مرتفعات ويذرنج - كلاسيكيات مبسطة

by Stephanie Baudet, Arianna Bellucci (Illustrator)

شعرت بأصابع يدي تلتف حول يد صغيرة متجمدة من البرد، ففزعت وحاولت سحب ذراعي، لكن تلك اليد تشبثت بي.
وإذا بصوت غريب يحدثني قائلاً: "دعني أدخل".
منذ سنوات عديدة أتى صبي صغير مشرد يدعى هيثكليف إلى مرتفعات وذرينج، وبمجرد أن كبر عزم على الإنتقام وتدمير كل من حوله.
هناك أيضاً روح وحيدة تجوب المروج الخضراء أملاً في لقاء حبيبها.

Genres: Classics

111 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

I'm the author of over 50 books for children plus an historical novella for adults.

I have been published by such companies as Puffin, Andre Deutsch, Hamish Hamilton, Cambridge University Press, Anglia Young Books and Poolbeg Press, and I'm currently working on my third series for Sweet Cherry Publishing.

I have been teaching creative writing, as well as copy-editing and proof-reading, for over 15 years, and also do manuscript appraisals at very competitive rates.

Please see my website:
http://www.stephaniebaudet.co.uk/

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here we go again! Another disappointing 2 star classic from Stephanie Baudet featuring outdated writing styles and themes of incest (i think, the plot was so confusing.) I'm glad no more of Miss Baudet's classic adaptations are on NetGalley, as don't think I can read one again! I don't what is about these novellas. Maybe its just the fact that i cannot get on with classics, I don't know. But one thing i'm sure about is that this book is not suitable for children. The way it was written made the plotline confusing, even for me, who is not within the target audience for this book. I do wonder if the original is better, or even more confusing. I will definitely give that a try at some point!

Sorry this review is so short, I can't really explain how I feel about this about this book in too many words.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free copy of this novella.

[Amber Coulson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved the story of Wuthering Heights since I was introduced to it. It is an enduring work that, though often romanticized, is a story of how two people and their obsession for one another can ruin the lives of so many around them. It’s the anti Disney story when read in it’s entirely and not cut off at the midpoint like so many movies have done.

I could not wait until my niece was old enough to read this book on her own so when I saw there was an adaptation for children I was extremely excited. Upon receipt of the book I immediately began reading it with her and she was very interested. The photos help to keep the child engaged and also gives them a visual guide to keep up with the revolving door of characters.

Although lots of things were taken out to keep the book concise enough to hold the attention of children I think it kept just enough to make the novel make sense to younger readers. Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised with how well done the book was and how good of an adaptation this turned out to be.

If you’re a fan of Wuthering Heights and wish to share it with younger readers I would recommend this book as a good into to the original tale.

[Eve · Rating 1 out of 5]

I often have a hard time reading classics for multiple reasons: the writing is often blocky, the language is hard to understand, and they're often quite dull. I was expecting, since this is a children's book, to no longer face those issues...I was wrong.

It was hard to keep track of everything that was going on, it felt as though information was just being thrown about willy-nilly. It also would have benefited from being simplified. I really don't know how children are expected to understand what was going on when even I can't. Another thing to note is that there were quite a few spelling errors (unless it was just old timey speak? And if so, that should have been scrapped right away). I can't say I know much about Children's fiction, but I feel as though Adult themes such as violence certainly should not be included...this book did not shy away from it.

I did not like this book nor do I think it is suitable for children.

I volunteered to review a free ARC of this book for NetGalley.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Sweet Cherry Publishing for a digital review copy via NetGalley of ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Brontë. It was adapted by Stephanie Baudet and illustrated by Arianna Bellucci.

From the publishers: “Many years ago, a young homeless boy was taken in at Wuthering Heights. Older now, Heathcliff is set on revenge, and destroying everybody around him.
And there is a lonely ghost roaming the moors, who is determined to be reunited with her lover …”

This book is part of Sweet Cherry Publishing’s The Complete Brontë Sisters Children’s Collection intended for readers aged 7-11, though it is suitable for readers of all ages as a simple introduction to these classics.

I will admit that while I am familiar with ‘Wuthering Heights’ and seen a film adaptation, I have not read the original novel. However, I have read other retellings by Stephanie Baudet and feel that she is skilled at conveying the essence of a classic novel in a manner suitable for her intended readership.

Arianna Bellucci’s illustrations are sweet and were a lovely addition to the text. I especially liked the family tree at the start that helps to keep track of the characters and provides dates of birth, death, and marriage.

As with all of Sweet Cheery editions the book includes a QR code that links to a free audiobook download. This allows the reader to listen while reading; a useful tool for building young readers’ confidence.

Again, a book and series that I am sure will be of interest to parents, educators, and librarians. The other books in the series are: ‘Jane Eyre’ by
Charlotte Brontë and ‘The Tenant of Wildfell Hall’ by Anne Brontë. Both are also adapted by Baudet and illustrated by Bellucci.

[Jacq.and.the.readstalk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 A great and concise way to bring classic literature to early readers.

The illustrations are perfect to capture children's engagement.

It's pretty basic in the storytelling, of course it's not going to be as substantial as the original, but for kids it is a good summarization. Kudos to the author for adapting such a powerful, dark, and melancholy story into something simple and easy to read for youngsters. Also great as a quick refresher if you need to know the basis of the classic.

I hope Baudet's novel gives its readers the interest and the urge to find out more and to read the original tale. Everything is diluted for a much younger audience or for people who have difficulty reading the orginal text. Because of this the characters are slightly understated.

Thankyou to Netgalley and and Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Condensed and illustrated adaptation suitable for children aged 7+ to get a feel for the story without being overwhelmed by the language. Maintains the integrity of the original whilst being more accessible for younger children

[kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

---

I love that Sweet Cherry Publishing is taking so many classic novels and turning them into easy readers. I don't personally believe in generalizing things as being inappropriate or not when it comes to classic novels because it really depends on the kids. I just love the idea of making these books more accessible to younger readers as it will hopefully open a door for them to read the actual books later on.

This was okay for what it is. It does a good job of getting down the overall plot but I feel like something is missing here. So much of Wuthering Heights is the emotions of the characters and it really feels like all of that was glossed over here. I never felt any of the emotions of the characters in this especially from Cathy and Heathcliffe which I feel is the most important part of the original novel.

The art in this is cute but I do wish they actually made Heathcliffe a POC. I know this is something that is still debated on whether or not he actually is a POC but there are references to his dark skin and he's called black in the original so I would have liked that reflected here as well.

This is a really cute introduction to Wuthering Heights (and I can't believe I just said cute and Wuthering Heights in the same sentence but here we are) but overall feels lacking compared to some of the other Easy Classics I've read.

[BookwormCat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

Minus one star for butchering some of my favorite quotes!

What a pleasant surprise! I was expecting yet another adaptation that cuts out the second half of the book. But this short children’s adaptation is basically a short summary of events in WH. It does exclude a lot of course, but the main plot points are gone over.

There are brief mentions of child abuse, death, spousal abuse, death, gambling, drinking alcohol and more death.

Unfortunately like all adaptions this one just can’t reproduce the beauty of Emily’s prose. No one can.

As I listened to the audiobook, I obviously didn’t get to see the illustrations that are included so no rating on that.

Read by Rachel Beresford. She was a little slow reading so I speed it up to 1.10. This made the 45 minute book even shorter.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

After taking a few classic English courses for university, I'm loving diving into the classics. So, of course, seeing different versions of the classics makes me excited. Intertexts and adaptations can be so intriguing! Why not pick up a classic that is labelled "easy" and see what I get out of it?

These stories take a long classic that might not be easy to understand and condense it down to about 30 pages or so. This take was interesting and definitely made me want to jump back into the classic instead. If that was it's intention, it did it well! It peaked my interest.

I wouldn't say it's the best adaptation, but it's definitely one way to get people reading the classics again.

Two out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the children’s versions to see if I will like the full book. Didn’t feel this one

[Katey Lovell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adaptation was abridged so much it was nigh on impossible to keep track of the cast.

[Kate Keaveny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This retelling of Wuthering Heights is prefect for both younger readers who want to get a feel for the classics or for older readers with a lower reading age. For children who want to know the story of Wuthering Heights but would find the original too difficult this is the perfect starting point. The story is told with clarity that allows the reader to understand the complexities of relationships, betrayal and revenge. The illustrations add to the story and the family tree at the start helps the reader further.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wuthering Heights is a hard book to get through, like really hard. I remember reading it in high school and after each chapter, I would read spark notes so I knew that the heck was going on. These easy classic series is perfect for young people who want to read classics but feel intimidated or overwhelmed and don't know where to start. I loved the illustrations and the story was easy to understand.

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to start by stating two facts;
1) I've never read the original Wuthering Heights
2) I have reviewed many of Sweet Cherry's easy classics.

Now, I need to state that I didn't like this adaption.

(please note there are spoilers below)

I still like the pictures at the start of the text to help differentiate from the people within the booik - however the family tree on this made it seem as if all of the characters within the book were literally related (though I am aware that the heir to her fathers estate later in the book is a cousin of hers and just... not needed in a reworked text in 2021) - and that made it confusing even as an adult. I have no idea how any children will come into this book and not be confused by the familial set up of this text.

Secondly, I feel that it was too condensed. Scenes jumped from location to location and seemed to think that you had read the original text and skipped too much of the information that was actually needed considering I hadn't read Bronte's book and as such I spent a good part of the book thankful that I had at least seen one of the movies of it. There is taking out the language of the 1800s, and just taking away the plot. Though, if you are going to remove as much as you did - please take out the weird incest-like plots and unneeded language and phrases from then. We have moved on...

I just.. there is no way I would buy this for my nieces and nephews where so many of the previous books that I have reviewed, I've been eyeing for Christmas for them (Pride and Prejudice and A Christmas Carol especially). Sad. I really was hoping to love this.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 3 out of 5]

In adapting Wuthering Heights into an Easy Classic for children, Stephanie Baudet does an exceptional job of keeping some beautiful language, while distilling it down to the basics of the story plot. I chose this book out of curiosity, as I really couldn't remember much more than the names and places of the original story from my school days. It was an interesting refresher on the overall plot for me and on the whole, well done. I'd expect this would be very helpful to someone having trouble with the original or who wanted a clear, basic distillation of the plot.

The illustrations were clear and fun, the storyline wasn't as dark or scary as I'd have expected from my memories of the actual book, and the author did a good job of helping keep the relationships as clear as possible. I think it is a difficult and mildly dreadful story, adapted to easy understanding in a skillful way. With the plot boiled down only to the essentials, it didn't seem like such a worthwhile tale, and really not something I think children would get much value out of.

As a former English major, I certainly studied Wuthering Heights in school and spent time writing various essays about the dark natures and relationships it depicts. I'm not sure that I loved it then. That does make it a little more difficult for me to love and recommend the children's version of the same story.

[adaynasmile · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Wuthering Heights. I am not sure what it is about the book but I have read it several times over the years. So when I saw that there was an abridged version that was written to make the story more accessible to a younger audience.

To be honest, I felt as though this book was more like a summary than an abridged re-telling. It had the essentials of the story, but I didn't feel as though it had the emotions of the story. While I understand that it was written for children and therefore some of the emotions of the original would not be appropriate (honestly, this is kind of a weird story to abridge for kids anyway), but I do not think I would have liked the story had this been my first introduction it. Wuthering Heights is a complicated story of love, the choices that we make, and how those choices impact our own lives and the lives of our loved ones. This is a concept that is hard to translate to younger readers, and I do not think this author did a good job of it.

Are the essentials present? Yeah. I suppose they are. Do I think this is a successful abridgement? Not really. I would not recommend this book.

*I received a free digital copy via netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights tells the tragic love story of Catherine and Heathcliff. Heathcliff was brought to Wuthering Heights as a child, after Mr. Earnshaw found him on the streets. Cathy and Heathcliff quickly became friends and fell in love. However, many things drew them apart. Now, years later, Heathcliff is devastated by Catherine’s untimely death and is waiting for the day that he can join her again.

This was a great, condensed version of Wuthering Heights. When I first read the original in high school, I had a difficult time figuring it out. I’ve read it many times since then, and I know the story very well. This simpler version could help modern readers, either adults or children, to understand the story.

I liked the illustrations that went along with the story. The only part that I found inconsistent with the original story was that Heathcliff had the same skin colour as the other characters. Multiple times throughout the story he is described as having dark skin, so I wish this was depicted in the illustrations of the story.

This Wuthering Heights adaptation is a great way to learn this classic story.

Thank you Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: It was a mistake to walk the four miles across the moor to Wuthering Heights.

Premise/plot: Stephanie Baudet has adapted Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights into an illustrated chapter book. The jacket copy reads, "adapted and illustrated for children aged 7+".

Wuthering Heights is a classic told within a framework. The same is true of the adaptation.

My thoughts: Hate is a strong word. And it's not a kid-friendly word. I know a few households where the word 'hate' is a "bad word" and not allowed. Yet. I hated Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. I have reread it once? maybe twice? Nope. Nope. Still nope. I see nothing beautiful, romantic, redeeming in its dark pages.

Yet now and then a summary of Wuthering Heights proves useful. I didn't like the actual story/storytelling of the original novel. But I liked this summary of the original story well enough. (Did that make any sense???)

I would recommend it for adults that want a refresher course on the book. Perhaps before deciding if they want to read or reread the original. I don't think this is a story that is appealing or appropriate for children.

[Nessa Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Wuthering Heights multiple times. It's my favorite book and I love the complexity of the story and darkness of the characters.

This adaptation kept the story in tact while simplifying it for children. It moves on quickly from the darker segments of the story while still acknowledging them as part of the story.

•The story was published in 1847. So the story is a reflection of its time.

•Multiple characters in the story are physically and verbally abusive. This adaptation acknowledges that while not giving uncomfortable detail.

•Yes, young Cathy marries one cousin and then her other cousin when the first dies. But even in the 21st century, first cousin marriage is legal in many countries (including parts of the US) around the world.

•Wuthering Heights has a lot of death. But the story is told over multiple decades and, again, in 1847, lifespans were not super long and severe illness was difficult to treat. So, yeah, nearly everyone dies.

This book did was it was designed to do: simplify a classic story for young readers. The problems people seem to have with this book are not specific to this adaptation; they are problems they have with the original story.

[Tacabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first read Wuthering Heights in university 25+ years ago, I loved the darkness and never ending drama between the characters. Upon reflection, I still love the book - it is a magnificently crafted story filled with, at best, flawed, or at worst, utterly unlikeable characters.

Stephanie Baudet has managed to adapt the complicated story into its essential plot points. It explains all the relationships between the characters, and the role each of them plays in the saga. However, it fails to evoke the desolate feeling of the Yorkshire moors and Cathy and Heathcliff's connection to nature.

Baudet has certainly made this classic novel accessible to a wider range of readers; I would certainly recommend it to older students who have been tasked with reading the original novel but may find it challenging for their reading ability. I would caution them that without Emily Bronte's hauntingly descriptive writing, they will have difficulty understanding the motivations behind the characters' actions.

Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a great retelling of Wuthering Heights and they have really managed to cover the story well in a select number of pages.

The plots main parts were all covered and you got to experience the relationships well. I would hope that this book would be used for children to read the full version at a later date having been tempted to find out more after reading this one as you could almost read it as a “highlights” book.

I liked the illustrations that were used to bring the book to life. The pot itself is quite completed with the various different relationships and the author has done a great job in my view.

It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended!

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars may make this look a failure – that it is an attempt to bring the original to a modern, young audience and that it doesn't work. But I dare say it does. The two stars are however my personal opinion, and they're based on the fact I think the original is an unreadable, meritless pile of cack, and have done so ever since secondary school demanded of me that I thought otherwise. I didn't find anything here to make me see it anew, for this was still so far removed from both what I want to read today, and what I wanted to read when I was the age of the target audience. I can't really blame the creatives here for that, but I still cannot recommend such turgid dross in any form on anyone. If you like that kind of thing, fair play, but include me out.

[Amy Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wuthering Heights (Easy Classics) was a modern and slimmed down take on the classic version. I started reading it with my 9 year old but she decided it wasn't for her after the 1st chapter so I finished it alone. I did read the classic years ago so I was fuzzy on the details. I did have some trouble following the back and forth and all the H names so I understand why the 9 year old gave up on it. Overall I understood the tragedy that unfolded as the book went on and I'm sure it's fairly closely related to the original work. However, I'd have a hard time recommending this book for elementary aged kids as it appears to be marketed for based on the cover.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did a great job of summarizing the highlights of Wuthering Heights without delving too deep. It explores some of the darker issues at hand in the text, but not in a way that is inappropriate for children. Given there are some elements that might not be appropriate for younger children (alcoholism, incest, etc.) I would recommend this book for older children and maybe include a message for parents. I didn’t love the illustration style - it seemed a bit too generic and I wish they had been more detailed, possibly with color as well.

Thank you to Sweet Cherry Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced copy.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite classic reads, with its wild moors and complicated love story. The raw and visceral love between Heathcliff and Cathy is laid bare. I was so excited to read this version for younger readers, but worried whether it could capture the same intense atmosphere whilst also making it appeal to a younger reader. I have to say, it is a wonderful edition. My almost 10year old was enraptured with the story. A little spooky and haunting without being frightening, with easily accessible language and beautiful illustrations. She is keen to read more classics like this.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll just say it right away, Wuthering Heights is really not a suitable book for children, no matter how you water it down and simplify it. The themes are just too dark. This abridgement lacked emotion, making it hard to connect to the characters. I personally did not like the illustrations and thought they contributed absolutely nothing to the book. It did give me an overall idea of what the real book was about, but I can look up a summary online if I want to.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for introducing classic literature to my middle grade students. The cover draws one in and would invite my students to pick the book up to learn more. I like the idea of starting with a book like this so that in later years it will entice readers to read the full adult version as well. I think this book is also great for adults as either a refresher or to encourage them to try the original novel as well. Thank you to Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a digital ARC of this book, thanks to NetGalley*
Who would have thought that this classic piece of literature could be crafted into a story that kids could understand? I think Ms. Baudet did a bangup job of capturing the essence of Bronte's story while making it accessible for children. The pictures were beautiful, and it's a great way to introduce kids to classic stories. Ms. Baudet has put it into a language that kids can understand, as well as adults who haven't read Bronte in a good long while! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it for kids.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Cherry has published a number of adaptations of the classics for young readers. Each story retains its essence with short chapters and illustrations. Wuthering Heights is competently told here and young readers will keep turning the pages. The intrigue of the original comes across. Some children will hopefully be inspired to read the full work when they are older.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Molly Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the idea of introducing children to classics, but even as an adult I found this difficult to follow. The writing felt clunky and I had difficulty keeping track of who the many characters were and what exactly was happening and why. It is written in first person narrative, yet never explains to the reader who that person is, it just jumps into the story with an illustration of a man. Maybe this classic is not the right choice for this kind of project.