Being behind on BNBC "Literature by Women" reviews I'm going to take care of two books in one post. These will be quick.
The Mill on the Floss - A nice change for an October read when everything else is on the supernatural/horror side of fiction. This is an autobiographical (to some extent) novel and Eliot does quite a good job contrasting the situation of girls/women who don't meet society's standard (Maggie, aka Eliot herself) with girls/women who embody the societal ideal (Lucy) and the freedom allowed to boys (Tom). Although the ending seems a bit convenient, according to Eliot she had that scene down first and then tailored the narrative to fit the ending. A plus with this novel is the beautiful nature imagery Eliot uses when speaking of life on the River Floss.
Frankenstein - A hold-over from September (oops). There isn't much I can add to any discussion of this novel. What I can say is that once the novice reader can get past the nested story-within-a-story-within-a-story it is well-worth reading the Monster's tale because it draws from so much of the metaphysical and scientific discussion at the famous Lake Geneva sojurn with Polidori, Shelley, and Byron.
Clear Off Your Shelves Challenge Count: 11/15
*Frankenstein doesn't count for this challenge, being read in September
The Mill on the Floss - A nice change for an October read when everything else is on the supernatural/horror side of fiction. This is an autobiographical (to some extent) novel and Eliot does quite a good job contrasting the situation of girls/women who don't meet society's standard (Maggie, aka Eliot herself) with girls/women who embody the societal ideal (Lucy) and the freedom allowed to boys (Tom). Although the ending seems a bit convenient, according to Eliot she had that scene down first and then tailored the narrative to fit the ending. A plus with this novel is the beautiful nature imagery Eliot uses when speaking of life on the River Floss.
Frankenstein - A hold-over from September (oops). There isn't much I can add to any discussion of this novel. What I can say is that once the novice reader can get past the nested story-within-a-story-within-a-story it is well-worth reading the Monster's tale because it draws from so much of the metaphysical and scientific discussion at the famous Lake Geneva sojurn with Polidori, Shelley, and Byron.
Clear Off Your Shelves Challenge Count: 11/15
*Frankenstein doesn't count for this challenge, being read in September
I read Mill on the Floss this suummer. My first Eliot. I liked it, but I must say I was hoping for a happy ending.
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