A review by bill369
Maurice by E.M. Forster

challenging reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I read this book for the  Classics Reading Challenge and enjoyed it!

In the book, I didn't like any characters but in the movie, I did like Maurice's sisters. They were quite charming and stuck together. At least that's how I see it. I wouldn't say the characters are unlikable however they aren't very likeable either.

One of the first books with the homosexual theme and a happy ending. For its time it surely was revolutionary however because of its age there is a little nonsense regarding Clive's „recovery“. I like the way the story's written. The depth of the internal monologue makes the book quite arresting and only thanks to it I could understand the film in which it is quite hard to capture the part of the book happening in the character's mind.

Page 19, the average bliss.
 
The school clapped not because Maurice was eminent but
because he was average. It could celebrate itself in his image.

Page 135, the supreme achievement of humanity.
Yet he was doing a fine thing—proving on how little the soul can exist. Fed neither by Heaven nor by Earth
he was going forward, a lamp that would have blown out, were materialism true. He hadn't a God, he hadn't
a lover—the two usual incentives to virtue.
But on he struggled with his back to ease, because dignity
demanded it.
There was no one to watch him,
nor did he watch himself, but struggles like his are the supreme achievements of humanity, and surpass any
legends about Heaven.
 

I'm satisfied the story ended the way it did.

Forster is a well-known author and I'm glad I educated myself and read one of his novels. In the future, I plan to read some of his other works too. It didn't make a strong impression on me but it was well-written.

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