I heard about this work by George Eliot on an Ezra Klein interview with a Jewish rabbi who, at the end when the guest suggests three books, said he reads Daniel Deronda every year. I have a friend who reads Middlemarch every March, so this tracked. (I love Middlemarch.) I ordered the book and was gobsmacked by its heft – 850ish pages! It sat on the shelf for, er, um, a while. Whilst planning my books for our winter reading vacation, I thought, well, you don’t have to pack many books if they’re BIG (also brought The Bee Sting).

I spent a large chunk of the book scratching my head on why it was titled Daniel instead of Gwendolen Harleth, the main female protagonist. She’s in the opening scene and the last page. In the end I had some theories that I’d love to discuss if you’ve read. Anyone?

Set in England in the mid 1860’s, this tale of lineage, love, loss, longing, and the rigidity of social order is a grand peek into Victorian existence through the lives of Gwendolen and Daniel. Originally released in serial form the story lines, characters, and philosophies are impressive, and I can imagine that readers of the day were on pins and needles waiting for the next installment.

I am sure TOMES have been written about this one. Much of the writing is exquisite and I was happy with taking it more at surface-y level. (A fan, not a scholar! I did not read the preface which seemed to be a dissertation!) George Eliot, like Jane Austen before her, is a keen observer of humanity; additionally, Eliot has a keen sense of human history and seems to be foretelling the mid-1900’s in this work.

Rich. Complex. Deep. Long. 4.25 stars.

*Just discovered there’s a BBC production. Looks like a brilliant cast. Will report more later.