A review by hay_jude
Howards End by E.M. Forster

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I had read and enjoyed novels by Forster previously but not for a long while. I thought I had read this novel before but realised I hadn't when I started it. It was interesting to read in the context of recent novels I have been reading by Virginia Wolff which talk about some of the same issues - feminism and class from a later vantage point, about 20 years after Forster's novel was written. I thought the characters, especially the women in this novel were very well described and grew fond of the Schlegel sisters in particular, especially Margaret. At the time women were actively campaigning for the vote and Margaret and her sister Helen are well-educated and interested in social issues. Having said that, they are not sure how to treat Leonard Bast, a working class man who is seeking to educate himself , who they encounter at a public lecture. They seem to see him as a project but their interference in his life, although well-intentioned ultimately ends badly.The Wilcoxes were obviously harder to like, particularly Henry. It felt like Margaret having not expected to find love, was prepared to forgive his many faults at more or less any cost which was frustrating at times. Although her strength of character was evident in the stand she took regarding Helen and her wishes prevailed by the end. I also had a bit of a problem with the way the Basts were portrayed in the novel. Leonard in particular seemed to be caught between trying to improve himself and railing against his status but lacking the confidence to achieve what he wanted. He somehow didn't come across as fully formed I suppose Forster was making a point about the  powerlessness of those without money and the double standards that were operating at the time in terms of the way people were judged. In that way his take on class seems ahead of its time