't think I have read about this before in Victorian literature. The consequences, yes, how it happened, no. Then I was interested by the profession that Olive chose : she became a painter (The tenant of Wildfell Hall's heroin also became a painter, Dinah Craik had a fondness for the Brontës ?) but I would have loved to read more about her art. At the end, Olive kept working even though she's married (as in The professor). All good things, unusual.
The rating isn't better because : one, mostly the style was a little too bombastic for my taste, too romantic ; second, it delt a lot with religion, faith and religious doubt (like the father in North and South - it's my last reference, I promise !) and I'm not religious at all. The way that a character with a foreign origin was portrayed was at the same time lively and cliché : I could believe in her existence, but once in a while, I'd love to see a born and bred English character act with the same passion and lack of restraint - and that lack of restraint goes a long way here. I also found it odd that there never is any dialogue between Olive and Harold about Sara, none at all ?
On the other side, Olive is a darling, loving and caring - a Victorian angel with a plus. A heroin with a deformity is a rare thing for that era. The relationship between her mother and herself is tenderly described and heartwarming. The love between her and her love interest is completely believable. Catholics are not described under a bad light, and for a British author of the XIXth century (a clergyman's daughter furthermore), it's a good point ! Apparently, Dinah Craik had a thing against young men who kept quoting poetry - Lyle is nice, but life teaches him "manhood".
So, I couldn't rate it less that 3.5 because there is originality here even if the writing was at times emphatic. If it wasn't for the style, I would have rated it higher.
One quote that I enjoyed very much :
'Olive moved a little aside. Very meek was she (...). Yet by her meekness, she had oftentimes controlled them both. She did so now."
See what I mean ? Interesting, this notion of control for such a meek character ^^ I first rated this novel 3.5, but I think I'll raise it to 4, so many interesting themes here...
And yes, once I reached the end, I saw all the parallels : the plain heroin, the older love interest with a secret, the character with a foreign origin and other things I won't mention here not to spoil those who would want to read this.
At the beginning, I found the story wise and very Victorian, proper and all that, but with a twist that I found original : the way that Olive's parents grew apart. I don't think I have read about this before in Victorian literature. The consequences, yes, how it happened, no. Then I was interested by the profession that Olive chose : she became a painter (The tenant of Wildfell Hall's heroin also became a painter, Dinah Craik had a fondness for the Brontës ?) but I would have loved to read more about her art. At the end, Olive kept working even though she's married (as in The professor). All good things, unusual.
The rating isn't better because : one, mostly the style was a little too bombastic for my taste, too romantic ; second, it delt a lot with religion, faith and religious doubt (like the father in North and South - it's my last reference, I promise !) and I'm not religious at all. The way that a character with a foreign origin was portrayed was at the same time lively and cliché : I could believe in her existence, but once in a while, I'd love to see a born and bred English character act with the same passion and lack of restraint - and that lack of restraint goes a long way here. I also found it odd that there never is any dialogue between Olive and Harold about Sara, none at all ?
On the other side, Olive is a darling, loving and caring - a Victorian angel with a plus. A heroin with a deformity is a rare thing for that era. The relationship between her mother and herself is tenderly described and heartwarming. The love between her and her love interest is completely believable. Catholics are not described under a bad light, and for a British author of the XIXth century (a clergyman's daughter furthermore), it's a good point ! Apparently, Dinah Craik had a thing against young men who kept quoting poetry - Lyle is nice, but life teaches him "manhood".
So, I couldn't rate it less that 3.5 because there is originality here even if the writing was at times emphatic. If it wasn't for the style, I would have rated it higher.
One quote that I enjoyed very much :
'Olive moved a little aside. Very meek was she (...). Yet by her meekness, she had oftentimes controlled them both. She did so now."
See what I mean ? Interesting, this notion of control for such a meek character ^^ I first rated this novel 3.5, but I think I'll raise it to 4, so many interesting themes here...
morrowwallows's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
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