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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Here we have proof that I can still read big books! Daniel Deronda was not quite as enjoyable as Middlemarch, but I did find it very interesting. George Eliot has a tendency to get a little preach-y which made parts of this book a bit of a drag to read. Nevertheless, the subject George Eliot chose is so unusual among the traditional Victorian classics that I am willing to forgive the occasional monologue.
I watched the miniseries adaption of this years ago and was frankly scared off by certain things. Because I already knew everything that would happen, I was not surprised by any particular twists.
Gwendolyn may not be the most likable heroine, but I feel that after her traumatic experiences we can agree to pity and wish the best for her. Another writer may have continued to "punish" her for her faults, but I really appreciated how George Eliot was very careful not to condemn her and in fact continued to sympathize with her and excuse her actions. I loved that she even compared Gwendolyn sympathetically to the typical young men of her era, and frequently compared Daniel with positive female traits. It was so delightfully subversive.
Now, onto what I considered the most interesting portion of the book, the so-called "Jewish plot". It is rightfully impressive that a mainstream Victorian author tackled what was then (and sadly, to some extent, still is) an unusual subject. Unfortunately, while George Eliot is ultimately very much on the side of the Jewish characters in Daniel Deronda, to debunk the (disgustingly) common bigotry of her age I feel she indulges the ridiculous stereotypes too much. Yes, her characters do progress over time and reject their prejudice, but the inherent bigotry still unsettles me. Those who read Daniel Deronda when it was first published were shocked by its pro-Jewish message, but to my modern eye that message is just not enough. I found there to be too many annoying lectures debunking stereotypes that George Eliot accepts as mainstream truth. To those who know how patently untrue they are, the whole debacle leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
However, I do still feel the power of making the novel's hero a man who at first is confused and dismissive of the other Jewish characters, but ultimately comes to embrace his heritage and embark on a campaign for a Jewish homeland. For Mariah to be the innocent, pure-hearted damsel-in-distress who ultimately gets her way was also very important. I imagine it was not lost on George Eliot's first readers!
Daniel and Mirah's romance was pretty cute. I'm may be misremembering, but it felt much better in the book than the miniseries! I also found it very interesting to be able to peek, however briefly, into the world of Victorian Judaism. Some of Mordecai's philosophy was completely lost on me, but some of it was really intriguing. It was a part of the world that I'd never really seen on the page before and I'm very glad George Eliot chose to portray it.
Although this book was far from perfect, I still thought it was very intriguing and occasionally thought-provoking. It certainly wasn't your run-of-the-mill classic novel. Still, not a book for the faint of heart! Some of it can be downright incomprehensible, and sadly it reflects the prejudices of its time even while striking a blow against bigotry. Nevertheless, I think it is an important read and I'm glad I read it.
I watched the miniseries adaption of this years ago and was frankly scared off by certain things. Because I already knew everything that would happen, I was not surprised by any particular twists.
Gwendolyn may not be the most likable heroine, but I feel that after her traumatic experiences we can agree to pity and wish the best for her. Another writer may have continued to "punish" her for her faults, but I really appreciated how George Eliot was very careful not to condemn her and in fact continued to sympathize with her and excuse her actions. I loved that she even compared Gwendolyn sympathetically to the typical young men of her era, and frequently compared Daniel with positive female traits. It was so delightfully subversive.
Now, onto what I considered the most interesting portion of the book, the so-called "Jewish plot". It is rightfully impressive that a mainstream Victorian author tackled what was then (and sadly, to some extent, still is) an unusual subject. Unfortunately, while George Eliot is ultimately very much on the side of the Jewish characters in Daniel Deronda, to debunk the (disgustingly) common bigotry of her age I feel she indulges the ridiculous stereotypes too much. Yes, her characters do progress over time and reject their prejudice, but the inherent bigotry still unsettles me. Those who read Daniel Deronda when it was first published were shocked by its pro-Jewish message, but to my modern eye that message is just not enough. I found there to be too many annoying lectures debunking stereotypes that George Eliot accepts as mainstream truth. To those who know how patently untrue they are, the whole debacle leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
However, I do still feel the power of making the novel's hero a man who at first is confused and dismissive of the other Jewish characters, but ultimately comes to embrace his heritage and embark on a campaign for a Jewish homeland. For Mariah to be the innocent, pure-hearted damsel-in-distress who ultimately gets her way was also very important. I imagine it was not lost on George Eliot's first readers!
Daniel and Mirah's romance was pretty cute. I'm may be misremembering, but it felt much better in the book than the miniseries! I also found it very interesting to be able to peek, however briefly, into the world of Victorian Judaism. Some of Mordecai's philosophy was completely lost on me, but some of it was really intriguing. It was a part of the world that I'd never really seen on the page before and I'm very glad George Eliot chose to portray it.
Although this book was far from perfect, I still thought it was very intriguing and occasionally thought-provoking. It certainly wasn't your run-of-the-mill classic novel. Still, not a book for the faint of heart! Some of it can be downright incomprehensible, and sadly it reflects the prejudices of its time even while striking a blow against bigotry. Nevertheless, I think it is an important read and I'm glad I read it.
I can’t belief the coincidence was just a coincidence and not a grandiose plot twist - so much potential - feeling lowkey let down
Daniel Deronda shows classic Victorian morality as Deronda is unfathomably good and gets a happy ending while Grandcourt is malicious and, in deus ex machina style, ends up drowning. Gwendolen is somewhere in the middle morality-wise. She behaves poorly and is manipulative though later shows remorse, ultimately living at the end of the book but not getting what she wants.
I did not like the faffing around on country estates of the early chapters. I found it dull and slow. Additionally, by about two thirds of the way through, I felt that the story would do better without so much focus on Gwendolen. I found her a tedious character regardless of her position at the end of the novel and was more interested in learning more about the novel's political background. Perhaps, however, Eliot felt the need to include Gwendolen as a palatable 'doorway' to this political element which at the time was still an uncommon subject for English authors.
The novel was mostly serious in tone but there were some funny moments. For instance, when the narrator observes procrastination by saying, "What should we all do without the calendar, when we want to put off a disagreeable duty? The admirable arrangements of the solar system, by which our time is measured, always supply us with a term before which it is hardly worth while to set about anything we are disinclined to” (Part 4, Chapter 5).
I did not like the faffing around on country estates of the early chapters. I found it dull and slow. Additionally, by about two thirds of the way through, I felt that the story would do better without so much focus on Gwendolen. I found her a tedious character regardless of her position at the end of the novel and was more interested in learning more about the novel's political background. Perhaps, however, Eliot felt the need to include Gwendolen as a palatable 'doorway' to this political element which at the time was still an uncommon subject for English authors.
The novel was mostly serious in tone but there were some funny moments. For instance, when the narrator observes procrastination by saying, "What should we all do without the calendar, when we want to put off a disagreeable duty? The admirable arrangements of the solar system, by which our time is measured, always supply us with a term before which it is hardly worth while to set about anything we are disinclined to” (Part 4, Chapter 5).
Apparently the consensus of critics at the time was that the Jewish part of the story isn't as strong and that only Gwendolyn and her monster husband were really fleshed out. It's true that the proto-Zionism of Mordecai threatens to turn it into a novel of ideas, and I still think Mirah was a sap who failed to raise my interest, but I found myself sympathizing with Daniel Deronda as he explores the Jewish neighborhood and later Jewish religion and culture. Today, it's very common for someone like Deronda ... a relatively privileged young man who within his own class is disadvantaged because of his parentage or lack thereof ... who has an interest in social justice but no real program ... to take an interest in exotic peoples. I mean exotic for him of course. And then the ultimate wish fulfillment ... not so surprising ... he is Jewish after all! You could set the whole story in the Lower East Side of today, with the hipster discovering he is actually Puerto Rican ... and part Chinese! I didn't think Deronda was so flat or wooden, maybe George Eliot could have done more with him, but there wasn't the vocabulary back then to describe the contradictions in the kind of post-colonial fantasy Deronda pursues. Even so, he goes from being grossed out when a Jew touches him to being delighted to discover he's in the tribe, and I can get into a story like that. Although, yeah, the Victorian readers were also right, the Gwendolyn stuff is a lot stronger and racier and with higher stakes.
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
was removed from the Everand library, and it was hard to follow along. I think Aaron and I need to choose more snappy, memorable books to listen to together
Review after completing the novel:
A quick summary:
Gwendolyn and Daniel meet at a gambling club in Germany at the beginning of the novel, as Gwendolyn discovers the thrill of winning. Of course, before the night is out, she has lost a round, and when she returns to the house in which she is staying, she learns that her family has lost their home and their funds, requiring her to return from vacation immediately. Determined to save her family, Gwendolyn chooses to sell a brooch and to use the money to earn back their funds at the roulette table. She is subsequently shocked and a bit disturbed when the brooch is returned to her, understanding that it was repurchased by Daniel Deronda.
As it turns out, Deronda’s gesture is less a flirtation than an indication of his desire to save others, which continued to play out throughout the novel. He rescues Mirah from drowning herself, and he is drawn to Mordecai, the sickly bookseller who is seeking a learning partner and is struck immediately by Deronda. As the novel proceeds, we learn of Gwendolyn’s romances and eventual marriage to Grandcourt, a difficult, unsupportive man whose funds can keep her family in nice estates. We also see Deronda’s increasing fascination with Judaism and early Zionism, as well as his increasing desire to understand his own family origins, inspired perhaps by his attraction to Mirah, which he won’t admit even to himself until he discovers that it may be attainable. Indeed, as Gwendolyn’s story becomes more and more depressing, her husband drowning, ostensibly by her own hand, and her own attraction to Deronda becoming stronger just as his interest in her wanes, Deronda’s story becomes more joyful as he embraces his heritage and his future with Mirah. In fact, this sequence of events is surprising because on the surface it appears that Gwendolyn, now a wealthy widow, would be in a better position than Deronda, who descends from the ranks of a beloved ward of an English gentleman to the status of an abandoned, orphaned Jew.
I enjoyed the plot and, especially, the humor throughout the novel, though certainly in such a long book, a lot of the details and nuances got lost. I would love to listen to or read a discussion of the novel and its impact, but it seems rather understudied, unfortunately.
Review after completing the novel:
A quick summary:
Gwendolyn and Daniel meet at a gambling club in Germany at the beginning of the novel, as Gwendolyn discovers the thrill of winning. Of course, before the night is out, she has lost a round, and when she returns to the house in which she is staying, she learns that her family has lost their home and their funds, requiring her to return from vacation immediately. Determined to save her family, Gwendolyn chooses to sell a brooch and to use the money to earn back their funds at the roulette table. She is subsequently shocked and a bit disturbed when the brooch is returned to her, understanding that it was repurchased by Daniel Deronda.
As it turns out, Deronda’s gesture is less a flirtation than an indication of his desire to save others, which continued to play out throughout the novel. He rescues Mirah from drowning herself, and he is drawn to Mordecai, the sickly bookseller who is seeking a learning partner and is struck immediately by Deronda. As the novel proceeds, we learn of Gwendolyn’s romances and eventual marriage to Grandcourt, a difficult, unsupportive man whose funds can keep her family in nice estates. We also see Deronda’s increasing fascination with Judaism and early Zionism, as well as his increasing desire to understand his own family origins, inspired perhaps by his attraction to Mirah, which he won’t admit even to himself until he discovers that it may be attainable. Indeed, as Gwendolyn’s story becomes more and more depressing, her husband drowning, ostensibly by her own hand, and her own attraction to Deronda becoming stronger just as his interest in her wanes, Deronda’s story becomes more joyful as he embraces his heritage and his future with Mirah. In fact, this sequence of events is surprising because on the surface it appears that Gwendolyn, now a wealthy widow, would be in a better position than Deronda, who descends from the ranks of a beloved ward of an English gentleman to the status of an abandoned, orphaned Jew.
I enjoyed the plot and, especially, the humor throughout the novel, though certainly in such a long book, a lot of the details and nuances got lost. I would love to listen to or read a discussion of the novel and its impact, but it seems rather understudied, unfortunately.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes