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A review by carlacbarroso
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
5.0
This was one of those books I was sorry to read in such a stressed time and in english (not my native language), as I feel that I missed some details that would made me love this reading even more, if that's possible since I feel I've already surrendered to this author.
We follow the destinies of Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth, who come to meet by chance in Leubronn, Germany, a place known by its gambling. Then we go back in time to see what lead both to that place. The first, brought up by Sir Hugo Mallinger without knowing his true origin, we know as having a tendency to help others without caring about himself. On the other hand, Gwendolen is presented as a spoiled girl, incapable of truly loving other people, with the exception of her mother. The meeting of these two souls will have an impact on both lives to the future, and we have the chance to follow them and see how their destinies intertwine.
This is a very descriptive book, namely in what concerns the characters, their inner fights and thoughts. I confess I didn't love the major characters; however their change, their growth is perceptible, especially when it comes to Gwendolen. But the same descriptive detail was put on the secondary characters and let me point out the strength of the female characters that, even facing adversity, do not give up and get to declare themselves against the role society had set for them. We even get to know a female character who confesses herself in love with the stage, that refuses her role as a mother for not having love to give as that love was given to the stage, to her career. In the 19th century, in the Victorian period, this must have been controversial, as must have happened with the strong Judaic theme of this novel.
This is a romance not to be taken lightly. It criticizes the society of the 19th century, namely the marriages by convenience, but it also thrives on the Judaic movement that at that time was getting some followers and demanded the existence of a Judaic state (the state of Israel) in the Palestine, which was granted in the 20th century, after the World War II, and where even today conflicts are part of the world news.
I recommend it. It's a phenomenal book and was sorry, as I said, of thinking that I didn't get everything it had to offer. There are many subtleties, characters nicely built and a coherent story, with a twist here and there, and very pleasant to follow. Without a doubt, a book to keep and re-read.
We follow the destinies of Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth, who come to meet by chance in Leubronn, Germany, a place known by its gambling. Then we go back in time to see what lead both to that place. The first, brought up by Sir Hugo Mallinger without knowing his true origin, we know as having a tendency to help others without caring about himself. On the other hand, Gwendolen is presented as a spoiled girl, incapable of truly loving other people, with the exception of her mother. The meeting of these two souls will have an impact on both lives to the future, and we have the chance to follow them and see how their destinies intertwine.
This is a very descriptive book, namely in what concerns the characters, their inner fights and thoughts. I confess I didn't love the major characters; however their change, their growth is perceptible, especially when it comes to Gwendolen. But the same descriptive detail was put on the secondary characters and let me point out the strength of the female characters that, even facing adversity, do not give up and get to declare themselves against the role society had set for them. We even get to know a female character who confesses herself in love with the stage, that refuses her role as a mother for not having love to give as that love was given to the stage, to her career. In the 19th century, in the Victorian period, this must have been controversial, as must have happened with the strong Judaic theme of this novel.
This is a romance not to be taken lightly. It criticizes the society of the 19th century, namely the marriages by convenience, but it also thrives on the Judaic movement that at that time was getting some followers and demanded the existence of a Judaic state (the state of Israel) in the Palestine, which was granted in the 20th century, after the World War II, and where even today conflicts are part of the world news.
I recommend it. It's a phenomenal book and was sorry, as I said, of thinking that I didn't get everything it had to offer. There are many subtleties, characters nicely built and a coherent story, with a twist here and there, and very pleasant to follow. Without a doubt, a book to keep and re-read.