I picked up Wuthering Heights at a little library, then got the Kobo ebook because the act of turning pages started pulling them out (and I wasn't turning that hard). Let's talk about another Bronte sister classic. If you like ghost stories, drama, and toxic romance, this is a book you'll love. It's a gothic novel.
It starts with a man, a tenant, arriving at Wuthering Heights. He is barely welcomed. It's kind of sinister. Heathcliff is extremely reserved and cold. Our own main character has some issues. Mr. Lockwood is the only guest in a long time and they are in a remote place. The dogs don't even know how to handle a guest in the house, though Lockwood did make faces at them, so he may have deserved the retaliation. The guest isn't really wanted, you can clearly see. There are so few servants, and they are not friendly. His second visit has him putting his whole foot in his mouth, assuming a young woman to be Heathcliff's wife - when she is definitely not. He put the other foot in his mouth too, after assuming her to be someone elses' wife and her husband (Heathcliff's son) was dead. He's judging everyone, too. No one is happy at Wuthering Heights. The tenant keeps annoying everyone. Apparently we also have a lot of family dysfunction.
He's snowed in and is forced to stay, as he wasn't given a guide through the moors. The tenant is rude, as usual. He steals a lantern without asking. He yells impulsively with a bad temper and isn't actually invited. I don't feel bad for him. They kind of let the dogs rough him up until one of the women steps in. He's been put in a chamber no one was usually allowed to stay in. He sees variation of Cathrine with three last names. He reads her books. It describes Catherine and Healthcliff interacting together. From there I'll let you explore the story.
Overall Thoughts
This one has the abused orphan trope, but goes in the opposite direction of hope. It details a forbidden romance and an abusive home. Heathcliff was picked up on a cold, stormy night in a bad state. He's saved by the eldest Mr. Earnshaw, only to be abused when he died. Think Jane Eyre as a boy, only somehow the abuse is worse and goes on for much longer. Add that forbidden romance and you've got the core of the story. Eventually, he comes back for revenge.
The tone of Jane Eyre vs Wuthering Heights (both written by Bronte sisters) are different. Jane Eyre was all about hope; Wuthering Heights is dark and dismal. Both have an abused orphan in them. This was written by the sister that died of consumption a year after this book was published (1847). All three Bronte sisters have at least one book published. Charlotte Bronte outlived her two sisters (who died in 1848 and 1849). Their first books were written under assumed names and the last name Bell. Only now do we give them their true names on their books. Jane Eyre is all about redemption, but this one is all about revenge. I could say it has Monte Cristo vibes after he comes back from his three years of running away. He suddenly has money, but no one knows why or how. Oh, and so many people are dying of consumption (Tuberculosis).
Our eyes and ears for this story come from a man who doesn't have common sense, Mr. Lockwood. He's the tenant and Heathcliff is the landlord. He's come to rent from Heathcliff. It seems to be part of the Linton family estate. The first three chapters confused me to a degree. They give you more questions than answers. The tenant stepped into a space he wasn't wanted and saw so much family drama it's a wonder they haven't killed each other yet. The sister-in-law is threatening to witchcraft curse Joseph in the second chapter if he doesn't leave her alone. No one likes each other, but they still all stay. It's a strange thing to behold. It leaves you wondering why and how it became this bad. The servant spills all of the tea and that is the majority of our storyline.
Keep in mind that Joseph is hard to understand. His dialogue is written in his accent. You literally have to hear it said to understand half of it, let alone all of it. I find myself reading it out loud to even comprehend the words. Remember this when Joseph starts talking.
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Some of the story is from a household servant talking about past events at length. Ellen is telling Lockwood all about Heathcliff and Catherine's history - and every juicy bit of family gossip that came about, including drunken rages and Catherine's manipulative, me-me-me nature. She's the only one in the story to have sound advice (to which she freely gives) and no one listens. She's the Elrond of the entire book (LOTR reference, look it up for context). She notices Heathcliff's return is for evil and not good. She does her best to help and not hurt those around her - which is hard when the families she serves are all a hot mess. The only times you hear about the tenant are the beginning and the end, where Heathcliff is seeing his dead love everywhere and he dies by the window in his chamber. It's a wild ride! Just when you think it can't be more unhinged, it gets crazier.
Who this book is for
If you like juicy, family drama you'll love it. If you liked The Count of Monte Cristo you'll love it. It's not a light book, nor is it pure horror. It has horror elements (including the idiot tenant and past tragedy, and ghosts), but it isn't all horror. It's mostly family dramatics and people who desperately need therapy and the AAA's help. You have a lot of dramatic speeches and overly dramatic spoiled people interacting with an orphan who is plotting revenge (and somehow left for three years and got money from somewhere?). It's ominous, it is, yet incredibly entertaining - like the most unhinged Reddit stories you've ever heard. By the end, Heathcliff is the main abuser.
This book is best experienced, not heard about. Why? Because it gets increasingly unhinged. You'll know what I mean when you read it yourself. If you are not sure of it, the library is a great place to read it from. It's worth it for me - a five star read that had me interested from the beginning to the end. Just know that it references abuse and lots of consumption (tuberculosis). Oh, and let's not forget grave digging and kidnapping (not the same scenes). You'll find those later in the book. It gets wild.
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