I was in the mood for something old, English, and rustic, something full of cloudy skies and hot cider, and I picked this up because Middlemarch wasn’t available. Satisfying on all fronts, I’m happy to report.

The tavern scenes especially interested me in the way they seemed lifted from the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring—impossible, since Eliot’s writing predates Tolkien’s by nearly 100 years. But the diction, subject matter, and rhythm seemed nearly identical to me. Could it be that both Eliot and Tolkien tapped into what, for both of them, would be a distant past? A cultural bedrock that remains unchanged by the accretions of subsequent centuries? If so, I’m intrigued and wondering if American literature has anything analogous.

I do enjoy rambling pastoral descriptions but up to a point. Having said that, this is one of Eliot's shortest novels, so the reading is all in good practice for something like Middlemarch...

The novel's symbolism is powerful and effective, illustrating a strong, ethical insight into the meanings of faith and community; the roles of family and the parallels between religious devotion and human love. Ultimately, she manages to portray with great accomplishment the beautiful hope that truth and honesty can claim the better outcome. In this way, it has an almost fairy-tale quality. Also, so many English novels have played with the notion of the resulting 'happy family' when a child typically discovers noble origins and lives happily ever after, surrounded by a prosperity that was always awaiting them. In Silas Marner, however, the successful family is portrayed as a set of emotional and social connections with a strong emphasis on community, rather than the individual achievement. Interesting.

It is written in superbly refined prose, distinct from the exquisite yet long-winded elaborations that may be found in the Brontes' or Austen's work, which does make for a conciser novel, and therefore quicker to read. Although, similarly to Joseph in Wuthering Heights, the villagers of Raveloe speak with a heavy dialect which is, at times, hard to follow and require rereading in order to fully comprehend what is being said.

Typically with such realist novels of the eighteenth/nineteenth century, the relatively mundane unraveling of the premise may seem tedious by today's standards, but of course, this novel was not written for that purpose. Moreover it will satisfy readers interested in a clever and stylish story which comments on an age of industrialization, of religion and community living.

Silas sounds like a lovely man but god this was dull.

Loved the book, loved the movie with Ben Kingsley.
"Eppie in de toal-hole!"

This scratched the itch I had for some British literature quite well. It took me a bit to get into the writing style and fully invest in the book but like a bicycle, once I got back on board with the old timey writing I was able to coast along. The story itself is pretty straight forward, but the simplicity of the tale is explored deeply, with Silas Marner, Nancy, and Godfrey being the stars of the show. I enjoy heavy handed symbolism and this one laid it on thick, with Eppie of golden locks replacing Silas' golden horde and the world opening up to him as he found someone to care for and began to value human connections beyond the wealth of money. Also, Godfrey not being able to welcome Eppie into his family when he finally decides to reveal that she is his daughter was just icing on the cake. He lived next door to her for 16 years and didn't say a single thing about it. The devotion that Silas and Eppie had for each other in their final confrontation with Godfrey and Nancy brought me to tears as their love for each other shone brightest as they faced a challenge to their relationship.

What a pleasurable, meandering tale this is. It takes its own sweet time getting anywhere and honestly not a great deal happens in this simple story of an old miser who hoards his gold only to lose it and find the real treasure is to be found in caring for another. But there is much beauty to be had in its simplicity and a lot of moments of pleasure to be had in this leisurely read.

Young weaver Silas is falsely accused of pinching the Presbytery Purse, imposes self-exile to become a Weaver-Miser in a far off county where he counts his gold until one stormy night it is stolen. Grieving his lost reputation and his lost gold, a golden-haired foundling toddler tumbles onto his hearth and heart. Silas raises said foundling who turns out to the heir of local Gentry. She chooses the simple life on the land and her love over position.

Actually enjoyed this classic, for the second time, because I couldn't even remember how it ended.

A charming and engaging story set in early-19th century pastoral England, with themes of long-held secrets, both revealed and forever mysterious, solitude, redemption and the vicissitudes of family and community life. Though quite a short novel, it has a striking realism in both its natural and psychological descriptions, and despite its length it encapsulates a sense of the sweep and breadth of time over a period of decades. Very enjoyable.