Scan barcode
readerinthedale's review against another edition
Was just going too slow for this time in my life- will definitely return at some point! Need all my classic lit energy to go towards readings for my dissertation right now, no time for this.
oldcrow1111's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. I have idea how I feel about the ending, but the rest of this book was incredible. It’s no Middlemarch, but Maggie was a wonderful, tragic character to follow.
illyanadallas222's review against another edition
4.0
A highly unpopularised book here on instagram? Am I wrong in assuming this? This is the second of Ms. Mary Ann Evans (I choose to call her by her real FEMALE, name not ‘George Eliot’), the first being Daniel Deronda. While I found Daniel Deronda a formidably long book but so rich in theme, right off the bat, I cannot same the same for this dear gem. It took me exactly 300 pages to get properly latched onto the characters and start to empathise with Dear Maggie. However, at that midway point it suddenly dawns on you that there was this undercurrent of plot building that suddenly hits you like a current and you cannot simply put down. This is a novel in the finest tradition of Realism, and I can’t help but think that it must have served as some form of inspiration for the later naturalism of Thomas Hardy.
I will forever empathise and love the dear protagonist in this novel, as she seems sorely misunderstood by all those she loves. She is that woman that everybody endears and is prideful of until her radiant energy gets in their way or becomes suddenly ‘intolerable’. She wants to please everyone, all of the time; and it is this propensity to love and be loved that leads to her troubles. Mostly though, Maggie desires more than anything to please her older brother Tom; and, in return, to be unconditionally loved by him. Her character reminds me greatly of the goodness, sensitivity, and natural curiosity of Elizabeth Gaskell’s ‘Molly Gibson;’ the spirit and independence of Charles Dickens’s ‘Bella Wilfur;’ and the wit and humor of Jane Austen’s ‘Elizabeth Bennet.’
Though the ending is beautifully written, and I realize it's of its time period, I was disappointed with it, especially with WHOM Maggie’s fate is ultimately tied to, as I found the description out of that person’s character, though true to Maggie and to the novel’s theme. BUT the ultimate ending, of using that symbolic Floss to represent the ‘feels’ and experiences that pass through us ultimately serving the ending of the novel in its end to defeat both pride and prejudice, transpiring to the reader, what Maggie ultimately always wanted and longed for.
I felt that a book of this magnitude deserved simply nothing but the highest praises in my review of it. I apologise if I ended my ramble sounding so formal… Victorian novels tend to do that to you too right? RIGHT? x
I will forever empathise and love the dear protagonist in this novel, as she seems sorely misunderstood by all those she loves. She is that woman that everybody endears and is prideful of until her radiant energy gets in their way or becomes suddenly ‘intolerable’. She wants to please everyone, all of the time; and it is this propensity to love and be loved that leads to her troubles. Mostly though, Maggie desires more than anything to please her older brother Tom; and, in return, to be unconditionally loved by him. Her character reminds me greatly of the goodness, sensitivity, and natural curiosity of Elizabeth Gaskell’s ‘Molly Gibson;’ the spirit and independence of Charles Dickens’s ‘Bella Wilfur;’ and the wit and humor of Jane Austen’s ‘Elizabeth Bennet.’
Though the ending is beautifully written, and I realize it's of its time period, I was disappointed with it, especially with WHOM Maggie’s fate is ultimately tied to, as I found the description out of that person’s character, though true to Maggie and to the novel’s theme. BUT the ultimate ending, of using that symbolic Floss to represent the ‘feels’ and experiences that pass through us ultimately serving the ending of the novel in its end to defeat both pride and prejudice, transpiring to the reader, what Maggie ultimately always wanted and longed for.
I felt that a book of this magnitude deserved simply nothing but the highest praises in my review of it. I apologise if I ended my ramble sounding so formal… Victorian novels tend to do that to you too right? RIGHT? x
bibliobethreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
Possible spoilers
I didn't expect to like that much. But there I'd so much to love in it - the central characters were developed from a very young age. I like it when stories start with children and develop with them over years.
Maggie is as close as a character gets to Woolf's idea of 'Shakespeare's sister' in English literature I have read (being supposably based on Eliot's own life) - sensitive, artistic and intelligent spirit being constantly smothered by gender prejudice and social expectations. Almost all characters in the book seem to believe that women and books don't belong together. Even Maggie's devotion to her father and brother has much stink of patriarchy in it. Her mother too showed preference toward son rather than her daughter.
The loss of mill seems symbolic of how futile men's patriarchal sense of honor (more like arrogance) is. Though it didn't change the patriarchal attitudes of characters (except Maggie's mother was no longer blindly devotional to her husband and her husband was a little more humble). And yet, no character is completely despicable.
Tom and Maggie's sibling love is another amazingly realistic thing. Their characters are juxtaposition of practicality and passion respectably.
Maggie's commitment to marry her hunchbacked friend seems to be metaphor of luggage we have to carry after once having suffered from bad times even circumstances take a turn for better. Her choice is between morality and happiness. There is much to talk about price one has to pay to stay moral - and whether it is not right to seize one's own happiness at cost of failing to keep promises and hurting your loved ones.
The titular mill has story built around it though the mill much like other property so much valued by everyone in book will be lost by the end.
Eliot seems to be better able to write these big books with a number of characters than Dickens or Tolstoy. She can also be humous which is something you can't say about Tolstoy. All characters in here are drawn realistic.
Lots more can be added here but I am sleepy.
I didn't expect to like that much. But there I'd so much to love in it - the central characters were developed from a very young age. I like it when stories start with children and develop with them over years.
Maggie is as close as a character gets to Woolf's idea of 'Shakespeare's sister' in English literature I have read (being supposably based on Eliot's own life) - sensitive, artistic and intelligent spirit being constantly smothered by gender prejudice and social expectations. Almost all characters in the book seem to believe that women and books don't belong together. Even Maggie's devotion to her father and brother has much stink of patriarchy in it. Her mother too showed preference toward son rather than her daughter.
The loss of mill seems symbolic of how futile men's patriarchal sense of honor (more like arrogance) is. Though it didn't change the patriarchal attitudes of characters (except Maggie's mother was no longer blindly devotional to her husband and her husband was a little more humble). And yet, no character is completely despicable.
Tom and Maggie's sibling love is another amazingly realistic thing. Their characters are juxtaposition of practicality and passion respectably.
Maggie's commitment to marry her hunchbacked friend seems to be metaphor of luggage we have to carry after once having suffered from bad times even circumstances take a turn for better. Her choice is between morality and happiness. There is much to talk about price one has to pay to stay moral - and whether it is not right to seize one's own happiness at cost of failing to keep promises and hurting your loved ones.
The titular mill has story built around it though the mill much like other property so much valued by everyone in book will be lost by the end.
Eliot seems to be better able to write these big books with a number of characters than Dickens or Tolstoy. She can also be humous which is something you can't say about Tolstoy. All characters in here are drawn realistic.
Lots more can be added here but I am sleepy.
freya__b's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Beautifully poignant writing and some gorgeous passages that capture sibling relationships perfectly. Maggie's character development was fantastic and I loved reading her journey. The aunts and uncles also provided some great humor! But the first half dragged a little and felt disjointed with the second. I would have also liked to see more of Tom's inner turnoil since he seems quite one dimensional in the second part. This is probably intentional since it reflects how he's perceived by Maggie, but I would have liked more details on his life anyway
thevalleyslily's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first George Eliot and I'm going to make sure it's not the last. The funny thing is I started reading The Mill on the Floss about a year ago and I couldn't get past the first chapters. I was this close to abandoning it and actually put it aside for months then, for some reason, I picked it up again and boy am I glad I did! The reason I almost dropped it is the same I'm not giving this book a full 5 out 5 : the novel is split into seven 'books' and the first two consist of exhaustive descriptions of the povincial life of Victorian Britain while following the rather dull and uneventful days of the Tullivers household. Now that I finished the book, I know the beginning served a purpose which is to emphasize the contrast between those peaceful early days of childhood and the much more tormented ones our protagonsists go through later on but still, it felt 'plotless' at times and some readers might understandibly lose all interest and that it is a weakness I guess.
Other than that, I think everything else was just great but what stood out the most to me was the characterisation. Maggie Tulliver is a character I loved, the free-spirited girl with a brilliant mind and far too intelligent for her time. She's depicted as different from her peers even in her looks with unruly hair and black eyes. She strives for everyone's approval and love and most of all that of her brother's, Tom. She struggles to reconcile her free nature with an admirable desire to make everyone dear to her happy by adapting to an otherwise restricting society only to be faced with misunderstanding, unforgiveness and, ultimately, with a suffocating sense of loneliness. Tom is at odds with Maggie personality wise. He does't have her wit nor inetllectual abilities but he's practical. Their relationship and the way Eliot depicted it is unique (in the sense that Classics rarely delve into it) and one of the best I've ever read. It was heartbreaking to see them go from best friends to strangers at some point before reconciling in the most tragic of ways. Some readers hated Tom for valid reasons and while he's not my favourite, I understand that he had his own struggles and sacrifices. This is actually what Eliot did best in this book. There are no saints and no devils but characters who feel real and humanly flawed. My favourite are Philip and Bob Jakin. The former is the ultimate romantic and Eliot did an amazing job of portraying him. His love for Maggie moved me the most in the way it was passionate but selfless and he's the only one who ever understood Maggie's nature. They stood as equals in their friend/relationship and I'm not going into details about Stephen Guest as I feel his relationship with Maggie was only a way for Eliot to explain furthermore Maggie's inner conflict. And there's Bob Jakin who, despite his lower status, was of great support to both Tom and Maggie when the world seemed to have foresaken them.
And then we have the ending. Some found it rushed and abrupt but it was only natural to feel like that as calamity never asks permission before it strikes. That's why I think what didn't set well with some readers is rather the melodramatic effect. I personally was waiting for a closure and the ending gave me that except not in the form I was expecting. Maggie finally got the reconcilement that she so much longed for though it was shortlived and just tragic but that is ok (at least for me).
I highly recommend The Mill on the Floss though you might need a lot of patience at first but you will be greatly rewarded after that.
Other than that, I think everything else was just great but what stood out the most to me was the characterisation. Maggie Tulliver is a character I loved, the free-spirited girl with a brilliant mind and far too intelligent for her time. She's depicted as different from her peers even in her looks with unruly hair and black eyes. She strives for everyone's approval and love and most of all that of her brother's, Tom. She struggles to reconcile her free nature with an admirable desire to make everyone dear to her happy by adapting to an otherwise restricting society only to be faced with misunderstanding, unforgiveness and, ultimately, with a suffocating sense of loneliness. Tom is at odds with Maggie personality wise. He does't have her wit nor inetllectual abilities but he's practical. Their relationship and the way Eliot depicted it is unique (in the sense that Classics rarely delve into it) and one of the best I've ever read. It was heartbreaking to see them go from best friends to strangers at some point before reconciling in the most tragic of ways. Some readers hated Tom for valid reasons and while he's not my favourite, I understand that he had his own struggles and sacrifices. This is actually what Eliot did best in this book. There are no saints and no devils but characters who feel real and humanly flawed. My favourite are Philip and Bob Jakin. The former is the ultimate romantic and Eliot did an amazing job of portraying him. His love for Maggie moved me the most in the way it was passionate but selfless and he's the only one who ever understood Maggie's nature. They stood as equals in their friend/relationship and I'm not going into details about Stephen Guest as I feel his relationship with Maggie was only a way for Eliot to explain furthermore Maggie's inner conflict. And there's Bob Jakin who, despite his lower status, was of great support to both Tom and Maggie when the world seemed to have foresaken them.
And then we have the ending. Some found it rushed and abrupt but it was only natural to feel like that as calamity never asks permission before it strikes. That's why I think what didn't set well with some readers is rather the melodramatic effect. I personally was waiting for a closure and the ending gave me that except not in the form I was expecting. Maggie finally got the reconcilement that she so much longed for though it was shortlived and just tragic but that is ok (at least for me).
I highly recommend The Mill on the Floss though you might need a lot of patience at first but you will be greatly rewarded after that.
outcolder's review against another edition
3.0
Infuriating. Spent the last hundred pages or so talking out loud to the book, like, "Forget that guy!" and "Don't do it!" and "Eff off!" then the end... groan. I didn't read the edition pictured, which is too bad, because the one I had had no notes or introductory essay or anything. There were some laugh out loud funny bits, especially with the breakout character of the 'packman' Bob Jakin but also the trio of unbearable aunts... Mrs. Glegg chief among them... although the harder it gets for Maggie the less funny the aunts are.
I think this novel would have been greatly improved if Maggie's fetisch had made a reappearance later in the book, like maybe at the very end, floating down the river... but then when I go corny, I go the whole hog. Let's get that hunchback healed... Or maybe Stephen Guest produces the fetisch and says in George Eliot's florid prose that he found it somehwere as a kid and that it talks to him and that everything he did was stuff the fetisch said to do... I loved that fetisch. Back then, you could write stuff like that into a novel and then just never mention it again. Nowadays, there's all these rules. Nowadays, the publisher would have made Eliot cut like 200 pages and heal the hunchback. But nowadays, Maggie could do everything she does in this book and face absolutely zero moral oprobium for it so ...
I think this novel would have been greatly improved if Maggie's fetisch had made a reappearance later in the book, like maybe at the very end, floating down the river... but then when I go corny, I go the whole hog. Let's get that hunchback healed... Or maybe Stephen Guest produces the fetisch and says in George Eliot's florid prose that he found it somehwere as a kid and that it talks to him and that everything he did was stuff the fetisch said to do... I loved that fetisch. Back then, you could write stuff like that into a novel and then just never mention it again. Nowadays, there's all these rules. Nowadays, the publisher would have made Eliot cut like 200 pages and heal the hunchback. But nowadays, Maggie could do everything she does in this book and face absolutely zero moral oprobium for it so ...