Well, I think this is my third attempt at a classic and I’m still not feeling any fonder of them. I’m positive that there are many insights that one is supposed to get from reading this novel and I’m also positive they all flew right over my head. I have to admit to skimming over some of the more dreary and draggy parts that just went on and on but didn’t accomplish anything-I know naughty me but it couldn’t be helped.
I do think the premise of the story is good. Connie is married to Clifford who was hurt in the war and confined to a wheelchair. Connie, being a young woman, starts to realize that she’s missing a lot in terms of being loved by a man, both physically and mentally. Not to mention that she wants children and this is something that Clifford will never be able to give her although he says that if she were to get pregnant with another man’s child he would raise it as his own and it would be his heir.
So, Connie embarks upon one affair that leaves her upset and empty and she becomes even more depressed. After a while she comes in contact with the game-keeper, Mellors, and falls in love with him, has an affair and becomes pregnant. She has become disgusted with anything and everything to do with Clifford and doesn’t want to be with him at all anymore. She leaves on a trip with her sister with intentions of never returning. She asks Clifford for a divorce, which he denies. So, Mellors ends up working on some farm in the end and waiting for Connie to come to him or at least that’s what I understood to be happening.
I can see why this novel would have been banned back in the days of 1928 although I disagree with banning books on any level. My thoughts are if you find the material offensive, don’t read the book. However, there is a fair amount of bad language in this book and fairly explicit sexual content. I’m not easily offended and truthfully I found some of Lawrence’s descriptions of things downright amusing.
There were pieces of Lawrence’s writing that I really liked-he is very descriptive with all things. In this section Connie is having a little spat with Clifford and she is thinking to herself:
- ‘He seemed to sit there like a skeleton, sending out a skeleton’s cold grizzly will against her. Almost she could feel the skeleton clutching her and pressing her to its cage of ribs’.
This was just an amazing play on words in my opinion.
So, ultimately I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. Now it’s on to Little Women which I’m reading for both my Book Club and The Classics Challenge and I’m really looking forward to it.
Other blog reviews:
nymeth’s over at things mean a lot
I loved Little Women when I read it decades ago. I hope you like it!
i think you have to let DH Lawrence grow on you.. i have a copy of sons and lovers.. after reading it a couple of times, i finally love it..:) want to read lady chatterley’s lover sometime.. but not this year:)
little women is easily my all time favorite book.. i totally love it.. and when i decided to start my book blog, i started with it.. i hope you like it!:)
Mary, I’m sure I’ll love Little Women. It’ll be a fast read for me.
Ramya, I will have to go back in your archives and take a look. I think this is the second Lawrence book I’ve read. Not sure he’ll grow on me. lol.
I hope you like little women…I am not classics fan myself, and haven’t read it, but you never know it may be excellent. Sorry you are not loving your classics reads 🙁
I am supposed to be doing the classics challenge…I am really behind!
This has been on my shelf unread for a few years. I just pulled it out today and put it in the pile of must reads. Actually, my book shelf is old and a bit rickety. Let’s just say all the books I’ve been getting lately put a lot of strain on one of the shelves and it collapsed. One of the books that tumbled to the floor was Lady Chatterley’s Lover. I think it’s trying to tell me something. 😉
Great review, btw.
–Anna
http://diaryofaneccentric.blogspot.com
I hear ya! Those types of books are a drag! And I’m an English teacher!
I did love Little Women and I’m sure you will, too!
I usually try to read at least one classic every other month or so – but haven’t done it for awhile because of my mountain of review copies.
I haven’t tried to read this one, but I love the quote you pulled from the novel – very evocative!
Dar, it’s so nice to have you back with us!
I’ve heard about this book, but never read it.
It sounds like a great plot but maybe things got a little bogged down.
You’re doing great with the classics! Enjoy Little Women!
I read Little Women and loved it as well. But it has been a really long time and I should reread it again sometime soon. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.
Bethany, classics have never been a fave of mine but I wanted to read some of them to make sure I’m not missing anything. I do love the ones like Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. I guess I need to look for more like that.
lol Anna-I was just looking at my shelves last night and I do believe they are starting to look bowed out in the middle. If I hear a big crash in the middle of the night I’ll know why. I’d be curious to see your review of this as I’m sure you’ll get something much more amazing out of it.
Linda, you make me laugh. It always surprises me that as an English teacher you’re not fond of classics but I certainly have no problem seeing why.
Lenore, I completely understand. I have a mountain of books to review right now. It’s going to keep me more than busy this winter.
Thanks Shana 🙂 Bogged down is a good way to put it.
Hey Samantha, it’s been a long time for me to in reading Little Women. I’m hoping it still holds the same spark for me.
I had the same experience as Ramya…D.H. Lawrence grew on me. Now I love his writing, despite his tendency to ramble and restate the same thing in a variety of different ways. That annoys me in other writers, but somehow I like it in him. I completely understand why he makes other readers impatient, though.
I plan on reading this one in the next couple of weeks, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sorry it wasn’t a better read for you!
Nymeth, I look forward to your review. You always have a way of seeing inside a story that I love.
hey..please stop by my blog.. i have a little something for you there!:)
Hope you are feeling better. I hate being sick and all tired and stuff. Yuck. I was hoping you’d like Lady Chatterley better as I have it on my shelf to read as well. Bad reviews make for hard reading. Oh, well, I’ll try it anyways.
Ramya, you are spoiling me. Thank you so much! What a great way to start the day.
Bree, I’m with you on the not feeling well-it seriously puts a crimp into your life. You know you may like Chatterley. I think it’s just me and classics. I look forward to seeing what you think of it.
Oh dear–good luck with Little Women. It’s not my favorite. 🙁 My mom read this for my challenge and I was really surprised by her liking the book (she’s kind of prudish…shhhh…don’t tell her I said that!). She said she really liked the language and the way that Lawrence described things (not the foul language…but the writing). I don’t really have a desire to read it, though.
I hope the classics get a little bit better for you!!
I love classics, they’re my favorites, but I hated this book. I very rarely leave a book behind once I start reading it, but about 2/3rds of the way through this one, I just put it down and said I didn’t want to read any more. I didn’t care how it ended – I still wouldn’t care about the characters.
Good luck with Little Women. It’s not my favorite either, though I didn’t hate it. Just neutral.
Trish, somehow I missed your comment the first time-yikes, how dare I. Too funny about your mom being prudish yet making it through this book-that surprises me too. I sure hope Little Women will be better. You know I thought it was a fairly short book but it’s not.
Amanda, I agree. I didn’t care what happened to the characters in this novel either. Since I was reading it for a challenge I didn’t put it down, I plugged through and then deposited it at the library. I think it’s wonderful though that others can read it and see a great book-I’m just not one of them.
I think it really depends on what classic you pick up. There have been some classics I’ve hated and others I’ve loved. While you didn’t like Lady Chatterley’s Lover (which I have never wanted to, so I applaud you for finishing it!) you might actually enjoy Lady Audley’s Secret. It’s more of a mystery, but was written by Mary Elizabeth Braddon in 1862 and I really found it interesting/exciting.
Sarah, thanks for popping in. I’ll definitely check that one out.