Genre: Gothic novel, Classic, Tragedy
Key Stage: KS3+
Rating: ★★★★★
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)
Plot: Wuthering Heights is about Heathcliff who is taken in by the Earnshaws and falls in love with their daughter, Catherine. When forced apart, it leads to many vicious events which affect them and those around them. This story is told mostly by Nelly Dean, a servant who is recalling her memories of the events to Mr Lockwood, a new tenant.
Positives: I loved how dramatic this book was and even though most of the characters were quite unlikeable, I was still entertained by their story and the relationships between everyone. I also like how the first part was a story in a story which made it very interesting as you get to hear the past and how it relates to the present. Emily Bronte makes the characters so complex by the way she describes their feelings, and you can almost understand why they act the way they do. For me, this was a fantastic tale of love, passion, and revenge set in a brutal world.
Negatives: I don’t see many downsides to this book however, some might not like it because of the cruelness displayed by some characters or because of the difficulty in learning the family tree. In addition, the language may take some time to get used to and I for one, did not understand any of Joseph’s dialogue.
Reviewer: Rose, Year 9