Steven Smith
asked
Jo Walton:
Hi Jo, I have just finished Among Others which I enjoyed a great deal. I was interested in Mori's opinion of Hardy. Was this your opinion of Hardy at 15 and has it changed over the years (and if so, why)? I never read him at 15 but if I had I'm sure I wouldn't have got very far. However, now at 40+, I love his books so assume that a certain amount of life has to be lived in order to appreciate him.
Jo Walton
It was definitely my opinion of Hardy as a teenager, and despite having come to love Trollope and Eliot and Austen and Gaskell, I've never gone back to Hardy to give him another chance, because he struck me as just so overwhelmingly life-denying. My memory of reading _Jude the Obscure_ when I was seventeen is still so visceral that the thought of reading it again makes me shudder even now. I'll say this for Hardy, he's stunningly memorable.
This is probably horribly unfair, and I expect you're right -- it's certainly true of George Eliot. And I love his poetry. But I don't want to enter that emotional universe again.
This is probably horribly unfair, and I expect you're right -- it's certainly true of George Eliot. And I love his poetry. But I don't want to enter that emotional universe again.
More Answered Questions
Xena WP
asked
Jo Walton:
Subject: Sister(s) and My Sister, The Serial Killer Jo, you wrote so movingly of Morwenna missing her sister Mor in Among Others that I thought you must have or had at least one sister. Have you read and what are your sisterly thoughts about My Sister, The Serial Killer? Whether I would help a serial killing sister on which of them asked! Thanks! Xenawp
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more