It has been awhile since I ventured into pre-1900 English fiction. It has also been awhile since I chose a book specifically because of its size. Picking Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now was an easy decision as I had been wanting to read a Trollope book for years, but as you can imagine, finding the time to fit an 800 page classic novel in between the many shorter modern ones I also want to read can be quite difficult. In any case, here we are, and I am ready to talk about this scathing look at 1870s England.The Situation: There are several characters throughout the novel that take their turn in the spotlight, but the main focus of everyone's attention seems to Augustus Melmotte. Though nearly everyone seems to agree that Melmotte has not exactly come about his money honestly, and they are also almost unanimous in that the man is a brute and uncouth, these same people still seem to desire his company as well as his business. Men are eager to be appointed to Melmotte's board for a railway that is to be built in America; everyone is clamoring for an invitation to a dinner he will be putting on for foreign royalty; and several eligible men are looking for ways to attain his daughter's hand in marriage. Melmotte's character may push people away, but his money - or rather the rumors about his money - keeps drawing them in.
The Problem: If Melmotte has earned his money by doing anything false, and evidence is brought against him, there are several people who, though they may not be ruined, will definitely suffer significant losses when it comes to money and reputation. Even so, while such a thing would prove terrible for some, many still hope to see the pompous and rude man fall. Beyond Melmotte, there is Lady Carbury, whose life's mission is to make sure her son Felix is settled comfortably, and her daughter is married. Unfortunately for her, Felix cares little for anyone else's comfort other than his own, and her daughter is insistent on not marrying the man her mother wants for her, a man with romantic troubles of his own. Melmotte's own daughter also desires to marry against her father's wishes, and only manages to secure the affection of Felix on the basis that she is to receive a large inheritance. Add in a few more romantic entanglements, some instances of fraud, and a beating or two, and you have a complicated tale of late 19th century England.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in and around London, England in the late 1800s. It has been labeled as a satire, with adjectives such as "scathing," "relentless," "unflinching," and "brutal" often attached to it. Trollope does not pull any punches when talking about the pervasive greed and hypocrisy of the "important people" in English high society. But it is not only the people that come under scrutiny, but also many of the laws, customs, and manners of the time. The matter of daughters having little agency of their own and often being subject to whatever their parents desire is a constant issue throughout the story. And Trollope manages to paint several of the single young men as idle gamblers with little more to recommend them than the salary they will make. Felix serves as the primary example of this as his only talent seems to be that of taking money from his mother and quickly losing it playing cards at the club. The author even goes so far as to have the main villain of Melmotte be elected to an important position in the English government, which can only come off as an indictment against that office. However, despite his rough representation of his own country, he does give most of the characters surprisingly satisfactory endings.
My Verdict: Yes, this book is long. Like Bleak House long. But also like Bleak House, it is worth it. The issue with many door stops is that there tends to be long moments of drawn out description (Les Miserables, I am looking in your direction), or equally long moments of contemplation or reflection (anything by Fyodor Dostoevsky would fit for this description). While The Way We Live Now is surprisingly light on the former, there is a good amount of the latter, especially near the end of the book. Overall, the action and general flow of the novel was effective in holding my interest, while leaving me thoroughly entertained as well as concerned as to what happens to several of the characters. And the characters he has created are not just greedy, or just selfish, or just hypocritical. Almost all of them have complex personalities and issues that make them fun to follow. If I had one bone to pick with the story, it is that some of the endings feel forced or generally not believable. I mean, if you've already gone on for 800 pages, why not spend a few more giving a little more attention to the ending?
Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* When Felix has his butt handed to him by the fiancee of the woman he has been running around with.
Favorite Character: Roger Carbury is the cousin of Sir Lady Carbury's. He may be rigid and unyielding in many ways, but most of them are noble, and he is often the voice of reason when it comes to Lady Carbury's affairs.
Recommended Reading: If you are ever in the mood for a long classic novel that may take you months to read, my favorite always will be Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. But if you want to stick with English literature, then I suggest Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
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