For today’s Book Quote I am posting one of Wuthering Heights – That dark, broody and intense novel that is such an excruciatingly sad read. I do this with a specific reason – I have been thinking about bringing a small new feature to this blog – I will be reviewing the classics. I need some direction in my reading again, especially for on here. What do you think? Let me know!
Firstly: Happy Monday!
Secondly: BOOM! I am done with my 100 books I vowed to read in February 2013. Since then I’ve read a 102 books (I read the Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead and The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling twice because I was missing some of my favorite books) I will soon post a complete list and links to their respective reviews. I really didn’t think I would be able to do it. A hundred books is truly a lot and there were times when I went through a reading slump and didn’t think I would get out of it for a few months. I persisted, and voila!
Book: 100/100
I started Wuthering Heights back in August and was about 75% through when I stopped. It is somewhat depressing and not my favourite book of the era it was written in (or a general timeframe at least) but I finished the last bit to complete my challenge.
Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights between 1845 and 1846. It was published in 1847 under her pseudonym Ellis Bell.
In 1801, a Mr Lockwood rents Thrushcross Cottage, which is close to Wuthering Heights, for a holiday. He meets the strange Heathcliff – although he seems to be a part of the family he dresses like a servant.
Lockwood is allowed to stay the night because of a snow storm, but his hosts are very reluctant to do so. He spends the night in a room that was used to belong to a woman named Catherine. He has a nightmare where the ghost of Catherine tries to enter the room. His shouting awakens Heathcliff and Heathciff sends Lockwood to his own room and stays the night in Catherine’s.
The following day Lockwood is escorted back to Thrushcross Grange and asks the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, about the story of Wuthering Heights.
Nelly tells lockwood how Heathcliff came to live at Wuthering Heights. He was adopted by Mr. Earnshaw when he found Heathcliff as a homeless boy. Earnshaw’s son, Hindley, feels that Heatcliff has replaced him in his father’s affections and becomes jealous and mean. Heathcliff and Catherine, Earnshaw’s daughter, become friends and grow closer to each other.
When Earnshaw dies, Hindley becomes master of Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff is allowed to stay as a servant. Catherine comes into contact with the Lintons and is impressed by their fine lifestyle. After a stay there, she returns to Wuthering Heights and is scornful of Heathcliff’s appearance. He tries to rise to her standards but it leads to an argument between Heathcliff and Edgar Linton. Heathcliff swears revenge on Hindley when he is locked away in the attic.
Hindley becomes an alcoholic after his wife dies during childbirth. Catherine and Edgar Linton become friends and she distances herself from Heathcliff. Edgar and Catherine become engaged, even though Catherine admits to Nelly that she loves Heathcliff but can’t marry him because of his low social status. Heathcliff overhears the conversation and disappears. Catherine deliberately makes herself sick because he went away and Nelly and Edgar starts doing everything she wants just to keep her alive.
Heathcliff returns as a wealthy gentleman and marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella, out of spite. Catherine starts making herself sick again out of jealousy. Hindley is still on his downward spiral and Heathcliff soon gains control over Wuthering Heights. After returning from his elopement with Isabella, he learns that Catherine is ill and visits her with Nelly’s help. Catherine dies soon after giving birth to a daughter Cathy.
Isabella leaves Heathcliff and takes residence in the south of England. She gives birth to their son and names him Linton. Hindley dies soon after Catherine and Heathcliff becomes master of wuthering heights.
Years pass and Cathy becomes a beautiful girl. When Edgar leaves to fetch Linton because Isabella is dying, Cathy learns that she has Hareton and Linton as cousins. Linton lives at Wuthering Heights with his absent father. Much like Catherine and Heathcliff, Linton and Cathy become friends.
Edgar becomes ill and Heathcliff tries to prevent Cathy from seeing her dying father. Linton helps Cathy escape and she is in time to see him before he passes. Cathy starts to live with Heathcliff and Hareton because Heathcliff is forcing her to, and even though Hareton tries to be kind Cathy is withdrawn in her own world.
Nelly tells Lockwood that that is the story that is up to date until he arrived. Lockwood leaves.
Months later, Lockwood returns. Nelly explains that Hareton had since become crippled and that he and Cathy had grown closer and plan to marry. Heathcliff died of starvation when he confined himself to Catherine’s room claiming he was having visions of her. He was buried next to Catherine.
Rating: 6.5/10
Like I said, I found this book extremely depressing. It is excellently written and deserves to be a classic, but it really wasn’t for me. Catherine and Heathcliff had no redeeming qualities. Even though they could love, it was jealous and selfish obsession. They were both lowly human beings and I found no sympathy to either of them. I felt sympathy to Edgar, Cathy, Hareton and Nelly – the people who had to exist around such unlovable creatures.
I saw that there is a film adaption with Ralph Fiennes. I think he would make an excellent Heathcliff and will definitely explore that movie soon!
And PS: If Hareton married Cathy, wasn’t he marrying his cousin?
IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
To what, you may ask?
My sister’s wedding!
Next week this time she is Mrs. Van Vuren, and happily on her way to honeymoon.
And I will have my life back 😉
Okay, I’m joking
Mostly.
This weekend my granny and uncle arrived from Mosselbay (East Coast, South-Africa). It is so wonderful to have them here. Our family, for various reasons, aren’t very close, and they will basically be representing our blood relations at the wedding. For that I am so grateful. I rarely feel bereft of family, because I have such good relationships with my sisters and parents, and I feel I don’t need much else. I also have so many good friends – they are true family. If I have to be honest, it is a bit strange having them in the house. By nature, I am not a talkative person – I will babble your head off if I know you, but other I am very shy.
I can also with certainty say I am not a case of being switched as a baby in a hospital – the resemblance between my gran and me is staggering – I am grateful, because I won’t grow into an old hag (I was hugely popular when I told my gran I now know I will age gracefully).
Saturday we practiced walking down the aisle. I still maintain I will strut down like a supermodel, but no one believes me. Hah. (I love my life, so I probably will gracefully glide down). Respect for my little sister – she was so sick and she still refused to stay at home and not practice. Well done little one!
Sunday night I received an email from someone I have truly forgotten about. It is one of those friendships that just died after school, and I am not sure it deserves a resurrection. Still, I will feel petty, childish and rude if I don’t reply, but as this friendship was fraught with drama, I can’t see how we can restart it. I wish someone could just tell me what to do, honestly. It is so difficult.
For such a busy weekend, I actually managed to an impressive amount of material. I finished Watermelon by Marian Keyes. I have been wondering about the missing link in the Welsh family series for ages, but never knew there was a book about the eldest sister, Clare. (I can hear you thinking that I should just have used Google). I enjoyed the book, but my favorite Welsh character remains Rachel from Rachel’s holiday. This book falls somewhere between my second and third favourite of the series. I am now really close to have read all Marian Keyes’ books. I think there is two left – I will see and read them. I really like her writing style.
I started on another Nora Roberts book – I know. It is one I read last year quite a bit. It is the first book in her Bridal Quartet series – the Vision in White. I love the entire series, and am now reading it through. It is fun and easy to read, which is just what I need right now.
I have taken a hiatus on Wuthering Heights for a few days. I am nearly done with it, but I am struggling. It is heart wrenchingly sad and depressing. I like love stories with happy endings, dammit.
Fitness and weight loss update: Just GUESS who lost 2kg’s last week?! ME! It is just amazing what happens if you don’t eat chocolate all the time and exercise properly. I am working really hard right now to maintain that loss, and even lose some more. I am now in a wonderful gymming phase – I am enjoying it. I think it is the warmer weather. Everyone seems to be in the mood for running if you take a look at the queue by the treadmills.
Unisa: I submitted my last two assignments this morning. The one is chemistry, so I really hope that the questions I think I did right, I did right. it is statistics all over again – I just want to pass. I can literally kick myself for not taking science as a subject in school. I can sense I will love it if it can just stop being so foreign and new – and it is my own damn fault. I have to seriously sit down and focus if I want to attempt passing in November. It is essential to pass, since most of my other subjects require me to do this properly. SIGH.
What did you do this weekend? I hope it was great!
This weekend was so busy. At the moment it feels that there will never be something like a quiet weekend again. It is just so crazy right now.
Friday I went to the gym, and then watched movies with my sister, whose fiancé went away on his bachelor’s weekend. She was stressed so we spent the night watching movies and series. We watched some 2 Broke girls, which is always ridiculously funny and stupid, and we watched Silver Linings Playbook again. It is probably the most messed up and accurate portrayal of most relationships.
Saturday we had my sister’s kitchen tea. It was really nice. I love when people just click and have great conversation when they just meet. I can’t wait for the wedding! Two week countdown. My gran and uncle are arriving this Saturday. It will be amazing to have them here with us.
Sadly, my book challenge went nowhere this weekend. Just had no time. I am still working through the most depressing book on the planet, Wuthering Heights, and also started on the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. So far, I can confess it completely unique and well written.
My dieting and exercise is just an uphill battle. I am exercising really well, but not seeing any results on the scale – no running away from a bad diet. I thought the wedding would motivate me enough, but alas, it hasn’t. I just need that final push to get my mind in the correct way of thinking.
What did you do this weekend?
Read my review on Silver Linings Playbook here.
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