Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

8 reviews

pedanther's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

stillunderqualified's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I found myself engrossed. It was lovely to read something so close to Austen that I'd not had spoiled. And I love Helen soooo much. This is not an easy, delightful read, but an anxious one. I feel like Bronte added thr romance so she could tell the rest of the story so I'm sad the book has less attention. There is an accuracy to her description of emotional abuse that is scary and Haunting. 

I wish I liked Gilbert more. There is a definite romance about the hard working farmer, but after Helen endured so much to be brough back out of her narrative to his where he had just brutally injured a man out of jealousy was stark. I couldnt help feeling that he disnt deserve her and i didnt trust him even though he was the narrator. That could be my own prejuduce.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Antisemitism

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

saliwali's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

mattiedancer's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Writing: 5⭐️/5 

Anne Brontë’s writing, much like her sister’s, is thoughtful, intentional, poignant, and full. Reading a Brontë novel feels filling and, even as these novels tend to start slow, they’re always worth the payout. Most of this novel is beautifully written, even stunningly so. No notes.

Characters: 4.75⭐️/5

It was refreshing to see Gilbert’s immense growth through the story. From starting as a bit of a stuck-up farming boy to a thoughtful and moral man was an entertaining read. Similarly, I love Helen with my whole heart, deeply appreciating her desire to be more than just a wife or mother, while also placing those roles and their corresponding responsibilities on a bit of a pedestal. Her feminism was refreshing and her fight against her husband’s control reminded me a lot of bits and pieces of my own life and how, looking back, you realize how blind you’ve been. I struggled a bit with Lawrence, Helen’s brother, and his slightly inconsistent character, but where he failed to deliver, every other character seemed to step up.

Plot: 4.5⭐️/5 

I’m going to start with my critique, which is that one of our main characters, in a fit of rage, horrendously injures our other character’s brother. Gilbert is quick to apologize once he realizes the connection between the characters, but it felt like a large obstacle that was shoved conveniently out of the way. Otherwise, I think this novel’s plot progressed nicely, though slowly. I enjoyed the switch of perspectives as it gave a fullness to the story and, even though the switch was the majority of the novel, it felt perfectly timed and well-structured.

Who Should Read This Book? 

• Fans of the Brontë sisters
• Fans of classic literature
• Those looking for a slow, romance-heavy read that bends toward feminism

Content Warnings? 

• Misogyny, sexism, infidelity, emotional abuse, classism, death of a parent, death, injury, terminal illness, pregnancy, bullying

Post-Reading Rating:  5⭐️/5

I love Helen and Gilbert.

Final Rating: 4.75⭐️/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

rieviolet's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed The Tenant of Wildfell Hall much more than Anne Brontë's other novel, Agnes Grey. 
I liked the writing style and the use of different narrative techniques
(the alternating POVs and the mix of letters and diaries entries).

It is an engaging read, there is a bit of mystery to keep your interest alive and I was also really engrossed in the characters' emotions. Though I have to say, as the story progressed, I felt that the emotional portrayals moved a bit too much into melodrama territory. I also struggled to reconcile some of the characters' choices with their depiction and growth up to that point, they felt a bit unexpected (and not in a good way). 

The themes that are explored (such as addiction, domestic abuse and women's conditions) are really powerful and so releavant even in the present day. However, at times there was just too much of a 
religious focus for my personal taste and that lowered my overall enjoyment of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Death of parent

lynnannwalsh's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing

jowmy4's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Pregnancy