Gwendolen

by Diana Souhami

Gwendolen, an exceptionally beautiful, young upper-class Englishwoman, is gambling boldly at a German resort (winning big, then losing just as soundly) when she learns from her twice-widowed mother that their fortune has been lost. The eldest in a family of sisters, Gwendolen is now responsible for all of them, and, though a fine archer and rider, she has little more than her good looks to offer. When an extraordinarily wealthy aristocrat proposes marriage, she accepts, despite her discovery of an alarming secret about his past.

This novel is Gwendolen's passionate later-life letter to the man she did not marry, and reveals what happened across the brutal and transformative years of her early twenties. That she is also the heroine of George Eliot's novel Daniel Deronda (and is writing to Deronda) will intrigue and delight legions of Eliot fans, but debut novelist Diana Souhami has brilliantly and movingly breathed fresh life into a classic in ways that will appeal to readers entirely unfamiliar with Eliot's fictions.

"A bold feat of imagination . . . . Intriguing and moving: a fictional recovery of the woman's interior experience . . . and a powerful meditation upon the nature of creativity. Both an arresting interpretation of George Eliot's work and a compelling fiction in its own right." -Rebecca Mead, author of My Life in Middlemarch

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Victorian, Historical, British Literature

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2014

About the author

Diana Souhami was brought up in London and studied philosophy at Hull University. She worked in the publications department of the BBC before turning to biography. In 1986 she was approached by Pandora Press and received a commission to write a biography of Hannah Gluckstein. Souhami became a full-time writer publishing biographies which mostly explore the most influential and intriguing of 20th century lesbian and gay lives.

She is the author of 12 critically acclaimed nonfiction and biography books, including Selkirk’s Island (winner of the Whitbread Biography Award), The Trials of Radclyffe Hall (winner of the Lambda Literary Award and shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize for Biography), the bestselling Mrs. Keppel and Her Daughter (winner of the Lambda Literary Award and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year), Gertrude and Alice, and Wild Girls: Paris, Sappho, and Art. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Helen Rudolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful reimagining of George Eliot's Victorian novel, Daniel Deronda. But it not only retells the story of one of the main characters, Gwendolen Harleth, it innovates by introducing the novelist and her circle of real friends and characters, and places Gwendolen, after the novel ends, among them. It also relinquishes the hero of the book to a subordinate role that heretically actually works better in plot terms than the original...though no-one writes better than George Eliot. The device of making Eliot a character in the book enables the author to create a distinctive voice from George Eliot's unique authorial voice.

Told from Gwendolen's perspective it is beautifully and sensitively imagined and appears impeccably researched. It is an infinitely better book than the Austen project offerings so far which seem to be trying to achieve a similar experience in terms of Jane Austen - and I recommend it - whether you already love George Eliot's work or simply in its own right.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have not read 'Daniel Deronda' by George Eliot, and after this novel, I perhaps won't. The cover screamed of a novel about a feisty young woman challenging her time and becoming a woman in the Victorian age. Yet Gwendolen was anything but a woman, she was selfish and spent the entire novel worrying about events only in relation to herself. She tried to justify marrying her husband by saying that she was saving her mother, but she only decided to say yes when it seemed that she would be forced into employment. Even then she spent the rest of the novel whining about it, playing the martyr, "Look what I did for others! Give me a gold star!"

The whole letter was written to Daniel, but I never understood why Gwendolen loved him so much, he never seemed overly affectionate toward her, nor was there a single event that I can remember when he sparked such feeling from Gwendolen.

All in I thought the whole idea of a love letter was different, but that Gwendolen as a narrator really hampered the impact, and there was a lack of emotion from the whole narrative. Beyond selfish martyrdom that is...

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a Goodreads First Read - thanks to Quercus for the giveaway.

An intriguing novel - Gwendolen Harleth, the heroine of George Eliot's Daniel Deronda, retells the story of her great romance from her point of view.

Gwendolen's thoughts and emotions are skilfully conveyed as she relates the events of her marriage to the repellent Grandcourt, and her encounters with the great love of her life. The style is elegant and precise, and creates a poignant sense of regret and loss. The character of Gwendolen is well-developed but Deronda himself is quite a shadowy character, rather priggish, and we mainly see him idealised through Gwendolen's memories. The portrayal of Grandcourt is more defined and interesting. The author also ingeniously weaves historical events and people, including Eliot herself, into the narrative, and this gives some colour to a rather bland plot.

This will appeal to readers who love the novels of George Eliot, as it adds another dimension to the story.

[Melanie Coombes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many people may be familiar with the book Daniel Deronda by George Eliot. This book was told from the point of view of Gwendolen, one of the characters in that book.

This whole book is basically a love letter that was never sent to the only man she loved, Daniel Deronda. Instead she marries another man who treats her cruelly yet she always yearns for the man she truly loved.

The story was very well written. However, after the middle part of the story and when Gwendolen leaves Genoa to return to England, I felt the story dragged a bit and seemed to be 50 pages of her pining away for Daniel and constantly trying to figure out what to do with her life. Maybe that could have been condensed a bit. However, I only vaguely knew the story of Daniel Deronda, but I was so absorbed in this story and very happy to enjoy it. I received a complimentary copy from Librarything Early Reviewers.

[Nini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recieved this book through first reads. It isnt the sort of story I normally go for but I fancied a change and the historical aspect of the novel appealed to me. I enjoyed the book and did come to like Gwendolens character, the historical aspect of the story was done very well. Overall I think that taking this famous story and seeing it through the eyes of another character is a very good idea. Although it made for a nice change it didnt always find the story gripping but that is just due to my personal prefences as the book was well written.

[Jack Bates · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more. I like Souhami's biogs, she's a good writer.

And it's not that this is badly written. As an idea for a book it's perfectly fine (taking a character from another book and exploring their backstory - in this case, Gwendolen is a character from Daniel Deronda, an Eliot book that I have never read. All I know about it comes from the John Sutherland essay, in one of his 'literary mystery' books, which is called something like 'Is Daniel Deronda Circumcised'. Anyway, I know more about it now).

But.

I don't know, it didn't really work for me. Gwendolen spends a lot of time telling us how beautiful she is which, let's face it, is annoying. It's a little bit repetitive, and as it's first person we're always hearing G's thoughts which are not necessarily interesting or edifying.

But the worst thing (for me) was the Shetland pony 'scenario'. G's family have no money, so she doesn't have a horse, even though she loves riding and etc. It's suggested she ride her cousin's (I think) Shetland pony. This does not appear to be a joke. Her cousin is not eight years old. I don't believe Shetland ponies were bigger in the 19th century. An adult wouldn't ride one, surely. Especially not a 'tall and beautiful' adult such as Gwendolen. It made me suspicious of everything else that happens, which may be unfair. But there you go. (I know Shetlands are very strong - so doubtless they could carry an adult - but you'd look ridiculous, right?)

Also, like another reviewer, I admit I found the cover a little misleading.

[Laurie]

Gwendolen is written in the form of an undelivered letter to her love Daniel Deronda. The letter recounts her life beginning from roughly the time just before she makes eye contact with Deronda while gambling feverishly at a roulette table in Homburg, Germany, to when Gwendolen is probably in her late twenties to early thirties. Gwendolen Harleth is witty, bright, full of verve, beautiful and desirable to nearly every man she comes into contact with. Nevertheless, she's aloof to the idea of marriage, but her family's recent financial downturn resultant from their land agent's negligence necessitates that she accept the proposal of Henleigh Mallinger Grandcourt, a man she neither loves or feels affection for, but whose riches can save her family from certain destitution. Repulsed and dejected by the idea of marriage to this man she runs away to Homburg with vacationing relatives and tries her hand at roulette where a man, Daniel Deronda, watches her scornfully and repulsively from a distance. Gwendolen is disturbed by this man's judgment of her but is somehow equally charmed by him. She becomes so entranced by his gaze that her winning streak is lost along with her money. In a desperate attempt to acquire the much needed funds to help her family, she pawns a necklace given to her by her long deceased father, only to have it returned to her with a note from Daniel Deronda. Although she can't seem to dismiss her thoughts related to this man, she is beckoned to return home immediately and face the inevitability of her circumstances, betrothal to Grandcourt. Gwendolen's instincts are correct. Grandcourt expects subservience, is abusive and taciturn, and harbors a ghastly secret. As she goes about life with her brutish husband she retains hope by reflecting on her one true but unrequited love interest, Daniel Deronda.
Overall Gwendolen was an enjoyable read. I wasn't initially pulled into the story, but as it progressed I found my interest piqued and was held almost to the end. The reason I say this is because there were characters introduced closer to the end of the book that I neither connected with nor particularly cared about. Perhaps this was because I wasn't acquainted long enough with them, or they weren't developed enough for me to become interested in them or see their relevance to the overall story. This is where the book began to drag a bit to me; to become disjointed. I would have appreciated it more had the last 40 pages or so of the book been condensed or perhaps omitted. However, I still think the book was well written and altogether noteworthy. The chronicling of Gwendolen's adventurous life, along with the many initial friends and acquaintances that were a part of it certainly made for entertaining reading. Although she struggled much with decisions she'd made, I liked that by the end of the book she seemed to have matured to the point where she was finally at peace with herself and was able to put her internal demons to rest and get on with her life. If you enjoy historical novels you will probably like Gwendolen.
Thank you LibraryThing and Henry Holt and Company for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Catherine Siemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this version of Eliot's Daniel Deronda from Gwendolen's point of view. I should say that I own two sequels to Daniel Deronda called Gwendolen, this one published recently, and the other, anonymously authored, from 1878. (I have only been able to bring myself to skim that one, as Mirah dies, Deronda converts back to Christianity, and the Victorian conformity which this novel wonderfully sidesteps comes right back into place, as Anglican Widowed Daniel can marry Gwendolen. Ewww.)

The typical critical response has always been that the Gwendolen parts of the novel are the best. I love her to bits, but I disagree -- sure Daniel is a bit of a judgmental prig, but he's interesting. Like Eliot's Dorothea Brooke, he's looking for some kind of meaning, and some kind of transcendence, and he finds it in discovering that he's actually Jewish (the circumstances of his birth having been kept from him). I mean, this is a Victorian Novel, and the hero is all "yay! I've just found out I'm Jewish! Yay!" which is not the kind of thing that happens in most Victorian novels.

But then there's Gwendolen, who's kind of like the pretty anti-heroines who Eliot clearly dislikes, like Rosamund Vincy and Hetty Sorrel. Except she's more self-aware than they are, and so limited by her circumstances, like Dorothea Brooke, who Eliot and I both adore. Souhami's retelling has a nicely feminist ending, involving a friendship with the real Eliot and more importantly, women's rights activist Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon, who crusaded for married women's property rights. (Up to this point, when you married, everything belonged to your husband.) So I like that, except that this sort of thing happens pretty often in neovictorian novels.

I liked the narrative voice, but I wasn't really convinced by it. Souhami and I love some of the same characters -- Sir Hugo and Hans and Rex, in particular. But Gwendolen's obsession with Daniel starts to ring wrong to me. I think it's absolutely true she is hoping they will end up together, and is disappointed at the sudden turn of events of his marrying Mirah and going off to the Middle East. But I also think that, priggish and judgmental as Daniel can be, he does care for Gwendolen and he is honorable and would keep his promise to write Gwendolen. The interior life of the characters feels subtly off, at least to me. I do like that "Mrs. Lewes" suggests she thought that Gwendolen and Rex might get together after all (I always wondered that, too, though honestly he's her first cousin so really better not) but she sees that's not happening. That's a pretty cool metacommentary.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Deronda is not one of my favorite novels. The titular character comes off as too saintly and characters like that are awfully dull to read. They should never be made the central figures in books unless we see their progression from soiled and difficult human beings like the rest of us towards spiritual or mental elevation.

So Ms. Souhami gives us a different slant on the character by taking us deep into the mind and realm of Gwendolen Harleth, the woman who touches Deronda’s life but whom he can’t bring himself to love or marry. Her charm, beauty and presence are heavily emphasized even as Gwendolen herself comes to the gradual realization that such attributes will buy her little in life except a rich husband if she is lucky (and desperate enough) to snare one.

The book reveals a young girl, initially of no deep thought and only vaguely realized aspirations. Any artistic bent she has is ruthlessly squashed by one Mr. Klesmer, who gives her blunt criticism that doesn’t sugarcoat her mediocrity, worth only as an ornament and inability to endure the years of disappointment, hard work and single-minded devotion that is necessary to achieve any kind of success in the arts. His character, as well as others, comes to make us realize how much of an insult it can be to state of a woman merely that she is “beautiful”.

This novel then gives us an in-depth look into a woman who will never be a heroine, artist, proper wife or gracious hostess. With all the wealth that she possesses, she has no desire to host a salon for poor artists, give to charity or feed the poor. The author manages to make us sympathize with Gwendolen nonetheless. She is a woman who is first a victim of her time—constrained by her social status and upbringing—who then becomes a powerful human being in her own right. She throws off the desire to be defined by others, to live according to the dictates of society. She turns into a person we can respect and admire.

The novel is excellently written with impeccable detail to surroundings, characters, social gatherings and Gwendolen’s own inner thoughts. Even though it remains a vast love letter to a man who will never receive it, it is ultimately Gwendolen’s story and hers alone and thus a fascinating, scintillating vision of a woman who finds her inner strength and accepts her place in the world.

[Andrea P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read

This is a bit of a difficult book to review, I got through it very quickly but I am still unsure of my true feelings about what happened. I found at times I was losing interest in the characters and I just found that despite this being a quick read it was easy to lose my place and forget what had happened earlier on. The thing that had caught my attention was that Diana was bringing back to life characters from George Eliot's Daniel Deroda, and it was what made me want to read this book, but I think I need to know a bit more about that novel to really like this story.

Gwendolen was a character that I just could not connect with at all and I just did not like, I just felt that the way she was portrayed was not in the best light at all. Even though Gwendolen has fallen in love with someone else she marries a rich man to help keep her family afloat, that one thing is what is good about Gwendolen. Throughout the story she seems to look back on her mistakes and you see many of her regrets. The worst part of the story to get through was the interactions between Gwendolen and her husband Grandcourt.

Grandcourt has so many secrets that are hidden until Gwendolen actually arrives into the house and she learns that not everything is as it seems. Grandcourt seems to be sweet as he is courting Gwendolen and then learns that it is an act to get what he wants and from there he becomes a tyrant and Gwendolen is scared to be in her own home. Everything about how Grandcourt treated her was hard to read about, and it actually made me want to stop reading. Most of the novel is Gwendolen writing to Daniel and telling her about these brutal years of her life.

She does grow a bit over the course of the novel and learns how to take care of herself and not have to be dependent on others, that was one thing that I did enjoy... by the end of the novel Gwen had taken it upon herself to get out of a disaster of a marriage. This book sadly did not end up being one for me and it is one I sadly can't recommend to people, it just was not a book that catches attention easily.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy from Henry Holt and Company, through Goodreads. This review reflects my own opinions about the book.

This book is a letter written to George Elliot's Daniel Deronda from Gwendolen Harleth/Grandcourt. Gwendolen tells her story and the abuses she had to live through while married. She remembers her asking and wanting Deronda to save her from her life, but being refused. Hers is a story of love that endured but never materialized. Gwendolen becomes a widow while the London Suffrage Movement is on its way; and she is pulled into London’s artistic society, which includes Mrs. Lewes (Geoge Eliot) character. Support from new friends help her find herself in a world she had forgotten how to be a part of. Though Gwendolen recognizes that she will never be the girl she was before marriage, she does not regret it and strives to find her place in a quickly changing world.

I found this book a slow read, but very refreshing. A lot of book set in the 1800’s are about the Beau Monde and requited love. It was enjoyable and frustrating at the same time to read Gwendolen’s story. It brought to life how truly restricting a woman’s life was int he late 1800’s. Many woman’s lives were ruined through marriage, and it was a great relief to see the Suffragists come forth. Gwendolen to me was a more realistic portrayal of a woman’s life at the time. You couldn’t help but just wish for Deronda to save Gwendolen. You could’t help but despise Grandcourt. You couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Gwendolen’s mother. You couldn't help but understand Deronda. And, you couldn’t help but fall in love with Gwendolen’s friends.

Why should you read this book? This book has so much women empowerment in it, even though it is portrayed in the subtlest manner, Gwendolen’s mind. It offers you a view into the life of women in the 1800’s and makes you question the fairytales of London’s High Society. It is an enduring story that will stay with you for a long time.

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I want to thank Henry Holt & Company for "Gwendolen: A Novel" in which I won through Goodreads Giveaways.

I was quite excited to begin reading "Gwendolen" as I had already read "Daniel Deronda," and also had seen the BBC production as well. However, I feel, as a reader, it would have been best had I not been so familiar with these characters or the storyline. As sadly, the first three-fourths of the novel felt almost like a total reiteration of "Daniel Deronda" and the general assumptions most of us readers had already made, but now expressed in Gwendolen's own words. After, Grandcourt dies, the novel takes a complete turn when Diana Souhami actually creates a brilliant banter between the protagonist and Mrs. Lewes, who is actually George Eliot, the author who creates Gwendolen to begin with. It's as if, Mrs. Lewes is studying and analyzing the character's depth, perception, and how far she can really develop Gwendolen's ability to grow into someone who is not so superficial, or transitory...Even, Gwendolen admits these same conclusions within the storyline. You do see some growth in Gwendolen's character, when she begins to evolve through Hans, Mrs. Bodichon who is so involved with women's rights, Paul Leroy, who involves Gwendolen in the arts, and even Daniel Deronda, himself, whom she comes to realize is an impossible dream and will never afford her the happy ending she so struggles to find. The ending was also open ended with a daughter, named Lucy who finds and scatters several pages of what seems to be a memoir Gwendolen is writing. I would have liked to find out how she came to be finally married again. As a reader, I felt Diana Souhami should of ran with the last part of the book, which was original, ambiguous, and so much more her own creation. Grant you, George Eliot's "Daniel Deronda" is a hard act to follow, and I admire Diana Souhami's undertaking!

[Caroline Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwendolen is a retelling of George Eliot’s classic Victorian novel Daniel Deronda and finally gives a clear voice to its ill-starred heroine. The novel opens in Gwendolen’s perspective, her story told from the space of the many years since Deronda forsook her for another woman.

When Gwendolen, her widowed mother, and sisters are forced to take up residence in the country, the beautiful, spoiled, and willful girl is the talk of the small village. She quickly begins to experience the harsh realities of the real world and as her self-esteem tumbles, she is forced into circumstances beyond her control: marry a man she despises or become a governess. She chooses the easy path with her marriage to Henleigh Grandcourt, a cruel, vindictive man who seeks to crush the very life out of her. Her one consolation is the thought of Daniel Deronda, the ward of the wealthy man, and her imagined knight-in-shining-armor.

George Eliot’s portrayal of Gwendolen is of a juvenile egoist who ultimately redeems herself at the end of the novel. Gwendolen seeks to give a deeper understanding to the flighty, sharp, and wholly self-absorbed girl and does so with sympathy and clarity. Gwendolen’s redeeming quality is her own self-loathing; she knows she is a bad person who will be punished for her misdeeds. She resigned to this fate but eventually determined to become a better person for it. The only caveat in her portrayal is her rather quick assertion that she loves Daniel; it is clear that Gwendolen does not have a large capacity for love, and so the love-at-first-sight trope is difficult to digest. However, Gwendolen is a fascinating literary novel that attempts to breathe humanity into one of literature’s maligned heroines.

For more historical fiction reviews, check out my website: Caroline Wilson Writes.

[Daný · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diana Souhami's novel Gwendolen is a response to critic F.R. Leavis's comment that the best part of Daniel Deronda is called Gwendolen Harleth. Souhami returns to George Eliot's co-protagonist, unnamed in the title of her novel Daniel Deronda, and writes her life.

I read Daniel Deronda several months ago and admired the book immensely. Unlike Leavis, I did not get bored with the sections about Deronda and while I enjoyed reading about Gwendolen, too, her flightiness regularly annoyed me. Because I was familiar with the original novel to which Souhami's neo-Victorian adaptation returns, the first two-thirds or so of this book didn't draw me in. It was a different side of the story, yes, but one which Eliot already powerfully implies. Only when Souhami moved beyond the story of Eliot's Daniel Deronda was I really intrigued.

I find it hard to say something about how the story might be experienced by readers unfamiliar with Eliot's nineteenth-century pre-text. Souhami inserts a fair amount of seemingly anachronistic detail, especially in the outspoken female characters she writes about in the final third or so of the text. On the other hand, it is also the time of suffragettes and other campaigners for women's rights, so the twenty-first-century voice Souhami sometimes seems to assume does not sound very much out of place.

I found this a pretty-well written novel but, for me, it depended too much on Eliot's original.

[Karen M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture a time when a beautiful, flirtatious young woman could still be so naïve of men and marriage that she believed her soon to be groom would keep his distance and shared her distain for marital intimacy. A time when women were treated as chattels, possessions, goods to be decorated and paraded about in public but to be possessed and dominated by their husbands behind closed bedroom doors. A time when women had no rights or escape from their lives except through death.

Gwendolen is beautiful, young, English and in need of a wealthy husband. Her mother, half-sisters and she are newly impoverished through bad investments and someone must rescue them from this disaster and so she marries.

Gwendolen’s story is told as letter to the man whom she believes she should have married, Daniel Deronda, a character created by George Eliot who also appears in Gwendolen’s story.

The book is sprinkled with actual people who existed which always makes a story more interesting. It is a charming take on an existing book by a well-known author and it’s very well done. I do have to say Gwendolen’s pining for a man with whom she believed she was in love does take a stretch of the imagination since she barely knew him or saw much of him but it is a romance after all and one has to make allowances for love.

I enjoyed this well written historical fiction which took me back to a time when women were very limited in life choices but yet our heroine finally freed herself of convention and soared.

I won this book in a First Reads giveaway.

[Mirella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwendolen by Diana Souhami is based upon the classic novel, Daniel Deronda by George Eliot. The novel is written in an epostilatory style as the main character, Gwendolen, is writing a letter to the man she has been obsessively in love with for years. In her story, she reveals the horrors of her unhappy and abusive marriage. I have never read the classic, so I have no pre-conceived expectations about the story.

The first half of the novel started off well, introducing Gwendolen who is gambling and meets Daniel Deronda for the first time. Their first encounter introduces Gwendolen's unrequited love that will endure an entire lifetime. Her love is never fulfilled, however, when she learns her family has become impoverished and she must marry well in order to take care of her widowed mother and younger sisters. She marries a wealthy and titled nobleman who soon becomes overly controlling and very abusive.

I found the first half of the book gripping and definitely a page turner. The pace in the second half of the story slows down a bit and changes course from action to deep introspection and self-appraisal on Gwendolen's part. She reflects on her life, her love, her husband, her fate. The character of Daniel Deronda was never fully developed, but I found him interesting and I would love to have learned more about him. This was a very interest, albeit unusual novel. It has intrigued me enough to read one of George Eliot's novels.

[Detrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have our secret ambitions, dreams, hopes and ideas about what our lives should provide us with. What we tend to not consider is how our need to take care of others and our ability to love even oneself can lead us down a path that detours from our personal sense of wellbeing. This is what the story of Gwendolen is about. It is about the idea that every decision that we make can change our loves but it is completely up to us how we adapt, change, and heal from our lives experiences. Gwendolen touches on subjects of love, physical and mental abuse, hope and the Zen of finding one’s self.
I have to admit that the book seemed to start off slow to me, yet when I really started to enjoy it I realized that I was watching someone grow in all of the ways that we women grow. I enjoyed the way that Souhami made you learn to love her heroine. It was like watching the birth of a woman who became a free thinker and learned that is was okay to lover herself.
I have to admit that I have not read George Eliot’s novel Daniel Deronda but it is on my reading list now so that I can update this review. Great read!!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 I was given this book from a GoodReads give away for an honest review. I knew going in that it was based on a character from Eliot's 'Daniel Derona'. Loving the time period was not enough to overcome not having read 'Daniel Derona' first. At first I hated Gwendolen, then I started to like her, thinking she would at some point come out of her selfish fog and take Derona's advice to help others. Even though she comes out of her bad marriage being more healed and whole, she never captures what Derona predicts for her. Thank god he didn't marry her. Perhaps lovers of Derona will enjoy this alternative story. To me the second half of the book took us on a pointless tour of famous people of the period, with little basis to string them all together.

[Kathleen Yohanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Gwendolen by Diana Souhami very much. It gave me a different perspective of life in the 1800's and especially the restrictions put on woman and the total control husbands had over their finances. I also enjoy historical fiction and this book was quite different from life often portrayed in historical romances. I gave it four stars.

I received this book for free from the Goodreads First Read program.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an innovative story using the characters from George Elliott's 19th century novel Daniel Deronda (it might also inspire readers to read the original classic). Told from the perspective of the main character, Gwendolyn, the reader learns of her unhappy marriage to a cruel and sadistic husband. Also, of her unrequited love for another man.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwendolen is a pretty independent young woman who finds herself penniless and in need of caring for her mother and sisters. So she marries a wealthy man who turns out to be despicable and feels like a prisoner. The novel is about a character from Daniel Deronda and the author imagines what became of her after Gwendolen left the book. I enjoyed it.

[Caroline Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for the Historical Novel Society. Will be posted in February 2015. Until then, please visit my website Caroline Wilson Writes for more historical fiction reviews.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a First Reads books I received at no cost.

Did not enjoy this book. At all. Gwendolen was tiresome, whiny, and just plain annoying. Found myself not caring what happened to her, and struggled to finish this book.

[Caroline]

I have so many things I want to read right now and after 50 pages it is irritating me somehow. I haven't read Daniel Deronda so maybe that is why I can't bring myself to care about this person, she is rather unappealing.

[Linda Gaines · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really was fun reading this novel just after I'd finished Daniel Deronda. This modern novel gives some new imaginings on Gwendolen's life and what could happen after George Eliot's novel. In fact George Eliot is even in this novel.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat take on George Elliot's Daniel Deronda--written from Gwendolen's point of view. Gets tedious, though, especially when you already know how the story goes.

[Kelly Buchanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, but left wishing for more. See my review on LibraryThing: http://www.librarything.com/work/1535...

[Dr Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Eliot meets Mills and Boon. A tender distraction from the challenges of ordinary life.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received Gwendolyn through Goodreads First Reads! Thank You!! At first I did not like Gwendolyn. However I found the end very interesting!! Gwendolyn is a Good read.

[Andréa]

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.