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Liked It4 of 4 members found this review helpful “I adore “Washington Square,” and not just because I walk past it all the time in the Village. It’s a riveting study of emotional ambivalence and cruelty, and poor Catherine Sloper is a worthy member of James’ roster of monied innocents who excite the manipulation and victimization of others. I...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “After seeing the movie The Heiress a number of times, I was looking forward to reading this novel. It disappointed me in that there were no likeable characters, even Catherine. She came off stiff with no interesting internal dialogue, and the father came off even more harsh than the movie. ...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“My second Henry James novel of the year -- my New Year's resolution was to read a book by him every month. I never read this one before and liked it very much. ”
Julie B wrote this review Sunday, February 26, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Really, what you get out of this novel is what you come into it with. As a senior in high school, I felt for Catherine as she traveled through the push and pull of a seemingly controlling father and a sly, yet suave, suitor. But as I talked to others, especially parents, they felt sympathy for a father who couldn't connect well with his daughter and how his inability to communicate leads to the destruction of their relationship.
Brittany wrote this review Saturday, December 17, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
In all, it's easy to read and definitely has the ability to relate to many different people in many different ways.”
“James has encapsulated the lingering Victorian world of feminine property in Catherine...Should she be married off b(by her professional-class father) to the man of status or should she marry for love, of her own volition? And do you know a rake when you see him?
Mark V wrote this review Saturday, November 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This novel should be read in tandem with Kate Chopin's, The Awakening, because it presents--all within the same era--two different modalities for women
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“This was a good story. I love to picture New York in the late 1800s and early 1900s and this book has great descriptions. The busybody aunt and her trouble-making behavior were frustrating but fun. All the characters were believable and enjoyable.”
eissme wrote this review Wednesday, November 9, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I was pre-warned that Henry James is not an easy writer to get on with and his style is not to everyone’s taste. To illustrate this point, here is the first line in the book;
Chris wrote this review Monday, November 7, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“During a portion of the first half of the present century, and more particularly during the latter part of it...”
Oh dear I thought, but I carried on undaunted and I really enjoyed the book.
Set in 19th century New York Catherine Sloper lives with her wealthy father and aunt. Their lives are not remarkable, indeed Catherine is considered dull and plain by her well meaning but sometimes callous father that is until she is courted by a young man named Morris Townsend. Townsend doesn’t have a penny to his name and is suspected, by Catherine’s father, of being after Catherine’s inheritance money. To balance out the cold, cynical suspicions of the father Catherine’s aunt (a stupid, meddlesome woman) sides with the young couple and views Morris through romanticised rose-tinted glasses, Fantasising that he is the son she never had.
The story is entertaining, gripping and easy to get swept up in. The characters are brilliant and I found it impossible not to feel personally involved with them. I often found myself giving little cries of surprise or elation whilst reading it (resulting in strange looks from passers by) but it is a story that really sucks the reader in and fires up the imagintion. The drama of it all kept me on the edge of my seat.
Highly recommended and not at all difficult to get on with.
”“After seeing the movie The Heiress a number of times, I was looking forward to reading this novel. It disappointed me in that there were no likeable characters, even Catherine. She came off stiff with no interesting internal dialogue, and the father came off even more harsh than the movie. Hope to see the movie again
nina d wrote this review Wednesday, September 21, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
soon. ”
“Honestly I did not like it so much. At one point it was too boring for me and the translation was awful: maybe I am not so much into twisted love tales. Old Victorian language and topic that I could not get past. Ok subject, but the the characters have no genuine features and so it was impossible for me to sympathize with them. ”
Simona S wrote this review Monday, August 1, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Mr James has the most uncanny ability to turn the most unlikely character into the heroine of a book. This was a very interesting study of a young woman coming to terms with her lot in life by the men in her life. At first, I found it slow going but the story finally came together and I was glued to the pages. ”
Kristen K wrote this review Monday, April 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a morose little novel that works best when paired with James' Daisy Miller. Washington Square squeezes every bit of drama it can out of a third person narrator willing to reveal everything but the intentions of the novel's suitor. Overall, the novel just made me appreciate prenuptial agreements and modern divorce laws. The aunt in the novel is supposed to be the supreme antagonist; perhaps if she were, the novel would have had a little more fervor. The beauty of the writing cannot overcome the dated moral questions.”
Joshua M wrote this review Sunday, April 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
