patchworkculture 's review for:

Middlemarch by George Eliot

4.5

funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I suspected I would like Middlemarch, but I was worried about comprehension because of the language and historical/cultural references. Some passages went over my head, though just as many seemed to describe particular situations perfectly and appear timeless in their universality. I love it when authors manage to pin a moment with their descriptions. I had the impression that societal change would be a prominent message in the novel, and while labor rights, housing, religion, politics, and industrialization were present, I mainly consumed the book as a story of neighbors being human and messy, making mistakes and living their lives with commentary on gender roles, the true cost of marriage, religiosity, and class. I don’t reread often, but I would pick this book up again if I were ever in the mood. There is so much that I can imagine appreciating different sections at different stages in my life. And plenty to forget to make the next reading experience seem new.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Racial slurs