Complex and Intriguing (Middlemarch - George Eliot)

Member Name: emmalg

Product:	Middlemarch - George Eliot
Date:	21/03/02 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing

Disadvantages: quite hard to read

As you might know, I usually read fantasy, but I make the odd departure to classics and period romances from time to time.

I wont deny that I found Middlemarch quite hard going, it is the only George Eliot book I have read. More importantly though is the fact that I loved it.

The first thing I found striking about this book, particularly since it has a romantic theme was the number of main characters involved in it. There are four main couples, but that doesn't even go near all the people who are important to other aspects of the plot. You might think that having this number of main characters might be detrimental to the book, with each of them only treated superficially, however, you get to know each one of these people intimately as the viewpoint from which the book is written is constantly shifting.

The plot was very complex compared to most books from this period I have read.

A summary (which can't possibly to it justice!):

Dorothea is a woman with very strict ideals who marries what she thinks a husband should be like, it turns out that she was disillusioned, specially when she meets her husbands cousin.

Dr. Lydgate is a new doctor, coming into the town, with very high expectations of himself, he falls in love with the mayor's daughter and his life is tied up with the banker who is supporting him.

The banker Mr. Blustrode is has a murky past!

There is also Fred Vincy (Mayor's son) who loves a good but poor girl, she will not marry him as he is in debts and all sorts of trouble all the time!

All the lives in this book are intricately wound together, I can't do the plot justice and I have left some of the most important main plot lines out!

I hope you have a go at reading this book. Don't be put off by the fact you might have to struggle with it in the beginning. It is well worth the read, one of the best books I have ever read.

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