A review by brekkerlun
O Monte dos Vendavais by Emily Brontë

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

4.5

Oh, how much I dislike (almost) everyone in this book, but also how I have a sneaking suspicion they won't leave my mind ever again. This was (in my opinion, wrongly) promoted to me as a romance, but I would honestly classify it as more of a gothic horror. It had a bit of everything, family drama, a life-long revenge, obsessive and toxic love, pure and kind love, commentary on class injustices, racism and misogyny, extremely flawed characters... what else could I ask for? By the end, it leaves you wondering if there's any way to truly outrun generational "curses", and cleverly makes you reflect on the "nature vs nurture" debate. 

On top of everything, the writing was haunting and beautiful. Although I've read the Portuguese translation, I could still tell Brontë's writing was outstanding, and I'm excited to re-read it in English in the future, even if I probably won't understand most of Joseph's lines. This was my first book by a Brontë sister, and I can confidently say it didn't disappoint, I can't wait to read more from them. 

“Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.”
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