The plot of Washington Square has the simplicity of old-fashioned melodrama: a plain-looking, good-hearted young woman, the only child of a ...
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May 26, 2008
Emily
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I love this book so much I can't bear it. As someone who adores just about every last word that Henry James (over-) wrote, it has never gotten any more deliciously (un-)satisfying than this -- a slim, tart little novel about plain, socially unpromising Catherine Sloper, whose wealthy father refuses to allow her to marry Morris Townsend, whom he believes to be mercenary. No matter how many times I read this book, the question still nags at me: "Does Morris have any feeling at all for Cathe
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Jul 18, 2007
HRH
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I had read Daisy Miller and enjoyed it so I thought I would like another Henry James novel, Washington Square. Furthermore, one of the remarks on the cover said something about the man writing as good a family story as Jane Austen. What could be better?
A lot of things actually.
I even read somewhere that James didn't like the novel so he didn't include it in his anthology. I'm surprised he made it through the first time knowing the ending as he presumably did.
Stage More...
A lot of things actually.
I even read somewhere that James didn't like the novel so he didn't include it in his anthology. I'm surprised he made it through the first time knowing the ending as he presumably did.
Stage More...
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Mar 28, 2008
Jason
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(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
The CCLaP 100: In which I read a hundred so-called "classic" books for the first time, then file reports on whether or not I think they deserve the label
Book #10: Washington Square, by Henry James (1880)
The story in a nutshell:
Agreed by most to defin More...
The CCLaP 100: In which I read a hundred so-called "classic" books for the first time, then file reports on whether or not I think they deserve the label
Book #10: Washington Square, by Henry James (1880)
The story in a nutshell:
Agreed by most to defin More...
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Dec 31, 2010
Carol
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 16, 2007
Cristina
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I used to hate Henry James. I really did. I tried to read The Aspern Papers when I was deep into my thesis on Byron and couldn't get through it. I tried to read Portrait of a Lady and found Isabel Archer annoying at best, although I couldn't quite describe why she irritated me so much. I abandoned James for a long time. Last month I decided to start on his shorter novels and see if I could build up a tolerance for him. Lo, I seem to have done it.
I can't say that this book was More...
I can't say that this book was More...
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Oct 11, 2007
Elena
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Engrossed in this book after the first few chapters, I read further with slight irritation because I couldn't pin down why I was so into it. Even the Austinian precision with which James paints his characters should have been overshadowed by a heroine who was "plain, dull" and lacking in intelligence. But it wasn't. I read the introduction after fininshing the book, and I think this is why:
"James commends Balzac for the way he so obviously loves his characters, not More...
"James commends Balzac for the way he so obviously loves his characters, not More...
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Jun 04, 2007
Katey
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I did not like any character in this book, and found myself actually despising Catherine the most(close runner-up: Dr. Sloper, her father). The only part of the entire novel that was even remotely likable was the last few chapters, and Catherine redeemed herself a bit for me in the end. James' actual writing is quite good of course (hence my 2 star instead of 1 star rating), but I would have to disagree with an assessment from Graham Greene that was on the back sleeve of my copy: "The delic
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Jun 26, 2007
Tracy
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I enjoy the writing style of Henry James, but the story itself... Ugh.
I kept thinking surely there are going to be some major plot twists, some sort of revelations or scandal to spice things up, or even some drastic unexpected course of action taken by someone or another... Instead the story mostly consists of a pack of unlikable people sitting around either scorning or deluding each other, and one spineless, milquetoast "heroine" stuck in the middle of it all, whom I spe More...
I kept thinking surely there are going to be some major plot twists, some sort of revelations or scandal to spice things up, or even some drastic unexpected course of action taken by someone or another... Instead the story mostly consists of a pack of unlikable people sitting around either scorning or deluding each other, and one spineless, milquetoast "heroine" stuck in the middle of it all, whom I spe More...
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Dec 17, 2009
Hillary
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Not my edition, but you can't get too picky on here or it won't let you add anything. Mine is a worn but still well-bound gray Modern Library copy from around the 1950s or 1960s, and I'm pretty attached to it. The type and layout seem to go very nicely with the crispness of the book itself. This is the book I ended up writing on at the end of my spring semester 07 class, after presenting on its connections to William James's pragmatism (even though that was written many years later). It's very A
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Dec 17, 2009
Amanda
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Hmmm... seeing how this is a "classic," I feel like I shouldn't give it only three stars; however, it was just so SAD. Heavy. I suppose credit should be given to James for eloquently capturing and displaying the world of the narcissitc and delusional. Apparently, many have been inspired by the determined, yet resigned heroine. Part of what makes her so heroic is her complete departure from what was appropriate of a girl at her age in her culture.
This is one of the five More...
This is one of the five More...
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Aug 11, 2011
Sunshine
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I had to hand it to Mr. James for making sure both Catherine's father and the slick Morris Townsend did not get what they most desired in the end. Even though she was manipulated by both, it is she who holds the lynchpin for their personal revenge. And revenge is an act she will not allow. So, to credit the wit of Mr. James, all three characters are left to unrequited desire. So tragic . . .
If you enjoy formal language and incisive descriptions of characters, then Henry James might b More...
If you enjoy formal language and incisive descriptions of characters, then Henry James might b More...
Jul 24, 2011
Jill
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I'd picked this book up on one of my library runs, thinking it would be like reading Jane Austen, except that it wouldn’t be the landed gentry in 18th century England being dissected, but 19th century New York society instead. But Catherine Sloper, the heroine of Washington Square, is no match for any of Austen’s heroines. Her father thinks her plain, dull, uninspired and insipid. And he’s absolutely right! Whereas Austen’s heroines are full of spunk, if not vivacious and attractive, Catherin
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May 01, 2011
Jessica
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Washington Square marks the first of what will probably be several books visited because of my recent reading of Reading Lolita in Tehran. I'm pretty sure the only James I had read prior to this book was Daisy Miller, which I read for literature classes in both high school and college. I remember distinctly disliking it in high school (because "nothing happens and it just ends") although I think I did like it more the second time around.
Washington Square is the story of Miss More...
Washington Square is the story of Miss More...
Mar 11, 2011
Merry
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I love it when I get completely blown away by my own prejudices :) A prejudice I had no idea I had was that all books in ‘Penguin Classic Yellow edged cover with dark picture’ books are…. boring.
I wonder where I got that from. Actually I know. I was given Hard Times to read as part of S Level preparation; I didn’t like the first chapter (actually, I didn’t like the TV adaptation either) and a assigned all books with that style of cover to the *Boring Book Archive*
Sometimes I More...
I wonder where I got that from. Actually I know. I was given Hard Times to read as part of S Level preparation; I didn’t like the first chapter (actually, I didn’t like the TV adaptation either) and a assigned all books with that style of cover to the *Boring Book Archive*
Sometimes I More...
Jan 09, 2011
Carmen
rated it:
I promised my friend Julie a few reviews, so I'll crank them out to start the New year on the right literary foot-Ha!Ha!, and, of course to keep my promise, as she's always sending me the best audio books, for which I'm very grateful.
I enjoyed the plot and the characters of this book, but most of all I've enjoyed the subplots and the subtexts. I also like the suspense created by the omniscient narrator who gives out scrapes of information for us to assemble the larger puzzle of love, More...
I enjoyed the plot and the characters of this book, but most of all I've enjoyed the subplots and the subtexts. I also like the suspense created by the omniscient narrator who gives out scrapes of information for us to assemble the larger puzzle of love, More...
Apr 30, 2010
Ria Lize
rated it:
Washington Square is a touching story about how a woman whose purpose had once been to please her father, changed into a complete person, a stronger person who has found her sense of self.
Catherine was never accepted by her father since the death of his son from an illness and because of his wife's death over giving birth to Catherine. She is described as plain and shy, and is scared of her father.
What I love about the story is that it actually shows you the whole exper More...
Catherine was never accepted by her father since the death of his son from an illness and because of his wife's death over giving birth to Catherine. She is described as plain and shy, and is scared of her father.
What I love about the story is that it actually shows you the whole exper More...
Dec 09, 2009
Lindsay
rated it:
Understanding that _Washington Square_ is one of Henry James' works written on his way to greatness, but not yet at the height of his powers, I appreciated the complex and subtle characterization and his treatment of the plot and dialogue. He borrowed the idea for the plot from Balzac's marvelous _Eugenie Grandet_. And he seems to have learned from Jane Austen both the subtlety and delicacy of a well-turned phrase, how to give his female characters great emotional depth, as well as the ability t
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Nov 03, 2009
Samantha
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 03, 2009
Alex
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Washington Square reads like an outline, the bare bones of a novel that moves the reader from scene to scene, each of which consists of a conversation between only two characters which moves the plot a little further along. The conversations themselves are straight-forward declarations with both characters take turns verbalizing an action they plan to take or an opinion on another's action. This plot technique gives the impression that you are reading through sketches of a novel James one day pl
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Apr 02, 2009
Life much have moved quite slowly 100 years ago, even in New York City, so characters like those in Washington Square by Henry James really had as much time as he allows them to meet and socialize frequently, more or less without purpose. Catherine Sloper, the daughter of a wealthy doctor, is pursued by Morris Townsend, whom her father believes to be nothing more than a fortune-seeker. The novel is entirely about the relationship—-Morris wants marriage, then doesn’t, Catherine seems never to d
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Jul 30, 2011
Adva
rated it:
The happening is quite an ordinary one, nothing too grand, or incredible. The female protagonist, Catherine, is one of the dullest creatures I've ever encountered in literature (and real life, for that matter). The book is not riddled with melodramatic expressions, or epic gestures.
Despite all that (or because, I've yet to decide), it is one of the more compelling books I have ever read.
I adore Henry James' irony, that is most apparent in this book. I love his hopelessly flawe More...
Despite all that (or because, I've yet to decide), it is one of the more compelling books I have ever read.
I adore Henry James' irony, that is most apparent in this book. I love his hopelessly flawe More...
Feb 08, 2010
Donald
rated it:
In Washington Square Henry James has painted a bleak picture of unhappy lives. It's a short story that begins low and continues on a downward slope, as the surname of the lead characters suggest.
The story is told by an omniscient narrator who remains unidentified but is made to feel close to the characters through occasional intrusions in the text. In chapter three s/he demonstrates a faint affection for the heroine when applying a criticism: "I feel as if I ought to write it s More...
The story is told by an omniscient narrator who remains unidentified but is made to feel close to the characters through occasional intrusions in the text. In chapter three s/he demonstrates a faint affection for the heroine when applying a criticism: "I feel as if I ought to write it s More...
Jul 27, 2009
"Minor James" perhaps, because it was written sort of early on in his career (published 1880) and in very clear language with relatively short sentences, but compelling nonetheless...My favorite passages were not those related directly to the intrigue, but that gave an idea of older New York: "the small but promising capital which clustered about the Battery and overlooked the Bay, and of which the uppermost boundary was indicated by the grassy waysides of Canal Street..." or
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Jan 12, 2011
LauraT
rated it:
Forse due stelline sono poche, ma tre troppe. Scritto bene come tutti i libri di James, asciutto e stringato quanto basta (ma forse pure troppo), mi lascia come al solito con la rabbia per il comportamento, per me assurdo, dei personaggi principali. A Perugia si dice "Li compreresti per prenderli a ceffoni".
Non so; un pò più di approfindimento psicologico, un pò più di "compassione" forse me lo avrebbe fatto apprezzare di più ...
Non so; un pò più di approfindimento psicologico, un pò più di "compassione" forse me lo avrebbe fatto apprezzare di più ...
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Jun 10, 2009
Eric
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This life had, however, a secret history as well as a public one.
I'm surprised to learn that James excluded 'Washington Square' from the New York Edition of his works; it strikes me as the best of the novels to precede 'The Portrait of a Lady' (although I haven't yet read 'The American' or 'Daisy Miller'). The characters are more complex, the story more ambitious--ah, that richly characteristic Jamesian brew of duplicity, emotional aggression, half-known secret history!--than anythin More...
I'm surprised to learn that James excluded 'Washington Square' from the New York Edition of his works; it strikes me as the best of the novels to precede 'The Portrait of a Lady' (although I haven't yet read 'The American' or 'Daisy Miller'). The characters are more complex, the story more ambitious--ah, that richly characteristic Jamesian brew of duplicity, emotional aggression, half-known secret history!--than anythin More...
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Dec 16, 2009
Denise
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Victorian New York as only Henry James could show us. There are several movie versions of this beautiful book, but this needs to be read. The complex and bitter relationship between the main character, the plain and gentle Catherine Sloper and her father, the intellectual and cold Dr. Sloper is painful to read, but is worth every word. How do the conventions of her time twist Catherine? Read this book and find out.
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Oct 23, 2010
Nikki
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The plot of this novel is so simple - and there really is only one plot, no subplots whatsoever - yet this story is absolutely compelling. Catherine is a highly unusual heroine, she is quite simple, dull, not stupid but certainly not intelligent and obedient. She represents many values that have been completely lost in the 21st century, so it's very strange to read about someone like her. That's what makes it so fascinating though, you're really offered an insight into the life and thoughts of a
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Nov 06, 2011
Kaloyana
rated it:
Взех книгата от библиотеката съвсем случайно. Името Хенри Джеймс ми бе познато, но не бях чела нищо от него и реших да пробвам. Взех я с още няколко книги, една от които "Безкраен празник" на Хемингуей. Именно там, доста изненадващо за мен, Хемингуей споменава, че Хенри Джеймс е любимият автор на жена му. Прочетох книгата веднага след това. И останах много, ама много очарована.
Хенри Джеймс е уникален психолог, познавач на човешката душа с всичките й терзания, възходи и падения. Пи More...
Хенри Джеймс е уникален психолог, познавач на човешката душа с всичките й терзания, възходи и падения. Пи More...
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Mar 14, 2011
Art
rated it:
Can't decide if I like Henry James or not (I enjoyed Daisy Miller, but couldn't get into The Golden Bowl). After reading Washington Square, I'm not so sure I would give him another chance.
It's not that Washington Square was bad, it just seemed kind of. . . pointless? I'm not really sure what I learned from it. It didn't seem to offer any new or profound insight into human nature, a time and place, or the mechanics of telling a story.
Henry James takes a rigid and seriously More...
It's not that Washington Square was bad, it just seemed kind of. . . pointless? I'm not really sure what I learned from it. It didn't seem to offer any new or profound insight into human nature, a time and place, or the mechanics of telling a story.
Henry James takes a rigid and seriously More...
