Riddle’s Reviews > Cecilia > Status Update

I will have to read the book again at a later date because of how inflamed my emotions are right now. It was a complete five star for the longest time, one of my favorite books of all time, until I got to Book VII; I hate that relationship dynamic more than the English language will allow me to convey. It's only because I loved the rest of the book so much, and that I adore the author, that I will try it again.

I am glad she found a friend in both Miss Belfield and Mrs. Delvile, though I was tempted to put the book down after her last interaction with Mr. Harrel. I also haven't had an author make me laugh this much since Austen.

"Ah," said Cecilia to Mr. Gosport," but for your explanatory observations, how much would the sudden loquacity of this supercilious lady, whom I had imagined all but dumb, have perplext me!" p. 323

Mr. Harrel and Sir Robert are some of the most annoying characters I have read about recently. It's also interesting to see the complexities Burney has given to her characters, such as the revelations Cecilia has discovered about her best friend and the effect time and displacement can have. I am loving both the story and her writing so far; I just love the 18th century English she uses.

I can't help but chuckling every time I read the word white domino.

Some possible light spoilers. Not too far, but I love it already. The characters, especially Cecilia, but also Harrel and Monckton, have me interested. The plot sounds fascinating: an intelligent, but socially naive lady, will have to learn to navigate a new and complex social environment after the death of, what I can discern, her last living relative. This is the first novel I have read from her and I love it!

I have only read the first chapter so far but I am loving it. I liked the setting, I am fascinated with the characters, and I absolutely love the older English prose that she and others like Jane Austen use.