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A review by wuthrinheights
Daisy Miller by Henry James
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Daisy Miller, to put it shortly, was about a manic pixie dream girl. Winterbourne, on his last day in Switzerland, met Randolph, a chatty nine year old kid, who introduced him to his sister, Daisy. As the little boy became their third wheeler, Winterbourne, fascinated by this beautiful young girl who was hard to crack, took it upon himself to get to know her better.
They went on a midnight escapade and her slippery and unpredictable ways intrigued him further. She wasn't dignified, she wasn't shy, she didn't seem to care who she ran into it, she did what she wanted and she laughed all the time. Against Winterbourne's aunt's approval, he fell for her hook, line, and sinker.
Months later they met again in Rome, where apparently Daisy was the talk of the town--for being a major flirt. With her strange, out-of-focus mother constantly in bed, Daisy went out every night with different men. After awhile, she became acquainted with an Italian pianist, which Winterbourne thought was not good enough for her.
They went on a midnight escapade and her slippery and unpredictable ways intrigued him further. She wasn't dignified, she wasn't shy, she didn't seem to care who she ran into it, she did what she wanted and she laughed all the time. Against Winterbourne's aunt's approval, he fell for her hook, line, and sinker.
Months later they met again in Rome, where apparently Daisy was the talk of the town--for being a major flirt. With her strange, out-of-focus mother constantly in bed, Daisy went out every night with different men. After awhile, she became acquainted with an Italian pianist, which Winterbourne thought was not good enough for her.
"You're a very nice girl; but I wish you would flirt with me, and me only," said Winterbourne.
On and on, Daisy gallivanted with the pianist until Winterbourne learned a shocking news about the pair, and it turned his life upside down, forever altering his mind.
As my second Henry James book, I'm still on the fence about him. I don't hate his works, but I don't love it either. I like how easy it is to read them, but they don't pull my strings the way some authors do. I am, however, still intrigued to read more of his other works. This was a nice enough book, and I liked his descriptions of the scenery, because I felt like I was really there with them. I finished it with a somewhat satisfied feeling.