Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Published by OUP Oxford on March 9, 1995
Genres: Fiction, Classics
Pages: 384
Goodreads
First published in 1847, Wuthering Heights is set on the bleak Yorkshire moors, where the drama of Catherine and Heathcliff, Heathcliff's cruel revenge against Edgar and Isabella Linton, and the promise of redemption through the next generation, is enacted. This edition uses the authoritative Clarendon text, and in a new introduction Patsy Stoneman considers the bewildering variety of critical interpretations to which the novel has been subject, as well as offering some provocative new insights for the modern reader.
WHY DID I LISTEN TO THIS BOOK?
You know how sometimes for school you get assigned reading over the summer? Well, the summer before 11th grade, my class was assigned To Kill A Mockingbird and Wuthering Heights. Of course, I read and loved To Kill A Mockingbird. I did not, however, read Wuthering Heights. Instead, I just kind of put it off and put it off. Eventually, I turned to SparkNotes to help me craft my journal responses, LOL. Actually, I think I read the first few pages, but then the book was falling apart and it was in such crappy condition. Heh, I could write a whole post on school supplies and books and student engagement, BUT I WON’T. Instead, I will say that I added Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte to my Project Fill In The Gaps List because it seemed to be blowing up — it was in Twilight — and I felt super uncultured because I haven’t actually read it. Lucky for me, the book was part of Audible’s Whispersync deal and I got to listen to the professionally narrated version of this classic FOR FREE. I can’t even pretend that I don’t love when that happens.
WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
First off, I cannot even pretend that I do not love this torrid, bodice ripper book cover. I think I would have actually read Wuthering Heights in 11th grade if it had this cover and not something boring like the picture of the house.
Anyways.
Wuthering Heights opens with a Mr. Lockwood who basically rents Thrushcross Grange from Heathcliff. One night Lockwood gets snowed in and stays at Wuthering Heights where he sees the ghost of Catherine, and gets Heathcliff who thinks it is her and tries to let her in. Nothing happens. Lockwood goes back to Thrushcross Grange. There he comes across Nelly Dean, a housekeeper, who basically tells him the tale of Catherine and Heathcliff.
Basically, Heathcliff is adopted by Mr. Earnshaw who is Catherine’s dad. Cathy and Heathcliff form a fast friendship which goes pretty well for the most part, they are inseparable and little hellraisers. UNTIL! This new family moves in next door and their son, Edgar catches Catherine’s attention. The family is high society so every time Cathy comes back she is all judgmental. Anyways, Cathy and rich Edgar get married. Only, she doesn’t love Edgar, she loves Heathcliff, but Heathcliff is a poor so obviously that won’t happen.
Eventually, Cathy dies in childbirth after making herself ill multiple times for attention because she is the worst. So, then she’s got this daughter named Catherine and Heathcliff has a sickly son named Linton, and you can see where this is going, I bet.
TEAM CATHERINE OR TEAM HEATHCLIFF?
Now that I really think about this, I am totally going to say that when it comes to Wuthering Heights I am 100% team Heathcliff. Both are reprehensible people, but I think it’s easier for me to pity Heathcliff despite the awful shit he does. I mean, he is that way because fucking Cathy is like oh you are poor I don’t love you la la la. Then when he gets rich, she changes her tune. AND OMG WHO GETS SICK FOR ATTENTION?! COME ON. UGHHHHHH. Lots of rant you guys. This was a hard choice for me, like choosing between a rattlesnake or a water moccasin, both are dangerous and awful.
THE VERDICT?
I honestly do not think that I will ever love Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Sorry but that is just a life truth for me. I liked listening to it okay and thought it had plenty of melodrama, enough to keep me entertained. However, I will never ever write any WH fanfiction. No sir.
HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The version I listened to was produced by Tantor Audio and narrated by Anne Flosnik. It is 12 hours and 19 minutes unabridged. I have no complaints about this audiobook, but it definitely is not my favorite, y’all.
SUM IT UP WITH A GIF:
Disclosure: Purchased My Review Copy
OTHER REVIEWS OF WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONTE:
Nyx Book Reviews – “There was nothing that gripped meâ€
The Unlikely Bookworm – “Wild, passionate and intenseâ€
A Case For Books – “I just find the characters so awful that I just don’t care what happens to themâ€
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I tried reading Wuthering Heights once when I was younger. It just didn’t work for me then, because I couldn’t like the characters! I don’t know if it would be different now, but your review made me curious to see if it would be.
You know, I may be a bit of a weirdo, but I tend to like the CLASSIC books where the characters are unlikable. It’s been a long time since I read this one and I also have the Whispersync deal in which I can listen to this one so I probably ought to again someday. I DID recently re-read and LOVE AGAIN a favorite of mine, The Great Gatsby, which is a little bit similar in that the characters are not great people and that ending…
But for some reason, The Great Gatsby is an all-time favorite and I do not remember disliking Wuthering Heights – I just don’t remember many of the details because it has been so long since I have read it. Need to give it another go. Props to you for sticking with it and being honest about it!
I like revisiting classics via audio- and thank goodness for Whispersync. I have hoarded many classics from the YA audio Sync summer program too 🙂 And yes that bodice ripper book cover is epic.
It’s interesting hearing how these books hold up to present day. lol that you will never write WH fanfiction.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this audio! I may give it a try sometime.
I can’t handle the Bronte characters, they kind of exhaust me. There- I said it! All the same, this is on the list because it’s canon and there’s a certain amount of shelf cred that has to be maintained.
I’m reading Rebecca right now and, thus far, am digging it considerably more. The opening chapter is spooky in all the right ways. -pops off to get further into that-
HA. I so wish my copy of Wuthering Heights had that cover. It’s fabulous.
I had an odd relationship with this book. I first tried to read it when I was 12 years old, having just read and loved Jane Eyre, thinking I could handle anything classics could throw at me. I gave up after 30 or so pages because BORING.
I read it a couple years later, thought it was okay, but wasn’t crazy about it. I had no desire to re-read. THEN I had to read it my junior (?) year of high school…and I fell head over heels in love. I’ve reread it once since then, and I still love it. I don’t really even know why. I know the characters are terrible people and the romance is all kinds of twisted, but still something about it compels me. I love Catherine and Heathcliff’s story, and I love the healthier albeit slightly less compelling romance the next generation presents. Obviously, though, this book isn’t for everyone, and I totally see your points.
I do like the GIF you used, though. It’s fantastic. 😀
Thank goodness we never had to read Wuthering Heights for school. Although, I can LITERALLY count on one hand how many books we read written by women, which is totally ridiculous because I didn’t go to school “back in the day.”
ANYWAY, After I read, and fell in love with Jane Eyre, back in eighth grade, I watched a lot of the Jane Eyre movies. I also ended up watching a movie of Wuthering Heights with my mother. AND I HATED EVERYONE, except maybe Edgar. And didn’t really like the story either. So I have never had any deseire whatsoever to read it. Good for you for reading it though. That sounded patronizing, but I don’t mean it that way.