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Title: Wuthering Heights (Everyman's Library )
ISBN: 0679405437
Author:
Emily Bronte
Publicate Date: 1991-10-15
Publish: 1991-10-15
List Price: $22.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $12.26
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $3.82
Amazon Merchant Price: $14.96
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| Customer Review: |
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1: And this was voted England's favorite romance?
I've recently had to read this book for AP Lit, like many of the other reviewers, and I don't see how this is a classic in any regard. Sure it is written in a lovely matter, but there are 15000 people with various English majors who can write beautifully as well. It's hailed as a love story, but at the core of it there isn't any love at all. Just an assortment of angry childish people all who are developed as a still birthed child.
Heathcliff and (old) Catherine love each other. But WHY, they love each other is never granted in any regard. They are in love simply for the sake of having a story a write about. That's it. Then the characters themselves aren't just underdeveloped, but they're TERRIBLE people to add on top of that. I am not one of those people who feels the need to love each and every single character, or any of them actually, but this must at least backed up with something to frame the character.
Heathcliff is a horrible person simply because, based on what was given of his character in the book, he was abused. Now this aspect of course warrants some sympathy for him. And even though he is vengeful while he is a child, this is completely understandable given how he is treated. However, as a man he does not grow at all. He degenerates to a sadist simply because he didn't get what he wants, why he wants Catherine is anybody's guest.
I'll just stop here because I honestly can't go on. The book is far too terrible for me to even go through breaking down each miserable character paragraph by paragraph. To put this book simply; it's basically like an emo's version of a Tyler Perry story. The conflicts exist simply because the characters will it to.
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2: Will Always Be A Classic
I honestly didn't think that I would enjoy this book as much as I did. :] It is a love and hate story. I wasn't fond of Catherine or Heathcliff, but i enjoyed the book. It took me a little while to really get into but after that i couldn't put it down! :] But if your looking for a happy story with a good fairytale ending this book is not for you. For me I really did like this book but I don't think it's for everyone.
<3
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3: To be appreciated, not loved
Although Wuthering Heights is distinguished as a Victorian romance novel, love is a stranger to these characters. They are manipulative, self deprecating, and pathological to the point of the readers amusement and wonderment. At times, I found myself shaking my head. How could Bronte create such uncivilized characters?
Very few readers will enjoy this novel, but many cannot help being in awe of Bronte's literary skill. It is intriguing that Bronte, in her 20's, was able to articulate the depth of human depravity and psychopathology with such profound perception. Through her writing, we learn something about her; she is passionate, intense, imaginative, intriguing and mysterious.
This is one of my favorite parts of the narrative.... it beams with imagination, brilliance and eloquence.
"Heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy" (Chapter 9).
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4: Gothic romance
A mysterious work of doomed romance, depressing landscapes, and Gothic moods. How can this possibly NOT work?
The story immediately draws you in with a nameless traveler who finds himself needing a place to stay. Here he enters a house of definite spookiness and becomes wrapped up in the incredible story of its history.
This is not a happy book, but it's intriguing, exciting, and darkly romantic. It's about people who want to be together despite all-powerful fate. It's about a romance that transcends generations, destiny, and individuals looking for their own way with a breath-taking Beauty and the Beast theme.
Very few of the characters are likeable. In fact, I can't think of a single person I really liked. But they are powerful and you just can't help but root for them. Evil here is vague, and it seems all the characters have a touch of villainy.
So here is pain, heartache, and drama galore. Totally wonderful.
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5: I can see why we call this a "classic"
Anyone who is a frequent reader of this blog knows of my aversion to classics. I don't typically enjoy them, I always have to force myself to finish them, and I usually just end up giving up before I finish altogether. This book started out similar - it took me a really long time to get invested in the story and characters, I read it very slowly, and I was pretty sure I was going to hate it by page 50. Fortunately for me, though, I ended up enjoying the story when I (sadly) forced myself to continue on. (Thanks, Classics Challenge, for that little push!) I am SO proud of myself for getting through this and actually feeling like I somewhat enjoyed the book. Someone described this book to me as almost like a soap opera (can't remember who...), and that individual is completely right. There is so much drama in here... it's crazy. I definitely felt attached to the characters, even with all their unpredictable drama, and I'm glad that I finished the book and got to appreciate it. I can't really say that this is one of my favorites, but it is a pretty decent book, and I can see why it is dubbed a "classic".
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