The Mill on the Floss

[nome1486]

This summer I finally got the chance to read George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss and I wanted to know the opinions of other people who have read the book. I really enjoyed it, I loved the early descriptions of English countryside life and the general feel of what childhood is like--all of Maggie's emotions and foolish thoughts and actions. I thought there was a lot of insight into human character and society, but it was balanced with humor, especially in the characters of Mr. Tulliver and Bob. The relationships were also very touching, especially the main one of Tom and Maggie ("Magsie!"). Even though the story sometimes read like a soap opera, I enjoyed it because it's classic literature: the contrast between the dry prose you expect and the actual emotion of the writing is always a pleasant surprise. The book reminded me of Pride and Prejudice in that respect; both Maggie Tulliver and Elizabeth Bennet are heroines that seem modern, so they make the past centuries feel more real to the modern reader.

Any thoughts?