hesskenn's review against another edition
4.0
I love this story, following the lives of the inhabitants of Middlemarch. Now maybe it is because I typically read before going to bed, but even at high points of the story I had a hard time keeping my eyes open.
jenniferkey's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
An utterly wonderful novel. Heartbreaking, beautiful, redemptive, devastating, romantic. The characters are so incredibly real, the narration is filled with profound observations. I was deeply, deeply moved.
mrears0_0's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
adult
glamdemon2004's review against another edition
3.5
Enjoyed but gets .5 taken off because of my bad presentation
burksandcaicos's review against another edition
4.0
Firstly, the pros:
-Kate Reading is a great narrator. She's my second favorite narrator after Moira Quirk, and she really added a Certain Something to this book.
-Rosamond Vincy, who never did a single thing wrong and was also Extremely Right at all times.
-Dorothea doing a bit of Emotional Cheating and also marrying Will after Casaubon wrote in his will that she would lose his fortune.
-COMEDY:
"'Ay, to be sure, there should be a little devil in a woman,' said Mr. Chichely, whose study of the fair sex seemed to have been detrimental to his theology.” (Chapter 10)
"I can't wear my solemnity too often, else it will go to rags." (Chapter 34)
The scene where Mr. Brooke is bullied during his speech. (Chapter 51)
The whole auction scene (Chapter 60)
“Fred had simply snatched up this pretext for speaking, because he could not say, 'You are losing confoundedly, and are making everybody stare at you; you had better come away.'” (Chapter 66)
-ROMANCE:
“The last sentence was spoken with an almost solemn cadence, and Will did not know what to say, since it would not be useful for him to embrace her slippers, and tell her that he would die for her...” (Chapter 22)
The scene where Lydgate kisses Rosamond's tears and they get engaged (Chapter 31)
“Dorothea, he said to himself, was forever enthroned in his soul” (Chapter 47)
“'I have never done you injustice. Please remember me,' said Dorothea, repressing a rising sob.
'Why should you say that?' said Will, with irritation. 'As if I were not in danger of forgetting everything else.'" (Chapter 62)
The scene where Farebrother tells Fred to shape up and be worthy of Mary and it goes: “'I will try to be worthy,' [Fred] said, breaking off before he could say 'of you as well as of her.'" (Chapter 66)
-ROMANTIC COMEDY:
“Will paused, imagining that it would be impossible for Dorothea to misunderstand this; indeed he felt that he was contradicting himself and offending against his self-approval in speaking to her so plainly; but still—it could not be fairly called wooing a woman to tell her that he would never woo her. It must be admitted to be a ghostly kind of wooing.” (Chapter 62)
-MISC
"where is the blameless woman?" (Chapter 24)
"In such a crisis as this, some women begin to hate." (Chapter 42)
“'Do you wish to be settled in any business? What is your calling now?'
'Thank you, my calling is to enjoy myself as much as I can.'" (Chapter 53)
CONS:
-I know it goes without saying in a book from the nineteenth century but the -isms, Jesus Christ.
-MARY SHOULD HAVE MARRIED MR. FAREBROTHER!!! Listen, I liked Mary and Fred from their first scene, I'll admit it. But when we found out that he got Mary's father to cosign on that bill he KNEW he couldn't pay was when it died for me.
-Rosamond Vincy! She never did a single thing wrong and she was also RIGHT they should leave Middlemarch! If they would have, Lydgate would never been caught up in the Bulstrode's foolishness.
-The ending was very abrupt.
I can't remember the other things but I'm sure I will so stay tuned for edits to this review.
Rating... 4.5 maybe.
-Kate Reading is a great narrator. She's my second favorite narrator after Moira Quirk, and she really added a Certain Something to this book.
-Rosamond Vincy, who never did a single thing wrong and was also Extremely Right at all times.
-Dorothea doing a bit of Emotional Cheating and also marrying Will after Casaubon wrote in his will that she would lose his fortune.
-COMEDY:
"'Ay, to be sure, there should be a little devil in a woman,' said Mr. Chichely, whose study of the fair sex seemed to have been detrimental to his theology.” (Chapter 10)
"I can't wear my solemnity too often, else it will go to rags." (Chapter 34)
The scene where Mr. Brooke is bullied during his speech. (Chapter 51)
The whole auction scene (Chapter 60)
“Fred had simply snatched up this pretext for speaking, because he could not say, 'You are losing confoundedly, and are making everybody stare at you; you had better come away.'” (Chapter 66)
-ROMANCE:
“The last sentence was spoken with an almost solemn cadence, and Will did not know what to say, since it would not be useful for him to embrace her slippers, and tell her that he would die for her...” (Chapter 22)
The scene where Lydgate kisses Rosamond's tears and they get engaged (Chapter 31)
“Dorothea, he said to himself, was forever enthroned in his soul” (Chapter 47)
“'I have never done you injustice. Please remember me,' said Dorothea, repressing a rising sob.
'Why should you say that?' said Will, with irritation. 'As if I were not in danger of forgetting everything else.'" (Chapter 62)
The scene where Farebrother tells Fred to shape up and be worthy of Mary and it goes: “'I will try to be worthy,' [Fred] said, breaking off before he could say 'of you as well as of her.'" (Chapter 66)
-ROMANTIC COMEDY:
“Will paused, imagining that it would be impossible for Dorothea to misunderstand this; indeed he felt that he was contradicting himself and offending against his self-approval in speaking to her so plainly; but still—it could not be fairly called wooing a woman to tell her that he would never woo her. It must be admitted to be a ghostly kind of wooing.” (Chapter 62)
-MISC
"where is the blameless woman?" (Chapter 24)
"In such a crisis as this, some women begin to hate." (Chapter 42)
“'Do you wish to be settled in any business? What is your calling now?'
'Thank you, my calling is to enjoy myself as much as I can.'" (Chapter 53)
CONS:
-I know it goes without saying in a book from the nineteenth century but the -isms, Jesus Christ.
-MARY SHOULD HAVE MARRIED MR. FAREBROTHER!!! Listen, I liked Mary and Fred from their first scene, I'll admit it. But when we found out that he got Mary's father to cosign on that bill he KNEW he couldn't pay was when it died for me.
-Rosamond Vincy! She never did a single thing wrong and she was also RIGHT they should leave Middlemarch! If they would have, Lydgate would never been caught up in the Bulstrode's foolishness.
-The ending was very abrupt.
I can't remember the other things but I'm sure I will so stay tuned for edits to this review.
Rating... 4.5 maybe.
avery_skyler13's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-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
mapmaker87's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mollyxmiller's review against another edition
4.0
I am definitely glad I listened to this as an audiobook--not sure I would have made it through the print book. I love George Eliot's wit and some of the passages contain breathtakingly beautiful writing, but to be honest, you can probably get what you need out of the 1994 BBC miniseries with Rufus Sewell.
luna545's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
eleganthedgehogs's review against another edition
Chosen & purchased via Amazon as library still closed because of covid. Decided to read a classic. It was a lot longer than some expected but was found interesting by everyone as gave insight into how people lived. For some it helped that could listen on BBC Sounds as had been a radio 4 dramatised book. Not quite the same as reading but meant some accessed it when would have read much less. Had more humour than some expected.
Able to meet In Elizabeth garden suitably socially distanced. We had mini cheddars as individual snack packets and brought our own wine glass.
Able to meet In Elizabeth garden suitably socially distanced. We had mini cheddars as individual snack packets and brought our own wine glass.