Another book set for my exam tomorrow, Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe is a story similar to Wuthering Heights in that it features a number of things included in the latter story: death, trust, betrayal, family issues/troubles and personal and physical growth.
Silas Marner is a weaver from the small town/village of Raveloe who, one night, comes home to find that the large amount of gold he has earned through weaving has been stolen. Without his gold, a wife or any family, Master Marner is a lost and emotionally unstable man. That is until he comes into the posession of a 2 year old girl whose mother has died in the snow of an extremely cold winter.
This child becomes his daughter, and over the years he raises and nurtures her (bit of nature vs nurture there) into the most beautiful girl the village has seen.
This novel is filled with optimism, pessimism, happiness, sadness and awkwardness. Much like Wuthering Heights, it has a number of stories within a story, but they are very interesting stories and events.
I didn't really expect much from this book when I first opened it. I mean, a man who spends his days weaving. What's interesting about that? But as I read on, I found it to be gripping and very interesting. No, it isn't a crime novel, but it was a very good read, in my opinion. It had scenes which made me feel a bit 'meh' and others which made me feel a bit more upbeat.
Additionally it had some surprises thrown in and an uplifting final quote (readers who don't want it spoiled, scroll to the end, those who don't mind, read on): "O father, what a pretty home ours is! I think nobody could be happer than we are."
Sometimes a bit tedious, but nonetheless, a good read, George Eliot's Silas Marner is a read for anybody who likes 19th Century literature.
This receives a nice 4.5/5 from me.
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