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A review by nothingforpomegranted
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
was removed from the Everand library, and it was hard to follow along. I think Aaron and I need to choose more snappy, memorable books to listen to together
Review after completing the novel:
A quick summary:
Gwendolyn and Daniel meet at a gambling club in Germany at the beginning of the novel, as Gwendolyn discovers the thrill of winning. Of course, before the night is out, she has lost a round, and when she returns to the house in which she is staying, she learns that her family has lost their home and their funds, requiring her to return from vacation immediately. Determined to save her family, Gwendolyn chooses to sell a brooch and to use the money to earn back their funds at the roulette table. She is subsequently shocked and a bit disturbed when the brooch is returned to her, understanding that it was repurchased by Daniel Deronda.
As it turns out, Deronda’s gesture is less a flirtation than an indication of his desire to save others, which continued to play out throughout the novel. He rescues Mirah from drowning herself, and he is drawn to Mordecai, the sickly bookseller who is seeking a learning partner and is struck immediately by Deronda. As the novel proceeds, we learn of Gwendolyn’s romances and eventual marriage to Grandcourt, a difficult, unsupportive man whose funds can keep her family in nice estates. We also see Deronda’s increasing fascination with Judaism and early Zionism, as well as his increasing desire to understand his own family origins, inspired perhaps by his attraction to Mirah, which he won’t admit even to himself until he discovers that it may be attainable. Indeed, as Gwendolyn’s story becomes more and more depressing, her husband drowning, ostensibly by her own hand, and her own attraction to Deronda becoming stronger just as his interest in her wanes, Deronda’s story becomes more joyful as he embraces his heritage and his future with Mirah. In fact, this sequence of events is surprising because on the surface it appears that Gwendolyn, now a wealthy widow, would be in a better position than Deronda, who descends from the ranks of a beloved ward of an English gentleman to the status of an abandoned, orphaned Jew.
I enjoyed the plot and, especially, the humor throughout the novel, though certainly in such a long book, a lot of the details and nuances got lost. I would love to listen to or read a discussion of the novel and its impact, but it seems rather understudied, unfortunately.
Review after completing the novel:
A quick summary:
Gwendolyn and Daniel meet at a gambling club in Germany at the beginning of the novel, as Gwendolyn discovers the thrill of winning. Of course, before the night is out, she has lost a round, and when she returns to the house in which she is staying, she learns that her family has lost their home and their funds, requiring her to return from vacation immediately. Determined to save her family, Gwendolyn chooses to sell a brooch and to use the money to earn back their funds at the roulette table. She is subsequently shocked and a bit disturbed when the brooch is returned to her, understanding that it was repurchased by Daniel Deronda.
As it turns out, Deronda’s gesture is less a flirtation than an indication of his desire to save others, which continued to play out throughout the novel. He rescues Mirah from drowning herself, and he is drawn to Mordecai, the sickly bookseller who is seeking a learning partner and is struck immediately by Deronda. As the novel proceeds, we learn of Gwendolyn’s romances and eventual marriage to Grandcourt, a difficult, unsupportive man whose funds can keep her family in nice estates. We also see Deronda’s increasing fascination with Judaism and early Zionism, as well as his increasing desire to understand his own family origins, inspired perhaps by his attraction to Mirah, which he won’t admit even to himself until he discovers that it may be attainable. Indeed, as Gwendolyn’s story becomes more and more depressing, her husband drowning, ostensibly by her own hand, and her own attraction to Deronda becoming stronger just as his interest in her wanes, Deronda’s story becomes more joyful as he embraces his heritage and his future with Mirah. In fact, this sequence of events is surprising because on the surface it appears that Gwendolyn, now a wealthy widow, would be in a better position than Deronda, who descends from the ranks of a beloved ward of an English gentleman to the status of an abandoned, orphaned Jew.
I enjoyed the plot and, especially, the humor throughout the novel, though certainly in such a long book, a lot of the details and nuances got lost. I would love to listen to or read a discussion of the novel and its impact, but it seems rather understudied, unfortunately.