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A review by bookishwendy
The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
4.0
Oh, I have so much to say about this and hope I can organize my thoughts soon in a timely manner. I'm torn between giving 3 and 4 stars here, and am trying to figure out why. This turned out to be a surprisingly compelling and easy read. The staunch Victorian stylings struck me as both witty, charming and yet still managed to be off-putting, especially in how all the story threads are tied up at the end. The last 10 - 15 chapters left this modern reader yelling "What? No! Why!?" But on the other hand, I can't fault the writer for portraying how "We Live Now (in the 1870s)" can I? If it had all ended up how I had hoped, it would be "The Way a 21st Century Reader Wants to Think Victorian Women Could Have Lived, Which is Following Their Dreams." But that's not very realistic to the era.
Just a side note: I'm working through the BBC series of "Way We Live Now" and they do a wonderful job. I especially love the streak of crazy that the actress playing Miss Melmotte (I recognized her as Moaning Myrtle) brings to the role. And butler Carson from Downton Abbey is also there as the much maligned Jewish banker Brehgert with the heart of gold. I'm curious to see this version will change the endings in order to please modern audiences, or if they remain true to the book.
Just a side note: I'm working through the BBC series of "Way We Live Now" and they do a wonderful job. I especially love the streak of crazy that the actress playing Miss Melmotte (I recognized her as Moaning Myrtle) brings to the role. And butler Carson from Downton Abbey is also there as the much maligned Jewish banker Brehgert with the heart of gold. I'm curious to see this version will change the endings in order to please modern audiences, or if they remain true to the book.