3.82 AVERAGE


On the whole I ended up agreeing with the forward writer regarding Howard’s End, its flaws and moments of transcendence, its and Forster’s place in the literary canon, and look forward to reading Forster’s other works. Also want to finally watch the movie now that I’ve gotten around to the book, and see what made it worthy of the wave of period Merchant-Ivory costume dramas in Oscars film history. Most of all I appreciated this book for being the snapshot in time of an emblematic way of life and thought that was about to be shattered by the devastation of World War I, the rumblings and misgivings of leaving an older Edwardian world behind in the midst of great social and economic upheaval around the Industrial Revolution and age of empires with British global imperialism, just as “modernity” is setting in. The characters in Margaret and Helen, the Wilcoxes with Ruth and Henry and Charles and Dolly, poor Leonard Bast- they ultimately didn’t come to life in their own merits as much as I saw in them the symbolism of what they’re each meant to represent. Also, the lamenting of destruction of nature and this idealized noble rural English countryside, while the ugliness of modern London cosmopolitan lifestyle synonymous with progress proliferates- those flowery passages are verryyy flowery and not fully to my taste, though I understand where Forster is coming from with this choice. But I appreciated the manner and content of the message enough that the overly blatant plot-convenient puppetry didn’t bother me as much as it could’ve in a book with lesser Grand Ideas to impart, that brought about such clarity of understanding about the ideals of authorial intent within the book’s setting. Particularly, as the forward writer mentioned, the first inklings of this articulation on liberal enlightenment guilt regarding their place within the changing world, in hypocritical repudiation of the ugly capitalist whose machine funds their comfortable cocooned bourgeoisie lifestyles, and in guilt over their complicity over the plight of the poor, all while harboring the attitude of condescending snobbery against the lower masses’ blinkered state against beauty and art while focusing on survival. This liberal person rumination has only gotten more relevant throughout the times, and in the current age of constant social media takes and as the wheels of capitalism turn ever larger.

4'5/5. Forster really does capture the English character, doesn't he?
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e_179's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 30%

well tbh it was for english class and i fell behind and never caught up and ended up writing an inclass essay only 100 pages into the book and just made up a bunch of bs. but it honestly wasn’t a bad book it was a bit slow at time with long descriptions which when i’m not trying to rush through and annotate and catch up to the 30th chapter when im in the 9th they’re probably not as slow. but it kept you entertained definitely not entirely characters who’s mindsets and decisions i totally agree with but they were still interesting and entertaining to read about plus finding out the ending through a sparknotes article (don’t tell my english teacher that) bc i wanted to know before the essay wow was that a plot twist. so yeah honestly it was a good book what i read and what i heard in class discutions i couldn’t participate in and had plot twists 

Wow. This was powerful. I would like to read it again, knowing more of what to expect, not that the plot is particularly... central. But, the book starts off so light and slow, almost like a comedy of manners, and a hilarious one at that. But then the middle section, which was hard for me, because I felt a shift. It seemed more like things were being set up to happen but I didn't know what. The middle section didn't exactly connect with me at all times and I found myself kinda forcing myself through. Then the last eighty pages or so made it all worthwhile, as it was filled with insight and focus. The characters we know by now very thoroughly, and the book turns almost into a tragedy before coming back up for air.

There are passages, often, where he gives so much wisdom in a paragraph, in the form of generalities, that I usually do not like in other books (it comes off as preachy or vague) but here I do not mind at all, perhaps because it is so well written and the insights are so apt to what's happening. Often his language is also evasive to the point where I have a notion of what he's saying, but can't really say exactly what it is.

I also admire that he switches points of view in a way that provides reveals and hides on pertinent bits of information, where the reader will know something that is happening and see what a certain character is thinking/responding; and yet not tell you what another character is thinking about it until later, which is like being suspended in mid-air on a ferris wheel that has suddenly malfunctioned and stopped, and you feel the air around you suddenly cooling, the little lights below contracting.

I would like to revisit this book later, and throw myself at it again and again. Here are some quotes:

"The truth is that there is a great outer life that you and I have never touched--a life in which telegrams and anger count. Personal relations, that we think supreme, are not supreme there. There love means marriage settlements, death, death duties. So far I'm clear... but here's my difficulty. This outer life, though obviously horrid, often seems the real one--there's the grit in it. It does breed character. Do personal relations lead to sloppiness in the end?"
p. 22

"It is the vice of a vulgar mind to be thrilled by bigness, to think that a thousand square miles are a thousand times more wonderful than one square mile, and that a million square miles are almost the same as heaven. That is not imagination. No, it kills it."
p. 24

"Sooner or later the girls would enter on the process known as throwing themselves away, and if they had delayed hitherto, it was only that they might throw themselves more vehemently in the future" p. 12

"People have their own deaths as well as their own lives, and even if there is nothing beyond death, we shall differ in our nothingness"
p248

"It's madness when I say it, but not when you say it"
p.224

"Death destroys a man, but the idea of death saves him"
p. 256

"He has worked hard all his life, and noticed nothing. Those are the people who collapse when they do notice a thing."
p.313

I loved this book! Super fast paced and delightful, it’s a story about family, society, double-standards between men and women, intellectuals vs the affluent, class division and honor.

Margaret and Helen are such powerful female characters and really drive the story and are it’s heart. Both are different, yet fiercely love each other. Their brother, Tibby, has got to be one of the most useless yet hilarious characters I have ever encountered. And the Wilcox family? Well, they really go on quite the transformative journey. Oh, and the Basts...my poor Basts.

Howard’s End May be a home, but it is vital to the progression of this story and all of its characters. It’s the personification of Mrs Wilcox once she is gone and is almost like a ghost manipulating the story from beyond.

I highly recommend this book!
dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
challenging emotional reflective slow-paced
emotional 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
inspiring reflective slow-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

I didn't care for this novel. It has snapshots of gold and wonderful insight, but seems to be trying too hard to be original. Not a favorite of mine.