Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Synopsis:
His true love thwarted by unfeeling family and Cathy’s callow thoughtlessness, foundling Heathcliff wreaks havoc on all who fall under his sway.

Review:
Wow, I had no idea what I was in for when I started Wuthering Heights! I knew it was a classic of Gothic romanticism, but I was expecting a florid love story of the kind I don’t usually enjoy. Instead I got a pile-on of selfish people behaving very, very badly and I loved every minute of it.

What i liked was that they were all so despicable, except for Ellen Dean, who was powerless to affect any kind of moral change. She would occasionally get fed up and scold the lot of them, but they never listened. It was awfully poignant when she said she just wanted to buy a cottage and have Cathy Linton come live with her. Secondarily, I loved the transformation of poor Hareton Earnshaw from a cussin’ kid to a gallant gentle giant.

I listened to the audio version (mostly) narrated by Janet McTeer and she wrung every last drop of satire and humor from the proceedings, without sacrificing emotion and heart. Her voice is simply beautiful to listen to and that really enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

2 thoughts on “Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte”

  1. Hey Superfast! Long time no see… er, you know what I mean.

    I can’t believe it, English major and all, that I never read Wuthering Heights. I think I avoided it for all the reasons you did. But, hey, people behaving badly is always fun.

    I switched to wordpress a while ago and am still fixing it up.

    Have been on a non-fiction binge for the last several months… holy cow, can’t remember the last book of fiction I read… probably all kid lit for research and enjoyment. Ta!

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