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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Read for my Victorian Literature module.
Eliot manages to encapsulate the importance of child innocence and appreciation through the relationship she creates between Eppie and Silas. The novel is, ultimately, rather sweet - it isn't long-winded or morally imposes on it's reader but rather sweetly reminds them of the importance of the 'good old days' and rural life, shying them away from materialism and, as what was rising at the time, the want for industrialisation.
A rather novel novel, quaint and quietly powerful.
Eliot manages to encapsulate the importance of child innocence and appreciation through the relationship she creates between Eppie and Silas. The novel is, ultimately, rather sweet - it isn't long-winded or morally imposes on it's reader but rather sweetly reminds them of the importance of the 'good old days' and rural life, shying them away from materialism and, as what was rising at the time, the want for industrialisation.
A rather novel novel, quaint and quietly powerful.
I vacillated between three and four stars on this book, then rounded up because for the most part I really enjoyed it. This is the second book I've read by George Elliot, the first being Adam Bede. For the most part, I enjoyed this book almost as much as I enjoyed Adam Bede. Elliot's writing is beautiful and she has a sense of realism and detail that I find invigorating and often challenging as a reader. What ultimately turned me off of this book was the ending, which felt abrupt and forced. For the first hundred or so pages the story unwinds slowly and masterfully but towards the end it felt like someone told Elliot she had to finish the story off in 20 pages and she listened to them. The ending feels rushed and abrupt, the characters less fully realized at the ending than the beginning. Which is tragic, because I mostly enjoyed this book and really wanted to love it.
“A child, more than all other gifts
That earth can offer to declining man,
Brings hope with it, and forward-looking thoughts."
—WORDSWORTH.”
That earth can offer to declining man,
Brings hope with it, and forward-looking thoughts."
—WORDSWORTH.”
This is a classic that I missed, and I had it on my list for the TBR challenge this year. Carried it around in my purse for the last little while, reading in snatches. I think I have an older edition of this packed away, but got this one free at some point and it was handy.
So the book was first published in 1861, but is set in a time earlier in the 1800s. Silas has had a rude awakening about human nature and friendship and moved to Raveloe as a result. He leads a solitary life, concentrating on amassing money for money`s sake, spending little on himself and not interacting with his neighbours. When his fortune is stolen, he is devastated, and appeals to the community in a panic for help. It is this that first gets his neighbours taking an interest in him. When another set of circumstances lead to a small child being orphaned on Silas` doorstep, he finds himself compelled to take her in and make her a loving home. This move brings him further into the community and we see how it is this action that drives the community opinion of him.
The leading family in Raveloe is the Cass family, and while the oldest son Godfrey is a good-natured man, generally well-meaning, the second son Dunstan is one who would sell him own mother, if she wasn`t already dead. Dunstan has drawn Godfrey into an ill-conceived relationship and is now using that as a hold over him. But he is always on the lookout for opportunities for money, and this leads him to criminal actions and bad outcomes.
The action takes place in two time periods, one with the plot threads described above and another sixteen years later, when we see the results of these actions. There is definitely a morality tale aspect to the plot, but the characters are what really bring the book to life. I really enjoyed it.
So the book was first published in 1861, but is set in a time earlier in the 1800s. Silas has had a rude awakening about human nature and friendship and moved to Raveloe as a result. He leads a solitary life, concentrating on amassing money for money`s sake, spending little on himself and not interacting with his neighbours. When his fortune is stolen, he is devastated, and appeals to the community in a panic for help. It is this that first gets his neighbours taking an interest in him. When another set of circumstances lead to a small child being orphaned on Silas` doorstep, he finds himself compelled to take her in and make her a loving home. This move brings him further into the community and we see how it is this action that drives the community opinion of him.
The leading family in Raveloe is the Cass family, and while the oldest son Godfrey is a good-natured man, generally well-meaning, the second son Dunstan is one who would sell him own mother, if she wasn`t already dead. Dunstan has drawn Godfrey into an ill-conceived relationship and is now using that as a hold over him. But he is always on the lookout for opportunities for money, and this leads him to criminal actions and bad outcomes.
The action takes place in two time periods, one with the plot threads described above and another sixteen years later, when we see the results of these actions. There is definitely a morality tale aspect to the plot, but the characters are what really bring the book to life. I really enjoyed it.
The characters were undeveloped the plot jerky and disconnected. I put it aside to read something else and was not inclined to pick it up again before the period of the library loan ran out.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As with most classic novels, its a slow starter, but it gets going like a snowball rolling down a mountain--gaining momentum as it proceeds. A portrait of people and humanity, no one does a better study of human characteristics better than novelists of this age. It was just a very tender portrayal of affection and love and the bonds between people. I just really enjoyed it. The beginning, while slow, did an excellent job of setting the feelings for later on in the book. I don't really know what else to say.
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was the book that got me into slow paced writing, and I loved every moment of it. In a fast paced world, this is the perfect book to sit down and take a moment with - but that being said, it still gives you plenty to think about! I marked the book as diverse because, whilst it isn't very diverse by today's standards (regarding race or orientation etc) I think it still explored a diverse issue of being outcast by a religious community but finding a new approach to religion and re-finding your place in society. So whilst the characters themselves might not be, I think the themes are still applicable in encouraging open-mindedness and exploration within society.
still holding out hope for a day in school where we read a book that isn’t just 100,000 words about a bitter old man, i’m tired of it