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tomleetang's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, that opening... what a lot of words. Surely one of the densest, wordiest opening chapters of all time?
Bennett begins as he means to continue, with verbiage unceasingly flowing from his pen. Once he gets passed the laborious 'setting the scene' rigamarole, however, the literary excesses becomes less odious, almost as though the author is settling into his stride.
The two sisters at the heart of this novel, Constance and Sophia, are not the most psychologically complex characters ever written. Then again, I don't think they're meant to be complicated people; rather, they are two ordinary women who fall into their lives almost by accident. Even when they seem to be making proactive decisions, their proactivity is undermined by the nature of the world and people around them. Everything flows inexorably forward, and one of the best things about this novel is that the plot doesn't feel mechanical, but seems to progress naturally, perhaps fatalistically, to its conclusion.
Bennett begins as he means to continue, with verbiage unceasingly flowing from his pen. Once he gets passed the laborious 'setting the scene' rigamarole, however, the literary excesses becomes less odious, almost as though the author is settling into his stride.
The two sisters at the heart of this novel, Constance and Sophia, are not the most psychologically complex characters ever written. Then again, I don't think they're meant to be complicated people; rather, they are two ordinary women who fall into their lives almost by accident. Even when they seem to be making proactive decisions, their proactivity is undermined by the nature of the world and people around them. Everything flows inexorably forward, and one of the best things about this novel is that the plot doesn't feel mechanical, but seems to progress naturally, perhaps fatalistically, to its conclusion.
drsldn's review against another edition
3.0
Another classic that I thoroughly enjoyed, although not all the way through. I think it made a difference that I am older and could identify with some of the preoccupations of the protaganists (the are widows btw, not spinsters, which is what I was expecting, possibly foolishly) Bennett uncannily captures the emotions and thought processes of people (not just women) - his description of a young woman falling in love/lust is faultless. Much more candid than one is lead to expect from Victorian novels (I haven't read many, not even all of Dickens - is that a terrible confession?) Ultimately though, the greatest interest for me was the description of retail and trade in a small Midlands town - loads of notes made for the research I shall ... one day ... carry out! Zola's novels are often cited as excellent sources in this field, but I think this is just as useful and fascinating.
jetia13's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty quick read for a such a long book. I found the contrast of the lives of the two sisters very interesting. I love the premise of the book - that Bennett just made up stories about some old ladies he saw in a restaurant. I used to do the exact same thing with these weird guys that lived across the street from me in college. Also, I like that there are a lot of characters in this book with charming, old-timey ailments and causes of death.
simonmh's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this book that follows two young sisters and how their lives diverge over the course of decades. The book has a sense of humor while still having sympathy for the characters. Something about following the sisters from youth to old age was quite moving to me.
For a book from the very early 1900s, I think it holds up pretty well. It’s very readable and was probably quite progressive for its time.
For a book from the very early 1900s, I think it holds up pretty well. It’s very readable and was probably quite progressive for its time.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
madcrazymoviereviews's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.0
A satisfying read, a bit slow, loves it's characters
ipb1's review against another edition
5.0
Virginia Woolf critically lambasted him, which should have attracted me to his work earlier, but nonetheless this is my first Arnold Bennett novel, and what a brilliant novel it is. In brief it is the lives of two sisters, pretty much from cradle to grave. One mundane, parochial and domestic. The other in Paris during the Franco-Prussian war and the Paris commune. If that latter half sounds a bit rich for your blood don't worry - those events happen mostly 'off-stage' and we are more concerned with the equally mundane and domestic. On reflection it seems a hard sell, plot-wise, but somehow it works wonderfully well, fully engaging you in these two lives. I can't wait to read more Bennett, which I guess is the highest praise you can give an author.
fallchicken's review against another edition
5.0
I was a bit doubtful about this book when I first started it, but really loved it in the end. Engrossing for a plane flight also. Kind of like a slightly more modern Dickens. Lots of funny bits. Very enjoyable. Need to learn more about Arnold Bennett (whose name I keep confusing with Alan Bennett).
victoriaj's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75