Title: Wuthering Heights
Author: Emily Bronte
Format: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Classics (Deluxe Editions)
Pub Date: 1847; this edition: 2009
Read: Sept 2009-Nov 2011 (nope, not a typo)
Source: Barnes and Noble
Why: When these three Penguin Deluxe Classics came out, I seized the opportunity to finally read Wuthering Heights. It didn’t quite go as planned.
Fulfills Challenge? Yes.

Synopsis: Everyone a) is an asshole b) hates everyone else c) has the same name

Review/Thoughts:
Based on my synopsis, you’d probably think I hated this book, and well, at first, I totally did. I mean, LOOK AT THE DATE I STARTED READING THIS. I got through maybe 30 or so pages and thought, what the HELL is this writing style? WHAT IS THIS NARRATIVE? I put it aside and didn’t pick it up again for two years, resigned to the fact that I was probably going to hate Emily Bronte. But I finally decided to return to it, and yeah, I still kind of hated it — I mean, I really can’t get over the writing style. It’s not dense, but it feels as though every sentence should be re-written for clarity. I’d blame it on the time period but I never had any problems with Jane Austen and I’m currently reading Jane Eyre and not having these problems. So Emily’s writing and I just don’t get along. But that’s okay…because I ended up liking this book. A lot. And while I do think Gilbert & Gubar’s Madwoman in the Attic had a hand in that (I love their analysis of the book and want to re-read it with it in mind), I suppose Emily Bronte and I are frenemies now.

Seeing as that was not much of a review, I’ve decided to thieve an idea from Gillian except this will be more of a monologue instead of a conversation. While I was reading Wuthering Heights, I was tweeting my thoughts and so I’ve decided to post those tweets here so that you may understand my thought processes as I was reading this book (I suspect this will one day come back to haunt me but whatever).

Reading Wuthering Heights makes want to reread Here on Earth to better understand the parallels and differences I didn’t pick up on before

“The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out, and drank his blood…” Tell us how you really feel Heathcliff

I’d feel sorry for Isabella but I can’t condone her dumbassery.

Done w/Part I. I can’t wait til the characters named after other characters become more important so I don’t know what the fuck is going on!

Oh god…do I actually kind of…like Wuthering Heights? #wheredidigowrong

I’m reading it during lunch now? When did this get interesting?!

Cousins marrying cousins… OIC.

What could possibly go wrong? #seeslytherin

What the hell is this bizarre hold these people seem to have on each other?!

Am I supposed to like Nelly? Cause I don’t.

Gonna start calling people “bonny lass” #easilyamused

Heathcliff on Heathcliff II/Linton: “he’s such a cobweb, a pinch would annihilate him” *snort*

Heathcliff: “that lass owes me her services for her bread; I’m not going to nurture her in luxury and idleness after Linton is gone”

so let me get this straight: you forced the girl to stay in your home against her will…and now you’re forcing her to “work” for the bread [...]

you had to feed her while she was prisoner? DID I READ THAT RIGHT? #lol4ever

While he’s at it, he should probably start charging her for water as well

On another note, when’s the cobweb gonna die? cause he’s annoying as fuck.

wait he opened her coffin…after 18 years? #thefuck #pleasetellmeImisunderstoodthat

And she was still recognizable…. WHAT IN ACTUAL FUCK.

Lockwood has been relaying the story that Nelly told him and at this point Nelly is relaying the story Zillah told her #fuckyonarrative

I feel like I’m in Inception. WE’VE GOT TO GO DEEPER INTO THE NARRATIVE. Emily Bronte spits on your secondhand account.

wait who the hell is Mrs Linton? Isn’t Catherine II Mrs Heathcliff now? I thought Mrs Linton was dead. #didinotsaythiswouldhappen

I wonder what kind of monster baby Heathcliff and Catherine would have had. WE’LL NEVER KNOW.

I no longer remember where anyone is living — the Heights? the Grange? #doesitevenmatter

Given the absurd number of times I used the word ‘fuck’ you can understand why I keep my twitter private, yes?

YES.

Final Verdict: