Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.66k reviews for:
Middlemarch: (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions) (Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics)
George Eliot
4.06 AVERAGE
3.66k reviews for:
Middlemarch: (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions) (Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics)
George Eliot
4.06 AVERAGE
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Middlemarch is one of those beautiful, thoughtful books that make you reflect on how certain elements of human nature remain unchanged - even from 1829 to 2024. George Eliot explores Regency themes that I have not read in other books of the time that made Middlemarch feel really refreshing - the complicated relationships between the landed gentry and their tenants, young men clawing at success through independent means, very unglamorous financial ruin, etc - while also retaining the classics: pining <3, class/rank anxieties, detailed descriptions of women’s clothing and mannerisms. One of those rare books that’s worthy of a once-in-5-years re-read.
Middlemarch is the community that this novel takes place. It is divided into different books. There is not a central character in the novel. The story tells of different people/families in the community and how they interact and cross paths.
For me the challenge with this novel is keeping up with all of the names.
This is a solid classic by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), but my favorite by her is still Silas Marner.
For me the challenge with this novel is keeping up with all of the names.
This is a solid classic by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), but my favorite by her is still Silas Marner.
I really didn't want it to end. Dipping into the small world of Middlemarch over the last few months has been a joy.
I could finish this, I'm about 3/4 through, but why would I want to? Some surprisingly funny bits & turns of phrase, but I just don't care about the characters or the minutiae of their lives, which I found no way to relate to. I'm definitely not a fan of marriage plot genre.
3⭐ - Middle of the road because that is how this book feels to me for a variety of reasons. I'm normally fine with long books if they hold my attention but this one was difficult, so I finished it a month later than anticipated. The writing and language are beautiful, and Eliot is a great writer, I will not deny that. There's so much beautiful prose. However, this book could have been a fraction of the size and still gotten the same points across and I would not have missed what was edited out. I understand the nature of when this was originally published in individual books/papers and that, to me, seems more palatable than the entirety at once. I can imagine the excitement of reading the next book and learning what happened to the characters. In fact, the intrigue of wanting to know how the characters ended up was my sole reason for finishing this book instead of DNF when I passed my original book club deadline. But there was so much among the pages I just did NOT care about and it seemed at the end to not matter anyway. There was a lot of talk of reform and political topics only to by the end feel like they had no actual conflict behind them and they had no relevance. I can't remember a single instance of them actually creating a major conflict in the book besides one character not having as good of business as he anticipated because he practiced new methods of medicine. Maybe some of it was lost on me and maybe I'm not a real sophisticated classics reader but those plot points fell so flat to me I could have done without them.
But overall I found myself very invested in the characters and their stories, from the romance to money troubles, to business and family. It was a great ensemble of characters with a wide range of personalities and conflicts and for that I think it was a good book. I just think for me personally for a book this long there needs to be more there. I think it's a great read especially if you pace yourself with it slowly and really take it in for its beautiful writing. The epic descriptions and writing are quite lengthy so while they make for beautiful prose they make what is a five-minute interaction seem like hours long. If you are having trouble getting through it I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Juliet Aubrey, as her talent made what would have been a slog of chapters much more lively and palatable.
But overall I found myself very invested in the characters and their stories, from the romance to money troubles, to business and family. It was a great ensemble of characters with a wide range of personalities and conflicts and for that I think it was a good book. I just think for me personally for a book this long there needs to be more there. I think it's a great read especially if you pace yourself with it slowly and really take it in for its beautiful writing. The epic descriptions and writing are quite lengthy so while they make for beautiful prose they make what is a five-minute interaction seem like hours long. If you are having trouble getting through it I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Juliet Aubrey, as her talent made what would have been a slog of chapters much more lively and palatable.
reflective
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm struggling through this for some reason. I absolutely loved "Mill on the Floss" so what's gone wrong with her masterpiece? I want to stick to the end but I wonder if I will. I do love Dorothea but all those characters and side plots are a little tiresome at times.
OK so I got back to it and finished it. It's not a book to try to read in a hurry. I actually found out the ending from another book ("Proust was a Neuroscientist") but then I decided to finish it, not because I had to find out what happened to Dorothea but just for the love of it. And suddenly I was enjoying it again. Eliot understands humans, and women particularly like no other author.
OK so I got back to it and finished it. It's not a book to try to read in a hurry. I actually found out the ending from another book ("Proust was a Neuroscientist") but then I decided to finish it, not because I had to find out what happened to Dorothea but just for the love of it. And suddenly I was enjoying it again. Eliot understands humans, and women particularly like no other author.