My Top 10 Favorite Victorian Novels |  

You’re the second one to mention The Mill on the Floss as a favorite. I’ve heard so many people dislike it that it’s good to hear another opinion!

His works are so dramatic and beautifully written! Everything I need 😊

They’re all so great!

I can completely understand Vanity Fair not quite working for people, but I think if you go in expecting the satire and comic characters it helps 😊

Dickens has definitely won me over (blessedly 😂). Wuthering Heights is just so wild I think sometimes you need to take time to get to know what the heck it is to enjoy it 🤣

@@goodstrongwords So true!

Thank you! I always enjoy finding more unique covers when possible 😊. I need to get to Little Dorrit soon!

Read the book a nd watch the TV production that had Sir Alec Guinness and Derek Jacobi. It really isn't one that is often mentioned. Personally, my favourite CD books is Great Expectations and my second favourite (not a CDs) is Price and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Funny that you chose Anne Bronte of the three sisters because ,even though she wrote two novels they happen to be my favourite Bronte ones.

Of course! I just love gushing over my favorite reads 🥳

Hardy is absolutely wonderful! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed his work thus far. Great Expectations is one I need to reread as the first time I read it, it was just fine to me. As for Wuthering Heights, obviously I love it but I 100% understand people not enjoying it. It’s definitely a unique novel.

@@goodstrongwords I just picked up a paperback copy of Wuthering Heights at the library book sale. I'm going to try again. Hardy has been wonderful.

@nicholasschroeder3678 I’m so glad! And good luck!

@@nicholasschroeder3678 I will never try WH again as life is too short! Good on you for not giving up but I am throwing that towel straight in haha.

Interesting! I’ll have to look into that.

People do read Don Quixote ... it wouldn't be in this list, though, due to it not being a Victorian novel. 🙂

It’s very true that rereads have an impact, especially with Victorian literature I find. I’m glad we have so many similar favorites! I actually can understand not loving Tenant as I can see how it can feel less interesting in some ways, but it just hits the spot for me. Wuthering Heights is such a wild one, I thinks rereading it often helps to get into it. 😊

I think Little Dorrit will be my next Dickens. It’s been prettier high on my radar for a while now and I think it’s time. I know a lot of people find “The Mill on the Floss” to be disappointing but I’ve always had a feeling that I would like it. I think Romola will be my next one by Eliot but maybe I’ll try The Mill on the Floss after that 😊. Thank you!

Thank you for checking this out! It’s so nice to hear that I’m not alone in my love of The Woodlanders! It really is such a hidden gem ❤️

Dickens took me some time but in the end I found a few I loved! If you like Tess, Wuthering Heights, and Tenant, you’ll likely enjoy Adam Bede and The Woodlanders! I’m excited to hear your thoughts!

Thank you! Respect some hatred for Wuthering Heights but I’m happy to love it 😂

@@goodstrongwords Oddly enough, it's probably a book I'll read again, because I'm a sucker for punishment. I read it the first time but completely misunderstood what the book was about - I thought it was a romance, closer to Jane Eyre style. But then a few Booktubers mentioned that it shouldn't be read that way, and reading it as a revenge story or as the way you mentioned it is better, and so I read it again recently and that did help, but I just didn't enjoy it - the characters are so awful to each other! I will say again though - Emily wrote some beautiful scenes, descriptions, and atmosphere - and I like the beginning portion too, that sets up the story. But I'm afraid I started off on the wrong foot with it, and it might have ruined me forever LOL... I love Emily's poetry though. And I wish we could have seen what else she would have written if she hadn't died so young.

Yes, I kept to books written in the UK during the reign of Queen Victoria, but I do enjoy Austen 🥰. “Jane Eyre” is incredible, I just find it doesn’t quite hit my tastes as well as the other Brontë sisters. That being said, I’m sure I will continue to reread it throughout my life. Cranford and Silas Marner are wonderful as well 😊

Definitely! It’s amazing!!! (but also not everyone’s cup of tea so, no worries if you hate it 😅)

She really is but she kind of reminds me of Catherine from Wuthering Heights which I think increases my fascination with her. I’m glad you’re enjoying it! I need to revisit it sometime soon 🥰

Unfortunately no. I think if I did a top 20 “The Woman in White” would make it, possibly “The Moonstone” as well. I find I really enjoy reading Collins but the x-factor that makes a favorite for me isn’t there. I do want to read more from him though because, as I said, I have enjoyed myself reading his books 🙂

@@goodstrongwords The Woman in White is in my top five but I also would like to read more from Wilkie. I am doing a re-read right now to see if Agnes Grey is still in my top five. It may move down for me also.

I ,for no reason whatsoever, avoided The Woman in White until I read it end of last year/beginning of this year; I loved it so much that I now have to add The Moonstone in my TBR list....seems to be growing every day, now at 48 books of which at least 75% are brick books of 850 pages plus ! I never liked Hardy. Had him for 'O' Level and 'A: Levek,too 🙄. As for Wuthering Heights, I detest it even on second reading....only Nelly is OKish, the rest of the characters are horrible, thinking of Joseph and his dialect 😖 Anyway, regards from GB.

I can understand that view of Adam Bede. I liked the ending relatively well but it definitely felt random.

I’ll see what I can do in future. I know a lot of people who watch my videos like to go into classics knowing next to nothing and often the books I enjoy most have more to do with characters than plot so it’s hard to know where to stop since it’s easy to get into spoilers when the big plot points are relatively limited. But I can think about it.

Yeah, I feel like it’s middle of the road to me because I can see the art and talent in his writing and love it, but I DESPISE the story.

I briefly went out with a woman who said Jude was her favorite book.

🤣

Unfortunately I have yet to read that one myself. I know Katie from Books and Things did a series about George Eliot’s novels a few years ago and has one specifically about The Mill on the Floss. She has a playlist for that series I believe. Kate Howe also did an interview with Dr. Erin Van Laningham about George Eliot this year. It’s mostly general stuff but I believe Dr. Laningham mentioned The Mill on the Floss as one of her favorites and discusses it some. Sorry I don’t have more suggestions for you! My next Eliot I’m planning to read was Romola but The Mill on the Floss will be after that I think. I’ll try to remember to make a specific video on it at that point because it sounds like an interesting one for discussion.

Oh wonderful! I haven’t read a lot by him but I definitely think either David Copperfield (which is my favorite) or Great Expectations are the best places to start with Dickens. I hope you enjoy!

@@goodstrongwords Thanks at heart .Thanks for Answering my question.

A Christmas Carol. It's short and brilliant. Tale of 2 cities is shorter. And wonderful.

I have read it! It’s slightly after the Victorian Era but it is wonderful and has a similar style too. 🥰

Thank you for noticing! I just added it to the description so it matches up with the video.

I don’t know????? Maybe you could just, like, find another channel that you actually enjoy and leave me out of your whiny and unnecessary expectations????????

@@goodstrongwords Wow, an interesting overreaction! I seem to have found a sensitive spot!

You took the time out of your day to critique a woman you don’t know at all. Didn’t you want an interesting response 😂? That being said, you probably have a point. I’ll see if I can work on it. But, you may want to follow a different channel if you don’t want to listen to me. I promise, I won’t be offended 🤷‍♀️

What a snob

I think the Beatles are crap. But my favourite music probably wouldn't exist if they hasn't paved the way. And so is Jane Austen to the novel.