Mathilda

"I was a creature cursed and set apart by nature", 18 December 2016

This review is from: Mary Shelley - Mathilda (Paperback)
Although the dark and turbid mindset of the heroine of this tale gives us an impression of the author's own feelings at this time (her son had recently died), as a work of literature I found this terribly over-the-top and melodramatic.
Matilda's mother dies shortly after her birth, and her distraught father goes abroad. For the next sixteen years the girl grows up in the care of a cold-natured aunt until finally, to her joy, her father returns.
(spoiler alert) After a few deliriously happy months in his company, he suddenly and inexplicably changes, becoming harsh and abrupt. When Matilda demands he tell her why, he show more at last reveals that he is in love with her. And here the whole thing just became ridiculous to me. Both parties decide they must never again meet; her father goes on to commit suicide. Matilda goes off to live in a cottage on a moor, where she adopts a nun's dress and talks interminably about her longing for death, unable to go back into society as "like another Cain, I had a mark set on my forehead to show mankind that there was a barrier between me and them." (Why? She did nothing wrong.)
As a description of profound, illogical depression, it has some merit, but I have to say that I found Matilda an unpleasantly self-obsessed tragedy queen. show less

I was promised a scandalous book about incest, and I instead got a Romantic treatise on suicide. So, this is absolutely going on every grad school syllabus on any Romantic era seminar.

This short novel was Mary Shelley's second book after Frankenstein, but due to its controversial themes, it was not published until 140 years later in 1959. It is a semi-autobiographical portrayal, with the roles of Shelley, her father William Godwin and her husband Percy Shelley taken by Mathilda, her unnamed father and her poet companion, Woodville. The controversy lies mainly in the theme of the incestuous love ("unlawful and monstrous passion") her father feels for Mathilda, which, not surprisingly, given that there is no suggestion of any real such impropriety, led to William Godwin refusing to return the manuscript to Mary for publication. Linked to this theme, the main thrust of the novel is Mathilda's despair and wish for death show more because of guilt at supposedly having provoked the unnatural love on the part of her father; it is a bleak piece of writing, penned by Shelley after the death of her two young children, one year old Clare and three year old William, which led to her temporary alienation from her husband. In sum, a morbid read, arguably significant more for its literary background than its intrinsic merit as a novel. show less

This may be one of the most Romantic books I've ever read. Romantic with a big R, not a little one. It's so packed full of feelings, melodramatic dialogues, and rainy moors, you'll be convinced Lord Byron is standing directly behind you.

In Mathilda, the title character narrates from her deathbed the tragic story of her life. Having lost her mother at birth, her father leaves her in the care of a cold aunt and disappears for 16 years. He returns, only to eventually confess a shocking secret that tears both of them apart forever.

Despite how the plot summary sounds, it's actually a pretty droll story. Not once did I really feel sad for the characters. Possibly because the entire time they were trying to tell me in excruciating detail show more exactly how sad THEY were.

I did a word count, and here is how often the following words were used in the story:

* Alas -- 24
* Agony -- 11
* Sorrow -- 28
* Misery -- 26
* Grief -- 48
* Bitter -- 30
* Tears -- 50
* Despair -- 52

And last but not least, the words death (59), die (64), or dead (23) were used for a combined total of 146 times! The book is only 144 pages long. Alas!

You can read my full review here: http://virtualmargin.blogspot.com/2011/08/mathilda-34100.html show less

Wonderfully lurid and disturbing gothic(ish) tale. But there's one point where the narrator says, "my story is basically over, and I'm not sure why I'm still writing," and I have to agree. The climax comes early, and the rest doesn't really measure up.

Mathilda, de opvolger van Mary Shelleys eerste boek Frankenstein, gaat over een jonge vrouw die haar moeder verloor toen ze geboren werd. De vrouw raakt onder de indruk van een knappe dichter, maar tegelijkertijd wordt de relatie met haar diepbedroefde vader ernstig verstoord door de dood van de moeder: de vader begint zijn dochter aan te zien voor zijn verloren vrouw. Een bezield, sterk autobiografisch verhaal over een vrouw die op een dappere zoektocht gaat naar liefde, verzoening en verlossing. (Goodreads.com)

Shelf Notes Review

Dear Reader,

Did I tell you how much I ADORE Melville House for coming up with a Novella subscription service? Each month, I get two small but colorful volumes dropped at my door! Just the right size, and I get to read some classic lit mixed in with all the other books I happen to be reading. Genius! Want to be included in the fun? Check it out here! The Art of the Novella. So yes, now that I have that out the way... I can tell you ALL about how this first Novella didn't quite strike my fancy, unfortunately.

Oh Mathilda, this one seemed promising but it became apparent early on that this was going to be very long-winded (even for a novella). Don't get me wrong, it was written beautifully (I mean it is Mary Shelley!) To show more be frank, the book started off pretty interesting but after the part with her father panned out and we met her poet beau, I found it downright dull. I can barely understand the idea behind her father lusting after her (super creepy). I mean yes, the father wasn't in her life growing up and I'm sure she looked quite a bit like her Mother when they finally met... but REALLY? To make matters worse, he made her life miserable because of his own guilt. The guy was a terrible human being, so why should I care that he met his fate tragically? I don't. It made me so angry that Mathilda succumbs to depression after he passes, she has the chance at a normal life but she is stuck under the shadow of her dastardly father.

It wasn't a waste to read this though, the book is quite unique and has a very interesting background story. Apparently, Shelley and her Father shared a different kind of relationship themselves (cough, gag). When Mary wrote this novel, her father (who was sent the Novella to be published) never allowed her to do so, saying that the themes were "disgusting and detestable". This Novella wasn't published until 1959, but was written 1819. The story behind the book is fascinating and definitely gives the book a little more depth. I can't wait to check out my next Novella, and I encourage you to join me in this endeavor.

Happy Reading,
AmberBug show less