Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 Simply the Best July 11, 2008
Quite simply the greatest novel written in the English language. Beautifully written and full of insight into the human condition.
 very good...but prefer Adam Bede July 2, 2008
extremely good novel and would recommend...but i feel it was a bit over stretched in certain places..some characters i really loved and others just seemed to be there to pad certain plot development. Bit overlong too, however well worth reading (but i think Adam Bede far superior)
Outstanding March 25, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Virginia Woolf wrote that this was one of the few novels for grown-up people. It is indeed a mirror for maturity, George Eliot's greatest achievement.
Surprisingly Enjoyable October 10, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was a little apprehensive when I first started Middlemarch. At first I was convinced I as in for a long and dull read of a typical 'classic' book that does not actually deserve to be called a classic.
However I was pleasantly surprised.
If you are looking for a fast-paced, action-packed novel, then this is not for you. Middlemarch is a beautifully written piece which you must take your time to appreciate in order to enoy.
The book is filled with intruiging characters, such as the intelligent if slightly naive Dorothea, Casaubon, a dulling man devoted to his work, the careless but loveable Fred, and many more. Another beauty of the book is the numerous interwoven stories of these people, some of course more entralling than others.
Either way, if you enjoy classic books and Victorian literature, this is a must-read.
Brilliant! May 29, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This one deserves 10 stars, it is really one of the most incredible books I've ever read. I think I've only given a brilliant rating to the Count of Monte Cristo and Bleak House. This is a fascinating character study of the people of Middlemarch, a town in Victorian England. I can't even begin to try to describe the story -- there is Dorothea who makes a dreadful first marriage to an older man, Dr. Lydgate and his disastrous relationship and marriage to the self-centered Rosamund, Fred Vincy and Mary, and much much more.
The way the author pulls her story and characters together is incredible, and the insight into the characters is nothing short of brilliant. To quote from the book jacket and Virginia Wolf "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people."
Just be warned, this is not a sit on the edge of your seat, can't put it down until it's finished type of novel. This is a story to savour and enjoy the multi-faceted characters and the author's glorious prose like a fine red wine or a box of chocolates (or both). If you are looking for high action and adventure, this is not the book for you. Highly recommended for any lover of 19th century English literature, not as dark and brooding as Hardy can be, but the prose is just as lovely, if not better.
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