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jammygirl's review against another edition
3.0
Read this with a book group on BarnesandNoble.com about 9 years ago. It was really good. It's interesting to see what was considered risque back then compared to today.
Merged review:
Read this with a book group on BarnesandNoble.com about 9 years ago. It was really good. It's interesting to see what was considered risque back then compared to today.
Merged review:
Read this with a book group on BarnesandNoble.com about 9 years ago. It was really good. It's interesting to see what was considered risque back then compared to today.
tulgey_wood's review against another edition
1.0
I toyed with the idea of giving this book two stars. Because I usually like to reserve one star ratings for books that I couldn't even finish. And, bad as this book was, I did finish it. But in the end I decided that one star was more appropriate. Even though I did finish it, I really wish that I hadn't bothered.
First off, the writing was awful. Ideas and phrases were often repeated, usually with just a sentence or two in between so that it felt very repetitive, as if the author forgot that he already wrote that. For example, we hear a description of Clifford's yellow eyes, then a sentence or two later we hear it again. And every single time someone is aroused (which happens pretty much every page), their bowels quiver. "Bitch-goddess" also appears roughly every page for the entire first half of the book, which felt repetitive and also goofy. After the first few times I was rolling my eyes every time I saw it.
The characters were also awful. Lady Chatterly's lover is rude and cold to her. Then he tells her that he wants to kill gay women and that black women are like mud. And she still likes him after that. Other than that, we actually know very little about either of them. Because all they ever did was have sex or have very boring, bizarre, and irrelevant conversations. I didn't feel like I knew either character or wanted to know either character. I didn't feel like I could relate to either character. And I didn't really care what ended up happening to them.
And it didn't even end. It just sort of stopped.
First off, the writing was awful. Ideas and phrases were often repeated, usually with just a sentence or two in between so that it felt very repetitive, as if the author forgot that he already wrote that. For example, we hear a description of Clifford's yellow eyes, then a sentence or two later we hear it again. And every single time someone is aroused (which happens pretty much every page), their bowels quiver. "Bitch-goddess" also appears roughly every page for the entire first half of the book, which felt repetitive and also goofy. After the first few times I was rolling my eyes every time I saw it.
The characters were also awful. Lady Chatterly's lover is rude and cold to her. Then he tells her that he wants to kill gay women and that black women are like mud. And she still likes him after that. Other than that, we actually know very little about either of them. Because all they ever did was have sex or have very boring, bizarre, and irrelevant conversations. I didn't feel like I knew either character or wanted to know either character. I didn't feel like I could relate to either character. And I didn't really care what ended up happening to them.
And it didn't even end. It just sort of stopped.
crescentmoonmagic's review against another edition
3.0
I would need to discuss with a true expert on Lawrence to solidify my opinion of this book. It's difficult to differentiate between what's symbolism and what's truly the author's opinion about the nature of men and women. Lawrence can't seem to decide what he believes about women. They should be submissive, but not too submissive and only to the right man, a "real man". Men should wallow in sensuality and tenderness but not so much as to be effeminate.
It seemed mostly an elegy for a time passing into a future without hope or promise. Unless you have some interest in this time period or knowledge of the Industrial Revolution you probably won't understand his rage against the change from an agricultural based life to an industrial one.
It's a good read in that the characters are unique and not generic, it's an importance piece of literature. But not one of my favorites.
It seemed mostly an elegy for a time passing into a future without hope or promise. Unless you have some interest in this time period or knowledge of the Industrial Revolution you probably won't understand his rage against the change from an agricultural based life to an industrial one.
It's a good read in that the characters are unique and not generic, it's an importance piece of literature. But not one of my favorites.
clairemon's review against another edition
2.0
I read this book on a recommendation and wasn't really sure what to expect. I'd heard that it had interesting explorations on class and sex and relationships, and I was interested to see for myself. Unfortunately, I found most of this quite boring, and I felt I had to really drag myself through some parts. I especially found the characters reoccurring rants on the opposite sex quite tiresome, although I suppose it also felt quite realistic. For me, the story did pick up a bit at the end, when I finally felt a little invested in the story and characters.
I can see how at the time this could have been quite 'scandalous', and can acknowledge it as an important piece of text. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea!
I can see how at the time this could have been quite 'scandalous', and can acknowledge it as an important piece of text. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea!
barefootpuzzle's review against another edition
1.0
Mansplaining: A Novel
Rambling, repetitive, self-important, and insufferable. Why wasn't something so ill written just left alone to wither and die in obscurity instead of being banned and castigated and given the honor of infamy.
I feel like I just read a novel produced by an AI text generator from 2009.
Rambling, repetitive, self-important, and insufferable. Why wasn't something so ill written just left alone to wither and die in obscurity instead of being banned and castigated and given the honor of infamy.
I feel like I just read a novel produced by an AI text generator from 2009.
eily_may's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite sure it deserves its masterpiece billing. Honestly, some of the intellectual discussion and dialogue is a bit ponderous and sometimes I do want to just shake the characters and wake them up from their navel gazing to the world around them.
Well written apart from the occasional stretch of tedious dialogue. By far the most interesting character in the whole book is Mrs Bolton. The rest, I found rather a challenge. Nonetheless, worth reading just for the insight it gives into the minds of our forebears who banned it.
Well written apart from the occasional stretch of tedious dialogue. By far the most interesting character in the whole book is Mrs Bolton. The rest, I found rather a challenge. Nonetheless, worth reading just for the insight it gives into the minds of our forebears who banned it.
sftballgrl823's review against another edition
1.0
This was not my cup of tea. Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. Awfully dull. Like I get it’s about how man relies on industry and forgets his fellow man but…bah. Odd theme to have in a romance at that, no matter how satirical it tried to be.
Though I did enjoy LC teasing Mollers about his accent. That grants it its 2 stars.
I thought about it more. 1 star for all the rape too. I’m sick of rating higher when rape and racism are strewn throughout.
Though I did enjoy LC teasing Mollers about his accent. That grants it its 2 stars.
I thought about it more. 1 star for all the rape too. I’m sick of rating higher when rape and racism are strewn throughout.
jkpenny's review against another edition
3.0
Can't decide if I "liked it" or "really liked it" The writing was pretty lyrical and lovely, if comparatively tame compared to stuff now. The last 30 or so pages I couldn't put it down as I kept expecting something horrible to happen. Surprisingly satisfied by the ending and glad it didn't go in a cliche direction.