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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I sort of wish I had read this book as part of a literature class. There was a lot going on that I'm pretty sure I missed. I didn't find the general plot of sibling rivalry and male/female relationships all that interesting. But the main character of Maggie is just short of fascinating. Her search for a place amongst her family and society in a time where girls were supposed to be seen and not really heard is particularly interesting since it was written by a woman. At times Eliot is not kind to Maggie, depicting her as a wild child of the Victorian era. Underneath it though, I got the sense that Eliot commiserates with her character. I wonder if I would have had the same thoughts if I hadn't known that George Eliot was a woman. Either way, read this book for the main character, not for the plot.
I fell in love with the character and sat in shock for a full five minutes after the book concluded. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by George Eliot.
girl can’t decide between two men then drowns in a flood with her brother!
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Following the rise and fall (and then even deeper fall) of the Tulliver family, readers meet Maggie and Tom Tulliver as children, already set with some of the qualities that will be their undoing. Both find their lives changed by their father’s bad business dealings and must make new ways in the world. The morally superior Tom finds righteousness in his own business dealing and strict code of honor. While Maggie finds her imaginative, passionate nature challenged by new circumstance and attempts to live a life of renunciation…despite the many temptations thrown at her.
As you can imagine, self-denial and denial of others does not work out well for these two in their adult lives, chaos ensues.
What I most appreciate about this, is George Elliot’s ability to take a mundane thought or attitude from a character and shape it into a core part of their code of beliefs. She gets inside every character’s mind very well, even the smallest supporting cast member feels thoroughly examined. Also, as a consequence of this, she has created some of the most insufferable characters in all of literature in this book. Earlier this year I declared Rory from Adelaide as the most insufferable character of all time…then I met Mrs. Glegg. Mrs. Glegg is both fictional and from the 1800s but if I ever saw her on the street I’d push her into a sewer grate. I offer this as evidence that Elliot can get under your skin, and while this is not purely a melodrama, it offers quite a bit of cathartic feeling for the reader.
The romances in this capital-R Romance are, frankly, very fucking annoying. But they are also a great commentary on the garbage nest choices for a woman in the time, particularly one like Maggie who is easily tempted by feeling loved. (Also, do we think George Elliot has some internalized misogyny going here, like, stronger even than other writers of the period? Just a thought, the women are complex but not a single one is likable and smart). Anyway, this is where I float my weird theory…is this book queer, because it seems to me like Maggie is asexual. She is tempted by feeling loved by both Phillip and Stephen but she seems to be repulsed by the idea of pursuing them; even feeling palpable relief to be parted from Phillip. Or is this driving home that Tom is her actual one love and hence why they end clasping hands for eternity.
In any case, I am proud of myself for finishing this one, 500+ pages and the very first book on my TBR. Sorry Professor Franco, I never finished this but always felt a kinship with it so glad to have actually seen it through.
As you can imagine, self-denial and denial of others does not work out well for these two in their adult lives, chaos ensues.
What I most appreciate about this, is George Elliot’s ability to take a mundane thought or attitude from a character and shape it into a core part of their code of beliefs. She gets inside every character’s mind very well, even the smallest supporting cast member feels thoroughly examined. Also, as a consequence of this, she has created some of the most insufferable characters in all of literature in this book. Earlier this year I declared Rory from Adelaide as the most insufferable character of all time…then I met Mrs. Glegg. Mrs. Glegg is both fictional and from the 1800s but if I ever saw her on the street I’d push her into a sewer grate. I offer this as evidence that Elliot can get under your skin, and while this is not purely a melodrama, it offers quite a bit of cathartic feeling for the reader.
The romances in this capital-R Romance are, frankly, very fucking annoying. But they are also a great commentary on the garbage nest choices for a woman in the time, particularly one like Maggie who is easily tempted by feeling loved. (Also, do we think George Elliot has some internalized misogyny going here, like, stronger even than other writers of the period? Just a thought, the women are complex but not a single one is likable and smart). Anyway, this is where I float my weird theory…is this book queer, because it seems to me like Maggie is asexual. She is tempted by feeling loved by both Phillip and Stephen but she seems to be repulsed by the idea of pursuing them; even feeling palpable relief to be parted from Phillip.
In any case, I am proud of myself for finishing this one, 500+ pages and the very first book on my TBR. Sorry Professor Franco, I never finished this but always felt a kinship with it so glad to have actually seen it through.
A very poignant story. I really identified with Maggie and think she is one of the best female characters in fiction. Maggie is totally her own person and absolutely refuses to succumb to absurd societal pressures to be what they expect rather than what she is. She's a bright, intelligent, generous-hearted girl determined to act according to her conscience, who seems to be surrounded by bitter, small-minded people. It sums up the struggles so many women have faced throughout history and even now.
Despite the lack of happy ending, I loved this tragic story and Maggie Tulliver’s guiding principles of familial duty and morality.
This is a lengthy book, but the depth of characters that are developed benefits from that length.
I wish Maggie had a happy ending, but it wouldn’t really fit with the rest of the story.
This is a lengthy book, but the depth of characters that are developed benefits from that length.
I wish Maggie had a happy ending, but it wouldn’t really fit with the rest of the story.
3.5 stars-
I went into this book somewhat haphazardly. This book is somewhat polarizing, but I’m pleased to admit that it was overall a positive experience!
George Eliot has beautiful prose and some really interesting insights on human nature. This book was very much concerned with what makes humans any different from animals, the position of women in society, familial vs romantic relationships, and what it means to pursue happiness.
As is the popular opinion with this novel, I had gripes with the ending. However, the ending from a plot standpoint wasn’t my problem- it was the thematic implications of it. I felt that Eliot maybe needed 20-30 pages before the ending to wrap up Maggie’s story and to draw some conclusion on her greatest moral struggle, namely that she doesn’t feel like she can chase any happiness that makes someone else unhappy. I felt that the end somewhat justifies Maggie’s viewpoint, which I just don’t agree with. (And frankly, I don’t think Eliot agreed with her either. She just left the discussion hanging.)
Probably not a great entry point for classics or Victorian Literature, but if you’re interested in the era already, it’s a thought provoking read!
I went into this book somewhat haphazardly. This book is somewhat polarizing, but I’m pleased to admit that it was overall a positive experience!
George Eliot has beautiful prose and some really interesting insights on human nature. This book was very much concerned with what makes humans any different from animals, the position of women in society, familial vs romantic relationships, and what it means to pursue happiness.
As is the popular opinion with this novel, I had gripes with the ending. However, the ending from a plot standpoint wasn’t my problem- it was the thematic implications of it. I felt that Eliot maybe needed 20-30 pages before the ending to wrap up Maggie’s story and to draw some conclusion on her greatest moral struggle, namely that she doesn’t feel like she can chase any happiness that makes someone else unhappy. I felt that the end somewhat justifies Maggie’s viewpoint, which I just don’t agree with. (And frankly, I don’t think Eliot agreed with her either. She just left the discussion hanging.)
Probably not a great entry point for classics or Victorian Literature, but if you’re interested in the era already, it’s a thought provoking read!
This book was super hard to get into. I mean it took HALF the book just to develop the characters. I realize that is the norm with Victorian novels, but I felt that was a little excessive. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have finished it if a friend had not encouraged me to do so. But I’m glad I did. It was a worthy read. Just wouldn’t recommend it unless you are a very patient person and have lots of time!
hard to rate this book tbh. middlemarch was much more compelling but this book is a great exploration of eliot’s childhood and inner turmoil and all of this. beautifully written obviously