A review by saraaaa
England, My England by D.H. Lawrence

tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

An interesting, quick read. I'm not familiar with Lawrence's work, and judging only by this short story, I probably wouldn't enjoy it too much. More that ¾ of the story were a mashing and overlapping of metaphors and consideration on early 20th century English society, that, while deep and thorough and interesting per se, were just too many. And the endless repetitions – sometimes it was words, sometimes entire phrases –, which at first seemed like a nice touch, an interesting stylistic device, by the first half of the book had already become unnerving. The racist and misogynistic considerations were hard to chew through, as well as all the times children were called "it", but I couldn't say if it was conveying the author's or the characters' thoughts.
The setting, though, was a delight to read about and imagine – such detailed and consistent features, each with its own significance – and it seemed to be alive and breathing with more life than the very protagonists.
It may be because of a personal thematic preference, but I found that the last part had a more natural flow to it.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings