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Romola Kindle Edition

3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 384 ratings

George Eliot's (pseudonym for Mary Ann Evans) own favourite among her novels and one her most ambitious and imaginative ones, "Romola" is set in Renaissance Florence during the turbulent years following the expulsion of the powerful Medici family during which the zealous religious reformer Savonarola rose to control the city. 

At its heart is Romola, the devoted daughter of a blind scholar, married to the clever but ultimately treacherous Tito whose duplicity in both love and politics threatens to destroy everything she values, and she must break away to find her own path in life. Described by Eliot as 'written with my best blood', the story of Romola's intellectual and spiritual awakening is a compelling portrayal of a Utopian heroine, played out against a turbulent historical backdrop.

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  • Customer reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 384 ratings

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George Eliot
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Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 - 22 December 1880; alternatively "Mary Anne" or "Marian"), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She is the author of seven novels, including Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Silas Marner (1861), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), Middlemarch (1871-72), and Daniel Deronda (1876), most of them set in provincial England and known for their realism and psychological insight.

She used a male pen name, she said, to ensure her works would be taken seriously. Female authors were published under their own names during Eliot's life, but she wanted to escape the stereotype of women only writing lighthearted romances. She also wished to have her fiction judged separately from her already extensive and widely known work as an editor and critic. An additional factor in her use of a pen name may have been a desire to shield her private life from public scrutiny and to prevent scandals attending her relationship with the married George Henry Lewes, with whom she lived for over 20 years.

Her 1872 work Middlemarch has been described by Martin Amis and Julian Barnes as the greatest novel in the English language.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Swiss artist Alexandre-Louis-François d'Albert-Durade (1804-86) [Public Domain], via English Wikipedia.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
384 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and easy to read. They appreciate the author's knowledge of Renaissance Florence and religious movements. The historical background is well-drawn, creating a moving sense of realism and emotion. Readers like the main characters and find them interesting. The spiritual content is impressive and insightful, with deep insights into human nature. Overall, customers describe the book as an enjoyable read set against the backdrop of 15th Century Florence.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

10 customers mention ‘Readability’7 positive3 negative

Customers find the book well-written and easy to read. They appreciate the author's knowledge of politics and religious movements of the time. The book weaves together the political, spiritual, and intense religious aspects in a subtle yet effective way.

"...Bernardo del Nero, Valori and Savonarola himself are convincingly drawn...." Read more

"...Ingenious for a writer, made even more so by a woman of her time." Read more

"Unreadable, disappointing. I have read Middlemarch with great enjoyment so this was a surprise." Read more

"The author is really well versed in the politics and religious movements of the time. It was nearly too much for me at the start...." Read more

7 customers mention ‘Era’7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's evocation of Renaissance Florence. They appreciate the historical background and moving sense of realism. The story is described as splendid, multi-layered, and great.

"...the introduction and copious notes, was formidable and well applied to sketching the scenic and atmospheric canvas against which her characters move...." Read more

"...people - some very dangerous people too - around her, add a very moving sense of realism and emotion to this incredible novel...." Read more

"A wonderful evocation of Renaissance Florence and a subtly effective weaving together of the political, the spiritual, and the personal...." Read more

"...His story is intertwined with that of the charming, unscrupulous Greek stranger, Tito Melema and the people he manipulates on his rise to power and..." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Character development’5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's character development. They find the historical characters interesting and like the main characters. Readers appreciate the impressive historical research.

"...Real historical characters such as Machiavelli, Bernardo del Nero, Valori and Savonarola himself are convincingly drawn...." Read more

"...The personal stories of Romola and all those interesting people - some very dangerous people too - around her, add a very moving sense of realism..." Read more

"...Eliot’s historical research is very impressive." Read more

"...Eliot makes fifteenth century Florence come to life with a huge cast of characters...." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Spiritual content’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the spiritual content impressive and intellectually challenging. They appreciate the author's deep insights into human nature and the truthful epistle. The book covers topics like politics, spirituality, and personal experiences.

"...research, as demonstrated in the introduction and copious notes, was formidable and well applied to sketching the scenic and atmospheric canvas..." Read more

"...The woman Romola remained the truthful epistle as her male counterparts encountered Papal and Roman iniquity...." Read more

"...and a subtly effective weaving together of the political, the spiritual, and the personal. Eliot’s historical research is very impressive." Read more

"Very hard to read but immensely impressive at least intellectually...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it an enjoyable read set in 15th Century Florence with realism and emotion.

"...book by Eliot is no as longer popular as it used to be but it's really worth reading if you wish to experience Renaissance Florence in all its..." Read more

"A thoroughly enjoyable read, set against the backdrop of 15th Century Florence...." Read more

"...it is very well written, as expected with george eliot, and very enjoyable." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2013
    In many ways I think Romola represents the finest flowering of George Eliot's genius. Admittedly readers have to surmount some early obstacles in the shape of Eliot's renowned erudition transmitted through the medium of the heroine's scholarly father. Other barriers to some readers these days will be the long periods of writing, characteristic of Victorian prose, but perhaps more difficult to surmount by readers brought up in the epoch of the bullet point, punchy brevity and filmic cuts. But the reward more than matches the effort. In essence the tale follows the journey of Romola and Tito from the Tuscan (almost paradisal) "primavera" of youthful innocence along the arc of their inner and outer development as they come to terms with the realities of mundane existence. But their journeys, first imperceptibly, then markedly, take very different routes: the one to the left hand of the anti-hero's descent into corruption, ambition and destruction; the other to the right hand of suffering, loss, the long night of spiritual despair leading to new strength, recognition and conquest of reality and a new pattern of existence. Savonarola's Florence makes a fitting backdrop for their individual struggles. Savonarola himself is shown as representing within his own struggle both the high and low roads, the lure to mundane power (even if as a means to spiritual ends) and the striving to spiritual grace. The historical background is well sketched. George Eliot's research, as demonstrated in the introduction and copious notes, was formidable and well applied to sketching the scenic and atmospheric canvas against which her characters move. Real historical characters such as Machiavelli, Bernardo del Nero, Valori and Savonarola himself are convincingly drawn. George Eliot cannot entirely prevent her didactic edge occasionally dominating her narrative, or a Victorian tendency to maudlin sentimentality in picturing the "ideal" of the pure heroine or the cliched axiom of the ideal goal of the happy family. But these are much more well-controlled than in, say, Dickens or Austen. In all, it made a greater impression on me than some of her more famous works, which seem parochial, both in terms of setting and ideas, by comparison. A great work by a great spirit.
    21 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 March 2017
    Plenty of historical references drains the interest of the book
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 April 2021
    This classic is read much like the writer would want poetic licence. The woman Romola remained the truthful epistle as her male counterparts encountered Papal and Roman iniquity. Ingenious for a writer, made even more so by a woman of her time.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2024
    The author is really well versed in the politics and religious movements of the time. It was nearly too much for me at the start. However, interest in the plight of the main characters took over, as Tito, the male character, plunged inexorably into difficulties, whilst Romola, the female, stood strong. There are a few coincidences which have to be accepted, but my interest in the story was such that I found it easy to forgive. With pared down politics, this would make a great film.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 June 2013
    I love George Elliot esp Silas Marner. But I found this book completely inaccessible. Very disappointed as I hoped I'd be enjoying a great historical novel by a great writer. For academics and masochists only IMO
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2018
    This book by Eliot is no as longer popular as it used to be but it's really worth reading if you wish to experience Renaissance Florence in all its religious and political intensity. The personal stories of Romola and all those interesting people - some very dangerous people too - around her, add a very moving sense of realism and emotion to this incredible novel. I would especially recommend this novel, if like me you love Renaissance art.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2020
    Unreadable, disappointing. I have read Middlemarch with great enjoyment so this was a surprise.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 March 2020
    A wonderful evocation of Renaissance Florence and a subtly effective weaving together of the political, the spiritual, and the personal. Eliot’s historical research is very impressive.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Mari
    4.0 out of 5 stars Autentico
    Reviewed in Spain on 3 March 2021
    Esta en inglés
  • AleQ
    1.0 out of 5 stars edizione fotostatica non integrale
    Reviewed in Italy on 9 August 2020
    ho restituito per la prima volta un libro elettronico... l'edizione è una copia fotostatica ma ci sono solo alcune pagine o non sono nell'ordine giusto (comincia a pagina 116, per dire).
  • Jayant Grover
    5.0 out of 5 stars You get it free here its good
    Reviewed in India on 17 July 2020
    Great book by great author one should get it
  • PRL
    5.0 out of 5 stars We can expect nothing less than brilliance from Eliot
    Reviewed in the United States on 28 February 2014
    Historical fiction set in Tuscany for George Eliot? Yes, quite a departure from her pastoral English classics. The first quarter of "Romola" could be considered tedious as Eliot creates the backdrop and sets the table for future events. The payoff, though, for the reader, is a tale of such brilliance as can only be written by few novelists who've ever picked up the pen. Recommended for people who enjoy classics and have the patience to put in the work necessary sometimes when reading great literature.
  • Barsha Sahoo
    2.0 out of 5 stars Used copy received.
    Reviewed in India on 16 December 2021
    Its a used copy in good condition but I paid for a new book as mentioned in the book description.

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