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A review by kchessrice
South Riding by Winifred Holtby
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The main storyline follows Sarah Burton, the headmistress of South Riding's high school for girls. Sarah is intelligent, clever and full of ambition for "her girls". She faces many battles to win the hearts and minds of the townspeople - and her own School Board! One of her strongest opponents is Robert Carne, owner of 'the big house' with a mentally ill wife being looked after in a nursing home which is using up all his money (shades of Jane Eyre here!).
Holtby's work has been compared as similar in theme and scope (and length!) as George Eliot and Charles Dickens - and I can see why! The fictionalised parish of South Riding in Yorkshire is the setting for a story about the people who live in the town and surrounding villages, and the people who sit on the Council making decisions that will impact all their lives. The most contemporary novel I can think of that is similar is The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling.
For me, the most interesting theme is the importance of a good education for young girls. I loved the character of 15 year old Lydia Holly, who has ambitions of getting herself out of the drudgery of the life she lives with her parents and multiple younger siblings. Unfortunately, she is forced to leave school to help look after their run down shack of a home and bring up the children. How keenly I felt that disappointment with Lydia!
I must say that I rather trudged through the trials and tribulations of South Riding (I think I understand the term "hate reading" a bit better now!). The group chat with the other #QuietClassics2023 readers definitely pulled me through! I appreciate there is much to enjoy in the writing, however there were too many characters with their own side plots for me and I didn't feel I had enough time with the ones I liked. It was also very bleak! Don't hang about too long in South Riding or you'll come to a sudden end... Man, child or horse, none were safe!!
Holtby's work has been compared as similar in theme and scope (and length!) as George Eliot and Charles Dickens - and I can see why! The fictionalised parish of South Riding in Yorkshire is the setting for a story about the people who live in the town and surrounding villages, and the people who sit on the Council making decisions that will impact all their lives. The most contemporary novel I can think of that is similar is The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling.
For me, the most interesting theme is the importance of a good education for young girls. I loved the character of 15 year old Lydia Holly, who has ambitions of getting herself out of the drudgery of the life she lives with her parents and multiple younger siblings. Unfortunately, she is forced to leave school to help look after their run down shack of a home and bring up the children. How keenly I felt that disappointment with Lydia!
I must say that I rather trudged through the trials and tribulations of South Riding (I think I understand the term "hate reading" a bit better now!). The group chat with the other #QuietClassics2023 readers definitely pulled me through! I appreciate there is much to enjoy in the writing, however there were too many characters with their own side plots for me and I didn't feel I had enough time with the ones I liked. It was also very bleak! Don't hang about too long in South Riding or you'll come to a sudden end... Man, child or horse, none were safe!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Animal death, Mental illness, and Child abuse