Middlemarch (George Eliot, 1871-72)

(838 pages) 

I absolutely loved the very last sentence of the novel (it refers to Dorothea):  "But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs."

Except I think it's far more than half!  (Maybe because I correctly see myself in that "number?")

Anyway - I originally read this in 2004, I think in a books-on-tape format - good but not optimal - my thoughts are here.  At least I correctly said it was worth a re-read.

Very very much enjoyed the novel this second time around.  George Eliot a favorite. So many characters and plot threads, so well developed.  I took my time.

Depth of characters, no cartoonish among the many leads.

Proust-like in helping see how we all tend to see what we want to see, deceive ourselves a lot or a little - usually not with bad intentions.

Brooke and his nieces (Dorothea - Casaubon; Celia - Sir James Chettam)

Ladislaw (Casaubon's second cousin, works for Brooke at the Pioneer)

Garth Caleb and family (Mary)

Vincy family (Fred, Rosamond)

Lydgate and Rosamond

Bulstrode (married to a Vincy)

Featherstone and relatives

Lydgate unable to pay debts; Fred similar

Fred unable to find a profession; Ladislaw similar; Farebrother not so happy with his profession.

The Mill on the Floss (George Eliot, 1860)

(544 pages)

I really liked this.  I'm continually impressed with George Eliot; it's time for another reading of Middlemarch (it's almost been 15 years).  At the moment, this one is my favorite of hers.  It's one of her earlier works.

Characters here are so well presented - all believable, all so well sketched and  developed (with enough surprises along the way).  There were enough characters to fill out the story, but few enough so that this kind of detailed exposition could happen.  [Only exception:  Stephen Guest felt odd but in the end I felt he fit the flow.  (Interesting that at book's end there is a short discussion of what apparently was a great deal of criticism taken by Eliot for the Guest character.)]

--Maggie Tulliver
--Tom Tulliver (Maggie's brother) (these are the two main characters)
--Their parents; Mr. Tulliver likes to go to law; he wants Tom to become educated; Tom's struggles with the clergyman-teacher.

--The Dodson sisters (Mrs. Tulliver was one of these) - esp. Glegg - the voicing on these was utterly uncanny.  And often hilarious.  Also their husbands.  Easy to understand that this was a world Eliot had lived in.

--Lucy Deane - cousin (daughter of one of the Dodson sisters).

--Stephen Guest.

--Lawyer Wakem; his son Philip.

--Bob Jakin - Tom's childhood friend, more of an acquaintance.

The story revolves around Maggie and Tom, but primarily around Maggie.  Realistic, flawed, wonderful character.

Daniel Deronda (George Eliot, 1876)

Final novel for Eliot; per here and here, I do like her work very much.

This is rather long - 695 pages - but Eliot is pretty much always interesting.  There are two major story lines - beautiful-but-poor Gwendolyn Harleth; spoiled, immature, but with potential - enters into a loveless marriage.  Daniel Deronda lives with his uncle - generally quite happily - but he doesn't know details of his parentage and wonders about it, plus tends to be the selfless sounding board for his friends to the point where he doesn't really have peer relationships.

The paths of Harleth and Deronda intersect in various ways.

Deronda is increasingly interested in Judaism due to a series of events - including getting to know Mirah and her brother.

Mirah lives with the family of Deronda's friend (Hans).

Story lines are set in English aristocratic society of the 1860s, with many topical references (so I was grateful for useful end-notes).