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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
This book was beautiful at times, but dragged through mud during the others. It dragged along because of the way the characters spoke in dialogue. It dragged along because George Eliot enjoys delving into philosophical discussions here and there, which are sometimes hard to grasp firmly, like wisps of smoke, even if you slow down to a stop. But when you do grasp them, even partly, they tend to be quite insightful of the human experience. George Eliot writes exquisite descriptions, especially when painting a portrait of a character. There are also some themes lurking around somewhere in the book.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read this for a university course. It was not a bad book. I felt I had already read this story even if I had never. Knowing this is an older book, I probably have read something similar following the concept of this story. Nonetheless it was interesting to see all the connections and double meaning of this story.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A little too didactic for my taste...
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A poor tale, poorly told. There are probably hundreds if not thousands of similar light, provincial morality plays that were written around the same time as Silas Marner, most of which have been almost entirely forgotten. This is not only a shame because many have something of value to offer (I could recommend I read just recently, Keziah Coffin, or The Rise of Silas Lapham), but also because weakly narrated, boring books like Silas Marner that deserve to be forgotten inexplicably maintain some level of popularity, maybe a result of the author's celebrity than any intrinsic value.
It's not all bad, it just seems that way. There are a few good characters (Dolly, Marner himself), that are interesting even as they undergo no meaningful character development (worse, naturally, as Marner's character development is supposed the be the whole point). There is also the rare occasion of deep psychological insight, usually and unfortunately buried in one of the book's many tedious and unnecessary descriptive passages.
Even if you are one who is determined to consume every product of the literature of western civilization, Silas Marner should be considered highly skippable. Very little of value.
It's not all bad, it just seems that way. There are a few good characters (Dolly, Marner himself), that are interesting even as they undergo no meaningful character development (worse, naturally, as Marner's character development is supposed the be the whole point). There is also the rare occasion of deep psychological insight, usually and unfortunately buried in one of the book's many tedious and unnecessary descriptive passages.
Even if you are one who is determined to consume every product of the literature of western civilization, Silas Marner should be considered highly skippable. Very little of value.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh, Silas. You sad miser. I'm sorry you were accused of something you didn't do, and I'm sorry that your God didn't come through for you when you needed him most. Screw William Dane. He was jealous of your "fits" and decided to ruin your life and steal your fiancee. What a loser. Silas, you deserved better. I'm sorry you finally found happiness in hoarding money only to have it all stolen by someone who didn't even need it. I'm glad you came upon a child that needed someone when you needed someone most. I'm happy that you found happiness and gave it to her. Even though your life would have been and will be taken over by industrialization, I am still glad that you have Eppie for now.
emotional
slow-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:
Yes
Too slow passed