Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights
I read this book because I have spent three years reading things from ‘the canon’, and felt that I should have got through this one by now. And I’m glad I did, because it’s great! I was actually pleasantly surprised because I had it down as a slushy love story, but at no point did I have to reach for the vomit bucket I had prepared in case it was. Wuthering Heights is many things- it’s a dark ghost story. It’s a story about hatred. It’s about the loneliness of the Yorkshire moors, with weird, backward, regional-accented characters. (Nowt wrong wi’ that! – Ed) You could even read it as a parable about racism, because of the way Heathcliff is described throughout and what other people’s assumptions turn him into. In no way is it just a romantic story, despite the fact that quite a lot of it seems to have been harvested and put into the Twilight books.
The version of the plot you are getting is third-hand. A tenant at Thrushcross Grange, a property owned by Heathcliff, is telling a story told to him by his housekeeper. These extra layers of narration add an interesting murkiness to the story, and mean that you as a reader have to make up your mind about what to believe. The plot centres on Heathcliff’s vengeful nature, and what happens when he is wronged by another family, the Lintons. Heathcliff is an amazing character. He is jealous, possessive and controlling and full of lots of rage. He certainly isn’t very likable. Nor, in fact, is Cathy, who can be manipulative and snobby. The account of what happens to them, though, is absolutely gripping. The madness of the Yorkshire moors and how it gets inside your head is portrayed really well and so vividly that I felt like I was there most of the time. I would write more about the plot, but it’s hard to do so without ruining the book.
So, if you’ve avoided Wuthering Heights in the past because you’ve heard all the stuff about it being ‘the most powerful love story in the world’ etc, avoid it no more! It’s great, and well worth a read.
I am currently reading this book too, I find it interesting but… something in it makes me feel … I’m not sure, I just don’t find it so enjoyable. Maybe it’s the language, the long dialogues and the characters’ heavy emotions – it seems very dark throughout, and I’d like to see some other emotions there too. *shrugs* I’m reading this in the Finnish language, and I dare say I won’t enjoy reading the English version too much – even in my native this is quite a heavy read to me. ^^; But nevertheless, this is a classic, and I can see why this book has received so much attention.
Although I think the Twilight- thing was a bit ridiculous, I do believe many young readers have decided to pick this book up thanks to Twilight. (I picked this one because we have recently moved to a new place and mom offered me some of her books ’cause she has no space for them anymore.)
Good review.