Mark Minyard > Recent Status Updates

It's gotten even more dramatic. Really something.

I'm hooked. Someone finally got mauled by a dog and this cast of characters is wild.

This is CRAZY. Dogs nearly mauling people like every other page, characters almost sent to their deaths in a snowstorm, wrists drug across broken window panes, & everyone is a massive prick.
“A perfect misanthropist’s Heaven.” Loving the dark atmosphere.

Finished book 1! Another spoiler in an endnote so I finally stopped looking at them lol. I’m such a dummy for not stopping last time. 😂

Starting Wuthering Heights for a companion read.

Ok. I get it. The paragraphs where JE describes her own watercolor paintings sold me on this book,

This 2003 Penguin edition is filled with spoilers in the footnotes! Very frustrating. Still enjoying the book but a lot of mystery has been ruined ha.

I’m thinking this is one of the original “abusive orphanage” stories. It’s good! Just familiar. Likely because it founded the genre.

I just love all these characters! Dorothea’s arc is perfect.

Dorothea has matured through failure and it’s clear the pious vision she had for her life is not going to turn out the way she envisioned. Her principles and values are still *good* even if though she’s stumbled trying to follow them. Love what Eliot is doing with her story.

Heavy stuff in book 8. So good.

Actually going to DNF this attempt and restart alongside Les Mis in a year or two. I was listening to the Blackstone Audiobook and I've heard repeatedly that the Buss Translation, which only exists in print, is the best translation. I'd rather restart with that translation than force listen to this one and miss the richness.

Page 979. 🥹 What a way to resolve all this. Wow.

There have been some beautiful scenes in these last few sections.

Wow. Just wow. Starting book 8 soon. Sad it's almost over.

So much drama in book 7! On the edge of my seat for how this will all come together…

Ugh. Rosamund! I 100% visualize Rosamund Vincy as the actress Rosamund Pike. 😂

Ah this is why I love long books. The last 100 pages are so meaningful! I finally see how all the characters fit together and it’s really something. Closest thing I’ve read that did this was DFW’s Infinite Jest.

Dickens surprised me here! One of the first “who-dun-its” & it was really fun. 150 more pages…

Mr. Bucket is hilarious.

There really is payoff for Dickens long stories. Very keen for each chapter about Ada and Richard now.

Wow so many huge things. Character deaths! Very excited for how this wraps up.

I’ve heard people considered Dickens too sentimental and I’m finally seeing why. This last section was so over the top sappy it was almost a little cringe. But it fits with all the eccentricity well enough I don’t mind it.

Ugh the reveals and drama in the last two chapters! Finished Book 6. This is why I love long books. You’re majorly invested in the characters and one sentence can strike like a lightening bolt.

Loving the Fred Vincey saga.