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freya__b's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.25
Beautifully poignant writing and some gorgeous passages that capture sibling relationships perfectly. Maggie's character development was fantastic and I loved reading her journey. The aunts and uncles also provided some great humor! But the first half dragged a little and felt disjointed with the second. I would have also liked to see more of Tom's inner turnoil since he seems quite one dimensional in the second part. This is probably intentional since it reflects how he's perceived by Maggie, but I would have liked more details on his life anyway
thevalleyslily's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first George Eliot and I'm going to make sure it's not the last. The funny thing is I started reading The Mill on the Floss about a year ago and I couldn't get past the first chapters. I was this close to abandoning it and actually put it aside for months then, for some reason, I picked it up again and boy am I glad I did! The reason I almost dropped it is the same I'm not giving this book a full 5 out 5 : the novel is split into seven 'books' and the first two consist of exhaustive descriptions of the povincial life of Victorian Britain while following the rather dull and uneventful days of the Tullivers household. Now that I finished the book, I know the beginning served a purpose which is to emphasize the contrast between those peaceful early days of childhood and the much more tormented ones our protagonsists go through later on but still, it felt 'plotless' at times and some readers might understandibly lose all interest and that it is a weakness I guess.
Other than that, I think everything else was just great but what stood out the most to me was the characterisation. Maggie Tulliver is a character I loved, the free-spirited girl with a brilliant mind and far too intelligent for her time. She's depicted as different from her peers even in her looks with unruly hair and black eyes. She strives for everyone's approval and love and most of all that of her brother's, Tom. She struggles to reconcile her free nature with an admirable desire to make everyone dear to her happy by adapting to an otherwise restricting society only to be faced with misunderstanding, unforgiveness and, ultimately, with a suffocating sense of loneliness. Tom is at odds with Maggie personality wise. He does't have her wit nor inetllectual abilities but he's practical. Their relationship and the way Eliot depicted it is unique (in the sense that Classics rarely delve into it) and one of the best I've ever read. It was heartbreaking to see them go from best friends to strangers at some point before reconciling in the most tragic of ways. Some readers hated Tom for valid reasons and while he's not my favourite, I understand that he had his own struggles and sacrifices. This is actually what Eliot did best in this book. There are no saints and no devils but characters who feel real and humanly flawed. My favourite are Philip and Bob Jakin. The former is the ultimate romantic and Eliot did an amazing job of portraying him. His love for Maggie moved me the most in the way it was passionate but selfless and he's the only one who ever understood Maggie's nature. They stood as equals in their friend/relationship and I'm not going into details about Stephen Guest as I feel his relationship with Maggie was only a way for Eliot to explain furthermore Maggie's inner conflict. And there's Bob Jakin who, despite his lower status, was of great support to both Tom and Maggie when the world seemed to have foresaken them.
And then we have the ending. Some found it rushed and abrupt but it was only natural to feel like that as calamity never asks permission before it strikes. That's why I think what didn't set well with some readers is rather the melodramatic effect. I personally was waiting for a closure and the ending gave me that except not in the form I was expecting. Maggie finally got the reconcilement that she so much longed for though it was shortlived and just tragic but that is ok (at least for me).
I highly recommend The Mill on the Floss though you might need a lot of patience at first but you will be greatly rewarded after that.
Other than that, I think everything else was just great but what stood out the most to me was the characterisation. Maggie Tulliver is a character I loved, the free-spirited girl with a brilliant mind and far too intelligent for her time. She's depicted as different from her peers even in her looks with unruly hair and black eyes. She strives for everyone's approval and love and most of all that of her brother's, Tom. She struggles to reconcile her free nature with an admirable desire to make everyone dear to her happy by adapting to an otherwise restricting society only to be faced with misunderstanding, unforgiveness and, ultimately, with a suffocating sense of loneliness. Tom is at odds with Maggie personality wise. He does't have her wit nor inetllectual abilities but he's practical. Their relationship and the way Eliot depicted it is unique (in the sense that Classics rarely delve into it) and one of the best I've ever read. It was heartbreaking to see them go from best friends to strangers at some point before reconciling in the most tragic of ways. Some readers hated Tom for valid reasons and while he's not my favourite, I understand that he had his own struggles and sacrifices. This is actually what Eliot did best in this book. There are no saints and no devils but characters who feel real and humanly flawed. My favourite are Philip and Bob Jakin. The former is the ultimate romantic and Eliot did an amazing job of portraying him. His love for Maggie moved me the most in the way it was passionate but selfless and he's the only one who ever understood Maggie's nature. They stood as equals in their friend/relationship and I'm not going into details about Stephen Guest as I feel his relationship with Maggie was only a way for Eliot to explain furthermore Maggie's inner conflict. And there's Bob Jakin who, despite his lower status, was of great support to both Tom and Maggie when the world seemed to have foresaken them.
And then we have the ending. Some found it rushed and abrupt but it was only natural to feel like that as calamity never asks permission before it strikes. That's why I think what didn't set well with some readers is rather the melodramatic effect. I personally was waiting for a closure and the ending gave me that except not in the form I was expecting. Maggie finally got the reconcilement that she so much longed for though it was shortlived and just tragic but that is ok (at least for me).
I highly recommend The Mill on the Floss though you might need a lot of patience at first but you will be greatly rewarded after that.
outcolder's review against another edition
3.0
Infuriating. Spent the last hundred pages or so talking out loud to the book, like, "Forget that guy!" and "Don't do it!" and "Eff off!" then the end... groan. I didn't read the edition pictured, which is too bad, because the one I had had no notes or introductory essay or anything. There were some laugh out loud funny bits, especially with the breakout character of the 'packman' Bob Jakin but also the trio of unbearable aunts... Mrs. Glegg chief among them... although the harder it gets for Maggie the less funny the aunts are.
I think this novel would have been greatly improved if Maggie's fetisch had made a reappearance later in the book, like maybe at the very end, floating down the river... but then when I go corny, I go the whole hog. Let's get that hunchback healed... Or maybe Stephen Guest produces the fetisch and says in George Eliot's florid prose that he found it somehwere as a kid and that it talks to him and that everything he did was stuff the fetisch said to do... I loved that fetisch. Back then, you could write stuff like that into a novel and then just never mention it again. Nowadays, there's all these rules. Nowadays, the publisher would have made Eliot cut like 200 pages and heal the hunchback. But nowadays, Maggie could do everything she does in this book and face absolutely zero moral oprobium for it so ...
I think this novel would have been greatly improved if Maggie's fetisch had made a reappearance later in the book, like maybe at the very end, floating down the river... but then when I go corny, I go the whole hog. Let's get that hunchback healed... Or maybe Stephen Guest produces the fetisch and says in George Eliot's florid prose that he found it somehwere as a kid and that it talks to him and that everything he did was stuff the fetisch said to do... I loved that fetisch. Back then, you could write stuff like that into a novel and then just never mention it again. Nowadays, there's all these rules. Nowadays, the publisher would have made Eliot cut like 200 pages and heal the hunchback. But nowadays, Maggie could do everything she does in this book and face absolutely zero moral oprobium for it so ...
well_of_loneliness's review against another edition
reflective
sad
4.25
“To have taken Maggie by the hand and said, "I will not believe unproved evil of you; my lips shall not utter it; my ears shall be closed against it; I, too, am an erring mortal, liable to stumble, apt to come short of my most earnest efforts; your lot has been harder than mine, your temptation greater; let us help each other to stand and walk without more falling,"–to have done this would have demanded courage, deep pity, self-knowledge, generous trust; would have demanded a mind that tasted no piquancy in evil-speaking, that felt no self-exaltation in condemning, that cheated itself with no large words into the belief that life can have any moral end, any high religion, which excludes the striving after perfect truth, justice, and love toward the individual men and women who come across our own path”
alexan13's review against another edition
2.0
I have never before read an ending so horrible that it made me dislike a book, but I guess there’s a first for everything!
monazaneefer's review against another edition
2.0
Started on audible : 2nd Dec
Started as an eBook: 3rd Dec
What a terrible way to end an almost good book.
So, I started this book via audible and the narrators were fantastic but I knew this abridged version was cutting a lot from the original story. I then dropped it and switched to text because I needed to savour everything. I felt like I could have a clearer idea of Tom and Maggie's characterisations if I read through their entire childhood. A lot of people found the starting and their childhood boring but I didn't, largely due to having initially experienced their childhood tale via the audiobook. (I did skip a few bits in the eBook however due to impatience of reaching the part where I stopped in the audiobook version.)
I really did think there were going to be two courses in this latter half of the story: duty vs love. Tom, her brother, represented the former while Philip represented the latter. She would have to choose between the two. But nope.
Throw in Stephen and all confusion and chaos break loose into my speculative yet neatly structured plot. What was the point of Stephen?? Who ever cared about him! He was such a SLEAZE. And Maggie never getting over him turns me sick. I can't tell you how angry - no, infuriated - I was at this Stephen plot.
But I think my review may be harsher were it not for that random ending. The randomness of the flood surprisingly has mellowed down my anger. Or, in filler words: "Umm...okay?...what! A random flood!" It makes me no longer have strong feelings towards this book simply because the ending was so casually placed in the story without much of a precursor that I'm left more annoyed than angry. Yes, I know there was foreshadowing going on but they weren't enough to symbolise and carry justification of the ending.
Maybe for the last 100 pages, the town should have been preparing for a flood; that would've made the ending come less out of the blue. But, noooo, Maggie was ruminating over her inner conflicts. Then, BAM! flood. BAM! dead. And within a matter of a few pages! It's like you're walking down the street, expecting, well, just to walk down the street when a stranger nonchalantly makes a fleeting comment about the universe's black hole as s/he passes you by. And you're left standing there, a bit bewildered.
Perhaps, there was no other way for Tom and Maggie to reconcile. Because even if Maggie gave up Stephen, there was no chance with Philip due to Tom's dislike towards him. Honestly, the more I think of it, the more I see these relationships were rendered pointless in the end. Maggie risked it for Philip - only to risk it for Stephen - only to further damage her relationship with Tom - which led all of them....nowhere. Like, what was the need for Maggie to take a risk with Philip when in the end George Eliot barely even had this relationship in mind for the latter half of the book and took a turn into a completely different route.
Characters
I actually had liked Maggie but her character made a 180 degree flip; her whole relation with Stephen was out of character. How could I not hate her after that? I started resenting when people were showing kindness to her in the form of resolution (like the way Aunt Glegg did).
Then there's Tom; unlike popular opinion I assume, I did like him. I liked his wants to uphold duty to his father and wanting to keep his family together. He didn't go about them in a nice manner but his rigidity was interesting to read. I only wish he loved his sister as much as she did. Her longing for his affection was quite sad to read. And there was a lot of potential in Tom's character development which was not explored except for maybe an arbitrary line hidden among other details that put the idea in my head to begin with. Throughout their childhood, Tom thought himself to be better and I think it was his interview with his uncle to look for a situation when that vision of himself was shattered and he realised he did not have everything he thought he had within his nature.
As for Philip Wakem .... :((((( C'mon! Okay, yes, he was a little too forward and imposing on Maggie but he was the only one I rooted for till the end! Yet, all that was written for him was just loneliness with a vague mention of him always coming to Maggie's grave alone? Absolutely nicht! So undeserving and, to be honest, such a deficient and lacking ending to one of the main characters.
Some positives
- Philip Wakem's hunchback element. I think it was quite beautiful and sad to read his troubles relating to his physical deformity; it enhanced his characterisation.
- The entire confrontation scene between Tom, Maggie and Philip. When Tom becomes suspicious of Maggie, confronts her and gives her the ultimatum upon her father's bible, then both of them go to Philip and Tom confronts him. Ah! This has to be one of my top favourite novel scenes of all time - up there with the scene in Villette where Lucy confides in the priest. Perhaps, this scene in TMOTF has the edge for now because the emotions were much more heightened and the conflict was a lot more intense since there were things at stake. Yet, I do think the novel ending will affect my perception of this scene in the future and deem it useless since Maggie later turns to be despicable and Philip loses his position as a suitor anyway. Nevertheless, we shall see.
Anyway, George Elliot, I could have written a better ending than this.
Update: 12/12/2020
- I remember how much I adored the scene in which Philip tells his father about Maggie. How quiet and calm Philip was. His father, whose character you only know through the vilification by the Tulliver family and assume is terrible, gets angry but comes around for his only son. His love and indulgent nature for his son was wonderful characterisation throughout. And in consequence, the addition of the little scene in which Mr Wakem speaks so kindly to Maggie at the bazaar. Sigh.
- The more I dwell on the novel, the more I absolutely love Philip. My heart :”( My favourite character of the novel...and possibly amongst my favourite novel characters of all time. Too bad he belongs and lives in a terribly constructed book.
- Reminds me of the confrontational scene in which Tom insults Philip. Stupid Tom; I can’t believe the author didn’t even resolve that! With some sort of redeeming scene involving Tom at least.
Started as an eBook: 3rd Dec
What a terrible way to end an almost good book.
So, I started this book via audible and the narrators were fantastic but I knew this abridged version was cutting a lot from the original story. I then dropped it and switched to text because I needed to savour everything. I felt like I could have a clearer idea of Tom and Maggie's characterisations if I read through their entire childhood. A lot of people found the starting and their childhood boring but I didn't, largely due to having initially experienced their childhood tale via the audiobook. (I did skip a few bits in the eBook however due to impatience of reaching the part where I stopped in the audiobook version.)
I really did think there were going to be two courses in this latter half of the story: duty vs love. Tom, her brother, represented the former while Philip represented the latter. She would have to choose between the two. But nope.
Throw in Stephen and all confusion and chaos break loose into my speculative yet neatly structured plot. What was the point of Stephen?? Who ever cared about him! He was such a SLEAZE. And Maggie never getting over him turns me sick. I can't tell you how angry - no, infuriated - I was at this Stephen plot.
But I think my review may be harsher were it not for that random ending. The randomness of the flood surprisingly has mellowed down my anger. Or, in filler words: "Umm...okay?...what! A random flood!" It makes me no longer have strong feelings towards this book simply because the ending was so casually placed in the story without much of a precursor that I'm left more annoyed than angry. Yes, I know there was foreshadowing going on but they weren't enough to symbolise and carry justification of the ending.
Maybe for the last 100 pages, the town should have been preparing for a flood; that would've made the ending come less out of the blue. But, noooo, Maggie was ruminating over her inner conflicts. Then, BAM! flood. BAM! dead. And within a matter of a few pages! It's like you're walking down the street, expecting, well, just to walk down the street when a stranger nonchalantly makes a fleeting comment about the universe's black hole as s/he passes you by. And you're left standing there, a bit bewildered.
Perhaps, there was no other way for Tom and Maggie to reconcile. Because even if Maggie gave up Stephen, there was no chance with Philip due to Tom's dislike towards him. Honestly, the more I think of it, the more I see these relationships were rendered pointless in the end. Maggie risked it for Philip - only to risk it for Stephen - only to further damage her relationship with Tom - which led all of them....nowhere. Like, what was the need for Maggie to take a risk with Philip when in the end George Eliot barely even had this relationship in mind for the latter half of the book and took a turn into a completely different route.
Characters
I actually had liked Maggie but her character made a 180 degree flip; her whole relation with Stephen was out of character. How could I not hate her after that? I started resenting when people were showing kindness to her in the form of resolution (like the way Aunt Glegg did).
Then there's Tom; unlike popular opinion I assume, I did like him. I liked his wants to uphold duty to his father and wanting to keep his family together. He didn't go about them in a nice manner but his rigidity was interesting to read. I only wish he loved his sister as much as she did. Her longing for his affection was quite sad to read. And there was a lot of potential in Tom's character development which was not explored except for maybe an arbitrary line hidden among other details that put the idea in my head to begin with. Throughout their childhood, Tom thought himself to be better and I think it was his interview with his uncle to look for a situation when that vision of himself was shattered and he realised he did not have everything he thought he had within his nature.
As for Philip Wakem .... :((((( C'mon! Okay, yes, he was a little too forward and imposing on Maggie but he was the only one I rooted for till the end! Yet, all that was written for him was just loneliness with a vague mention of him always coming to Maggie's grave alone? Absolutely nicht! So undeserving and, to be honest, such a deficient and lacking ending to one of the main characters.
Some positives
- Philip Wakem's hunchback element. I think it was quite beautiful and sad to read his troubles relating to his physical deformity; it enhanced his characterisation.
- The entire confrontation scene between Tom, Maggie and Philip. When Tom becomes suspicious of Maggie, confronts her and gives her the ultimatum upon her father's bible, then both of them go to Philip and Tom confronts him. Ah! This has to be one of my top favourite novel scenes of all time - up there with the scene in Villette where Lucy confides in the priest. Perhaps, this scene in TMOTF has the edge for now because the emotions were much more heightened and the conflict was a lot more intense since there were things at stake. Yet, I do think the novel ending will affect my perception of this scene in the future and deem it useless since Maggie later turns to be despicable and Philip loses his position as a suitor anyway. Nevertheless, we shall see.
Anyway, George Elliot, I could have written a better ending than this.
Update: 12/12/2020
- I remember how much I adored the scene in which Philip tells his father about Maggie. How quiet and calm Philip was. His father, whose character you only know through the vilification by the Tulliver family and assume is terrible, gets angry but comes around for his only son. His love and indulgent nature for his son was wonderful characterisation throughout. And in consequence, the addition of the little scene in which Mr Wakem speaks so kindly to Maggie at the bazaar. Sigh.
- The more I dwell on the novel, the more I absolutely love Philip. My heart :”( My favourite character of the novel...and possibly amongst my favourite novel characters of all time. Too bad he belongs and lives in a terribly constructed book.
- Reminds me of the confrontational scene in which Tom insults Philip. Stupid Tom; I can’t believe the author didn’t even resolve that! With some sort of redeeming scene involving Tom at least.
dnietoperafan's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me such a long time to read. One of the reasons why is the fact that it’s written with a very slow pace. I couldn’t manage to read more than twenty pages without feeling tired. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story. I could connect very well with Maggie and her thought process. I think many people would enjoy this book, and if they enjoy slow paced stories it’s perfect.
The ending was such a surprise, and it made me physically react. The characters are well developed and George Eliot makes you care about them. The characters, in my opinion, are the strongest element of the novel. I enjoyed reading it, even though it took me some time. And I think it was a good book to end the year with.
The ending was such a surprise, and it made me physically react. The characters are well developed and George Eliot makes you care about them. The characters, in my opinion, are the strongest element of the novel. I enjoyed reading it, even though it took me some time. And I think it was a good book to end the year with.
lunese's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0