This was surprisingly amazing. It took a bit to get used to the language, but once I did I could not put it down. The narration was interesting and funny - I wasn't expecting that a book from the 1870s would constantly break the fourth wall and talk to the reader. I just loved how the narration explores the complexity of everyone’s thoughts - the book is all about the way people see the world. It’s surprisingly relatable.

The plot was fun too. From the first book, you could see that Dorothea’s marriage plan was going to crash and burn, but it was fascinating to watch. Then by the time you get to the Dorothea/Will Rosamund/Lydgate Mary/Fred love stories and the convoluted plot with Mr. Bulstrode - you just have to know what happens next. I ended up loving a bunch of characters from this town. The examination of marriage is both super pessimistic, but parts of it are also optimistic. It’s also surprisingly relevant to today - dealing with issues of housing and fever hospitals. One of my new favorite classics.