Welcome to Wuthering Heights Wednesday! I’m hosting a read-along of this classic novel, and we’re reading (and posting about) 3 chapters a week. Joining me in this adventure are:
- Literate Housewife
- Vivienne( Serendipidy)
- Messy Karen
- Victoria
- Jenny (Take Me Away)
- Ti (Book Chatter)
- Lisa – Lit And Life
- Dar@ Peeking Between the Pages
- J.C. Montgomery (The Biblio Blogazine)
- Whitney
- JoAnn (Lakeside Musing)
- Gentle Reader (Shelf Life)
- Amy at New Century Reading
- Geri at One More Foggy Notion
Each week I’ll be posting a synopsis (which could contain spoilers, so fair warning) and my thoughts. Here we go…
Chapters 4 through 6
My synopsis:
After Lockwood returns home he chats up his housekeeper to see if she can provide any gossip about his neighbors at Wuthering Heights. Lucky for Lockwood, Nelly Dean used to work for the Earnshaw family, the original owners of Wuthering Heights, and she likes to dish. Here’s the scoop:
Back in the day, Mr. Earnshaw and his family lived at Wuthering Heights. There were two children, Catherine and Hindley, who was the older brother. When Catherine and Hindley were young, their father brought Heathcliff home from a trip to Liverpool, where he found him half feral on the streets.
Heathcliff grew up with Catherine and Hindley. Although Catherine originally joined her brother in tormenting Heathcliff, she soon changed her mind and the two became thick as thieves. Hindley, however, never overcame his animosity. After Mr. Earnshaw died and Hindley became the master of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff was treated like a servant. Catherine and Heathcliff were not happy unless they were able to escape together to go traipsing across the moors.
One day, while they were out gallivanting around the moors, Catherine and Heathcliff happened upon Thrushcross Grange (the current home of Lockwood, by the way). Spying at the window, they see two other children arguing over a dog. Catherine and Heathcliff realize this is the home of the Lintons, and the children are Edgar and Isabella. Discovered after they begin to mock the other two children, Catherine is chased and bitten on the ankle by the dog. The parents come running, and even thought they realize who he is, Heathcliff is chased off, mostly because he looks like a poor gypsy. Catherine, however, gets to stay, to recuperate from her dog bite. Heathcliff returns home to tell Nelly of their adventure.
My thoughts:
I’m still enjoying it. In fact, it’s all I can do to pace myself and not race ahead. The characters are starting to fall into place, and Heathcliff’s childhood is providing some insight into his grim character.
I’m reading the new Penguin edition, and I adore the cover (it’s the same cover that I used for the Wuthering Heights Wednesday badge). And Heathcliff is on the back. Is this not the perfect rendition?
Okay, Heathcliff might look a little vampire-ish, but I still like it.
I know what you mean about racing ahead. I nearly carried on reading yesterday as i was enjoying it so much. I do love your cover of the book. It is nice to see a modern twist on a classic,which will hopefully encourage the younger generations to pick it up.
.-= vivienne´s last blog ..Wuthering Wednesday =-.
1) Your synopsis is so much better than mine
Good thing I direct people here to find everyone else’s thoughts
2) Totally agree about wanting to race ahead. Especially since we stopped in the middle of Heathcliff’s history…which tells us a lot about why he is how he is…I’m very intrigued as to what else is going to happen!
.-= Victoria´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesdays Chapters 4-6 =-.
Heathcliff does look a little vampire-ish! I couldn’t decide between this edition and the Penguin classic hardcover, but ended up with the hardcover (the 30% off coupon helped!) It did take some self-control not to read ahead – I’ll be starting chapter 7 this afternoon.
.-= JoAnn´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesday: Week 2, Chapters 4-6 =-.
I LOVE this cover!! I will definitely buy it if I see it!!!
I’m still behind 3 chapters but will be catching up soon!!! Then I’ll come back and comment on your thoughts. =)
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Read-a-Long: Chapters 1-3 =-.
Sounds fun but I am definitely a one book at a time woman, so this idea would not work for me. I will follow with interest though.
.-= LindyLouMac´s last blog ..A Calculating Heart by Caro Fraser =-.
Love the cover, thanks!
i love that my copy has a family tree of the earnshaws and lintons (and heathcliff). it helps me keep everyone straight, though by now i’ve pretty much got it clear in my head. it’s a very symmetrical, inbred family tree.
i’ll be following along to see what everyone thinks. i would leave my thoughts on each week’s reading, but i’ve read it enough times (it’s probably my favourite classic) that i don’t think i can keep from spoilering everyone.
not to mention my perceptions of everything are skewed by my knowledge of what happens later and the thoughts i’ve had each time i read it. i actually had to remove a line from this comment because i realised, upon rereading, that it was a (minor, but still) spoiler.
hope you guys enjoy!
This book is sooo hard to read…three chapters at a time that is.
It is all I can do, truly, to put it down. Argh.
But am loving every page and seeing others thoughts.
.-= J.C. Montgomery´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesday: Ch. 4-6 =-.
I’ll have my post up tomorrow – I got behind this past week with a headache. I’m on chapter 5 right now. Too funny with him chatting up his housekeeper though – he’s such a snoop. lol.
.-= Darlene´s last blog ..Guest Post with Stephanie Cowell, author of Claude & Camille & GIVEAWAY =-.
I like the new Penguin cover too! Even if I dislike the book. Heathcliff was a TOTAL hipster. hehe
.-= Eva´s last blog ..Library Loot: April 14-20, 2010 =-.
Love the cover! Heathcliff has a bit of a Dracula vibe to him; it’s actually very fitting. I know what you mean about reading ahead, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself, but that’s not such a bad thing is it?
Also, kind of off the subject, but I read recently that Heath Ledger and his sister Cathrine were named after the characters from Wuthering Heights. I found that piece of triva quite interesting
.-= Whitney´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesday Week 2 =-.
I absolutely love the cover when I saw it at the bookshop months ago. Too bad I have read it (I don’t buy books that I have read, no matter how good the cover is..)
.-= mee´s last blog ..Did Someone Just Come Back? =-.
i am very jealous of you read-ahead-ers. and reading three times to get what i get now. hope that changes soon. very soon. but i have not even tried to read it before.
.-= Messy Karen´s last blog ..Jelly Roll Classic Sampler BOM =-.
Yes, the cover is awesome. I’m glad you are enjoying this. It’s fun to read your side of it all.
.-= Care´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Hahaha–Heathcliff DOES look like a vampire. Still a really cool cover though. I am glad you’re enjoying the book so far. I feel like the reviews are usually so mixed. Some people really enjoy WH but others find it extremely boring–I am in the former category.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Read-a-long: Wolf Hall =-.
I love the cover!!! But this is not my favorite book. Glad you are enjoying it!
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: The Postmistress by Sarah Blake =-.
It really is tough to not race ahead. And I’ve read it before, multiple times, so it’s not like I don’t know what’s coming! I have that copy too–love the cover. I try to collect interesting editions. I’m reading the Longman Cultural Edition, which has a more classic, and also beautiful cover.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesday =-.
Gorgeous book cover! What a fun read a long!
I am WAY behind…having joined a wee bit more than a week late…but have caught up this weekend and will be posting my thoughts for week one and two tomorrow. I am enjoying the book so much! Will be on schedule EVERY Wednesday from now on! This is such a fun read-a-long!
.-= Geri´s last blog ..Book Blogger Hop!! =-.
I LOVE the new Penguin covers too – some of them really crack me up!! Have you seen the cartoon one for The Three Muskateers? So funny. The only one I have is for Cold Comfort Farm, which has been out for a while. I like the Pride & Prej. one too. This one is great – I love the way H is hunched in his collar with that watchful eye…
.-= Shannon´s last blog ..The Yiddish Policeman’s Union =-.
Finally, finally found my copy of the book! Okay so now I have to catch up. Dang–the whole idea was not to have to suffer through this in big chunks!
.-= Lisa´s last blog .."Comfort Living: A Back-to-Basics Guide To a More Balanced Lifestyle" by Christine Eisner =-.
Yup, here I am on my reader two days in a row totally lusting. If I can’t find my copy this weekend I’m DEFINITELY splurging on the copy you have. Love the cover–so juicy! I’m partial to my 1943 edition with the lovely engraving of Healthcliff, but I’m afraid if I read it it’ll fall apart. but so lovely: http://moonraking.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/heathcliff.jpg
.-= Trish´s last blog ..Hoppy Easter =-.
yes, the cover on the new Penguin edition is fabulous. I can’t think of the artist’s name, but he re-covered 4 or 5 classics recently.
.-= Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: What food magazines do you read? =-.
That cover is gorgeous! Which is why, I have that copy even if I have a gazillion other copies of this book, he he.
.-= kiss a cloud´s last blog ..April was =-.