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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
One of my favorite classics for so many reasons: the fact that the heroine is really an anti-heroine, which I am sure was revolutionary for its time; the fact that the story itself is epic in scope, the fact that there is no good-triumph-over-evil theme even though its part of the Victorian Age. And finally the length. For some reason, I LOVE long books that hold you firmly in their grasp, challenging the notion that the skilled novelist is always concise. Hence, you will see that I also love 'I Know This Much is True' by Wally Lamb and 'A Suitable Boy' by Vikram Seth, both very long books. What they have in common is that their length is justified on every single page. I tend to "write long" myself, but with not approaching the skill of either of these writers by even the barest approximation of a long-shot. And honestly, I would much prefer to have a long novel than a trilogy. In many ways, the trilogy seems to be an acknowledgment that you can't maintain continuity and interest for as long as it will take to tell your story. This one also goes on the all-time favorites shelf for me.
Actually boring, I got the satire but it's like 'ok', the fat fella was funny and my brain tingled up whenever M. Napolean was mentioned, India stuff was less fun than you'd think
adventurous
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
It's rare that I read a novel of the 18th or 19th century without already knowing the plot, but somehow I'd managed to avoid 200 years worth of spoilers and found myself diving into this novel, knowing only it was 'a story without a hero'. Wow, this was an emotional rollercoaster. It was genuinely hilarious to read and also crushingly bleak - that's pretty hard to pull off. Although it's a long book, there are maybe only one or two chapters that feel unnecessary. The narration style is incredible, just... *chef's kiss* - and while the plot is very interesting and the pacing is brilliant (particularly for a novel of this length from this time period), the characterisation is where the true heart and soul of this tale is. After all, everyone is chasing after that which is not worth having, and don't we have fun watching them all be wretched fools of varying degrees. That is, until we realise WE are the characters of Vanity Fair. How very little changes across two centuries. Thackeray penetrates the human condition with observations concurrently humorous and cutting in a way few writers might ever hope to achieve.
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An interesting novel, I enjoyed the small asides and satirical observations upon society.
Becky Sharp is interesting as a character from a book of this period as she's that most heinous of 19th century villains; A social climber. She determines (fairly openly) to have for herself the lifestyle that she wasn’t born to, and is consequently viewed as artful, deceitful and self-serving by her social betters for so long that she becomes all of those things.
Becky Sharp is interesting as a character from a book of this period as she's that most heinous of 19th century villains; A social climber. She determines (fairly openly) to have for herself the lifestyle that she wasn’t born to, and is consequently viewed as artful, deceitful and self-serving by her social betters for so long that she becomes all of those things.
So, a Charles Dickens novel and a Jane Austen novel walk into a bar......
If you can imagine a mash-up between those two authors, you'd get close to Vanity Fair. Where Dickens pokes fun at society, Thackeray demolishes it. Where Austen gives you characters you want to fight for, Thackeray gives you characters you want to fight. The author didn't subtitle it "A Novel Without a Hero" for goofs. But GOSH, was it fun to read! This felt like an 1850's literary version of the movie Don't Look Up.
Razor-sharp wit and dry humor. Sarcasm. Romantic scandals. Betrayals. Cold calculations. Vengeance. The battle for true love. But also surprisingly relevant observations on systemic racism, societal disparities, crime, and wage gap. (The rich get richer while the poor get poorer....and folks wonder why we have the crime rate we do while also refusing to pay a living wage....)
And that last line? BOOM. I loved it. A fantastic classic, and rightfully deserving of that name.
"...and who knows but Rebecca was right in her speculations - and that it was only a question of money and fortune which make the difference between her and an honest woman? If you take temptations into account, who is to say that he is better than his neighbor? A comfortable career of prosperity, if it does not make people honest, at least keeps them so. An alderman coming from a turtle feast will not step out of his carriage to steal a leg of mutton; but put him to starve, and see if he will not purloin a loaf."
If you can imagine a mash-up between those two authors, you'd get close to Vanity Fair. Where Dickens pokes fun at society, Thackeray demolishes it. Where Austen gives you characters you want to fight for, Thackeray gives you characters you want to fight. The author didn't subtitle it "A Novel Without a Hero" for goofs. But GOSH, was it fun to read! This felt like an 1850's literary version of the movie Don't Look Up.
Razor-sharp wit and dry humor. Sarcasm. Romantic scandals. Betrayals. Cold calculations. Vengeance. The battle for true love. But also surprisingly relevant observations on systemic racism, societal disparities, crime, and wage gap. (The rich get richer while the poor get poorer....and folks wonder why we have the crime rate we do while also refusing to pay a living wage....)
And that last line? BOOM. I loved it. A fantastic classic, and rightfully deserving of that name.
"...and who knows but Rebecca was right in her speculations - and that it was only a question of money and fortune which make the difference between her and an honest woman? If you take temptations into account, who is to say that he is better than his neighbor? A comfortable career of prosperity, if it does not make people honest, at least keeps them so. An alderman coming from a turtle feast will not step out of his carriage to steal a leg of mutton; but put him to starve, and see if he will not purloin a loaf."
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't realize until I read more books written in the 19th Century that these Regency-era authors are shady and snide AF. I really enjoyed the gimlet eye of our unreliable and snarky narrator and their pragmatically dark view of human nature.
This book is as much fun as gossip, and Becky Sharp is a tremendous anti-hero, on the make at all times, ready to take advantage of any situation, thereby exposing the futility and joylessness of just trying to ascend the social ladder - where's the fun in performing a role if it only means you need to fake it harder? And also exposing how easy we are to fool when being fooled lets us see ourselves in a more positive light.
This book is as much fun as gossip, and Becky Sharp is a tremendous anti-hero, on the make at all times, ready to take advantage of any situation, thereby exposing the futility and joylessness of just trying to ascend the social ladder - where's the fun in performing a role if it only means you need to fake it harder? And also exposing how easy we are to fool when being fooled lets us see ourselves in a more positive light.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexism, Slavery