Daniel Deronda Volume I

by George Eliot

This, the last work of George Eliot, focuses on the contemporary life in England. Taking into account the social conditions of Jews and with her traditional zeal for the psychological depth in characters, George Eliot has presented a thought-provoking and timeless master-piece.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Roman

460 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2006

About the author

Mary Ann Evans, known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrote seven novels: Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Silas Marner (1861), Romola (1862–1863), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), Middlemarch (1871–1872) and Daniel Deronda (1876). Like Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy, she emerged from provincial England; most of her works are set there. Her works are known for their realism, psychological insight, sense of place and detailed depiction of the countryside.
Middlemarch was described by the novelist Virginia Woolf as "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people" and by Martin Amis and Julian Barnes as the greatest novel in the English language.

Reviews

[gimcrackgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me from 17th December to 1st January to read this and I put in a lot of hours between those dates. I don't know where to start with a review of this. I was extremely impressed and this year have gone from finding Eliot unreadable to a favourite author. Eliot had a fine mind and is a fine writer. 'Fine' appears to be my highest form of praise at present!


Eliot does not shrink from including all types of life in her texts and this is no exception. I think the Jewish and English themes compliment each other and there were quite a few standout lines (standout to me because of my academic preoccupations). A favourite is: 'such is the irony of earthly mixtures, that the heroes have not always had carpets and teacups of their own'. Fabulous stuff.

Possible spoiler??

Without trying to give too much away, I agree with the introduction in that I am glad Eliot left the ending open. I personally hope that Gwendolen turns out right after all and (again with the introduction) that she does in fact make up a little for the sacrifices of Dorothea and Maggie.

[Elinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75

[Eldra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read this book if you'd like to know just how much conversation has changed. There are discussions between characters that make you realize just how simplistic our conversations have become. This book is a jewel.

[Richard Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this before, and, as is almost always the case with great books, I liked it even more the second time. For me this is the most Russian of English Victorian novels. Blog to follow "if I'm spared."

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prévoyez du temps pour lire Daniel Deronda, car ce n'est pas un roman qu'on lit en pointillés ! Gwendolen Harleth est une jeune fille vive et pleine d'esprit, au caractère bien affirmé. Un revers de fortune la pousse dans les bras du riche Mr Grandcourt, avec lequel elle sera vite malheureuse, tandis qu'elle développe une profonde amitié pour Daniel Deronda, le pupille de sir Hugo Mallinger. Alors que Daniel éprouve une réelle fascination pour Gwendolen, qui se débat comme un animal blessé entre son mari et la maîtresse de celui-ci, il sauve de la noyade une jeune juive, Mirah, et découvre un monde complètement différent auprès de sa famille, fait de douceur et d'humilité. Animés par une foi solide et portés par l'espoir d'un retour en Israël, Mirah et son frère Mordecai bouleversent les pensées de Daniel, et vont avoir une influence décisive sur son avenir, comme le montrera le dénouement (attendu mais non moins passionnant) du roman.
Cette grande fresque, avec un volet de l'histoire des juifs anglais plutôt nouveau dans la littérature de l'époque, n'est pas animée que par le tourbillon des sentiments. George Eliot, en fine observatrice des moeurs et des actions de chacun, dépose sur leurs routes quantités d'obstacles à surmonter pour mieux faire émerger leur caractère. Un roman magnifique, porté par un véritable souffle, qu'on lit d'une traite !

[Sweet Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Daniel Deronda," written in the mid 1870's, explores the dramatic ways that an individual's life is affected by circumstances beyond control as well as personal choices that were well within control. Eliot's long (sometimes VERY long - the book is about 800 pages in length) philosophical ruminations about life, relationships, self-knowledge, etc are tedious at times, but the plot and action includes some really good bombshells. And the main villain in this book is truly awful, with a few other awful people thrown in. But Daniel is wonderful - a bit over idealized, perhaps, but we can admire him throughout even the slogging parts of the examination of his character.

[Rhapsodyblue00 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I would like this book when I started reading it, but as I got into it, I fell in love with the characters. I have read the critical essays about the "Jewish question", and didn't find the story offensive at all. However, not knowing who you really are, and discovering it as an adult must have a powerful psychological and emotional effect on anyone's psyche. I think it should be read outside on a bench sitting in the sunshine. Don't read it while it is raining!

[Mary Appia]

A page turner. She delights you with little surprises along the way. Get gets into the very being of each character telling you things about them that you recognize about people, but could never put it into words yourself. Just one more great 19th century romance.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply entwined masterpiece.