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alinaedwards's review against another edition
I wouldn’t say I loved this novel—I certainly didn’t love it as much as Women in Love, anyway—but I did really enjoy it, having gleaned so much about Lawrence’s philosophy from its pages. I’m still on the fence as to whether it’s truly a feminist work; just because its heroine starts the affair and leads it herself, doesn’t make it feminist. I need more time to ruminate on that question.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover is also much more accessible than Women in Love, and even though it’s DHL’s last novel, I think it makes a good starting point for a reader that’s new to his work.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover is also much more accessible than Women in Love, and even though it’s DHL’s last novel, I think it makes a good starting point for a reader that’s new to his work.
oxblood's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
anpu325's review against another edition
1.0
I always thought this book would be good because it was so controversial for the time. Somehow the discourse that men aren't really men any more or that women aren't really women is a conversation that we are still having 100 years later. And that's the whole theme of this book. I literally felt like I was reading a reddit incel rant whenever I read the parts where Mellors was speaking. Connie was the perfect woman for him because she wanted to have sex but only ever to be the passive partner and she could orgasm from penetration alone like a real woman or whatever. When he talks about why he loves her, he admits to sexually assaulting other women then blaming them for not being into it, and he blames every women for not having sex the exact way that he wanted in extremely misogynistic and violently homophobic ways. And Connie sleeps with him after that. (So romantic!) At first I was really sympathetic to the themes of alienation due to industrialization and a feeling of being part of the lost generation. And the kind of sado-masochistic relationships between characters who are from different classes. But ultimately the message of the book was a regressive one even for the time. It was railing against changes to gender norms that were already happening. It's a harkening towards an ideal past that never existed, but that cisgender heterosexual men want to believe existed. The book betrayed that the author didn't even know how women's bodies worked. Connie is always feeling emotions with her womb as of course all women do. Even though Lady Chatterly is the titular character, the book itself is centered around a relationship that is depicted as romantic because she is sexual in exactly the way a man believes a woman should be sexual- passively.
elspethevans23's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jayevans's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
mktrox's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
b0hemian_graham's review against another edition
3.0
Eh, a bit better than Sons and Lovers, with a few funny bits, but DH Lawrence will never be a favourite author of mine. He's just too dull. 3.5/5
Merged review:
Eh, a bit better than Sons and Lovers, with a few funny bits, but DH Lawrence will never be a favourite author of mine. He's just too dull. 3.5/5
Merged review:
Eh, a bit better than Sons and Lovers, with a few funny bits, but DH Lawrence will never be a favourite author of mine. He's just too dull. 3.5/5
keirastopher_24's review against another edition
4.0
This book is both progressive and very much not at the same time. It has some very interesting things to say about industrialisation, greed, socialism and the dynamics of sea. Then it will drop some casual homophobia, racism, anti-semitism and at best dubious consent.
I still think it's an interesting read if you go into it understanding that it's definitely not perfect and is of its time.
I still think it's an interesting read if you go into it understanding that it's definitely not perfect and is of its time.
klebere's review against another edition
2.0
I don’t know what to make of this book, some parts were fine but then certain sections (especially Mellors’ rant) really really put me off.