A review by terranstorm
Maurice by E.M. Forster

challenging emotional hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is a sweet little book. I've meant to read it for years, but after seeing the 1987 film recently I felt like something was lacking there and needed to go back to the source to find out what all I'd missed in the adaptation. A lot, although it's mostly subtle things, the day-to-day development of Maurice, and Clive, and eventually Alec, too. What a wonder that this was first penned in 1913-14? Incredible to me. So telling of the times that it was the happy ending that made it 'unpublishable', and heartening that Forster knew it was essential to the whole project.

I also really enjoyed the class consciousness in this, knowing it's of a certain place and time. I didn't know to expect that going in--until I caught wind of it with the movie, I guess--but it's clearer here. Alec made his choice knowing all he could lose, and Maurice knew what that choice meant, and then paired it with his own. I'm happy to have met these characters and heard their story. 
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