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khornstein1's review against another edition
4.0
I have so many complaints about this book (read other reviews for similar complaints) and yet...I got totally caught up in this. Worth checking out if you're into Wuthering Heights fan fiction and/or history of Manchester/Liverpool area.
hally_p's review against another edition
4.0
4 and a half stars
Oh Heathcliff... I really enjoyed this book it was the perfect read for me at this time in my life. Stewart's storytelling reeled me right in and this was another world to jump into at my leisure.
As a fan of Wuthering Heights I was intrigued to read an author's description of Heathcliff and his tale of when he disappeared for that period of time when he made his fortune and came back a "gent"... If that's what you could call him hehe.
I have not read Wuthering Heights for a while but I felt that I was instantly back there again when the book started as Stewart in my view captured what could have been Heathcliff's thoughts and emotions prior to leaving the moors. I felt his hatred and suffering and I believed that this was the very same Heathcliff that Emily created.
The imagery of the moors and the historical descriptions in the book reflected Stewart's research and I enjoyed learning about the towns as they were back then.
I really felt for Heathcliff, he was a true Byronic hero and I enjoyed seeing his considerate side through his relationship with Emily. I loved Emily's character she was brill; a lying cocky rogue who supported Heathcliff. I could talk more about her and the friendship but this review is so long as it is.
The fact that we never knew Heatchliff's real name struck me in this book as id never thought about it before. This was a theme all the way through the book and I was eager to find out if we did get a name. I'm glad we didn't as some things need to remain a mystery and maybe it would only feel right if Emily Bronte herself had given him his birth name. But how it must have felt for Heathcliff to not know his own identity for so long and how he was made to feel like an outcast was so beautifully translated to the reader.
There was a lot of gore which I was uncomfortable with, I think because I was rooting so much for Heatchliff I didn't want certain attributes to be attached to him. It was bad enough that he did what he did in such a cold ruthless twisted manner in Wuthering Heights without adding wild cold blooded murderer to the list. But at the same time it needed to happen to harden his character more and show us that he did have that detachment to others and dark side otherwise how could he have come back to do all those said things?
I wish I could carry on reading more about when Heathcliff returned to the moors and see the rest of the story from his perspective after reading this. It really rekindled my love for Wuthering heights!
Oh Heathcliff... I really enjoyed this book it was the perfect read for me at this time in my life. Stewart's storytelling reeled me right in and this was another world to jump into at my leisure.
As a fan of Wuthering Heights I was intrigued to read an author's description of Heathcliff and his tale of when he disappeared for that period of time when he made his fortune and came back a "gent"... If that's what you could call him hehe.
I have not read Wuthering Heights for a while but I felt that I was instantly back there again when the book started as Stewart in my view captured what could have been Heathcliff's thoughts and emotions prior to leaving the moors. I felt his hatred and suffering and I believed that this was the very same Heathcliff that Emily created.
The imagery of the moors and the historical descriptions in the book reflected Stewart's research and I enjoyed learning about the towns as they were back then.
I really felt for Heathcliff, he was a true Byronic hero and I enjoyed seeing his considerate side through his relationship with Emily. I loved Emily's character she was brill; a lying cocky rogue who supported Heathcliff. I could talk more about her and the friendship but this review is so long as it is.
The fact that we never knew Heatchliff's real name struck me in this book as id never thought about it before. This was a theme all the way through the book and I was eager to find out if we did get a name. I'm glad we didn't as some things need to remain a mystery and maybe it would only feel right if Emily Bronte herself had given him his birth name. But how it must have felt for Heathcliff to not know his own identity for so long and how he was made to feel like an outcast was so beautifully translated to the reader.
There was a lot of gore which I was uncomfortable with, I think because I was rooting so much for Heatchliff I didn't want certain attributes to be attached to him. It was bad enough that he did what he did in such a cold ruthless twisted manner in Wuthering Heights without adding wild cold blooded murderer to the list. But at the same time it needed to happen to harden his character more and show us that he did have that detachment to others and dark side otherwise how could he have come back to do all those said things?
I wish I could carry on reading more about when Heathcliff returned to the moors and see the rest of the story from his perspective after reading this. It really rekindled my love for Wuthering heights!
cerim's review against another edition
2.0
This novel aimed to fill in the gaps and give the reader an idea of where Heathcliff went and what he did during his 3 year absence from Wuthering Heights.
The author has crafted quite a tale - positives were the vivid descriptions of the moors and countryside, and the story itself was quite engaging.
However, I did not expect such language or plot in this novel and I really found it hard to believe. Some scenes were utterly and needlessly gruesome and, although I believe that Heathcliff has the potential for seriously dark deeds, I don’t believe for a second that this story is what Emily Bronte would have wanted for Heathcliff.
I am always interested in modern versions or retellings of classic novels but feel that the modern author has to be sympathetic towards the original authors work. I felt that the author here (Michael Stewart) stamped all over Emily’s novel and gave her a massive 2 fingers.
2 stars for the engaging plot and descriptive narrative - if this hadn’t been a story based on Heathcliff I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
The author has crafted quite a tale - positives were the vivid descriptions of the moors and countryside, and the story itself was quite engaging.
However, I did not expect such language or plot in this novel and I really found it hard to believe. Some scenes were utterly and needlessly gruesome and, although I believe that Heathcliff has the potential for seriously dark deeds, I don’t believe for a second that this story is what Emily Bronte would have wanted for Heathcliff.
I am always interested in modern versions or retellings of classic novels but feel that the modern author has to be sympathetic towards the original authors work. I felt that the author here (Michael Stewart) stamped all over Emily’s novel and gave her a massive 2 fingers.
2 stars for the engaging plot and descriptive narrative - if this hadn’t been a story based on Heathcliff I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
laurenjpegler's review against another edition
1.0
The great thing about Wuthering Heights is the many silences in the text. Writers can fill these gaps with any story they want, because, at the end of the day, they’re most likely going to fit. Michael Stewart looks at Heathcliff and his origin story, which remains a mystery to many fans of the original.
I didn’t like this at all. Stewart doesn’t characterise Heathcliff well at all. I hate the slurs. The race narrative wasn’t always done appropriately and the underlying sexism wasn’t necessary. Yeah, not good unfortunately. I prefer the silences to be left alone.
I didn’t like this at all. Stewart doesn’t characterise Heathcliff well at all. I hate the slurs. The race narrative wasn’t always done appropriately and the underlying sexism wasn’t necessary. Yeah, not good unfortunately. I prefer the silences to be left alone.
kirsty147's review against another edition
3.0
Once you get past the profanity that litters the first few chapters, Ill Will is actually a decent book. The characters are well drawn and the plot kept my attention. I enjoyed the smattering of local dialect, but would a character from the 1780s really say “hit a left” (as in “go left/turn left”)? Sounds quite American to me. All in all, this is a quick read, but quite gruesome in places. Not for everyone!
brontebabeblog's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting imagining if Heathcliff's origins. It's well-told tough, tough, and sometimes crude read lacking in any kind of romanticism. Although Heathcliff's obsession with Cathy is still very much present, he finds himself a sidekick in the form of an equally tough and crude girl named Emily. Their journey together, and eventual bond is quite touching. Having said that, this it's sometimes hard to reconcile this Heathcliff with Emily Brontë's, a creation who remains as mysterious as ever.
kylielynelle's review against another edition
1.0
Boring. Didn't like the main character at all. Didn't like the writing style. Incredibly hard to follow. Really, there wasn't anything about this book that I liked besides the title. I did think that was clever. DNF
cerim's review against another edition
2.0
This novel aimed to fill in the gaps and give the reader an idea of where Heathcliff went and what he did during his 3 year absence from Wuthering Heights.
The author has crafted quite a tale - positives were the vivid descriptions of the moors and countryside, and the story itself was quite engaging.
However, I did not expect such language or plot in this novel and I really found it hard to believe. Some scenes were utterly and needlessly gruesome and, although I believe that Heathcliff has the potential for seriously dark deeds, I don’t believe for a second that this story is what Emily Bronte would have wanted for Heathcliff.
I am always interested in modern versions or retellings of classic novels but feel that the modern author has to be sympathetic towards the original authors work. I felt that the author here (Michael Stewart) stamped all over Emily’s novel and gave her a massive 2 fingers.
2 stars for the engaging plot and descriptive narrative - if this hadn’t been a story based on Heathcliff I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
The author has crafted quite a tale - positives were the vivid descriptions of the moors and countryside, and the story itself was quite engaging.
However, I did not expect such language or plot in this novel and I really found it hard to believe. Some scenes were utterly and needlessly gruesome and, although I believe that Heathcliff has the potential for seriously dark deeds, I don’t believe for a second that this story is what Emily Bronte would have wanted for Heathcliff.
I am always interested in modern versions or retellings of classic novels but feel that the modern author has to be sympathetic towards the original authors work. I felt that the author here (Michael Stewart) stamped all over Emily’s novel and gave her a massive 2 fingers.
2 stars for the engaging plot and descriptive narrative - if this hadn’t been a story based on Heathcliff I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
cerim's review
2.0
This novel aimed to fill in the gaps and give the reader an idea of where Heathcliff went and what he did during his 3 year absence from Wuthering Heights.
The author has crafted quite a tale - positives were the vivid descriptions of the moors and countryside, and the story itself was quite engaging.
However, I did not expect such language or plot in this novel and I really found it hard to believe. Some scenes were utterly and needlessly gruesome and, although I believe that Heathcliff has the potential for seriously dark deeds, I don’t believe for a second that this story is what Emily Bronte would have wanted for Heathcliff.
I am always interested in modern versions or retellings of classic novels but feel that the modern author has to be sympathetic towards the original authors work. I felt that the author here (Michael Stewart) stamped all over Emily’s novel and gave her a massive 2 fingers.
2 stars for the engaging plot and descriptive narrative - if this hadn’t been a story based on Heathcliff I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
The author has crafted quite a tale - positives were the vivid descriptions of the moors and countryside, and the story itself was quite engaging.
However, I did not expect such language or plot in this novel and I really found it hard to believe. Some scenes were utterly and needlessly gruesome and, although I believe that Heathcliff has the potential for seriously dark deeds, I don’t believe for a second that this story is what Emily Bronte would have wanted for Heathcliff.
I am always interested in modern versions or retellings of classic novels but feel that the modern author has to be sympathetic towards the original authors work. I felt that the author here (Michael Stewart) stamped all over Emily’s novel and gave her a massive 2 fingers.
2 stars for the engaging plot and descriptive narrative - if this hadn’t been a story based on Heathcliff I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
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