Friday, January 16, 2009

Review: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Book: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Genre: Classic
Rating: A
For: F2F book club and Lit Flicks Challenge

This was my third time reading this book. I remember loving it in the past. I've always loved it, and I loved it again.

For those who have never read it, it's about two families living out in the desolate moors of England. One day, the father of one family brings home a stray child and they adopt him. His name is Heathcliff. The dad and the daughter, Cathy, are quite taken with him, but everyone else treats him like crap. As he gets older, he and Cathy fall in love (a sort of twisted, bizarre love) and he decides to take revenge on everyone else. However, Cathy ends up with the guy from the other family, which really messes up Heathcliff... and then things all fall apart from there! Eventually, there's a second generation involved and also all messed up.

How's that for a simple sum of this crazy story?

Many people hate the book because the characters ARE so messed up. They are rotten, selfish, immature, crazy, mean people. Most of them anyway.

But I've always liked the story because they are also complex characters. To me, even though they are flawed, they are intriguing, interesting, heart-wrenching, emotional and deep. Heathcliff fascinates me and gets in my head. I know he can't be all bad. I know that deep down there's something to him.

As I was saying to the book club last night, maybe it's just because I love these gothic, English, creepy, sad, doomed stories!

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For the Lit Flicks challenge, I also watched the movie.... well one of the many versions made of this book. As I mentioned in a previous post it was a 1970-Timothy Dalton-as-Heathcliff version. I enjoyed it. He was great. The only complaint I have is that they completely re-did the ending. They left off everything about the whole second generation (with Cathy #2, Linton and Hareton) and then ended it totally different with Cathy #1 and Heathcliff. Strange. But, until that bit, I liked it a lot! :)


And for the question of the month for the Lit Flicks challenge, which you can find HERE, Jessica asks: Do you set reading/watching goals for yourself? Do you have any book/movie adaptations that you are particularly excited about this year? How did you do on last year’s goals?

1. Yes, I set reading goals, which is mostly the challenges I've joined, and to try and get to 100 books again. And to just read the books I have! But I don't set any movie goals. I like to read the book before the movie, usually anyway. And I like to keep up on the popular movies, most of them anyway, but I wouldn't consider those goals really.



2. I am SO SO excited about Inkheart that's coming up really soon!



3. I did pretty good on my goals from last year I think! Except I come short in most of the challenges, but still, I'm getting plenty of reading done! And movie watching too!

10 comments:

  1. I've always loved Wuthering Heights. I'm looking forward to the Masterpiece Classic version that starts this weekend in the US. But when you summarize it like that, it reminds me very much of East of Eden (another book I love) and I'd never thought of that before. Really, they ARE similar in many ways ... hmm, that sounds like a blog post in itself!

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  2. Wuthering Heights is one of my other favorites besides P&P...I cannot wait for the Masterpiece Theater version that comes on Jan. 18...

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  3. Oh yeah, they're all really horrible. Isn't it great?! Emily B was good at the melodrama. This is a fave.

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  4. I am looking forward to Inkheart too! Hopefully my theatre actually gets it! They haven't had a lot of the movies I have wanted to see lately.

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  5. I didn't know WH was going to be on TV this weekend! Cool! I will have to check into that.

    Heather J: I love East of Eden too and had never thought of the two stories being similar. Interesting.

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  6. I've been meaning to read Wuthering Heights. It's one of those 'classics' that I've never read! This was a reminder that I should pick it up soon!

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  7. You're right, it sounds like a crazy story lol. I read Jane Eyre in middle school and loved it but I couldn't get into this one at the time. I'd like to re-try it one day though!

    Can't wait to see Inkheart!

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  8. I need to reread Wuthering Heights one of these days. :) I always loved it way more than Jane Eyre! And I'm very excited about Inkheart as well. :D

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  9. Love Wuthering Heights! It's my favourite novel - I am British and I love it's Englishness, the stark descriptions of the moors are captivating. t realy is like that! Glad you love it too.

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  10. Suey, I HATED this book. I hated all of the selfish characters and their "love." However, I am well aware that many, like you, love it. I think I need to read it again. I haven't ever seen a movie version, maybe that would help. Congratulations on finishing a Lit Flicks selection - and thanks for completing this month's meme.

    Jessica @ The Bluestocking Society
    http://thebluestockings.com

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