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A review by beccakatie
Love and Mr. Lewisham by H.G. Wells
3.0
I do enjoy reading H.G. Wells, especially his novels which break away from science fiction, the genre he is more known for. I feel that this book offered an interesting examination and representation of the realities of love and marriage. However romantic and idealistic the characters want to be, real life always gets in the way. Wells portrays their struggles well, with the reader able to understand and compare their own experiences to those of Mr and Mrs Lewisham.
However, the characters themselves grated on me, and that reduced my enjoyment of the book. Lewisham is so wrapped up in himself, and, as a result treats other people, particularly the two women badly. These women seem very two-dimensional, with very little personality or life outside of their relationships with Lewisham. Their lives and emotions appear to revolve solely around him, despite Ethel's complicated family history and Miss Heydinger's academic achievements and ambitions, both of which I could have read more about.
Overall, whilst the plot looks to make important points regarding truth and poverty, the characters, and aspects of the plot limit this due to the direct impact these issues have. With characters and a relationship that does not feel built up or established in the same way Lewisham's academic career and concerns over spiritualism are, there are, on the whole, times that the storyline of this text is weak.
However, the characters themselves grated on me, and that reduced my enjoyment of the book. Lewisham is so wrapped up in himself, and, as a result treats other people, particularly the two women badly. These women seem very two-dimensional, with very little personality or life outside of their relationships with Lewisham. Their lives and emotions appear to revolve solely around him, despite Ethel's complicated family history and Miss Heydinger's academic achievements and ambitions, both of which I could have read more about.
Overall, whilst the plot looks to make important points regarding truth and poverty, the characters, and aspects of the plot limit this due to the direct impact these issues have. With characters and a relationship that does not feel built up or established in the same way Lewisham's academic career and concerns over spiritualism are, there are, on the whole, times that the storyline of this text is weak.