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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Unfortunately, the epistolary format really nukes the pining of it all, which I didn’t even think was possible. It should’ve enhanced the yearning but this man is allergic to talking about his feelings. I wish the story of Helen’s past had been more interspersed with the rest of the story instead of in a big chunk in the middle. That didn’t stop me from having strong feelings about her backstory though, because I was wishing death on old Arthur in ways I didn’t even know were possible.
I also was devastated to read the domestic abuse scenes. Theoretically I know that domestic abuse has always been a problem, but to know that women hundreds of years ago were writing about the same things that women today are writing about? To know that the strategies have never changed? To know that this story could easily be transposed onto a 21st century woman? That hurt to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Este libro escrito por la mas pequeña de las Brontë. ha sido un verdadero descubrimiento, publicado en 1848 bajo el seudónimo de Acton Bell, resulta en varias cosas interesantes, la primera que es absolutamente feminista y para la época debió de resultar bastante chocante y la muestra es la enorme crítica que obtuvo a pesar de su publicación bajo un seudónimo masculino, la segunda es que es un libro escrito a varias voces, cosa completamente novedosa para la época y tercero que no puedo evitar decir que de las tres Brontë, Anne me ha parecido la mas prolija en su prosa, no, no desbanca a mi Charlotte y su Jane Eyre pero es mas una apreciación de amor por Eyre que otra cosa. Un libro que toca un tema absolutamente fuera de lo común en una época donde las mujeres eran educadas para ser sumisas y donde su obligación hacia el marido era sagrada y donde lo que hiciera un marido con su mujer, su familia y su vida también era no solo justificable si no algo completamente cosa del hombre. Poner a una mujer fuerte, decidida, independiente y no solo eso, hablar del mal trato a una mujer por un hombre en esa época debió de ser algo realmente sorprendente y novedoso, no me cabe duda de que las criticas que recibió en su momento debieron ser fuertes. Pero en independencia de todo eso, tengo que reconocer que la historia es maravillosa y sus personajes realmente entrañables, costumbrista pero también intimista y además de todo epistolar, una joya.
**1/2: struggled to finish this; the prose is expository to the max, even for the era it was written in. While I enjoyed the proto-feminism, it needed more plot to move along.
***** for the accomplishment of a young woman author writing and publishing a novel in the Victorian era, especially one that champions women’s issues and depicts so unapologetically the indignities women are forced to face from family, spouses, supposed friends, and the communities around them. It truly is an incredible feat that Brontë pulled off.
* for the tediousness of the characters, especially the whiny, self-righteous, pompous Gilbert Markham, who deserves none of Helen’s affections. Also ** for the long-winded narratives, which made for a very plodding pace (though it’s no wonder, as the pace of Ms. Brontë’s own short life could have only been plodding). There were some lovely depictions of the English landscape, but this type of writing was done to much better effect by Anne’s sisters.
* for the tediousness of the characters, especially the whiny, self-righteous, pompous Gilbert Markham, who deserves none of Helen’s affections. Also ** for the long-winded narratives, which made for a very plodding pace (though it’s no wonder, as the pace of Ms. Brontë’s own short life could have only been plodding). There were some lovely depictions of the English landscape, but this type of writing was done to much better effect by Anne’s sisters.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
Rip Helen Huntingdon, you would’ve loved the 4B movement.
I didn’t enjoy this one, which compared to Wuthering Heights seemed downright goofy. The contrived, moralizing plot, labored Christian metaphors and unrealistic relationships gave it the feel of a 19th century after-school special. Real reefer madness vibes.
I can appreciate that it was considered a feminist book in its time and you gotta respect Helen for sticking to her values, but those values were so deeply rooted in a misogynistic belief system that it undermines the strength of her character and made it difficult to root for her. Gilbert was a lovable enough narrator, but it made no sense to me that Helen would fall for that silly boy who couldn’t even understand when he was being proposed to. I bumped it up to 3 stars for that proposal (which included some almost North and South level rose-gifting content) but all in all…
I didn’t enjoy this one, which compared to Wuthering Heights seemed downright goofy. The contrived, moralizing plot, labored Christian metaphors and unrealistic relationships gave it the feel of a 19th century after-school special. Real reefer madness vibes.
I can appreciate that it was considered a feminist book in its time and you gotta respect Helen for sticking to her values, but those values were so deeply rooted in a misogynistic belief system that it undermines the strength of her character and made it difficult to root for her. Gilbert was a lovable enough narrator, but it made no sense to me that Helen would fall for that silly boy who couldn’t even understand when he was being proposed to. I bumped it up to 3 stars for that proposal (which included some almost North and South level rose-gifting content) but all in all…
Il romanzo si muove su piani temporali e voci narranti diverse: prima quella di Gilbert Markham, che racconta via lettera a un amico il suo incontro con Helen Graham, poi quella di quest'ultima nel suo diario, sempre quindi in prima persona. E proprio questo è il problema dell'audiolibro: la narratrice è unica e, se risulta adatta a dar vita alla donna, stona decisamente quando a parlare è Gilbert, inducendomi a prenderlo sempre per un ragazzino con la voce imberbe, anche grazie ai suoi atteggiamenti infantili e stizzosi.
Helen, insieme all'assennata zia, è comunque l'unico personaggio che ne esce bene, pure troppo;
negli altri la Brontë è impietosa nel tratteggiare i loro difetti, che fossero la conformità a convenzioni sociali restrittive, l'alcolismo e la brutalità, la dissolutezza e la malizia, la puerilità e il narcisismo.
Non l'ho molto apprezzato per la ragione citata all'inizio, e per l'eccessivo manierismo della narratrice. La prosa è invece scorrevole, nonostante il ripetersi dell'avverbio "immantinente" a ogni piè sospinto, non so se frutta della scelta dall'autrice o dalla traduttrice.
Helen, insieme all'assennata zia, è comunque l'unico personaggio che ne esce bene, pure troppo;
negli altri la Brontë è impietosa nel tratteggiare i loro difetti, che fossero la conformità a convenzioni sociali restrittive, l'alcolismo e la brutalità, la dissolutezza e la malizia, la puerilità e il narcisismo.
Non l'ho molto apprezzato per la ragione citata all'inizio, e per l'eccessivo manierismo della narratrice. La prosa è invece scorrevole, nonostante il ripetersi dell'avverbio "immantinente" a ogni piè sospinto, non so se frutta della scelta dall'autrice o dalla traduttrice.