From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics…

Wuthering Heights

Emily Brontë

Start date: February 15, 2017

Finish date: March 15, 2017

Discussion: "Let us Chat a Moment!"

Why we're reading this: First in the Poll
[close] First in the Poll

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 4 topics — 19,464 comments total

"Let us Chat a Moment!"

* (❛‿❛?)) Daily Happenings!
By Lesle , Appalachain Bibliophile · 4042 posts · 657 views

last updated Sep 09, 2025 12:48PM

Rosemarie, I Have a Question?
By Lesle , Appalachain Bibliophile · 459 posts · 310 views

last updated Sep 11, 2025 03:30PM

showing 10 of 10 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jan 07, 2009 Christian rated it it was ok

It's a very gloomy and depressing book. I'm not quite sure why it's such a classic. My least favorite Brontë book so far. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2023 Natalie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Rating 4.5 stars. What a thought provoking read! There are a range of characters from stern, brooding, and vengeful to patient and generous. The two narrators, Nelly and Mr. Lockwood provide an interesting view into the Earnshaws, Lintons, and Heathcliffs. And the examination of passions and motivations is fascinating. I do feel a few characters were a bit flat however.
This story covers 3 generations of 3 families at Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights (two manors situated on the moors in E Rating 4.5 stars. What a thought provoking read! There are a range of characters from stern, brooding, and vengeful to patient and generous. The two narrators, Nelly and Mr. Lockwood provide an interesting view into the Earnshaws, Lintons, and Heathcliffs. And the examination of passions and motivations is fascinating. I do feel a few characters were a bit flat however.
This story covers 3 generations of 3 families at Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights (two manors situated on the moors in England). In the beginning, Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw have 2 children, Hindley and Catherine. The father takes a long trip on foot to Liverpool for business and comes across an abandoned boy; he brings the boy home. Catherine grows up a close companion to the boy, Heathcliff and they develop strong feelings for each other. Hindley grows up and marries a woman, Frances, and they have a son Hareton. But Frances dies in childbirth and Hindley is a cold father. Catherine grows and reasons she can't marry Heathcliff because he is too poor. So instead she marries a neighbor, Edgar Linton.
Catherine still loves Heathcliff, who goes away for 3 years and returns a wealthy man. She claims she loves Edgar too but fawns over Heathcliff. She, in her passion, loses her mind for a time, and then becomes sick. Both Heathcliff and Edgar are distraught as well as protective. Catherine gives birth to a baby girl prematurely and dies. Meanwhile, Heathcliff marries Edgar's sister, Isabella, who says she adores him, despite his dark character. Heathcliff, in a rage, declares he loves Catherine more than anyone else and despises Isabella. Isabella leaves, pregnant, and lives for years in London. Her son Linton is weak and sickly.
Isabella passes away and Edgar (Isabella's brother) goes to London to get Linton and raise him himself. Cathy, the younger, is a bright, patient, and empathetic girl who immediately likes Linton. But Heathcliff, hearing of his son's return, orders he be brought to Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff and Edgar maintain a distance from each other, each claiming the other is hateful and angry. But Cathy, in her kindness, shows affection for Linton and an openness to Heathcliff. Cathy begins exchanging notes with Linton but Nelly finds them and insists they be burned. Heathcliff comes to the Linton's and demands to know why Cathy has abandoned Linton. So Cathy begins to visit Linton. Linton is often weak, as well as afraid of Heathcliff, so Cathy pities him and buoys him up.
While Cathy visits, she finds that Hareton has been neglected by Heathcliff: he is unable to read and speaks roughly. As the tension between Edgar and Heathcliff ebbs and flows, Heathcliff becomes more demanding that Cathy help Linton, whom he says he despises because of his weakness. Under duress, Cathy marries Linton, who dies shortly after. Her father (Edgar), who is a kind and loving parent, passes away.
Cathy continues to visit Hareton, and teaches him to read. They develop an affection for each other. Heathcliff secretly digs up Catherine, saying her ghost haunts him. He tells Nelly to make sure he is buried next to Catherine. He goes out on the moor and returns, brooding. Heathcliff says he's discovered something, but I'm not sure what it is. Nelly and Mr. Lockwood follow Heathcliff's wishes to be buried next to Catherine.
I liked the element that this was more a character study than an examination of society and romance. Heathcliff and the young Cathy are the most full characters, as well as a contrast to each other. I found Heathcliff not very likable but interestingly moody. He could be both apathetic and polite, angry and solicitous. Cathy's charitable nature seems to be tested to the limits. Nelly's viewpoint, as major narrator, alternates between being merely an observer to siding strongly with one character or another, making her somewhat unreliable but still interesting.
Also, it felt like the writing was stronger in the second half of the book. I did note that people of that time period get sick from being in bad weather and viewed personality as resulting from parenting, instead of innate. But it's a great read. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2011 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fiction, teacher-reads, classics, exit-pursued-by-bear, ap-literature, 5-stars

2018 Spring:

Another read for my Seniors off the 35 Most Read AP Lit Test books, and this one for the 2nd/3rd time in my life. While I understand why people deeply love this as the most tragic love story (that isn't Romeo & Juliet), I don't really see much of a truly helpful romance or even filial tale: except by the merits of doing the opposite of everything you see within these pages.

Though, as a premier note that earns it's own full star for me, I adore the level of vocabulary used in this n ...more

Like · see review

Jan 06, 2017 Charlotte Clementine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, classics, british

A true masterpiece.
I don't think I can write a review that would correctly express how I feel about this novel.
In short, I loved everything about it, its intensity, its atmosphere, how brilliantly Emily Brontë writes about passion, desire, hatred, the yearning for revenge and for love.
I do tend to be particularly fascinated by the type of love stories that are dramatic and destructive, that burn and destroy everything and everyone standing too close, so of course, this is a perfect fit.
I will l ...more

Like · see review