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angela_juniper's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
thebookishpersuasion's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
dyno8426's review against another edition
5.0
No better time to wrap up Middlemarch than the middle of March, isn't it? In fact, any time would do to experience this work that displays the intelligence and boldness of an authorship ready to challenge the Victorian England times. A contemporary of Jane Austen, Mary Ann Evans takes a "V for Vendetta" approach to talk about what she observes around her society. She germinates a whole ecosystem of characters with the richness of psychological realism that is enough to break down the fictional barrier that good books usually do. It is prominently through an attitude of honesty and humility in which the author recognises the position of "fairer sex" in their society and how the counterweight of fears and desires, dependence and independence made their existence a tightrope balancing act. The pun-intended on "act" for the responsibility to maintain a dignified character in the face of expectations that conventions set before them and the responsibilities they were supposed to bear as a result.
Whatever little preface my edition gives into the author's personal background, reveals how the author transfuses parts of her life into the prominent female characters in the book - Dorothea Brooke championing philanthropy and breaking the mould of a comfort-filled existence in her pursuit of helping others at the cost of her own happiness; Mary Garth possessing the sensibility and confidence that comes from the warranted compass of righteous living; the unshakeable and romantic Rosamund Vincy probably the most flawed in her self-assuredness and guilt-free expectations from life. What is amazing is the balancing array of insightful and equally rich male characters who represent another masterful achievement of this book - the psychological dynamism between the two genders and marriage - the latter being a dominant and unavoidable theme of the relationship between two sexes and the quantum of social consequence of intertwined fates. The multi-dimensional richness of individuals brings colour and freshness to the otherwise expected difficulty and complications of marriage - like the underlying struggle to preserve parts valuable to oneself in a recurring demand to compromise them for the happiness of the other.
The subtleties of human behaviour, the transitoriness and layerings of our psyche as humans aspiring for nobler intentions of honour, power and greatness is captured with the relatable plainness of realism that inspires recognition and respect for author's perceptiveness. There are also flavours of philosophy interspersed through artefacts of politics, religion and making-a-living throughout the story. Surprisingly enough, rather that hindering the reader's interest in the story through its lengthy prose, it offers noteworthy excerpts that I ended up marking regularly for the humble, higher truth they communicate. While its brilliance shines through its universality of social identifiers, its focus from being a book about women and their perspective of the world made equally for them is unwavering and equally strong for me to recommend it as an impressionable book out there of voices worth acknowledging.
Whatever little preface my edition gives into the author's personal background, reveals how the author transfuses parts of her life into the prominent female characters in the book - Dorothea Brooke championing philanthropy and breaking the mould of a comfort-filled existence in her pursuit of helping others at the cost of her own happiness; Mary Garth possessing the sensibility and confidence that comes from the warranted compass of righteous living; the unshakeable and romantic Rosamund Vincy probably the most flawed in her self-assuredness and guilt-free expectations from life. What is amazing is the balancing array of insightful and equally rich male characters who represent another masterful achievement of this book - the psychological dynamism between the two genders and marriage - the latter being a dominant and unavoidable theme of the relationship between two sexes and the quantum of social consequence of intertwined fates. The multi-dimensional richness of individuals brings colour and freshness to the otherwise expected difficulty and complications of marriage - like the underlying struggle to preserve parts valuable to oneself in a recurring demand to compromise them for the happiness of the other.
The subtleties of human behaviour, the transitoriness and layerings of our psyche as humans aspiring for nobler intentions of honour, power and greatness is captured with the relatable plainness of realism that inspires recognition and respect for author's perceptiveness. There are also flavours of philosophy interspersed through artefacts of politics, religion and making-a-living throughout the story. Surprisingly enough, rather that hindering the reader's interest in the story through its lengthy prose, it offers noteworthy excerpts that I ended up marking regularly for the humble, higher truth they communicate. While its brilliance shines through its universality of social identifiers, its focus from being a book about women and their perspective of the world made equally for them is unwavering and equally strong for me to recommend it as an impressionable book out there of voices worth acknowledging.
museumonfire's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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
Read for a class, but actually read the entire book and adored it. If you’re looking to get into the big books™️of the Victorian era this is a good place to start
taraabdi's review against another edition
challenging
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.75
tamara_danielle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zurpel's review against another edition
reflective
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
3.75
shimmery's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful study of character that shows human nature in all its different lights. Following the varied inhabitants of the small (fictional) midlands town of Middlemarch, this story is funny, moving sad and yet most of all hopeful (which is what I like best in a book).
It's quite amazing that a book written 150+ years ago can have characters that could have been plucked straight out of the present - they're all so recognisable and the author's overwhelming generosity to them means that each are fully formed. I had so many favourites, from the bumbling Mr Brooke to the wonderful and witty Mary Garth.
There were so many instances that made me laugh out loud - most memorably the following:
'When Mary Garth entered the kitchen and Mr Jonah Featherstone began to follow her with his cold detective eyes, young Cranch turning his head in the same direction seemed to insist on it that she should remark how he was squinting, as if he did it with design, like the gypsies when Borrow read the New Testament to them. This was rather too much for poor Mary; sometimes it made her bilious, sometimes it upset her gravity. One day that she had an opportunity she could not resist describing the kitchen scene to Fred, who would not be hindered from immediately going to see it, affecting simply to pass through. But no sooner did he face the four eyes than he had to rush through the nearest door which happened to lead to the dairy, and there under the high roof and among the pans he gave way to laughter that made a hollow resonance perfectly audible in the kitchen.'
I just love how it seems the human experience is so timeless, and there is so much to be learned from reading such excellent studies of it as this.
It's quite amazing that a book written 150+ years ago can have characters that could have been plucked straight out of the present - they're all so recognisable and the author's overwhelming generosity to them means that each are fully formed. I had so many favourites, from the bumbling Mr Brooke to the wonderful and witty Mary Garth.
There were so many instances that made me laugh out loud - most memorably the following:
'When Mary Garth entered the kitchen and Mr Jonah Featherstone began to follow her with his cold detective eyes, young Cranch turning his head in the same direction seemed to insist on it that she should remark how he was squinting, as if he did it with design, like the gypsies when Borrow read the New Testament to them. This was rather too much for poor Mary; sometimes it made her bilious, sometimes it upset her gravity. One day that she had an opportunity she could not resist describing the kitchen scene to Fred, who would not be hindered from immediately going to see it, affecting simply to pass through. But no sooner did he face the four eyes than he had to rush through the nearest door which happened to lead to the dairy, and there under the high roof and among the pans he gave way to laughter that made a hollow resonance perfectly audible in the kitchen.'
I just love how it seems the human experience is so timeless, and there is so much to be learned from reading such excellent studies of it as this.
marga28's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
eva_jean's review against another edition
reflective
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
3.75