A review by milesjmoran
The Mill on the Floss, by George Eliot
5.0
No wonder, when there is this contrast between the outward and the inward, that painful collisions come of it. A girl of too startling appearance, and who will never be a Sappho or a Madame Roland or anything else that the world takes wide note of, may still hold forces within her as the living plant-seed does, which will make a way for themselves, often in a shattering, violent manner.
I've wanted to read George Eliot for a while now. I read her novella The Lifted Veil last year but, due to its short length, I don't think that really gave me a clear idea of what her writing was like. I wasn't entirely sure what novel to start with until a friend recommended I began my Eliot journey with The Mill on the Floss, and I'm thrilled to say that I loved it. I've read and listened to a lot of people reviewing this book saying that it's too long, that the ending is poor, and, while I can see where they're coming from to an extent, I still loved it. Maggie Tulliver is one of my new favourite heroines of classic literature - she is wild, sensitive, curious, and flawed. She loves intensely and full-heartedly, especially when it comes to her brother, Tom, who reciprocates but not in a way that she can see all of the time. Maggie is very demonstrative of her affections whereas he shows love through working hard and providing - his is practical, and hers is verbal and physical. Eliot's writing is perceptive and acute, especially when depicting the inner workings of the human heart. She captures the raw tumultuous nature of childhood emotion, how it sears and twists, but also how fleeting and inconstant it can be. I don't think it's a perfect book. The ending feels rushed and isn't entirely satisfying yet I willingly forgave it because I loved everything else about it. While it explores a variety of interesting themes such as gender, societal expectations, class, and religion, it is, first and foremost, about family, and I felt that Eliot did a wonderful, insightful job of bringing it to life on the page.
I've wanted to read George Eliot for a while now. I read her novella The Lifted Veil last year but, due to its short length, I don't think that really gave me a clear idea of what her writing was like. I wasn't entirely sure what novel to start with until a friend recommended I began my Eliot journey with The Mill on the Floss, and I'm thrilled to say that I loved it. I've read and listened to a lot of people reviewing this book saying that it's too long, that the ending is poor, and, while I can see where they're coming from to an extent, I still loved it. Maggie Tulliver is one of my new favourite heroines of classic literature - she is wild, sensitive, curious, and flawed. She loves intensely and full-heartedly, especially when it comes to her brother, Tom, who reciprocates but not in a way that she can see all of the time. Maggie is very demonstrative of her affections whereas he shows love through working hard and providing - his is practical, and hers is verbal and physical. Eliot's writing is perceptive and acute, especially when depicting the inner workings of the human heart. She captures the raw tumultuous nature of childhood emotion, how it sears and twists, but also how fleeting and inconstant it can be. I don't think it's a perfect book. The ending feels rushed and isn't entirely satisfying yet I willingly forgave it because I loved everything else about it. While it explores a variety of interesting themes such as gender, societal expectations, class, and religion, it is, first and foremost, about family, and I felt that Eliot did a wonderful, insightful job of bringing it to life on the page.