2nd copy: New Riverside edition, ISBN 0618107355 ( )

Seriously, this is one of the best novels we have in the English language. Anything I say could not do proper justice to it. ( )

Yet another book I've studied, so i've little memory of it, it was so long ago. I do remember liking it lots though. There, that's my analytical response. ( )

I'd never read any James before, but in his ability to depict interiority, he reminds me of George Eliot. And the first half of this novel is fantastic; I know why everyone is in love with Isabel Archer because I'm in love with Isabel Archer. The coolest character, however, is of course Ralph Touchett, the cynical invalid who refuses to let anyone know what he truly thinks on the inside, content to just disagree with whatever propositions everyone else brings up. What's unfortunate, given James's adeptness with character, is that we skip over a number of pivotal character moments, especially Isabel's decision to get married and the deterioration of her marriage, slipping to an outside perspective at this point. James cleverly brings us closer and closer to her over the remainder of the novel, but it was too late for me by then; I'd already lost the investment I'd made during the first half of the book. The central dilemma is fascinating, however: can a women remain aimless and independent? Not if she doesn't have any money... but not if she does have money, either. Man, it sucks being a girl.

This novel blew me away, made me cry, and left me slightly shattered. I loved it in the way I love a good Thomas Hardy or E.M. Forster novel. And if you know my tastes well, you’ll know that is extraordinary praise.

The lady in the novel’s title is Isabel Archer, a young American woman who, after her father’s death, is brought by her aunt to England. Before long, Isabel is pursued by multiple suitors, but she refuses to let herself get caught. She prizes her independence too much.

For most of the book, there is no great drama. People meet, they converse, they ponder the significance of their conversations. They travel Europe, meet new people, ponder the new relationships, and so on. The paragraphs are long, and the descriptions finely detailed. It’s almost all character development and very little plot. The last half of the book, however, is filled with heartbreak and even a bit of intrigue.

The Portrait of a Lady paints a sometimes grim picture of human relationships, both romantic relationships and those among friends and family, but there’s also reason for hope. In Isabel’s life, there are people who want her only as a prize, a portrait that they can hang on the wall and keep under their control. But there are other people who insist on giving Isabel the freedom she wants. So the question becomes, Which is which?

There’s a reason some books are classics. They address questions that won’t go away as long as there are people on the planet. The Portrait of a Lady is one of those books. Henry James has won me over.

See my complete review at my blog. ( )