Wuthering Heights, number seven on BBC’s list of the 100 best British Novels, is broadly considered one of the best novels ever written, with many readers listing it as a favourite. Not me. Rarely have I come across a novel with so little appeal. Unfortunately, it was part of my reading project, reading the best British books, which made me reluctant to DNF.
If you are one of the many people who adore Wuthering Heights, I suggest you skip this review, which – whilst being an honest review – has been written with some amount of tongue-in-cheek.
1. Synopsis
I assume most people are familiar with the plot, either from the novel or from the many film and TV adaptations. But just in case, let’s briefly set the stage.
Wuthering Heights is the story about the all-consuming love between the selfish, spoiled and insufferable Catherine Earnshaw and her step-brother Heathcliff, who is brutal, manipulative and revengeful. The story takes place at the wild Yorkshire moors, which some people find romantic and it’s generally considered having a dark, Gothic atmosphere.
2. What I didn’t like
I am aware, one can’t just dismiss one of the best books ever written without justification. I could probably write a long, tedious rant-review, but I think my dislikes can be summed up in the following points.
2.1 Narrative Structure
Wuthering Heights is narrated by the housekeeper Nelly. Or more accurately, it’s narrated by Mr. Lockwood, who recalls his time falling ill at Heathcliff’s house. Whilst recovering, Nelly tells him the story about Heathcliff and Catherine. Experiencing the story via these outsiders could in theory add an extra layer of interest, since they (in particular Nelly, who is closely connected to the characters involved), offer a highly subjective recollection of past events. However, the retrospective third person narration in this case was mostly a source of confusion and complexity and it introduced an unnessecary distance to the characters and the events taking place.
2.2 Characters
I don’t have a problem with unlikable characters, quite the opposite. When unlikable characters are well-written, they can evoke empathy, pity and despair despite their despicable behaviour. This can be very impactful. Sadly, I didn’t feel anything for the characters in Wuthering Heights. Their actions could to some extent be explained by their childhood (although, I do believe everyone has responsibility for their own life and you can’t just blame all your terrible actions on childhood). In any case, the characters weren’t written in a way which made me emphasise. Actually, most of them managed to make me want to slap them on at least one occasion, which admittedly is quite a feat. Whenever a character made a terminal exit from the storyline, I felt relief rather than sadness.
2.3 Closed circle – bordering to incestual – relations (not to mention the character names)
The two protagonists are step-brother and step-sister. Whilst strange, it didn’t particularly bother me. However, over the course of the story, we never move away from a very small circle of people, who all marry each other. This seemed too contained and at times rather confusing. See if you can follow this:
Catherine Earnshaw grows up with her brother Hindley Earnshaw and step-brother Heathcliff. As an adult, Catherine marries the well-esteemed Edgar Linton, whereas Heathcliff marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella Linton. Later on, the daughter of Catherine Earnshaw and Edgar Linton, who is also called Catherine, marries the son of Heathcliff and Isabella Linton, who is called Linton Heathcliff. After the death of the sickly Linton Heathcliff, Catherine Linton marries her other cousin Hareton Earnshaw, who is the son of Catherine’s brother, Hindley Earnshaw. This finally leaves Catherine the second with the name Catherine Linton Heathcliff Earnshaw, relating her to every single character in the book in more than one way.
2.4 Lack of plot engagement
I started reading Wuthering Heights in August 2024 and finished in March 2025. That says it all, really. The combination of having no interest in the characters and the weird narrative structure made me reluctant to pick up the book. In hindsight, this should definitely have been a DNF.
3. What I liked
Often, I’m able to appreciate what other people like in a book, even if it doesn’t match my own taste. However, my strong dislike for Wuthering Heights made me blind to all the literary qualities, which I am sure it possesses. I will give credit to Emily Bronte for making me dislike the characters intensely. It is certainly better than everyone being exceedingly bland.
Anyways. This was definitely a case of matching the wrong book with the wrong reader. Let’s leave it there.
I expect, few people will be sympathetic to my views on this classic, but it seems that Kathryn Hughes (British author, historian and critic) shares some of my opinions in this interesting article written for The Guardian.
Title: Wuthering Heights [1847] Author: Emily Jane BrontΓ« Format: Audiobook, narrated by Joanne Froggatt Genre: Classic
I only attempted WH once, as a teenager, and quickly abandoned it. I’ve not been tempted to put that right, even though I’m aware that books a teenager doesn’t appreciate can become beloved if tackled at a more stable point in one’s life. It’s a bit of a mystery to me why it’s become so beloved – especually of the Japanese. If you go to the landscape outside Howarth, you’l find the way marked paths in two languages: English and Japanese. Multi-langage signs are simply not a feature of Englsih walking route-signposting. I do wonder how many ‘fans’ have actually read the book. Anyway, I decided to stick with the walking route, and wrote about it here: https://margaret21.com/2018/07/28/wuthering-heights/
Judging from your photos, I would enjoy a walk on the moors a good deal more than reading the novel. Somehow, it feels wrong to see it in bright sunlight. A dark windy atmosphere would be more to the point (although not ideal for a walk). How funny that the sign posts are translated to Japanese, it certainly says something about the popularity of the book. Honestly, I feel bad for all the teens, who are forced to read the novel in school. As you say, it’s a novel, which may be easier to like, when you are a bit more mature. And it may put certain students off classics for life. Clearly, I haven’t matured enough as a reader to appreciate it. I guess, I could wait a couple of decades and try again, but doubt it will make a difference.
We’ll both ignore it together!
πAgreed.
I hated WH as a teenager, appreciated it better on my arcing read a few years ago. Like you I detested the characters. The main idea I recall from my second read was how hard it to to break a tradition of family violence.
I feel bad for all the teens, who have to read this in school. Surely, that could put people off classics for good. Of course you are right. If I look at it with somewhat more generous eyes, it is quite an unusual book, when it comes to structure, content and even characters. Still, didn’t like it. π
Thatβs fair. I donβt think it is a book for teenagers, either. Much better to study something inspiring or beautiful instead of putting people off of reading for life!
I had the best English teacher, who picked amazing books. We read The Day of the Triffids which remains a favourite of mine (admittedly the purpose for Danish students is to learn the English language, rather than study English literature)
You were lucky! Great teachers have an influence on your whole life.
Reading novels to learn English rather than literature is a distinction I wouldnβt have thought of, but perhaps you learned both with your English teacher π
Very lucky!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who didn’t like this book! I tried listening to the audiobook read by Patricia Routledge, who was brilliant. Then I tried the graphic novel but I still hated it and DNF’ed it. Too much shouting and teenage angst for my liking!
I listened to the audiobook, which was the only way. Wouldn’t have got through it in any other format. Haha, I should have listed that in my review as a separate point. Definitely too much shouting and melodrama!!
Hi. I sometimes wonder how books become so-called classics. Iβve read many little-known novels that I thought were better than a lot of βclassics.β
I wonder about that as well. If I look at Wuthering Heights with slightly more generous eyes, I can see it probably does something quite unusual. That doesn’t change the fact, it didn’t suit my reading taste at all.
Bored me to tears as a teen and I faked my way through the class discussion. Couldnβt finish it. No way am I trying again.
Haha, I’m glad not to be the only one struggling with this classic. It does have quite a high Goodreads rating though, so there must be lots of fans out there.
Stargazer, you are not alone. I struggled through it for exactly the same reasons as you!
Whilst sad you didn’t enjoy it, I am quite pleased not to be the only one struggling. It really puzzles me, why it is such a popular book.
I read it in high school and I’m not a fan either. I found it as boring as Jane Eyre. I can’t remember which was worse.
Wasn’t a big fan of Jane Eyre either, but I liked it a lot more than Wuthering Heights. I feel bad for all the students, who are forced to read this book in school.
I really liked Wuthering Heights, I was not keen on Mr Lockwood, but I liked Nelly’s telling of the story. I think I felt sorry for the characters, and I hoped they would all find a happy ending. π
It is good to hear, that you felt sorry for the characters. When an author can manage that with highly unlikable characters, they are doing a good job. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen for me, but is is good to have someone who liked the story joined in with comments. Thanks for stopping by!
Absolutely. π Thank you, I really enjoyed your article, you’re so right, the names caused a lot of confusion. π
I had an online character list next to me when reading to keep track of the names. π
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haha!! I agree with you on all points but I’m tempted to give it another go and see if I read it differently all these years later, may be with more understanding of Emily Bronte’s life and what she was trying and hoping to achieve!
Thanks Jane, judging from the comments we are not alone. If you read the novel is school, I could imagine, you may look at it differently now. To be honest, I don’t know much about the Bronte sisters. It can’t be ruled out that understanding more of the background would make me appreciate the novel more. I highly doubt I’d ever come to love it though.
While I enjoyed Wuthering Heights to an extent, I still agree with a lot of what you said. It took me ages to get through a single chapter and I just didn’t feel invested or connected to the book or the characters. I found it morbidly charming, and it was unlike any book I’d read at the time β but I don’t think I’m doing a reread any time soon. A very insightful write!
Morbidly charming – love that phrase. Looking at the novel with slightly more generous eyes, I’d tend agree with you. Not about the charming part, but it certainly isn’t like anything I’d read before. Thanks Deepthy!
Most of the people we know don’t like Wuthering Heights. Most of Kb’s students in his PhD courses don’t like it. We suppose that’s quite normal and mainstream not to like it. You can see it here in the comments as well.
We think the question of whether I like these classics or not is not intelligent. It is more interesting to see how new techniques such as narrative perspectives or plot design, for example, have been developed in a novel.
Anyway, Wuthering Heights is not popular.
The Fab Four of Cley
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That is interesting. I quickly skimmed the reviews on Goodreads. It seemed most reviewers enjoyed it and average rating was close to 4 stars (out of five). I completely agree with you regarding narrative perspectives, plot structure and what the author tries to say. Presumably, those are important reasons, why it has become a classic and why thousand of students have to read it in school. In a more generous mood, I do acknowledge it could be subject for some interesting discussions in the classroom. However, for someone like me, who reads for enjoyment, it definitely does matter (to me, maybe not to others) whether I like it. π Thanks so much for your comment, it is good to hear different perspectives.
I have heard much of what you say of WH, especially the unlikable characters and the repugnant Heathcliff., .. and I don’t doubt it. I have not tried WH yet in life which is quite surprising that I missed it in school. I think my high school teacher was caught up in a DH Lawrence craze.) Still I would like to read WH regardless to see for myself … it so happens that I read a novel this winter about the Bronte sisters (told from Emily’s perspective) titled Fifteen Wild Decembers that I really enjoyed and it leaves me curious about Emily … and Charlotte and Anne too.
Growing up in Denmark, I didn’t have to read it in school either. Which I am quite pleased about. If possible, I may have disliked it even more as a teen. It always helps to know some background about the author and the time they lived. I have considered reading more about the Bronte sisters. However, since I wasn’t a big fan of Jane Eyre and strongly disliked Wuthering Height, my motivation isn’t particularly strong. I would be interested to hear what you think of WH.
I am reading it right now so can’t wait to finish and read all the comments!! Catherine and Heathcliff right now are horrible people! I like Mr. Lockwood, though. So far. About halfway through.
I look forward to hear what you think. Hope you enjoy it more than I did. Haha, Mr. Lockwood was ok I suppose.
Such strong aversion! I love it! hahaha I can’t wait to give this one a shot nonetheless, probably before the upcoming movie adaptation set to release next Valentine’s Day π
Haha, I am glad my negative review doesn’t put readers off. On Valentine’s Day? Really? It’s not particular romantic in my view, unless you like toxic relationships… Anyway, hope you enjoy it more than I did! π