Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady - Volume 1

Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady #1

by Samuel Richardson

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, 18th Century, Classic Literature, Ebooks

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1748

About the author

Pamela (1740) and Clarissa Harlowe (1748) of English writer Samuel Richardson helped to legitimize the novel as a literary form in English.

An established printer and publisher for most of his life, Richardson wrote his first novel at the age of 51. He is best known for his major 18th-century epistolary novel Sir Charles Grandison (1753).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_...

Reviews

[Jane Cathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m actually quite surprised that I enjoyed this book . I don’t particularly like epistolary novels but this volume 1 was pretty impressive . I had no idea when I started this classic that it was about 1400 pages long! I breezed through it on LibriVox app. Clarissa is causing some strife in this family saga for not wanting to marry the gentlemen that her parents and relatives are forcing upon her . I have eight other volumes to get through so I will give more of a review when I’ve completed all.

[Laura L. Van Dam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish at 40%.
The longest novel in the English language. I have been curious about this since 1994 when i saw it mentioned in one of my favourite books, Les Liaisons Dangereuses. I have a weakness for 18th century epistolar novels, but this has proven too heavy of a burden. I find it too tedious and repetitive. I can't even finish the first installment, and there are 8 more to go! I will read an abridged version instead.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ooookay... so Volume 1 of 9. Here is a quick synopsis of nearly 200 pages:

Clarissa (with the back of her hand pressed to her forehead in classically melodramatic style): "I shant! I shant marry Mr. Solmes. Please just let me be single!"

Various family members: "Why must you be so obstinate and spoiled? You're locked in the house until you learn to obey."

Mr. Lovelace lurks in the shadows and plots how he can conquer Clarissa, although her family despises him since he tried to kill her brother in a duel.

Mr. Solmes hovers on the edges of the plot and wrings his hands while he waits for the family to prevail in convincing Clarissa to marry him.

For the first two-thirds of the volume, Clarissa insists she has no interest in Mr. Lovelace, only to inexplicably change her mind after he accosts her in the garden.

In usual Richardson style, the story is presented in a series of letters written by Clarissa and various other characters - it's a bit of a tedious format for a book this long. Really, it's just tedious period. I'm hoping it gets better, but I'm a good way into the second volume and not much has changed.

[Priyanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly enjoyable. I will definitely continue with the next volumes.

[soundousse Hayaty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start

[DeCarabas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this epistolary novel on the corresponding dates, Dracula Daily-style, and I think spacing the letters out that way is adding something to parts that otherwise might have struck me as too repetitive - seeing just how long the petty cruelties she's subjected to are going on, checking Clarissa's letters every morning to see what fresh indignities she's been subjected to today.

[Raoul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way too long for the current era, but I can imagine that this was quite popular when it was published in the mid 18th century. I assume this was an effort by the author to convince young women of that era to marry as their parents desired or they would follow a similar fate as did Clarissa. I really like the way the author used the series of letters to convey the story. You just don't see that very often in current literature. I read the first volume quite some time ago and then finally found the last eight volumes on audio so I could listen while running.

[Kathleen Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Longer than War & Peace, told entirely in letters, practically in real time. It's like watching paint dry, only more dark, claustrophobic and creepy. This is one of the most amazing books I have ever read, but not for the faint of heart!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Epistolary novels require a certain amount of willing suspension of disbelief, and this one is no exception. Clarissa's story is a tragic one that comes across at times like a morality play, and it definitely has some strong opinions about the characters within.

[Rosemary · Rating 2 out of 5]

My goodness, she does witter on. Admittedly she's young but really very silly too. I will not be reading the other volumes - at least, not at any foreseeable time. However, Richardson does an amazing job of getting inside the head of his character.

[Doina Condrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say that hasn't been said before about the first volume of such a sad, but all too familiar story. A woman that is treated like property to be traded to the highest bidder.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book; quite horrible. I doubt that I'll continue with the remaining eight books. This was traumatizing enough.

[Laurel Bradshaw]

A novel told through letters covering most of one year and the first letter begins on Jan. 10 which is today. In 2023, the days of the week happen to be the same as in the book, so how could I pass up a challenge to read this book in "real time" so to speak.

[Meg]

In which, Clarissa makes some very poor decisions regarding her inheritance; Clarissa's family is completely dysfunctional and horrid; Mr. Lovelace seems besotted; Miss Howe seems to be the only real voice of reason.

[Amy Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

#LitLife2for22 Favorite Author of Your Favorite Author

Wowzers, I had no idea how long this novel was when I read this volume. I thought for sure that this free copy was simply mislabeled on the title; but nope, looked it up today and it's over 1,500 pages--the longest or one of the longest English novels ever written. AND apparently it's going to end tragically. Well, I'm not sure I want to wade through more. This was great, but truly long-winded. Half of the conversation and action could have been cut out, since it was all extremely repetitive, and upsettingly abusive in an emotionally manipulative way for the heroine Clarissa. But I still found several very excellent quotes to underline, and I was intrigued by the basic plot and writing style. I will continue a bit more, but may not finish the whole thing, we'll see. I found out on Wikipedia that the original audience was unhappy as a whole with how Richardson finished the novel, so he felt that they didn't really "get" it correctly. Isn't that interesting?

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

English 540A: English Fiction, 18th C Novel - Main characters are Clarissa, Lovelace, Anna Howe, and Clarissa's family, the Harlowes. A novel that is told completely through correspondence. A story about a young woman who tries to make decisions for herself but is thwarted by her family and societal mores of the time. A very long, confusing, boring novel (and we read the abridged version).

[Marc Chénier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will reserve my review for volume 9.

[Corinna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm just so happy I finally finished it. And I read the abridged version...

[Vethan Auryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page-turner! It was a little difficult to get acquainted with the narrative structure, as well as the writing style of the author, having not read English novels of the 18th century in quite some time, but after a couple of letters, I was hooked and really enjoyed diving into this atmosphere and breathing in the beautiful language.

It is also interesting to witness how much the law changed in matters of inheritance a century later in reading Jane Austen's novels - a particularly important topic for women of the Western world in these eras.

The characters are very well-defined, Clarissa is modelled on the archetype of a true heroine with solid values, the cruelty of the members of her family leaves one absolutely speechless, and Lovelace remains a mystery: it is difficult to know how he might evolve, which may be probably the whole point.

If once again the epistolary style is slightly difficult to get into for some reason, the intimate nature of the correspondence between Clarissa and her best friend, makes the reader a proper witness to the former's dire situation, which she transcribes in minute details, including the dialogues.

From a contemporary perspective, it may remind the reader of novels written in the first person, alternating between characters at times, whilst the author offers even deeper insights than usual in the main character's thoughts and emotions, as well as the events she goes through.

And now on to volume 2!

[Sugarpop · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lovelace: "Arabella, marry me."
Arabella: "No."
Lovelace: "Ok. I'll go ask your sister instead."
James: "I hate Lovelace. Clarissa, don't like him, he is a little shit."
- James and Lovelace duel, Lovelace wins -
James: "I bet you love him, Clarissa, I hate you little whore."
Clarissa: "I don't really care about him."
Arabella: "I actually love Lovelace and it is terrible that he did not further pursue me after I said no. I hate you Clarissa, you are a whore."
James & Arabella: "Hey, look mom and dad, we found an ugly, old, boring man who has a lot of money. Let's get Clarissa to marry him because we all hate her and we all love money."
Clarissa: "Okay, guys, fun. I don't love Lovelace, but considering he is also rich and not ugly, old and boring, I would like to not marry this old geezer."
Everyone in the Harlowe household: "Shut up, Clarissa, you are just a stupid bitch who wants to bang a fuckboy. Just marry the geezer."
Clarissa's friend Anna: "I hate your family, they are shitty people. Please marry Lovelace instead."
-repeat the "I dont want to marry the dude" and "shut up Clarry" dialog ad nauseaum.

[Darren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written dissection of a young lady under pressure from her family to marry a man she loathes, with her only way out seeming to be forming an attachment with a known "rake" (Mr Lovelace). Caught between a rock and a hard-place, Clarissa writes/receives a lot of letters (to/from all and sundry) dithering about what to do for the best. After 300 dense pages of Vol.1 things have not progressed much, and reading the chapter titles to Vol's 2&3 it seems like it doesn't speed up any time soon, but maybe I will return to the remaining 8 (EIGHT) volumes one day when I read a Jane Austen novel and it strikes me as proceeding at too breakneck a pace... (3.5 rounding down)

[Bonnie Dupont · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally, all 9 volumes! The plot moves forward with the speed of a derailed train.

[Ke]

没有中文译版的理由大概就是我这样的读者看不太下去😅读了52分钟把volume 1啃到13%决定放弃。
用书信为主（也有祖父的遗嘱）来交代一切故事背景、情节很新颖。

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lot of letters between friends - could have said as much in less but there you go!
So far, Mr Lovelace has been introduced to Clarissa's sister when really he meant to be introduced to Clarissa; he therefore turns the sister down and turns his addresses to Clarissa, who is not interested. Sister Bella is not happy with this and joins forces with spoilt, selfish brother James who is displeased that Clarissa has been left independent property by their grandfather - property that would normally have gone to him. Between brother and sister they conspire to convince their parents that Clarissa should marry the hideous Mr Solmes; when Clarissa refuses she finds herself in isolation with her whole family turned against her and her only means of communication with the outside world being the letters to her friends, sent by means of secret delivery.
The first volume ends with Clarissa under no illusions that she WILL be marrying the dreadful Solmes.

As I said, lots of letters about how Clarissa is not interested in either Lovelace or Solmes but has been manipulated by her siblings into a regrettable position. Interesting and an easy enough read that keeps the interest but could have been condensed with no real loss as there is a lot of repetition.
Looking forward to the next volume.

[Scott Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having just forced myself to finish Vol.1 of this novel, I can't imagine reading the remaining volumes despite the fact that so much of the drama seems to lie ahead. This first volume seemed like an interminable self-examination of several characters getting nowhere in their argument about the appropriateness of a suitor. In the end, they all come across as whiny, self-absorbed prats. It felt droning and repetitive.

[Amy Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not going to tell you this is the most scintillating thing ever written, but it is an interesting look into the development of the novel. This one is in epistolary form. RIchardson was a big influence on Jane Austen.

[Niniva · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bid longer than...

The writing is very well done, the drama very thoughtful, and impressive way put together with letters. However, the main body of the drama and arguments draw much over and over and sometimes overwhelming.

[Diana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well - not for me!