Customer Reviews

Belinda (Everyman Paperback Classics)

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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I know. No one ever wants to read a book for class. But in my 18th Century Women Novelists class we read Edgeworth's _Belinda_ and as a self-indulgent lover of romance novels, I found this to be right up there with Devereaux and McNaught. (I know...I wince as I even type their sacred names...much less dare to compare their masterful works with a 200 year old novel). I promise, this book is a treat and a treasure. _Belinda_ is the story of a young woman who is entering her first season in London under the tutledge of Lady Delacour. Delacour is a classic yet entertaining example of the creation of a facade. We all knew people like her in high school. Other characters include Mrs. Freke (pronounced "freak") who duels with pistols and dresses in men's clothing--now keep in mind this is the 18th century. She was supposed to be wearing a corset and some petticoats. Then there's Lord Delacour, who can't decide if he's a whipped husband or the lord of his manor, or if he should just have another drink. The entire story revolves around the theme of how life and people are not always what they seem. It also touches upon racism, sexual identity, gender roles and self-image of both women and men. But the delightful discovery of a character as intelligent and resourceful as Belinda makes this book truly worthwhile. She is cut from the same mold as Austen's Elizabeth Bennet or Emma-- she learns from the follies of others and in the end becomes a very admirable character that the reader is, well, proud of. After a semester of women ruined by this lord or that one, finding Belinda restored my battered sense of pride in my ancestral gender. I recommend this book to any one who likes Austen, anyone who loves a good romance--of course she falls in love!-- and most of all, anyone who has had to read a doldrum of a book for class and needs some restoration.

Belinda is Edgeworth at her best -- full of social comment and satire, gender- and other kinds of politics. It's great to have this novel in print, as a companion and contrast to the very dominant Austen. But I have to say this edition needs reworking; not only are there typos, but the notes are very spotty. Example: one character plays an early form of roulette, called E.O.; do we get a note on social attitudes to new games of chance other than cards? No. Further example: a character goes to visit the Chevalier D'Eon. Do we get a note explaining that this is a real person -- a crossdressing swordfighting real person?!!!!! No. Shame, World's Classics! How can you expect people to keep reading the notes when they're no help?

Belinda was a good read, but beware when considering purchasing the paperback version from Seven Treasures Publications. This is an absolutely-no-frills version. There is only the text of the novel, and it looks like it was created from an OCR scan of the text. There is no introduction, no forward and there are no explanatory notes at all. Also, there are many instances of what must be a letter mis-read by the scanner: numerous instances of "he" instead of "be", etc. This is distracting but with a little perseverance you can get through it.

Also, this version claims to contain "the complete text of the controversial original first edition." I am no expert, but other sources indicate one controversy to be the marriage of Juba (a black Jamaican servant) and Lucy (a white English farmgirl). In this version, Chapter XIX has Lucy marrying James Jackson, which reportedly distinguishes a later edition that removed the Juba-Lucy union to please Edgeworth's father.

I invariably fall for an idealized heroine who must meet life's challenges and learn life's lessons as she waits for her Prince Charming to wake up. Belinda is a delight. However, the hardbound copy which I received for Christmas only included the first half of the book! I have written the publisher, and received no response--this is a mystery. I would have liked to give 2.5 stars to represent the half of the book received.