[Bookworm_Girl]

I have lots to say but not much time at the moment. I just got back from more traveling and have to work all weekend. My work schedule is super-stressful leading into the holidays.

Originally Posted by fantasyfan

II am about halfway through Anne Bronte”s novel and so far I like it. However, despite the fact that it was enormously popular and outsold Wuthering Heights, I don’t think that (so far) it is in the class of the latter. But it is enjoyable and has flashes of genuine power.

Thanks for the information! I thought the same too. I highlighted a few quotes that I intended to share when I go back through my notes. I especially liked the integration of her nature descriptions into the story.

Originally Posted by issybird

Not only that; I thought it obvious how much she relied on her sisters' talents. This struck me as highly derivative. Even the title! Wildfell Hall has exactly the same meaning as Wuthering Heights and the same initials.

Don't forget al those "H" names too! I read a critical review that the work was not so much derivative of her sisters but more likely similar because they grew up writing stories together and that some elements from these fantastical works of childhood are incorporated into the various Brontë works.

Another thing about Anne's work is how much is biographical. I read Agnes Grey which is based on her experiences as a governess. Some of the characters in this book are modeled after her brother Branwell's problems with drugs/alcohol and having an affair with the mother of the family she was the governess at. Some of Helen's saintliness may have been inspired by an illness Anne had when she was young and feared to die and religion became much more important to her.

Originally Posted by issybird

My weak defense of the book is that I was entertained by it. It held my interest and I was happy enough to go on with it. Somewhat in the category of "good trash"; Anne's long apprenticeship with her sisters meant that the prose was serviceable as opposed to awful, although the book itself was a flat failure technically and in terms of characterization. The plotting was decent and certainly the subject matter was arresting.

I really enjoyed the book and found it entertaining despite its flaws. I liked the overall plot. It's different than other books from that era that I have read. I really liked how she tackled the effects of alcohol and how it can destroy families. I read that some of the plot and narrative technique was derivative of other works of the time period. I will see if I can find the list of examples and post more later.