The Awakening in Never too Late to Read Classics

Mar 12, 2015 Chrissie rated it liked it

Shelves: usa, feminism, classics, hf, librivox, love

Here is another book that surprised me. I did not like the writing style at the beginning, but by the end I liked exactly that, the writing, very much. The writing is descriptive, right from the beginning, but when it starts not only the places and scenes are described, but also we are told the personality traits of the involved characters. Here is the classical problem of being "told rather than shown". After the initial presentation of the characters, only then do we begin to observe them. At Here is another book that surprised me. I did not like the writing style at the beginning, but by the end I liked exactly that, the writing, very much. The writing is descriptive, right from the beginning, but when it starts not only the places and scenes are described, but also we are told the personality traits of the involved characters. Here is the classical problem of being "told rather than shown". After the initial presentation of the characters, only then do we begin to observe them. At the same time the tone becomes sensual, beautiful and moving. It starts out choppy. Maybe this is not a bad technique, to first introduce the disparate characters and then to add depth to each one? You begin to watch them and to understand their emotions. It is Edna, and the other female characters you watch, more so than the male figures. But what I liked about the book was the writing.

This is a book of early feminism, published first in 1899. The constricts are those placed upon women during the Victorian era – husband, social standing, children and “what will people say”! We watch the "awakening" of a woman; she becomes aware of her own identity, and her right to have her own identity.

The setting is New Orleans and the Southern Louisiana coast.

This was my first Librivox audiobook. I want to thank Leslie and Sandy for their help in learning how to download it and for their lists of good Librivox narrators. Elizabeth Klett, narrates this. To tell you the truth, I didn't like the narration at first. I found it too rapid, I had to learn who was who and so I had a terrible time with the rapid speed. But then, just as I grew to like the writing style, I grew to like the narration too. Sometimes you have to acclimatize yourself to a narrator, and sometimes the narrator has to get into the feel of the story. I will not shy away from this narrator. She is very good, albeit a bit fast for me. I need time to think when I listen to a book.

Then there is the ending...... I am not so sure I like it, but you will be surprised. I guarantee that. Again, it is not the plot that makes me like this book, but rather the feeling the writing conjures. I felt Edna's awakening.

A good book, and I recommend it.
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