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A review by wordsofclover
Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
In 1806, Eliza Raine has settled into a solitary life in the Manor school - born in India, and moved to England when she was six, Eliza feels different in many ways from the other girls, not least because of her darker skin. When new student Anne Lister arrives and becomes Eliza's dorm mate the two bond quickly and friendship turns to a love, that for Eliza, will last a lifetime.
This was a well written and I would believe thoroughly researched book. I really enjoyed reading Emma Donoghue's author note at the end in which she spoke about her own relationship with Anne Lister and then her study into Eliza Raine - as well as the world's relationship with Eliza Raine who remained more of a mystery than her famous lover.
This book takes place in the school that Eliza and Anne met, in their nine months as dormmates and lovers, and I liked this setting as I always enjoy school settings (I think because of my childhood reading of Mallory Towers). The hardships of living in a school that thought being cold was good for the constitution but also the frequent kindness of the teachers who despite all, cared for the girls and then just the innocence in certain conversations and youthful joy in hijinks was always fun to read.
The mood of the book definitely changed every time the story switched from the school in 1806, to Raine's letters to Lister in 1815 as we understand what has happened to her, and that she has seemingly being dropped in a cruel way by Lister.
I liked how Emma Donoghue explored Raine's relationship with her own cultural identity. While I can't speak from an own voices perspective, I believe (hope) it was sensitively done as Eliza thought about her mother who was left behind in India, her father who perished on the journey and her sister whom she doesn't have much of a relationship with. Realistically and tragically, Eliza is very much on her own in the world other than Lister and that is more painfully obvious in 1815 when as a reader you're desperate for someone to save her. I'm also not sure I completely believed in Lister, even as a young girl, as she seemed a little too interested in Eliza's inheritance for my liking.
I liked this book but didn't love it - however, I do think this is a me thing as this book stems from a love and appreciation of Anne Lister as a historical queer figure and while I knew who she was, I didn't know much about her or Eliza Raine. I say if you go into this book with a knowledge and a passion for Anne Lister, this book would probably be a fantastic interpretation of her young life.
This was a well written and I would believe thoroughly researched book. I really enjoyed reading Emma Donoghue's author note at the end in which she spoke about her own relationship with Anne Lister and then her study into Eliza Raine - as well as the world's relationship with Eliza Raine who remained more of a mystery than her famous lover.
This book takes place in the school that Eliza and Anne met, in their nine months as dormmates and lovers, and I liked this setting as I always enjoy school settings (I think because of my childhood reading of Mallory Towers). The hardships of living in a school that thought being cold was good for the constitution but also the frequent kindness of the teachers who despite all, cared for the girls and then just the innocence in certain conversations and youthful joy in hijinks was always fun to read.
The mood of the book definitely changed every time the story switched from the school in 1806, to Raine's letters to Lister in 1815 as we understand what has happened to her, and that she has seemingly being dropped in a cruel way by Lister.
I liked how Emma Donoghue explored Raine's relationship with her own cultural identity. While I can't speak from an own voices perspective, I believe (hope) it was sensitively done as Eliza thought about her mother who was left behind in India, her father who perished on the journey and her sister whom she doesn't have much of a relationship with. Realistically and tragically, Eliza is very much on her own in the world other than Lister and that is more painfully obvious in 1815 when as a reader you're desperate for someone to save her. I'm also not sure I completely believed in Lister, even as a young girl, as she seemed a little too interested in Eliza's inheritance for my liking.
I liked this book but didn't love it - however, I do think this is a me thing as this book stems from a love and appreciation of Anne Lister as a historical queer figure and while I knew who she was, I didn't know much about her or Eliza Raine. I say if you go into this book with a knowledge and a passion for Anne Lister, this book would probably be a fantastic interpretation of her young life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Racism, and Death of parent