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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I always thought 'greased lightning' was an original term from 'Grease.' Had no idea it is much older and used in this book!
I really enjoyed this book. It seemed quite honest but also witty about life at the time it was written. You can also see how morals have changed since then.
The only reason I didn't give this a 5-star review is because it is too long and a bit repetitive. Whereas other Victorian novels keep you turning pages, there were whole chapters I could probably have done without in Vanity Fair.
That said, it's a brilliant story, turning the world of social status on its ear, and creating a most endearing wench of a main character in Becky Sharp. I can see how Becky was the prototype on which Margaret Mitchell based her Scarlett O'Hara--Becky is the original witty, sharp-tongued, unscrupulous social-climber who is still somehow incredibly attractive (though not at all beautiful) and charming.
There is the usual Victorian cast of characters: the chaste maiden in distress in the form of Amelia; the gallant-but-poor sufferer of unrequited love in Capt. Dobbin; the pompous, cowardly, over-stuffed fool with a heart of gold in Jos; the oh-dear-do-you-think-you're-god's-gift good-looking scoundrel in George Osborne... Still, they are in essence the traditional characters, but done well.
You know.... I could see Vanity Fair turned into a telenovela for Telemundo without much effort, honestly, but it is endearing and of course has it's requisite happy ending. A classic!
That said, it's a brilliant story, turning the world of social status on its ear, and creating a most endearing wench of a main character in Becky Sharp. I can see how Becky was the prototype on which Margaret Mitchell based her Scarlett O'Hara--Becky is the original witty, sharp-tongued, unscrupulous social-climber who is still somehow incredibly attractive (though not at all beautiful) and charming.
There is the usual Victorian cast of characters: the chaste maiden in distress in the form of Amelia; the gallant-but-poor sufferer of unrequited love in Capt. Dobbin; the pompous, cowardly, over-stuffed fool with a heart of gold in Jos; the oh-dear-do-you-think-you're-god's-gift good-looking scoundrel in George Osborne... Still, they are in essence the traditional characters, but done well.
You know.... I could see Vanity Fair turned into a telenovela for Telemundo without much effort, honestly, but it is endearing and of course has it's requisite happy ending. A classic!
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loooooooonnnnnnnggggg and borrrriiiiinnnnnnngggggg.
It started off okay as the story of two women with very different backgrounds and attitudes. Becky with no money and no social standing is relentlessly driven to achieve both and nothing will stand in her way. Amelia is from a well off family and is extremely sweet and kind to everyone whose path she crosses. We follow both as find husbands and attempt to establish their place in the world. Other than that, it is basically a family saga with lots of sisters, brothers, cousins weaving in and out of the story.
It's basically a soap opera that drowns in its own details. It probably was cutting edge at the time to have a book revolve around a ruthless woman, but I just don't think there's anything exciting about that storyline now. The book skewers a lot about the society at the time and the social mores, so I can see why this might have been a great read in the past. But honestly, I just didn't care at all about the characters or what happened to them. This was a rough go after trying to read A Suitable Boy which arguably could be called the Indian Vanity Fair and being unable to finish that. This one was a close call, but it was easier to skim parts and still have the gist of the book. Both books started off well for me and both had writing styles I thought were fine and accessible . . .but both devolved into a giant snore for me.
The only redeeming quality here was the narrator who breaks the third wall a bit, talking to the reader and making snarky observations. It's a construct you may be inclined to love or hate, but I felt it was the saving grace of the book.
It started off okay as the story of two women with very different backgrounds and attitudes. Becky with no money and no social standing is relentlessly driven to achieve both and nothing will stand in her way. Amelia is from a well off family and is extremely sweet and kind to everyone whose path she crosses. We follow both as find husbands and attempt to establish their place in the world. Other than that, it is basically a family saga with lots of sisters, brothers, cousins weaving in and out of the story.
It's basically a soap opera that drowns in its own details. It probably was cutting edge at the time to have a book revolve around a ruthless woman, but I just don't think there's anything exciting about that storyline now. The book skewers a lot about the society at the time and the social mores, so I can see why this might have been a great read in the past. But honestly, I just didn't care at all about the characters or what happened to them. This was a rough go after trying to read A Suitable Boy which arguably could be called the Indian Vanity Fair and being unable to finish that. This one was a close call, but it was easier to skim parts and still have the gist of the book. Both books started off well for me and both had writing styles I thought were fine and accessible . . .but both devolved into a giant snore for me.
The only redeeming quality here was the narrator who breaks the third wall a bit, talking to the reader and making snarky observations. It's a construct you may be inclined to love or hate, but I felt it was the saving grace of the book.
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
reflective
slow-paced
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:
Yes