A review by persimmon_lover
Middlemarch by George Eliot

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of the greatest novels that I have ever read. The breadth of characterization and the realism that George Eliot is able to convey is absolutely astounding. Additionally, the realism is absolutely mind boggling: every character is fully fleshed out, meaning they have preferences just like real people do, political opinions, everything, and every part of their lives (geography, psychology, social situations, random chance, illness, death, politics) affects them in a realistic way. 

Unmatched prose style and philosophically dense and meaningful, packed with allusions, and extremely poetic. Nearly perfect.