Before we get into the final Wuthering Heights Wednesday, I’d like to mention that today I’m featured over at Kittling: Books for Scene of the Blog.
Stop by and check out how boring I really am!
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Welcome to Wuthering Heights Wednesday! I’m hosting a read-along of this classic novel, and we’re now at the end! Many thanks to everyone who joined me in this adventure:
- 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
- Rob at Books are Like Candy Corn
- Trish at Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity
- Carina at Reading through Life
Volume II, Chapters 17 through 20
My synopsis:
Hareton and Catherine II fall in love and live happily ever after. The end.
My thoughts:
That’s how it all ends?!? Did anyone else feel like it just ran out of steam at the end? This could partially be explained by the fact that half the cast got killed off in the course of the story, but still. I was expecting more angst. More craziness. More anything. After the over-the-top drama that was Volume I, I feel like Emily wimped out on us in Volume II. Plus, Hareton and Catherine had as much spark as, well, Catherine and Linton.
I’m totally baffled as to why this is called a great love story. I can honestly say I didn’t like any of the characters. They were manipulative, whiny, obsessive, immature, self-centered, mad and incoherent (that would be Joseph). Edgar had his moments, but it’s hard to like anyone who loved Catherine I. It shows a decided lack of good judgement.
Still, I enjoyed the experience of reading this, only because we did it as a read-along. I never would’ve toughed it out, otherwise. It’s been fun spending the past 11 weeks mocking all of the characters with you all. Let’s do it again. Only with a different book.*
*And whaddya know, Trish and I have already come up with another read-along. We’ll be reading The Brothers Karamazov (yes, really) starting July 10th. Details to post on July 1st, so stay tuned.
It’s been fun, watching you all read this novel. Wow, the Brothers Karamotzov? Shudder. But I’ll be back to cheer you on…
.-= bybee´s last blog ..What A Mom Wants: The Plump Pig =-.
Are you gonna give me a K?
Totally agree with you. And the movie is just as bad only worse because apparently the production couldn’t afford lighting and you can barely see anything (which, on the other hand, could be a good thing….)
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..June 16 –All about Bloomsday =-.
What, no jumping on board for the next readalong?
Shoot, I wanted to do the next read a long, but Brothers? Umm.. I’ll wait until after that, LOL.
.-= Lisamm´s last blog ..I’m Not Dead =-.
Aww, come on!
Hmmm…I might be on board for the Brothers. Let me ponder a bit.
As for the ending, I’m OK with it. After generations of crazy and misery, there’s a spark of happiness in these family lines. It’s not ideal–it’s almost like inbreeding, and both of these folks would benefit from time spent in the company of others their own age. And Lockwood’s famous ending quote is, while beautiful, another piece of denial that he and Nelly were both so good at–because I just can’t see Heathcliff and Cathy being peaceful in eternity. But that might just be me.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesday =-.
I agree about Catherine and Hareton needing to be around more people of their own age. WH was definitely too insular.
Love it!
I probably won’t join you guys for the Brothers K. That book scares me too much even in readalong form!
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Baby Death goes to NYC! =-.
But see, that’s why the readalong…there’s a built in support group.
It’s strange that we go from this dark novel to “And they live happily ever after.” I guess there had to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for hosting this Read-Along I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ll have to think about the Brothers K.
.-= Whitney´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesday Week 11 =-.
I agree – it definitely got less entertaining at the end. And the last few chapters felt kind of tacked on, like she ran out of ideas and just wanted to end everything.
I’m definitely in for Brothers Karamazov. I just bought a copy for my Kobo ($3!).
Yippee! (about the K Bros, not the dud of an ending)
It’s funny–I think that dragging out the reading over 11 weeks actually was more painful than just reading it quickly. Like a bandaid–just do it quickly and it hurts less.
But I’m glad we did the readalong. I think this book will always have kind of a twisted place in my heart but man is it AAAAAwful!
Yay for Brothers K! Maybe we’ll find some characters we like in that one? Let’s hope anyway…
.-= Trish´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë =-.
I think you might be overly optimistic about the K Bros!
I’ve been having trouble with comments lately, but I’ll try this again…
It seemed like WH just limped along to the finish, but I suppose with almost everybody dead it was the best that could happen. For me, the read-along itself was a lot more enjoyable than the book (which I’m glad to have finally read). Thanks so much for hosting.
As for Brothers Karamazov, I’ll have to give it some thought. There’s a copy waiting on my shelf, but I really wanted to read C&P first. We’ll see…
.-= JoAnn´s last blog ..The Sunday Salon: Hurry Up Summer =-.
I wouldn’t have read this and continued with it,without the readalong. It was really good to struggle through this book together, so thank you for organising.
I can’t see how this book is considered a love story at all. It might have been in the beginning when it was just Cathy and Heathcliff, but there was certainly a lack of love by the end.
We did it though. We got to the end of a painful book and won’t have to read it again. We can say proudly we have done it.
.-= vivienne´s last blog ..Wuthering Wednesday – Bring out the Bunting! =-.
Congrats on finishing up. Sorry I fizzled on this one – just couldn’t concentrate on it with all that was going on and this one needed my concentration. lol.
I’ve never even heard of The Brothers Karamotzov book…
.-= Darlene´s last blog ..A Few Winners =-.
Wuthering Heights is like a book of pop that’s lost its fizz. Thems fightin’ words I know since I happen to be talking to the queen of Fizz.
.-= Ti´s last blog ..2010 Summer Reading List or…What I REALLY REALLY REALLY Want to Read this Summer =-.
I fizzled out too. Congrats on finishing the book. I posted my wrap-up a few minutes ago. I’ll take a stab at WH, aka “Swithering Depths” later.
Aloha from Rob
P.S. If you island hop in December and visit Kauai, be sure to let me know.
.-= Rob´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights: Read Along Blues =-.
I told you you wouldn’t like it! The snark was great to read though.
Can’t wait for Brothers Karamazov!
.-= Eva´s last blog ..Library Loot: June 16-22, 2010 =-.
At least we get the picture of Heathcliff and Catherine haunting the moors…but yeah…ran out of steam indeed!
.-= Victoria´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesdays: El Fin! =-.
I wish and just may try the K Bros but that stack of books yelling at me to read NOW is about to topple and crush me.
.-= Care´s last blog ..Sister Outsider =-.
I agree with you. I thought the Catherine/Hareton union was a little out of nowhere. He isn’t even mentioned that much in the second half of the book and all of the sudden he’s with Cathy. Not the most satisfying of endings.
i’m just glad that Heathcliff was happy in the very end. dead. but happy.