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novel_nomad 's review for:
The Bostonians
by Henry James
A fascinating novel from James, as he was known for his tales of American characters traveling through the wilds and society of England and Europe. The Bostonians is his American tale, set between Boston and New York, which illustrates the curiosities to be found on American shores. The main curiosity is the suffragette, and initially, I was excited to be following a depiction of the movement so early in their campaign (in the USA). However, the main male character, Basil Ransom, was a traditionalist that believed that women had their place and should not strive for more than what they were given - and disappointingly he falls in love with a promising orator for women's suffrage, Verena Tarrant.
It becomes a tug-of-war of power and exerting control over the young orator between Basil and his wealthy cousin, Olive. Basil prevails due to the long-established patriarchal views, so submitting to his control was more expected. I was severely disappointed how James tore down the suffrage movement to attempt an illustration of women's inability to commit to a cause.
It becomes a tug-of-war of power and exerting control over the young orator between Basil and his wealthy cousin, Olive. Basil prevails due to the long-established patriarchal views, so submitting to his control was more expected. I was severely disappointed how James tore down the suffrage movement to attempt an illustration of women's inability to commit to a cause.