bobby_cav's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Edgar Huntly is a fascinating character and the exploration of his declining mental state drives the narrative forward
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Colonisation and Racism
ghostroom217's review against another edition
2.0
I'd read two of Brown's gothic novels (in the Library of America series) and enjoyed them well enough, but this one was a trial to get through. In a prefacing line, the author expresses pleasure and gratitude that his previous novel - Arthur Mervyn - was so well received, and that 'Edgar Huntly' had been written in a similar vein in hopes of appealing to those same readers.
This was my first misgiving, though the book started out fine and kept my attention for roughly a third of its length. After that, it dropped its narrative thread and seemed to jump on any distraction that wandered into the author's head. Maybe this was a result of the common serial format, but at one point I was reminded of an early season of '24' where one of the characters was menaced by a loose tiger for an episode or two. Brown jumps from situation to situation with little in the way of connective fiber, grasping for some new thrill to excite and please his readers rather than maintaining the integrity of the novel as a whole.
Another frequent intrusion was a densely-written page or two explaining motivation (so obviously in the face of common sense or reason) so his protagonist could maneuver into another short-lived and inconsequential plot contrivance.
The last 20 pages are unlikely expositions of how these random events tie together. I won't give any spoilers here, aside from logic being largely absent and coincidence playing an overextending role.
I'd skip this one or try one of his earlier novels first.
joeydallow's review against another edition
1.0
had to read for early american lit. worst book probably ever
mercyp's review against another edition
3.0
how is this man still alive ??? He should have died like 10 times wtf
mossgoblins's review against another edition
I just hated the prose, plot, and characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Violence, Animal death, Miscarriage, Death, and Gun violence
izzyw's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.5
paulcowdell's review
3.0
A day after finishing I might be revising my rating - not a vast amount (3.5, say), but for a not altogether satisfying book it's still with me. I didn't like it as much as Wieland, but there's definitely something here. (And it isn't just the absolutely excellent character name Clithero Edny).
One of the most pleasing things in Brockden Brown is his determination to forge a distinctly American Gothic. He cheats slightly in one of the story strands, which has some rather Italian-sounding rooms in Dublin, but the attempt to supplant mittelEuropäische landscape grandeur with American deserts and mountains is intriguing.
Brockden Brown was also determinedly opposed to the supernaturalism of Gothic fiction, so here (as in Wieland) there's a rationalist argument that somewhat undermines the mood he's aiming to create, even though that also leads to the elaborate description of one character's motivations and story being deflated rather abruptly.
Mostly, though, I liked it precisely because it just doesn't quite hang together: one story is wrapped up in such a way as to make it almost a McGuffin, which is intriguing, there are teasing plot lacunae which he doesn't really resolve well (the resolution works, it's just not very good) ...
I like the gaps in it, to be honest, but they're not going to appeal to everyone.
One of the most pleasing things in Brockden Brown is his determination to forge a distinctly American Gothic. He cheats slightly in one of the story strands, which has some rather Italian-sounding rooms in Dublin, but the attempt to supplant mittelEuropäische landscape grandeur with American deserts and mountains is intriguing.
Brockden Brown was also determinedly opposed to the supernaturalism of Gothic fiction, so here (as in Wieland) there's a rationalist argument that somewhat undermines the mood he's aiming to create, even though that also leads to the elaborate description of one character's motivations and story being deflated rather abruptly.
Mostly, though, I liked it precisely because it just doesn't quite hang together: one story is wrapped up in such a way as to make it almost a McGuffin, which is intriguing, there are teasing plot lacunae which he doesn't really resolve well (the resolution works, it's just not very good) ...
I like the gaps in it, to be honest, but they're not going to appeal to everyone.
katy7648's review against another edition
3.0
i think this is arguably one of the most batshit insane books i’ve ever read, and it’s only because of the last quarter or so of the book. i read it for an american lit class.
adunnells's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25