1001 Books Round-Up April 2021

So the book cover probably gives away the fact that I only managed 1 book from the list this month but was it a winner or a loser?

Tackle the TBR – The Rainbow by D H Lawrence – What GR says: Set in the rural Midlands of England, The Rainbow (1915) revolves around three generations of the Brangwens, a strong, vigorous family, deeply involved with the land. When Tom Brangwen marries a Polish widow,Lydia Lensky, and adopts her daughter Anna as his own, he is unprepared for the conflict and passion that erupts between them. All are seeking individual fulfilment, but it is Ursula, Anna’s spirited daughter, who, in search for self-knowledge, rejects the conventional role of womanhood. Hmm I suppose so…

My Thoughts: I have now read 3 DH Lawrence books where he has decided to write from the point of view of women this is the most ambitious to date as he tackles writing from the perspective of not just 1 woman but of 3 as the family expands and the generations change.

As a woman reading this I failed to identify myself with any of the women described, that could be a place in history thing or it could be that Lawrence writes women as he thinks they are rather than as they actually see themselves but I am not sure on this. I will give him credit for avoiding heaving bosoms and hysteria but I knock points of for the fact that the women can be whiney and that they appear to define themselves in relationship to men.

Like a lot of fiction from the time this suffers from being overly wordy – I mean why use one word when ten will do just as well? The story is also character rather than plot driven I finished the book a few days ago and looking back I can’t really define any exciting moments or particular progress in the plot.

For me Ursula is the most exciting character despite having the same need to see herself in terms of the men around her she does break the mould and is prepared to go her own way rather than follow what society expects.

3 Stars – You are going to have to read Lawrence at some point to complete the list and this is not a bad place to start.

Have you read this one? Let us know what you thought.