Review: Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind. And this is one: I'm going to tell it - but take care not to smile at any part of it.”
― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights is that kind of dream. You read it, you never forget it and it will stay with you forever. Very few books have managed to become instant favorites of mine, and this one has made it to that group.

I understand why people hate it so much, really, I do. But I cannot bring myself to hate it. What is it with this book that has haunted me for all the weekend until now? (I finished it on Saturday).

The atmosphere is dark, violent, depressing and beautiful. The sort of book I would normally read. Also, it is not a book I would recommend to everybody, since it's a black/white book. That is, you either like or you hate it. If you can handle with unlikable characters, then go ahead, read it.

If you ask me what the book is about i would say: It's about Heathcliff, a gypsy that was beaten and treated badly just because of that. It's also about his intense love for Catherine Earnshaw and all the consequences of the actions he took because of that strong feeling.

The plot sound really romantic, doesn't it? Well, I don't think Wuthering Heights it's just a love story, I don't even tag it as "romance" (but we can't deny the romance is not in there). Wuthering Heights is more an exploration on humanity, of how love can lead to rage, to violence and to madness.

Speaking about that leads me to my next point: The characters. I love how they are so perfectly unperfect. Sounds weird, huh? Well, the thing is, they are realistic. They could easily exist somewhere out there. Heathcliff is not the oh-so-handsome-and-chivalrous guy. Neither is Catherine or any other character in the book.

I love the darkness in the book, the moors and the solitary environment in which it is set. Besides, the era in which it was written adds a slight touch of gothic into it. I also love the drama, the romance, the wilderness, etc. Emily Brönte manages to tell a tale of trust and betrayal without boring me or making me roll my eyes.

Anyway, I could keep listing things I loved about the book, but if you knew me, you would know that my greatest stuggle is with writing. I can read as many books as I want, but it is very cery difficult for me to print my thoughts about it in a review, especially if I love it as much as I love Wuthering Heights. So I end by saying the same thing I said at the beginning (and what Catherine said to Nelly): Wuthering Heights is a like an unforgettable dream. It goes through and through you until it has changed the colour of your mind.

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