A review by una_macchia
Belinda by Maria Edgeworth

Well that was exhausting. I was actually engrossed for a while (approximately through the first half/two thirds) but then finished it feeling like -- what for? I actually liked the reconciliation between Lady Delacour and her husband, but after that everything became much more overtly moralistic and sententious. Which is interesting in a way because Maria Edgeworth's early 19th century morals were very different from mine, but it's also rather tedious at times. We learn exhaustively how important it is for a woman to behave within a narrow set of restrictions, because if she doesn't she'll inevitably come to a bad end like Mrs Freke (what an on-the-nose name), unless, like Lady Delacour, she has a perfect paragon handy to put her life back together. I must say I did not expect Mr Vincent to become a cautionary tale against the evils of gambling, or that Clarence Hervey's attempt at grooming an ignorant orphan into his perfect wife by keeping her secluded for two years would be recounted sympathically as a minor failing. (Vincent's moral failure, despite his harsh lesson and sincere avowal never to gamble again, is enough for Belinda to end their engagement -- fair enough. But everything Hervey did in secret is perfectly honourable and no obstacle to their marital happiness??) We also get more bonus racism and anti-Semitism, so that's fun.

[It does annoy me that so many people talk about Edgeworth, as well as other novelists like Frances Burney, only in relation to Jane Austen, and only as writers who are obviously far inferior to Austen. Bleh.]