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shmadsie's review against another edition
3.0
I had to keep, keep, keep reminding myself how young Helen is throughout this because wow, my good lords and lordettes, was she painfully naive throughout. How much clearer could this man be about what a piece of shit he is? In case you're not picking it up from him, literally all of his friends are nudge-nudge wink-winking you constantly and one with a conscience is even going: uh, so let's have a quick one-on-one here, Hels, and she literally, LITERALLY is like: I think I'd rather not know. WHAT. WHAAAAT?! Also, he's not gonna hide it well because, as noted, huge piece of shit so good luck with your ostrich-strategy, I guess??? Shockingly, it doesn't work!
Everyone who comes into contact with Arthur pleads with Helen not to marry him, every time he doesn't have Helen's full attention, he starts courting another woman's interest, then he just... nopes out whenever he feels like it. Like, what does this man have to do to make him seem like a shit option because he is doing all those things.
me *meditating and trying not to tear up pages of this book*: she's young, she's young, she's young and soooooo dumb.
Still, even knowing it fits the character, it's sooo hard to care about someone who does exactly what everyone tells them not to and then have the entire story exist after that fact. Like, yeah, did it go poorly? *completely deadpan* Oh my God, who could've possibly seen that coming?
I can't be invested in that. I just can't. And then to have her go nurse him? It doesn't make you look saintly, it makes you look like a sucker. Still. The kid doesn't need to see his dad like that and he doesn't deserve for Helen to put her life on hold for him. AGAIN. Then to be like: Oh Gilbert, even though it's been years, let's wait more years to do anything about us because why not? It's not like reasonably young people don't just drop dead around here (even though that is happening in the background right now) let's just keep putting things off *sarcastic thumbs up*
Ugh, the behavior of the characters was well-written considering how sheltered and young Helen is and how people of Arthur's character are emboldened to act so well done there (five stars), but it doesn't change the fact that everyone was stupid as hell because of their characters (one star).
Everyone who comes into contact with Arthur pleads with Helen not to marry him, every time he doesn't have Helen's full attention, he starts courting another woman's interest, then he just... nopes out whenever he feels like it. Like, what does this man have to do to make him seem like a shit option because he is doing all those things.
me *meditating and trying not to tear up pages of this book*: she's young, she's young, she's young and soooooo dumb.
Still, even knowing it fits the character, it's sooo hard to care about someone who does exactly what everyone tells them not to and then have the entire story exist after that fact. Like, yeah, did it go poorly? *completely deadpan* Oh my God, who could've possibly seen that coming?
I can't be invested in that. I just can't. And then to have her go nurse him? It doesn't make you look saintly, it makes you look like a sucker. Still. The kid doesn't need to see his dad like that and he doesn't deserve for Helen to put her life on hold for him. AGAIN. Then to be like: Oh Gilbert, even though it's been years, let's wait more years to do anything about us because why not? It's not like reasonably young people don't just drop dead around here (even though that is happening in the background right now) let's just keep putting things off *sarcastic thumbs up*
Ugh, the behavior of the characters was well-written considering how sheltered and young Helen is and how people of Arthur's character are emboldened to act so well done there (five stars), but it doesn't change the fact that everyone was stupid as hell because of their characters (one star).
greenldydragon's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
matbdn's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
altraletteratura's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
kaymonster's review against another edition
2.0
honestly I really liked the premise but it was very dense and felt more like an assignment to get through
kscaldwell's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
singalana's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
🎉 I won this audiobook from a giveaway hosted by listenwithaudrey.
This is my first foray into Anne Brontë’s novels. I found the experience quite pleasurable. Perhaps it was the audiobook which made getting on with the story quite easy.
The story is told via letters and diary entries from Gilbert Markham to his friend. A young widow, Helen Graham, moves into a dilapidated manor, and Gilbert and his peers are naturally very curious about the mysterious tenant. As the story progresses, Gilbert finds himself fascinated by Helen and eventually learns more about her.
There’s a lot of historical nuance about the characters that a modern reader has a hard time understanding. The male characters come off as unpleasant and selfish, while the women, especially Helen, come off as passive and demure. A lot is said between the lines, so Audrey’s guide helps to catch those hints better than reading the book without such aid would.
The narrative shifts when Gilbert finally learns Helen’s secrets via her diary. The audiobook had previously been narrated by a man, and these sections are narrated by a woman. And that’s not all: the relationship between Gilbert and Helen is put on hold, and now we journey into Helen’s past. I’m not sure whether I liked the way this section was told; it sort of kicked me out of the main story and into a new one.
All in all, this book had subtlety that is hard to achieve and perhaps also hard for modern readers to understand. If I compare this classic to some others I’ve read, this experience has been quite pleasurable, even though I think you need to be in a certain kind of mood to thoroughly enjoy this novel.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
agrippinaes's review against another edition
4.0
As a disclaimer, I generally struggle with classic novels, particularly Victorian ones; I’ve never managed more than a few chapters of Jane Eyre, and no more than a few pages of Wuthering Heights. An acquaintance of mine suggested I try Anne Bronte instead, seeing as I struggle with the work of Charlotte and Emily, so I tried this.
I found it wholly different to other Victorian novels I’ve read, or tried to read. The writing is far less dense and far more readable; aside from a few long-winded passages and sentences here and there, on the whole I felt more like I was reading a newer, more recent novel. The content, too, took me by surprise. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from it, but some of the content and ideas on display in this book felt very modern. Helen was a really interesting and, for me, admirable character for her choices and her bravery in making the decision she took.
I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of this book, and ultimately I found it really fascinating to read; it’s odd thinking that the plot and ideas in this book are actually not new to me as a modern reader - some of the plot points and ideas are now quite common in fiction and, reading it, aspects of it felt quite predictable - except, of course, it was published in 1848.
I can’t say I didn’t struggle with it at points - it can feel a bit dry as there are long stretches where not a lot happens - and the subject is, by its nature, quite bleak. But I’m really glad I took my acquaintance’s advice and took a chance on reading it, because I found it a very interesting and enjoyable experience.
Content Notes:
Warnings:
I found it wholly different to other Victorian novels I’ve read, or tried to read. The writing is far less dense and far more readable; aside from a few long-winded passages and sentences here and there, on the whole I felt more like I was reading a newer, more recent novel. The content, too, took me by surprise. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from it, but some of the content and ideas on display in this book felt very modern. Helen was a really interesting and, for me, admirable character for her choices and her bravery in making the decision she took.
I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of this book, and ultimately I found it really fascinating to read; it’s odd thinking that the plot and ideas in this book are actually not new to me as a modern reader - some of the plot points and ideas are now quite common in fiction and, reading it, aspects of it felt quite predictable - except, of course, it was published in 1848.
I can’t say I didn’t struggle with it at points - it can feel a bit dry as there are long stretches where not a lot happens - and the subject is, by its nature, quite bleak. But I’m really glad I took my acquaintance’s advice and took a chance on reading it, because I found it a very interesting and enjoyable experience.
Content Notes:
Warnings:
Spoiler
Domestic abuse, violence, emotional abuse, controlling behaviour, alcoholism, opium addiction, death of a parent, death of a spouse, serious illness.aloe_v's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It was a brilliant adaptation, although with such a sorrowful tale, I found it quite a miserable and frustrating read, hence the low rating. It was almost unbearable listening to how her husband spoke to her, made all the more real by hearing it.
aeliz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0