A review by msrichardsreads89
Adam Bede by George Eliot

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of those books that comes into your life at just the right time and makes you fall in love with it. I was so engrossed in this book that I finished it in less than two days. I loved the slow build of the plot as we got to know the characters. George Eliot's character work in Adam Bede is exceptional. They are nuanced, relatable, and human. I am not a religious person, and neither was Eliot, so I really love how she talked about religion so beautifully throughout this novel and in such a hopeful, uplifting way. I LOVE that Dinah is a female minister, which is something that I have never seen in a Victorian novel. I grew to love her, and I love that she practices what she preaches. The characters became my friends over the course of the novel, and I am sad to be leaving them. 

Eliot's prose is gorgeous and vividly descriptive without feeling overly saccharine. I found myself rereading passages because they were so lovely. She has a talent for getting you to reflect on society and themes of patriarchy, pain, family/community, redemption, and morality with the plot and the gripping plot twists. 

There are so many parts of this novel that will stay with me, and I look forward to rereading this in the future. 
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