thanhnguyen99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Grief
tobysutton_long's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.5
I can totally understand why this is a stone cold classic! Obviously I had some cultural knowledge of this one (mainly picked up by the song in all honesty) but this had a lot of twists that I didn't expect. A particularly interesting narrative style too making us think Lockwood would be the protagonist but then we see it all through Nelly's eyes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse
lee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars
First off, I have to admit that I actually finished this book a couple days ago, but had to put off writing the review not because of lack of time, but rather, I needed to work through the seriously mixed feelings I had toward this book as a whole. This was actually my first time reading Emily Brontë’s famous “story of unrequited love” and while part of me (the literary scholar side?) can see why this classic has been lauded and held in such high regard for over a century, another part of me (the rational reader side?) honestly finds it hard to understand the appeal of such a dark, depressing story where every single character is horrid and deplorable (more on this later).
Yes, the writing is absolutely brilliant — the symbolism, the masterful use of language, the wholly developed characters, the vivid imagery, the complex and nuanced themes, the creative and clever way Brontë structures the narrative, the interesting usage of narrative voice, etc. — from a literary standpoint, this novel is a “dream” to study and analyze as a great example of brilliant and mesmerizing storytelling. With that said though, when I take off my “scholar” hat and put on my “regular reader” one, the experience is very very different. I’m the type of reader who puts a lot of weight on the characters in a story and as such, in order for me to be fully invested in the story, I need to have at least one character that I feel like I can root for. Yes, I understand that every story will have its fair share of flawed and unlikable characters and that’s perfectly fine — but the problem with this story in particular is that EVERY SINGLE character is not just unlikable, but exceedingly so, to the point that not even one character is worth rooting for. Seriously, every character in here is in some way mean, spoiled, cruel, selfish, hypocritical, vindictive, violent, self-absorbed, abusive, etc. (I could go on, but you get the point) — though of course Heathcliff tops them all by being downright evil as well (it’s not a coincidence that he is compared to the Devil at various points in the story). Based on their actions and behavior. I honestly could not bring myself to care about any of the characters (not even Nelly or Lockwood, who were somewhat more tolerable in the grand scheme of things, but still…), which unfortunately made this a brutal and deeply unpleasant read for me.
Given the above, I’m actually glad that my first experience reading this was in a group setting (again for one of my literature classes), as being able to talk through the problematic elements as well as getting more background context did help to blunt some of the unpleasantness to some extent (though not completely of course). In this light, I definitely don’t recommend picking this one up individually as a “leisure” read, as it’s best read in an environment where the events that happen can be parsed and discussed within context (in my opinion at least).
Regarding the rating — to be honest, I agonized over this for quite some time. From a writing / literary scholarship perspective, this one definitely deserves 5 stars…but at the same time, from a reading experience (unpleasant) and “how did this book make me feel” (frustrated and miserable) perspective, my irritability with all the characters and not being able to stand any of them definitely give me pause. In the end, I decided to go with the “happy medium” of 3.5 stars. I’m pretty sure I won’t re-read this on my own accord like I do with Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (speaking of which, for some reason, people like to compare both novels as in a similar vein — a sentiment I vehemently disagree with, but that’s a whole other topic altogether). If circumstances require me to reference Wuthering Heights in the future, I’ll probably just skim it so I can avoid the torture of having to endure these frustrating characters again.
First off, I have to admit that I actually finished this book a couple days ago, but had to put off writing the review not because of lack of time, but rather, I needed to work through the seriously mixed feelings I had toward this book as a whole. This was actually my first time reading Emily Brontë’s famous “story of unrequited love” and while part of me (the literary scholar side?) can see why this classic has been lauded and held in such high regard for over a century, another part of me (the rational reader side?) honestly finds it hard to understand the appeal of such a dark, depressing story where every single character is horrid and deplorable (more on this later).
Yes, the writing is absolutely brilliant — the symbolism, the masterful use of language, the wholly developed characters, the vivid imagery, the complex and nuanced themes, the creative and clever way Brontë structures the narrative, the interesting usage of narrative voice, etc. — from a literary standpoint, this novel is a “dream” to study and analyze as a great example of brilliant and mesmerizing storytelling. With that said though, when I take off my “scholar” hat and put on my “regular reader” one, the experience is very very different. I’m the type of reader who puts a lot of weight on the characters in a story and as such, in order for me to be fully invested in the story, I need to have at least one character that I feel like I can root for. Yes, I understand that every story will have its fair share of flawed and unlikable characters and that’s perfectly fine — but the problem with this story in particular is that EVERY SINGLE character is not just unlikable, but exceedingly so, to the point that not even one character is worth rooting for. Seriously, every character in here is in some way mean, spoiled, cruel, selfish, hypocritical, vindictive, violent, self-absorbed, abusive, etc. (I could go on, but you get the point) — though of course Heathcliff tops them all by being downright evil as well (it’s not a coincidence that he is compared to the Devil at various points in the story). Based on their actions and behavior. I honestly could not bring myself to care about any of the characters (not even Nelly or Lockwood, who were somewhat more tolerable in the grand scheme of things, but still…), which unfortunately made this a brutal and deeply unpleasant read for me.
Given the above, I’m actually glad that my first experience reading this was in a group setting (again for one of my literature classes), as being able to talk through the problematic elements as well as getting more background context did help to blunt some of the unpleasantness to some extent (though not completely of course). In this light, I definitely don’t recommend picking this one up individually as a “leisure” read, as it’s best read in an environment where the events that happen can be parsed and discussed within context (in my opinion at least).
Regarding the rating — to be honest, I agonized over this for quite some time. From a writing / literary scholarship perspective, this one definitely deserves 5 stars…but at the same time, from a reading experience (unpleasant) and “how did this book make me feel” (frustrated and miserable) perspective, my irritability with all the characters and not being able to stand any of them definitely give me pause. In the end, I decided to go with the “happy medium” of 3.5 stars. I’m pretty sure I won’t re-read this on my own accord like I do with Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (speaking of which, for some reason, people like to compare both novels as in a similar vein — a sentiment I vehemently disagree with, but that’s a whole other topic altogether). If circumstances require me to reference Wuthering Heights in the future, I’ll probably just skim it so I can avoid the torture of having to endure these frustrating characters again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Ableism, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Lots of abuse and violence, to animals and people (physical and emotional)beckyyreadss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-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
3.0
I decided to read this book because I bought a poster with 100 books to read in your lifetime. This is the fifteenth book I've read on this poster. As with most books on this poster, I struggled with it. I don’t know if it’s the whole “classic” feel to them, but it was a mission to finish and usually if it’s a mission I would like to hope it was worth it but guess what like Jane Eyre it wasn’t worth it.
This book is based on two families both joined and riven by love and hate. Cathy is a beautiful and wilful young woman who is torn between her soft-hearted husband and Heathcliff, the passionate and resentful man who has loved her since childhood. The power of their bond creates a storm of cruelty and violence which leaves one of them dead and cast a shadow over the lives of their children.
My issue with this book is that I hated every single character in this book. They all drove me completely nuts. There are too many characters with the same names and doing the same actions as their parents. Heathcliff was just a dick, end of story. I understand it was the “old times” but Cathy should have also just stood up for herself and moved away, or just decided that she wanted Heathcliff and then it would have all been sorted. Linton knew that Cathy didn’t love him and still married her and then was wondering what the hell was going on. The storyline just hurt my head and I wanted it to end, the dialogue between the characters felt long winded just to say that Linton was dying, or someone was misbehaving, and I still couldn’t tell you what POV this book was from because I don’t know.
This book is just so toxic, and I understand at the time it was written, it would have been the best thing like sliced bread or butter but Christ, I wanted to burn my eyes out, but I am determined to finish it for the sake of the 100 books poster. However, if I have never bought this poster, I would have probably never read it and I think I would have been okay with that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Physical abuse
melancholymegs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-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
2.0
Switching to the audiobook improved my experience with the book overall, but in the end all I feel is a relief to have finished. Despite having a certain understanding of the characters, that did not make me feel for them.
However I did like Nelly (I enjoy gossipy characters), and towards the end of their character arcs Isabella and Catherine Linton also grew on me. But not enough to redeem the time I spent reading this novel.
Spoiler
I honestly pumped my fist when Heathcliff finally died.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Death
Moderate: Incest, Confinement, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Stalking
Minor: Blood, Kidnapping, and Racial slurs
lorendushku's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wuthering Heights is a story of two people who are deeply in love, but who are also deeply flawed.
Heathcliff is a wild and untamed man, while Catherine is a proud, spoiled and headstrong woman. Their love is passionate and intense, but it is also destructive. They both make mistakes, and they both suffer as a result.
I loved the locations, the moors are a place of beauty and danger, and they reflect the tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine.
The characters in Wuthering Heights are not saints or heroes, but real people who make mistakes and suffer the consequences.
I found myself rooting for Heathcliff and Catherine, even though I knew that they were both capable of great cruelty. However, I think that this is part of what makes the story so compelling. It is a reminder that even the most flawed people are capable of love, and that even the most destructive love can be beautiful.
I was surprised when Heathcliff, instead of protecting what Catherine left, bested her. I thought that he would be more kind and forgiving, but he was instead consumed by his own rage and bitterness. This shows that even the most passionate love can be turned to hate.
My favourite scene in Wuthering Heights is when Heathcliff runs away and Catherine says that their souls are the same. This scene shows the depth of their love, even though they are unable to be together. It is a reminder that even when love is impossible, it can still be a powerful force in our lives.
I learned a lot from Wuthering Heights:
I learned that love is a powerful force, but it can also be destructive, and that even the most destructive love can be beautiful.
Wuthering Heights is a challenging and heart-breaking book, but it is also a beautiful and unforgettable one. It is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.
Heathcliff is a wild and untamed man, while Catherine is a proud, spoiled and headstrong woman. Their love is passionate and intense, but it is also destructive. They both make mistakes, and they both suffer as a result.
I loved the locations, the moors are a place of beauty and danger, and they reflect the tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine.
The characters in Wuthering Heights are not saints or heroes, but real people who make mistakes and suffer the consequences.
I found myself rooting for Heathcliff and Catherine, even though I knew that they were both capable of great cruelty. However, I think that this is part of what makes the story so compelling. It is a reminder that even the most flawed people are capable of love, and that even the most destructive love can be beautiful.
I was surprised when Heathcliff, instead of protecting what Catherine left, bested her. I thought that he would be more kind and forgiving, but he was instead consumed by his own rage and bitterness. This shows that even the most passionate love can be turned to hate.
My favourite scene in Wuthering Heights is when Heathcliff runs away and Catherine says that their souls are the same. This scene shows the depth of their love, even though they are unable to be together. It is a reminder that even when love is impossible, it can still be a powerful force in our lives.
I learned a lot from Wuthering Heights:
I learned that love is a powerful force, but it can also be destructive, and that even the most destructive love can be beautiful.
Wuthering Heights is a challenging and heart-breaking book, but it is also a beautiful and unforgettable one. It is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.
He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
eranada's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Grief and Animal cruelty
marageorge's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Domestic abuse
readingduckling's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
It's the mother of books about toxic relationships. And I think it's horrible it's marked as one of the romance novels. In my opinion it's at most a dark romance and more thriller because no one seems to have any kind of romantic feelings for one another.
And on top of that there is a lot of incest in this book, in the third generation of "lovers". I think this is one of the books that you should not publish uncomented anymore.
But I'm very impressed, that Emily Brontë was able to publish books at that time.
And on top of that there is a lot of incest in this book, in the third generation of "lovers". I think this is one of the books that you should not publish uncomented anymore.
But I'm very impressed, that Emily Brontë was able to publish books at that time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Incest
Minor: Eating disorder
caitlancole's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse