I really don’t like classics, but I was pleasantly surprised with this. I’m coming at this review with a modern lens and basing it just on my enjoyment, not so much as the novel’s historical impact on the literary canon.

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Dang, Marianne really said all fat people were evil.

But setting aside the fatphobia, Marianne really sold the book for me. Hartwright was such a Gary Stue. His POV chapters were such a snore fest. Character development? Personality? Nothing. He was just a cardboard cutout “man.” The other characters were so brimming with personality and quirks, and when Marianne had her chapters, she really took the mystery into her own hands and risked her life.

I was expecting a classic novel like this to be more quieter, but this book was full of twists, and sometimes action. If you don’t like classics, this may be the book to pick up.

If you want to read a spiritual successor from a modern author, I’d pick up Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. That novel draws much inspiration from this classic.