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dowsa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
“The entire world is a dreadful collection of memoranda that she did exist, and that I have lost her!”
man 😭 a classic story of intense love that leads to destruction for everyone involved omg Catherine and Heathcliff were both insufferable tbh but maybe that’s why they were so obsessed with each other? v messy, but i also loved how the Cathy and Hareton’s story was a reversal of their parents’ and showed the possibility of undoing generational pain nd trauma!
man 😭 a classic story of intense love that leads to destruction for everyone involved omg Catherine and Heathcliff were both insufferable tbh but maybe that’s why they were so obsessed with each other? v messy, but i also loved how the Cathy and Hareton’s story was a reversal of their parents’ and showed the possibility of undoing generational pain nd trauma!
meggyy's review against another edition
4.0
Une histoire d'amour et de haine comme je n'en ai jamais lu auparavant.. à lire une fois dans sa vie.
probably_birds's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
carolynbloch's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kkinnett's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tiff_39's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lcvesbooks's review against another edition
1.0
you see i usually love disturbing stuff but this is just… no… the incest??? goodbye.
chitti's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I love this gloomy novel. Everything about it, from the scenery to the layered characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and Incest
biolexicon's review against another edition
1.0
Overall, the act of reading Wuthering Heights was not enjoyable; I became more irritated at each character’s selfishness and vindictiveness as the book went on. The only redeeming part has been analyzing it afterword, which I will attempt to summarize my thoughts on below.
Unlike some, who see Nelly’s narrating as unnecessary and would prefer an omnipotent third person narrator, I think her narration was essential. When I was irritated with the violent selfishness that motivated every action in the story, Nelly would say something to prove herself a redeemable, relatable character. I needed that in order to not be completely overwhelmed with the details of every other character’s ignorant self-interest.
I, like many people who start this book, was expecting a story of romance. Instead it turned out to be a tale of familial neglect and mistreatment, with each generation’s sins being passed down to their offspring. This concept, which has biblical associations, along with issue of property rights, makes up the main forces driving my analysis. Ownership, whether it be of land or whom you “belong” to traps each character in misery.
I know there has been some talk lately about female escapism in literature, and this failed miserably at that aim (though I think it was tacked on someone other than the author herself). It was highly improbable that anyone could become immersed in the world created in Wuthering Heights enough to use it as an escape. The life presented is much too sour.
Unlike some, who see Nelly’s narrating as unnecessary and would prefer an omnipotent third person narrator, I think her narration was essential. When I was irritated with the violent selfishness that motivated every action in the story, Nelly would say something to prove herself a redeemable, relatable character. I needed that in order to not be completely overwhelmed with the details of every other character’s ignorant self-interest.
I, like many people who start this book, was expecting a story of romance. Instead it turned out to be a tale of familial neglect and mistreatment, with each generation’s sins being passed down to their offspring. This concept, which has biblical associations, along with issue of property rights, makes up the main forces driving my analysis. Ownership, whether it be of land or whom you “belong” to traps each character in misery.
I know there has been some talk lately about female escapism in literature, and this failed miserably at that aim (though I think it was tacked on someone other than the author herself). It was highly improbable that anyone could become immersed in the world created in Wuthering Heights enough to use it as an escape. The life presented is much too sour.
erinwilham's review against another edition
3.0
In writing the novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte attempts to show the destructive power of revenge. The protagonist and anti-hero of the story, Heathcliff, becomes overcome with a desire for revenge on all those who have wronged him. As an adopted child, his trouble began as he was chastised by Hindley Earnshaw, his adopted brother; however, he found happiness in his close relationship with his adopted sister Catherine, whom he falls in love with. When Mr. Earnshaw dies and his son Hindley inherits the estate, Heathcliff first encounters the destruction of revenge (36). Because Hindley treated Heathcliff cruelly as a child, he was sent away to college by his father (34). Hindley blamed this on Heathcliff, and therefore, upon his return, forced him to work outside in the fields, degrading him from status as a gentleman to that of a common laborer (38). In addition to poor treatment from Hindley, Catherine disappoints Heathcliff when she decides to marry the wealthy gentleman Edgar Linton (46). In his frustration, Heathcliff leaves the estate for three years (60). When he returns he is a wealthy gentleman and he uses his fortune to his advantage by lending money to Hindley, who has descended into alcoholism due to his wife’s death (80). This action ultimately leads to Hindley’s death, and Heathcliff succeeds in acquiring the estate of Wuthering Heights.
The theme of Wuthering Heights is love as an uncontrollable and destructive force. The two love stories contained in the novel are those of Heathcliff and Catherine, which serves as the main storyline, and young Catherine and Hareton. These two relationships oppose each other strongly, as the first is filled with revenge and darkness, and the latter results in marriage and provides the book with a happy ending (271). The passion in Heathcliff’s and Catherine’s relationship is undeniable; however, Catherine chooses Edgar Linton over Heathcliff in her selfish interest of social advancement (46). Her choice ultimately breeds a feeling of anger in Heathcliff that he feels compelled to release on everyone who has wronged him in his life, including Hindley, Edgar, Hareton, young Catherine, and his Catherine.
Bronte writes this narrative as a story within a story. The housekeeper, Nelly, who has been employed at Wuthering Heights for a long time, tells the story of Catherine and Heathcliff to the actual narrator of the book, Mr. Lockwood. Although Lockwood is the initial narrator of the entire novel, it is actually Nelly who serves as the primary narrator for Catherine and Heathcliff’s story. This interesting method of writing was effective because while one narrator was emotionally involved in the story, the reader can relate to Lockwood as an outsider to the story.
This book was different from many of the classics that I have read because it involved supernatural elements and was overall very dark. Overall, I enjoyed reading the novel because it was well-written and the plot was relatively fast-moving. Bronte really created a gloomy atmosphere throughout the story that reflected the tragic events in the plot well. One thing about the book that I would change if I were writing it would be the format of the story-within-a-story. While I can see why Bronte would do this, in order to give two different perspectives on the story, I personally would choose a simpler style of narration by having only one narrator.
The theme of Wuthering Heights is love as an uncontrollable and destructive force. The two love stories contained in the novel are those of Heathcliff and Catherine, which serves as the main storyline, and young Catherine and Hareton. These two relationships oppose each other strongly, as the first is filled with revenge and darkness, and the latter results in marriage and provides the book with a happy ending (271). The passion in Heathcliff’s and Catherine’s relationship is undeniable; however, Catherine chooses Edgar Linton over Heathcliff in her selfish interest of social advancement (46). Her choice ultimately breeds a feeling of anger in Heathcliff that he feels compelled to release on everyone who has wronged him in his life, including Hindley, Edgar, Hareton, young Catherine, and his Catherine.
Bronte writes this narrative as a story within a story. The housekeeper, Nelly, who has been employed at Wuthering Heights for a long time, tells the story of Catherine and Heathcliff to the actual narrator of the book, Mr. Lockwood. Although Lockwood is the initial narrator of the entire novel, it is actually Nelly who serves as the primary narrator for Catherine and Heathcliff’s story. This interesting method of writing was effective because while one narrator was emotionally involved in the story, the reader can relate to Lockwood as an outsider to the story.
This book was different from many of the classics that I have read because it involved supernatural elements and was overall very dark. Overall, I enjoyed reading the novel because it was well-written and the plot was relatively fast-moving. Bronte really created a gloomy atmosphere throughout the story that reflected the tragic events in the plot well. One thing about the book that I would change if I were writing it would be the format of the story-within-a-story. While I can see why Bronte would do this, in order to give two different perspectives on the story, I personally would choose a simpler style of narration by having only one narrator.