WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONTE

Wuthering Heights is one of the most well-known novels of the Gothic genre. Emily Bronte only ever wrote one novel, but if your one novel is something like Wuthering Heights, you shouldn't be too worried.

Catherine Earnshaw is growing up at Wuthering Heights, the child of a wealthy landowner. One day, her father Mr Earnshaw brings home a young waif, who he names Heathcliff. Catherine and Heathcliff grow up together, like brother and sister, with Catherine's brother Hindley hating Heathcliff for being favoured by his father. Catherine and Heathcliff start to fall in love. Mr Earnshaw dies, and Hindley inherits Wuthering Heights. He marries, but his wife dies shortly after giving birth to a child, Hareton. Hindley becomes violent and abusive towards Heathcliff. Catherine starts to spend time with her neighbors, the Lintons, and is attracted to Edgar Linton, a young man around her own age. She tells the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, that she wishes to marry Edgar so that she can be rich and comfortable in her life, but Heathcliff overhears the conversation.

Once Catherine and Edgar marry, Heathcliff becomes jealous and angry because of all-consuming love for Catherine. He marries Isabella Linton, Edgar's brother, out of spite towards the Lintons, but cannot deny his feelings for Catherine, and their passionate love has effects for years to come.

Bronte has undoubtedly written an amazing book. It is incredibly complex, with all the characters, so much so that I found referring to a family tree very useful (you can find one here however I warn it spoils the story). But it's clever, oh so clever, and haunting and terrifying and really quite amazing.

I think it is strange, though, that people refer to it as a great romantic novel (EDIT: I do mean romantic in the 'lovey dovey' sense, because people do actually say that, not the style of romanticism, just to clear that up). It's romantic, yes, but it's terrifying too! There are ghosts, references to demons, violence, and some seriously scary weather, and the relationships involved are so turbulent and abusive that I really don't understand how it could be considered "romantic" in the same sense that books such as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice are considered "romantic". Sure, it was passionate, but romantic? Not exactly...

That said, the book is quite incredible, and very different to the conservative novels of Jane Austen with which I am more familiar. It was quite riveting in some places, though in others, a bit slow, but if you choose to read it, stick with it, because it's worth it in the end!

Butterflies: 7 out of 10
Recommended for: people over 14 who can endure difficult language and will not be too disturbed by the supernatural and abusive aspects of the novel.
Warnings: a bit violent, but not too bad. A hard read!