Christheblogger
New Member
She is definitely my favourite Victorian author and is certainly close to the top of my list of favourite authors ever. I have previously read Middlemarch, Daniel Deronda and Mill on the Floss, all of them excellent. I've just started reading Romola.
Middlemarch is one of the best books I've ever read. The characters in it are expertly realised, and the relationships wonderfully handled. The plot is never forced or unbelievable like it can get sometimes in Charles Dickens novels (Oliver Twist, I'm looking at you) and her attention to detail is meticulous and astounding. A very believable world populated with very believable people. Virginia Woolf apparent called it "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people" and, while not really wanting to echo her indictment on lots of other English novels, I totally agree.
Some friends I've spoken to complain that it (and all Eliot) is too long, and I can understand them, 900 pages is a lot. But my philosophy is it's sort of impossible for George Eliot to be guilty of writing too many words. Middlemarch was one of those rare books that made me sad when I finished because I no longer had the privilege of reading it. The only other book I can think of at the moment (no doubt there are others) longer than 500 pages that had this effect on me is Midnight's Children.
Daniel Deronda had some wonderful moments too, mostly from the story that wasn't about the titular character. But, anyway, it was certainly refreshing to find a Victorian, Anglo author that isn't explicitly Antisemitic (Oliver Twist, again, I'm looking at you).
How do people feel about George Eliot and her books?
What is Romola like? I've heard it's very difficult.
Middlemarch is one of the best books I've ever read. The characters in it are expertly realised, and the relationships wonderfully handled. The plot is never forced or unbelievable like it can get sometimes in Charles Dickens novels (Oliver Twist, I'm looking at you) and her attention to detail is meticulous and astounding. A very believable world populated with very believable people. Virginia Woolf apparent called it "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people" and, while not really wanting to echo her indictment on lots of other English novels, I totally agree.
Some friends I've spoken to complain that it (and all Eliot) is too long, and I can understand them, 900 pages is a lot. But my philosophy is it's sort of impossible for George Eliot to be guilty of writing too many words. Middlemarch was one of those rare books that made me sad when I finished because I no longer had the privilege of reading it. The only other book I can think of at the moment (no doubt there are others) longer than 500 pages that had this effect on me is Midnight's Children.
Daniel Deronda had some wonderful moments too, mostly from the story that wasn't about the titular character. But, anyway, it was certainly refreshing to find a Victorian, Anglo author that isn't explicitly Antisemitic (Oliver Twist, again, I'm looking at you).
How do people feel about George Eliot and her books?
What is Romola like? I've heard it's very difficult.