Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Lifted Veil by George Eliot


My interest in the horror genre, gothic or otherwise, is slim. I’ve read a few of the classics like Frankenstein and some well known short stories by Edgar Allen Poe and Roald Dahl but that’s it. The Lifted Veil intrigued me because it isn’t what one would expect from George Eliot. Firstly, I’ve never known her (In case you didn’t know, Eliot is a woman. Her real name was Mary Ann Evans) to dabble in the paranormal before and secondly, this is a novella, from a writer who is known for HUGE books with multiple storylines and a gazillion characters.

The story begins with Latimer, the narrator, predicting his own death in chilling detail. He knows when and how he will die and he knows exactly how it’s going to feel. From here on, we travel back in time with Latimer to when he was a little boy, adored by his mother and ignored by his father and step brother. Physically and mentally weak, Latimer is forced into studies he does not enjoy and finally sent to Geneva. While there, he falls gravely ill. He survives the illness, only to realise that it has changed something within him. He can now look into the future and into people’s souls. To Latimer, this ability is a curse that makes him privy to the tortured souls of everyone around him and alienates him even more from his near ones.  The turning point comes when he sees and falls in love with Bertha, his brother’s prospective wife. The cunning and coquettish Bertha manages to keep her soul hidden from Latimer. He has a peek into their future and what he sees there horrifies him. But seeing the future doesn’t mean he can change it.

The story is pretty fast paced and well executed. It reminds me of Frankenstein in a way, mostly because both stories are narrated, in first person, by their tormented protagonists.  Eliot manages to create an eerie atmosphere and a sense of impending doom from the very first page onwards. However, it is very hard to sympathise with any of the characters, not even the wretched protagonist. His constant lamentations about his weakness start to get a bit tiresome after a while. But this is just me nitpicking really. Overall, the story makes the impact that it is aiming for. While it is more ‘Supernatural’ than ‘Horror’, it does manage to give you goosebumps.


10 comments:

  1. I didn't know George Eliot had ever written anything like horror! You learn something new every day :P

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  2. Wow--I don't think I've even heard of this George Eliot novel. Who knew? I've tried reading a couple of her books and never managed to finish one, despite my love of other 18th & 19th century writers. Maybe I'll give this one a try once my TBR stack has shrunk a bit. BTW, you've got one of the labels for this post spelled incorrectly.

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  3. I have yet to read a work by Elliot-I have Middlemarch on my to read soon list-maybe The Lifted Veil might be a good start-I have been having fun reading pre-WWII era paranormal short stories the last few weeks.

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  4. Sam I was quite surprised myself, when I found this book.

    As the Crowe Flies and Reads Oops! I didn't realize the spelling error. Eliot is a bit hard to get through but this is a pretty small novella so might be easier.

    Mel U me too. The R.I.P event has thrown up a lot of paranormal stories that I wouldn't normally go for, but I'm liking it now.

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  5. I hadn't heard of this book either. You're so focused on a few well-known titles (MIDDLEMARCH and SILAS MARNER in this case) by well-known authors that I guess you tend to overlook the not so obvious books. I will have to go in search of THE LIFTED VEIL.

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  6. This one sounds pretty interesting and I wouldn't have to commit to an Eliot tome.

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  7. This is one of the last George Eliot things I haven't read (other is Daniel Deronda). I'm glad it didn't totally suck. And good on her for trying other genres.

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  8. Prashant too true. Also I think you will find The Lifted Veil on Project Gutenberg, if you don't mind reading it online.

    Chrisbookarama its a relief really to read an Eliot book that isn't going to take you a year :)

    Alice I agree. Its very adventurous of an established writer to venture outside his/her comfort zone. This one actually didn't suck at all.

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  9. I really want to read George Eliot at some point. Maybe this is a good idea...

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  10. Kailana this is a good piece of work but it isn't indicative of her usual style.

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