Romance often finds its impact and strength through a narrative that restricts its characters from easily attaining it. It engages us through our growing anticipation on whether it will all fall into place or shatter into pieces. E.M. Forster certainly doesn't utilise this tactic to the degree that other authors would, a decision that I am fond of.

Lucy Honeychurch and George Emerson are initially presented to us with a backdrop of Florence, Italy that would detail the quiet blossoming of their love. Forster provides his readers with an insightful perspective of the overall story that not only traces their experiences but also, alongside, a dash of commentary on the lifestyles and values that have shaped and navigate them. It is on the latter that brings forth the weight that A Room With A View carries, it is through the characters that he populates the narrative with - Mr Beebe, Mrs Honeychurch, Mr Vyse, Ms Bartlett, Mr Emerson - that he manages to tease out both the anchor that halts their love affair and gatekeeps them from pursuing their pure and impulsive passions.

With the story's initial setting in Italy does provide the needed establishment of its characters and their set of complications, this also represented the primary drag to the overall experience. Whilst it may be intentional for Lucy to be seen as a more passive figure in this portion, it did present itself as paler in comparison to the biting social commentary, the brimming back and forth dialogue, the passionate agency from Lucy, and the powerful and consistent revelations that emerge from its characters, that would emerge from her return to England. This may be perhaps due to his characters already firmly established at this point, which provided Forster with a clearer canvas to further experiment and unpack his various characters.

A novel that I can say allowed for a mild escape and amusement but nothing more. This is one that I feel I would love to revisit once I have treated myself further into Forster's bibliography, hoping that the key characteristics in his storytelling are further flourished in his other stories.