A review by rosekk
The Disinherited by Benito Pérez Galdós

3.0

During the first chapter of this book I was convinced I would love it. As I read I discovered that the flashes of brilliance - of which the opening pages are an example - are sprinkled throughout the book, but not liberally or consistently. I think the thing that bothered me most was that the heroine was so consistently, determinedly selfish and stupid. There's never a moment in the whole book where it seems like she might get a hold of herself, so her descent is relentless and as a result, not as captivating. If it felt like there was a chance of her sorting her life out, there'd be more motivation to read on, and you'd feel more for her when she isn't able to beat the worst parts of her nature. It also means she's not every likeable, so sympathy for her is hard to acquire. For a book that seems to be attempting realism, she isn't a very believable character. Outside of her, though, the book shines a lot brighter. The rest of the characters are more varied in their individual moral capacities, so are more believable and likeable. All in all it was worth a read, but didn't live up to its potential.