Written between October 1845 and June 1846 and published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, Wuthering Heights became Emily Bronte’s only published novel. I first read it some years ago and was swept away with the stunning Gothic setting and Bronte’s marvellously crafted characters. When a re-read was proposed as part of the new Blogging Book Club which has been set up along with the lovely Girl With Her Head In a Book, I jumped at the chance. I was also thrilled that I was able to tie the book in with my Classics Club list.
It goes without saying that Wuthering Heights is distinctive and has inspired many other works since its publication. I will not recap the story in my own words for fear of giving too much away. Instead, I have chosen to copy a blurb which I feel sets the tone perfectly and leaves much of the plot to the reader’s own discovery: “Lockwood, the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before: of the intense passion between the foundling Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, and her betrayal of him. As Heathcliff’s bitterness and vengeance is visited upon the next generation, their innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the past.”
I adore Bronte’s writing; in fact, it is fair to say that I am a bit of a Bronte fangirl. The storyline which has been woven into Wuthering Heights is clever and atmospheric. I love the way in which elements come to the forefront and then dissipate slightly, and the technique which Bronte uses in order to tie everything together as she nears the end of her tale. She has a deft touch when it comes to both scenes and characters, and they are, without exception, marvellously built throughout the novel.
Wuthering Heights conjures so many emotions in the mind, and is even chilling to the very bones in places. It is an enduring classic which I am sure I will come back to many times in the future.
theliterarysisters 
Hello! Yay – I’ve posted now too! We did it! I completely agree about the emotions that Wuthering Heights stirs up – I was absolutely fascinated by the structure this time around in my post, I got to thinking about all that was going on outside the actual plot. Really interesting re-read, can’t wait for our next one! 🙂
Hello lovely! This has been such a wonderful readalong; I’ve really enjoyed it! I responded on your review, but I really feel I should have gone into more detail about it. I was just entirely spellbound throughout, as I tend to be with every Bronte novel. What shall we read next!?
Okay, for some reason Blogspot doesn’t like my WordPress account and is refusing to post my comment. I said some semblance of the following:
I really feel I should have expanded on my thoughts. I was just mesmerised entirely by the story and forgot to write extensive notes as I went along, as I normally would! I love your comments, and the fact that you’ve discussed the novel with others. I particularly enjoyed the following musing: ‘I found myself considering too the things which are left unspoken in Wuthering Heights. The younger Catherine is born to an unconscious mother in a terrible phoenix-like regeneration, yet aside from one sentence the pregnancy had not been mentioned before. Did Heathcliff have no thoughts about it? How on earth was the child delivered if Catherine was truly ‘insensible’?’ How do you think Heathcliff would have reacted to the news?
Helloo! This was so much fun! Thank you for your thoughts on my review, it was a really different experience coming to Wuthering Heights this time and I felt like I saw it in a completely different way. What our next choice will be is the million dollar question … I will have a think and e-mail you some choices? (Please feel free to do the same!) 🙂 x
Thanks for this reread, I really enjoyed it.
That’s great to hear, Lory! 🙂
Hi Kirsty! I got this book from my best friend for Christmas and it was a truly Gothic tragic tale and I loved it! I also really love the BBC version with Tom Hardy as Heathcliff and the main guy from the American show The Walking Dead. I also understand that Tom Hardy met his wife on this film. He is and has always been one of my favorite actors but I especially adore his work for the BBC before he became really famous. Sincerely, nora
Hi Nora! That sounds wonderful, and I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. That’s so interesting – I had no idea about that. 🙂
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