Portrait of a Lady

Written by Henry James

Narrated by Cyril Taylor-Carr and The Oxford 8

Portrait of a Lady is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan's Magazine in 1880–81 and then as a book in 1881. It is one of James's most popular novels and is regarded by critics as one of his finest.

Henry James was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. A rare audiobook inspirational adventure!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Audio Arts
• Release date: Nov 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9798887675541

Henry James

Henry James (1843–1916) was an American writer, highly regarded as one of the key proponents of literary realism, as well as for his contributions to literary criticism. His writing centres on the clash and overlap between Europe and America, and The Portrait of a Lady is regarded as his most notable work.

Reviews for Portrait of a Lady

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Henry James pursuit of the exact meaning of his sentences does a great deal for his word count. None the less, he does convey nuanced communication. the portrayal of the principal character of this novel does leave me with a good deal of pity for the lot of even upper class women in the time period. Am I left with a number of clear and striking images from this effort? Sadly, not at this remove in time.

[mattviews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Henry James published THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY in 1881 with an aspiration to scale new literary height that would surmount DAISY MILLER. THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY dawns on his perception of betrayal. In this extremely poignant novel, James toys with the paradoxical idea that one can come to the full possession of his power only to realize that he really has no way out once he has lived long enough to achieve the goal. James's purpose of the novel is to show his heroine, Isabel Archer, confronting her destiny. When her aunt appears at the house and brings her to England, Isabel is in a situation to value any change that will rid her past. She is clever but not bookish; she has an immense curiosity about life and is constantly staring and wondering. Her presence at the Touchetts' residence in Gardencourt dictates an irresistible air of independence that is conducive to her strong but undemonstrative condition to control her fate. She is very fond of her liberty, as she has stated peremptorily from the very beginning, almost like an omen of her fate. The story of Isabel Archer is straightforward and nothing as complicated and melodramatic as that of the people surrounding her. The peripheral figures who supply the momentum of the plot also support the entire scaffold of the novel. Happenings of these peripheral figures construct Isabel's story. The importunate suitors whom she rejects constantly hover around her and create an effect that accentuates the assumption of a simplicity about her, whereas those who are to launch her on her destiny are relatively opaque and obscure. She is like an ideal entity that ambitiously but somewhat naively embodies a nobleness of imagination. She maintains an infinite hope that she should never do anything wrong. Her cousin Ralph Touchett almost plays the conscience of the novel as he gives up half of his inheritance to make her rich: Isabel is rendered independent in pursuing her exploration and enlightenment in life and is not put at the expense of anyone. He confronts her being obdurate in exploring something unknown and cajoles her that such persistence will only reap utter disappointment. But fate intervenes the stubborn mind in the shape of Ralph's friend, Lord Warburton, whose magnanimous offer she refuses at the revelation of her steel proof independence. Knowing his cousin's impregnable resolve to meet her destiny, Ralph wishes to make her rich and keeps her from marrying for money. He hopes he shall live long enough to see what Isabel does with herself, who lives too much in the world of her own dreams and has not enough contact with reality. Ironically her new fortune could have possibly shut her up more and bound her to a man to whose ego she succumbs and for whom she contrives to procure pleasure. His austerity, poverty, and loneliness, which Isabel associates to nobleness, interest her at first but manifest into an egotism that he takes as a personal offense of her having her own mind. In a way, Isabel's attempt to her fate ends up forfeiting it. His virtue implies a sovereign contempt for everyone. He has pointed out to her the baseness and shabbiness of life; he has opened her eyes to the stupidity, the depravity, and the ignorance of mankind. But he cannot tolerate her possession of her own mind. THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY paints the picture of the unhappiest of a woman whose fruit of life-long solitary experience turns out to be discernment of her short-coming. Her enlightenment is as hopeful an outcome as her poignant marriage: she must not lose all her life simply because she has lost a part. In her lonely search with an inquiring spirit, she finds herself always at the mercy of others less scrupulous than herself and those who confront her own simplicity and naiveté.

[bookangel_a · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Portrait of a Lady is the story of an interesting woman, an attractive woman with many "theories".Isabel leaves America to travel to England with her aunt, rejecting an offer of marriage from a good and successful man. She arrives at the home of her uncle and cousin, Henry and Ralph Touchett. In no time she has captivated everyone. An English lord proposes marriage to her, and again she refuses, saying she is not interested in marriage.Henry and Ralph are intrigued by their lovely relative who keeps refusing marriage offers from these very good, suitable men. When Henry is on his deathbed, he and Ralph decide to leave Isabel a fortune. With a fortune, she will have independence and the freedom to remain unmarried if she chooses. Ralph in particular is very interested in seeing what she will do with her life.Sadly, Isabel's life is not as easy or as happy as her friends had hoped for. What will she do with her life when her "theories" don't work out?This book was my first by Henry James. It was much easier to read than I expected. HJ does write very long paragraphs, but I got used to them. I like the way HJ pulls the reader inside Isabel's mind. The more I read, the more I was determined to find out what would happen to Isabel and her friends. There are a lot of great characters here, to analyze and enjoy. This is a book to sink your teeth into.

[paulagraph · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, now I've done that, read a long novel by Henry James. There were pleasures, but also annoyances in doing so (for example, almost everyone is designated as "poor" so & so, which really got on my nerves). In comparison to, say, George Eliot's Middlemarch, the characters here are less mulitdimensional. James famously dissects motives & character, but to what end? Except for Lord Warburton, the characters are all expatriate Americans,almost all apparently corrupted by long contact with Europe. The staunchest exemplars of the American "character," the journalist & America booster Harriet Stackpole & the American businessman, Caspar Goodwood, are hardly more likeable than the rest of the bunch. One is supposed, I imagine, to root for the "heroine" Isabel Archer in her attempt to learn all about life while maintaining "pure" motives & accepting the consequences of her own (bad) decisions. But even those who seem to wish her well (want the best for her) such as Goodwood, Stackpole & Isabel's cousin Ralph Touchett, nonetheless seem to see her more as an object of their own imaginations than as a real person. Manipulation of others to meet some desire of one's own imagination, to make of that other one's creature, so to speak, seems to be a major concern here. James is concerned with individual identity & freedom but not so much its social context, except where social means another individual's will. Oh yes, of course, money is a play maker as well. I kept trying to read a broader commentary on America versus Europe into the novel & I think it's there, with no compliments to either.

[mthelibrarian_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating to think about (and possibly disagree with) the heroine's choices throughout the book. I didn't love the ending, but I believed that Isabel would have made this choice. I didn't find this an easy or quick read; in fact, it took me most of a busy June to finish it. I started it in Modern Library edition (500+ pages) but was too overwhelmed by it and switched a to a Barnes and Noble edition that was a Nook freebie some time ago. Somehow the smaller e-page size was right for me with this book. It's fun to remember that the book originally was published in Atlantic Magazine and Macmillan's over the course of years - similar to how some Dickens novels were published. Members of book club who did not have time to read "Portrait" tackled the shorter "Daisy Miller" by Henry James instead; one of them liked it well enough to continue on to "Washington Square."

[jhudsui_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure why I ended up taking this book out of the pile my mom was throwing out. At the time I either thought it was important? Or I thought that she really liked it and wanted to read it because of that? I talked to her about it later and it turns out she was pretty indifferent to it, and so was I. Parts of it were well written, and I liked the ending, but 600 pages is way too long to spend on how little happens in this novel (three marriage proposals and one entirely unshocking plot twist, which is visible from miles away). Unlike Madame Bovary there was a point to the fact that nothing interesting happens; the author gives every impression of the belief that he's telling a legitimate story.

[amelish · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dear god, the last three pages!!! More than make up for the rest of it. No, make the rest of it worthwhile. No, are something completely different. No, are the natural result of what came before.

The introduction makes some confusing points, I think, including the assertion that it's very American to think in "types" of people. What, archetypes? Stereotypes? Musical theater? Hollywood? Flesh it out further, please.

Finally, despite Jane Campion's tendency towards emphasizing the sexy, I can't believe she cast John Malkovich as Gilbert Osmond. The whole point is that Osmond is cold, fastidious(ly evil!), controlling, withholding, etc. and I really don't see JM as any of those. If anything, he projects overbearing sexual creepiness and belongs instead in Les Liasons Dangereuses (not an arbitrary comparison).

Wait, he *did* play Valmont (Dangerous Liasons, 1988) and wore a wig in an Annie Lennox video. So where does that leave us?

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What can I possibly add that hasn't been said?Henry James has painted a masterful portrait of the life of Isabel Archer, especially her thoughts and feelings as she comes of age in Europe. And every character is similarly well drawn, vivid and real. I read mostly comtemporary fiction, so it took me a while to get used to the flow and cadence of this book; after about 100 pages, I couldn't put it down. The writing is so beautiful, with a flair for description so many of us have lost in this screen-based culture. As in real life, it is mainly the characters who carry the story, rather than the opposite.Isabel is a young woman with opinions and a strong sense of herself; one of the great heroines of classic literature. I only with Mr. James had shared with us how Isabel decided to marry Osmond in the first place!

[sanddune_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read much Henry James before (I might possible have read The Europeans previously but I couldn't swear to it, and to be honest if The Portrait of a Lady is representative then I'm not sure if I'm going to be reading much in the future. I had great difficulty maintaining any interest at all in any of the characters, even in the heroine Isabel Archer (who is supposedly a remarkable woman) and I couldn't get a sense that the characters could ever have been real people. Isabel Archer is a young American woman who is invited by her aunt to spend some time with her in Europe. Mrs Touchett has her permanent home in Florence, only visiting her husband at his house of Gardencourt, overlooking the Thames Valley in England, for a month or so each year. But it is to Gardencourt that she initially takes Isabel, to meet her husband and her invalid son Ralph. Appreciating Isabel's determination that she must do something with her life, which has caused her to reject two offers of marriage during her stay in England, he is instrumental in obtaining for her the legacy which allows her to pursue the true freedom that she craves. But Isabel's new independence takes her to Paris, Florence and Rome the freedom which she craves remains elusive...To be honest I've never come across an account of the grand European tour that has just come across as so boring! The lives that are being led just seem so stultifyingly dull. I had hoped that when the novel reached Florence it would catch my attention as I've spent a lot of time there in the past, but no! According to the blurb on the back this is 'one of the finest novels in the English language' but do fine novels have to be so dull? It's not just that nothing seems to happen for long stretches, that I can cope with, but I can't cope with the artificiality of the characters.I'm giving this three stars because it seems too well written to give it less but I can't say that I enjoyed it.

[ridgewaygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Portrait of a Lady dispelled for me the notion that Henry James wrote impenetrable, stuffy novels. Instead, this was a beautifully written series of character studies, full of an understated humor. Isabel Archer comes to England at the invitation of her aunt, to stay at Gardencourt, where she grows close to her uncle and her cousin, the kind and sickly Ralph. She's young and full of herself (really, she's wonderfully self-involved and in love with her own charms), but she's also determined to forge her own independent path, despite her lack of means and society's expectations. To that end, she turns down marriage proposals from eligible men and plans to travel with her aunt. This book is chock-a-block with great character studies. There's Henrietta, a brash, out-spoken young woman working as a journalist. She's a comic character, but James writes of her with open affection, despite the things she says. Then there's Madame Merle, a femme fatale as calculating as any found in a hardboiled crime novel, and the character you can't (and shouldn't) look away from. And, of course, Isabel, who acts erratically and is misled, but who longs so much for freedom, even as she's uncertain of what that would look like. So, once again, I read a Victorian novel, expecting it to be a slog and finding, instead, a page turner with delicious pacing.

[andersonden · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting psychological study of an independent woman given a chance to live financially independently and what she chooses to do with that chance.

[brenzi_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'd heard mention of the main character, Isabel Archer over the years, and was delighted to finally get the chance to figure her out for myself and I will say, she was one complicated character. But then, they were all complicated characters. Early in the novel, Isabel, (an American) travels to Great Britain to stay with her aunt and cousin in the English countryside. Somehow, she manages to have not just one but two manic suitors, one of which followed her across the Atlantic to beg her to marry him. But Isabel has other ideas. And when she inherits a lot of money she decides to travel and play the field.In Italy, she meets Madame Merle, who becomes a close friend and in no time Isabel has another potential husband. Decisions decisions. I'll leave it there for the half dozen people left in the world who haven't already read the book. But why do these Victorian female characters always have so many men to choose from???A couple of words about point of view because in this novel it's important. James explores and makes evident several points of view and not everybody is who they seem to be. It's what makes this psychological novel so darn compelling. Honestly, I could barely put it down. The pacing is absolutely wonderful. And I really don't know if there is another more endearing character in literature than Ralph Touchette ( is that a play on words?). Or a more annoying character than Henrietta Stackpole (again with the name). But the language, the salubrious, evocative, beautiful, sometimes overbearing language. Oh my. Yes, it takes some getting used to but after fifty pages or so you're on your way.So much to ponder, a mystery to figure out although I admit I had it pegged from fairly early on, and the ever present question: what will Isabel do? Absolutely glorious.

[amydross · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Okay, to be honest, I didn't read the middle 300 pages. But it's 600 pages long! And besides, it was originally serialized. I don't think it's necessary to read serialized stories in their entirety, any more than it's necessary to see every episode of a television drama in order to claim familiarity with it. Anyway, I was reading for style, not plot, and the style was wonderful. I love his way of writing all the way around a subject, instead of addressing it directly.

[jillrhudy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Give the book its deserved five stars, but Isabel is boring. In fact, everybody in the book is boring except Ralph. Isabel and Ralph are the yin and yang of good and truth; Merle and Osmond the yin and yang of evil and deception. And who cares about little Pansy? She is simply the vapid cement bonding together the evil duo, as the blood tie bonds together the hero and heroine.

James mercifully kills off the narrative ten pages after Ralph's demise, as if he knows who the main character really is. The best part of the whole book is when Ralph calls Osmond a "sterile dillettante." You go, Ralph.

James rewards the reader's perserverance with plenty of depth. The novel is a psychological gold mine. It's only flaws are:

1. a superfluity of suitors. There is a veritable swarm of them. They come out of the woodwork; lurk in every bush. The women in the book can't sit down in the park without lighting on a hopeless suitor. It gets really old.

2. a gross, unforgiveable scarcity of Ralph.

[cecrow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Isabel Archer refuses to follow a life that is too prescribed by classical romantic notions. She is determined to find and follow her own path, or remain unsatisfied. This characteristic rules her as a number of suitors make themselves known. The story is primarily about what leads to the choice she makes, and its repercussions. Several other characters are intriguing and their roles each become clear. I had trouble placing the relevancy of Henrietta's story; I believe it clarifies that James' message was not about refusing women the right to make independent choices, but about ensuring illusions are fully dispelled before a choice is made. I really enjoyed this novel for its being chock full of people who make sharp observations, if not always accurate. There is no comedy of misunderstandings here, only analysis that is either lacking or overdone. Henry James knows how to get inside characters' heads and make himself at home, offering strong, natural motives for actions and dialogue that is brilliant both for what is said and what is not. The ending is very satisfying and comes together beautifully. I'm open to reading more of James' novels, but I suspect this will remain my favourite.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Magistraal in breedte en diepte, maar toch niet perfectschrijftechniek: elk hoofdstukje begint beschouwend, vanuit het auteursstandpunt of met introspectie van een van de karakters, meestal gevolgd door spitse of subtiele dialoog die nieuwe informatie toevoegt; over het algemeen lange, zeer bewerkte zinnen van hoger niveau, soms heel zware constructies; dialogen zijn van enorm hoog niveau, vooral door de dingen die niet gezegd worden of de subtiele hintskarakters: scenes met Rosier zijn niet geloofwaardig,want is te geconstrueerd in functie van de plot; aandeel seksualiteit komt nergens aan bod in de relatie Isabel-Osmond; pvallend is ook het ontbreken van een verwijzing naar de psychologische impact van het dode zoontje structuur: over het algemeen chronologische opbouw, maar na sommige essentiële gebeurtenissen wordt er een sprong in de tijd gemaakt, zonder dat de grote veranderingen helemaal worden uitgeklaard; pas heel geleidelijk worden informatie-elementen gegeven die iets meer verduidelijken; zeker naar het einde toe zijn er enkele ongeloofwaardige passages (Rosier, vriendschap Osmond-Goodwood, slotscene met Goodwood)

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful Isabel Archer is an American woman who travels to Europe hoping to find adventure, excitement and live an unconventional life. She is pursued by many men for her beauty and charm, but she turns them all down wanting her life to be something bigger than settling for a typical marriage. But after inheriting a large fortune, she falls victim of a scheme by 2 American ex-patriates and marries one of them. The plot of the story seems pretty straightforward, but the motivations and personalities behind the characters are what make this book a real gem. As the title suggests, Isabel is depicted as a portrait and although her actions are described, it is not clear why she makes her choices in life. I read this book together with members of the Goodreads Victorians group and had a great many discussions over this novel. Definitely a controversial and interesting book.

I both listened and read this book. I started with an audio version narrated by Laural Merlington. If you have never heard Merlington's voice, it is beautiful - the type of voice that you hear when you are hold on the phone, or that announces messages - pure in quality and tone. But I found that a beautiful voice doesn't do the characters of this book justice. Everyone seemed very vanilla and almost sing songy. I switched to a different audio version read by Nadia May who has a much throatier and almost husky voice. Her nuances of the characters was much better. The reason I bring this up is that I didn't really like Isabel Archer until the second half of the book and I wonder if it was the narrator. She seemed flightly and superficial in the beginning and it wasn't until the end of the book that I appreciated her angst over the difficult choices in her life. Was it the narrator or the writing? Still not sure...

[castlelass · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a character study about a woman who comes into money and values her freedom, but ironically chooses a husband who marries for money and limits her freedom. It uses travel and social gatherings as plot devices to further develop the characters. It was published in 1881, so be prepared for lengthy sentences written in the style of a past era. Makes me glad I didn't live back then.

[smiler69 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"She was looking at everything, with an eye that denoted clear perception — at her companion, at the two dogs, at the two gentlemen under the trees, at the beautiful scene that surrounded her. 'I've never seen anything so lovely as this place. I've been all over the house; it's too enchanting.'" These are the words of our spirited and lovely heroine, Isabel Archer when she arrives at Gardencourt, an English country estate which features a Tudor mansion with a long lawn sloping down to the Thames. Isabel's father had recently passed away when her aunt, Mrs. Touchett came to visit her in Albany, New York and proposed to take Isabel away with her to Europe with a first stop in England. On her arrival, Isabel meets with a trio of gentlemen which includes the ailing Mr. Touchett Senior, a retired banker with a vast fortune who is attended to by his son Ralph, who suffers from very serious lung disease, and who nevertheless possesses a warm and loving spirit, and finally Ralph's good friend Lord Warburton, who is immediately smitten with our young lady. Before long, Warburton proposes to Isabel; he is an attractive gentleman with good manners and a fine intellect, who also commands a vast estate and a seat at the House of Lords. In short, the sort of man any woman would be thrilled to take on as a husband, but not Isabel. Our heroine is a headstrong young woman who feels she must face her destiny, which she believes doesn't include a husband. Shortly thereafter, Isabel's longtime and determined admirer Casper Goodwood arrives from Boston, also to ask her to marry him, but Isabel is adamant that marriage is not in the cards for her and turns him away as well. When a longtime friend of Mrs. Touchett comes to visit at Gardencourt, Isabel immediately takes to Madame Merle, an accomplished, mature woman of many talents, who is equally appreciative of the young woman. Soon, as Mr. Touchett Senior lies on his deathbed, Ralph secretly makes an arrangement with his father so that his cousin may inherit half the fortune meant for him. Ralph adores Isabel, and believes that by making her a rich woman, she will truly be independent and will be able to accomplish great things. But of course, this being a 19th century novel, our heroine is in for her share of troubles in the form of one Mr. Gilbert Osmond, a sinister character and a poor American expatriate, who's main virtues are a love of beautiful things and a desire to secure a brilliant future for his docile young daughter Pansy.This was my first time reading a novel by Henry James. Having long believed that he was difficult to read, I had tested the waters with two short stories first, and found his prose imminently approachable. It's true that he can be verbose and that this novel plods on at a slow pace, with little action and an accent on his character's interactions and inner workings. But I found myself quite wrapped up in the rich complexity of these characters, and can fully understand why this novel is an enduring classic. I already look forward to reading it again.

[pre20cenbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book got me to journaling again! I call it a psychological study of how narcissitic-like people can attract each other, marry and learn to live with it for the sake of appearances. I originally watched the old version on DVD. The production put enough in and left enough out to stimulate interest to get the book. I read in one week and couldn't wait to see what happened next to the heroine, so young, really inexperienced with a head full of who knows what ideas. The narrative of Mr. James for me was outstanding and several of the characters remarks make interesting, humorous, and thought provoking quotes. Loved it. This was not a smutty novel--very classy stuff.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Isabel Archer, a young headstrong American, arrives in England and everyone she meets is completely taken with her. Three separate men pursue her, but she’s unwilling to settle for a marriage without mutual love. She smart, kind and witty, but not easily swayed in her beliefs.I was in love with this book for about the first 1/3 (maybe more), but then it took a drastic turn. I loved Isabel’s character and her refusal to take the easy road in life. Unfortunately her decisions seem to lose all logic at a certain point and that’s when I lost my respect for her. I never want books to have a perfectly happy ending just for the sake of pleasing the reader, but I was heartbroken for Isabel and incredibly disappointed in her choices. I always root for characters I love, but it’s easy to feel betrayed by them if they make a choice that you wouldn’t have made. Despite the plot, James’ writing is beautiful. He catches the nuances of importance in a single glance or polite conversation. He makes you question who is acting out of Isabel’s best interests, who is making selfish choices, who should you trust, etc. The book isn’t just about Isabel in the end, it’s about the delicate balance people maintain in their own lives, often choosing the lesser of two evils and settling in, even if they’re unhappy, instead of rocking the boat.I loved much about this book, but I don’t think I could bring myself to read it again now that I know how it all turns out. “You’ve lived with the English for 30 years and you’re picked up a good many of the things they say, but you have never learned the things they don’t say.” “The great thing about being a literary woman was that you could go everywhere and do everything.” 

[michaelbartley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this is a wonderful book, while the language is more flowering and complex then current speech, the story is very modern. the story of the mystery of love, who we love, what happens to that love, and how love with the right people can endure. the main character, Isabel, is a strong intellegence kind woman that struggles to be true to yourself and to find values that endure beyond her. excellent book

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story of a young, orphaned woman, Isabel Archer who arrives in England with her aunt. She is 23 years of age and is filled with bright optimism and doesn't want to settle but desires freedom. Men fall for her and she refuses them. Isabel had no money but when she inherits a large sum that she had no idea was going to come her way, this changes everything. She is no longer free but burdened by the burden of this inheritance. She is taken in by some two ex patriots who have their eye on this fortune. The rest of the story is about the choices she made and will make and the effects it has on her. I loved the prose, the characters, and the themes.

[livrecache · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yet another book I've studied, so i've little memory of it, it was so long ago. I do remember liking it lots though. There, that's my analytical response.

[schmal06 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I couldn't put this down. I absolutely adored it. James' analysis of human character is unparalleled. I was on spring break in Italy as I read this and I simply could not get Isabel's world out of my mind. It was so vivid and real all around me. Highly recommended.

[electrascaife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Miss Isabel Archer, a young lady from America, goes with her aunt to visit England and then the continent. She rejects two offers of marriage in the name of trying out a life of freedom, but then irrationally accepts a third offer, much less impressive than either of the previous ones, and things go downhill from there quite quickly.James is hit or miss for me; this one is a bit of both. For the first third of the novel I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was enjoying it, but the rest of the story was quite a slog, especially once James' trademark dreariness kicked in. I don't at all mind a sad story, but a dispassionately bleak one is certainly not my cuppa.

[dragon178 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have just finished reading Portrait of a Lady by Henry James. I had read it about 8 years back, and in this my second reading, I am as much affected by the beauty of the writing and the charm of the protagonist, as I was then. This novel is about a young and attractive American whose life takes an unexpected turn when her Aunt decides to' bring her out'' in England. Isabel is young and idealistic, with all the exuberance and vitality of youth. She bubbles with optimism, and lays stake to a higher moral ground. At the same time, she has that sense of infallibility and invulnerability that only youth enjoys.The novel shows her growth from youth to adulthood. On this road of life, Isabel's ideals and ideas collide with the reality of life. A higher moral consciousness is not enough to stop one from making wrong decisions because of poor judgement.Though she hangs on to her ideals, the world is not what she expected it to be, and she suffers" the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".. She suffers the pain of realising that God is not in His heaven, and all is not right with the world. Early in the book, with all the nonchalance and insouscance of the young, she has blithely declared that people suffer too easily. She has to eat her words in the course of the story.Well, that is what growing up is about. When we realise that we too are of the common mould, and not special enough to be protected from suffering or martyrdom. I read somewhere that Isabel is one of the great fictional heroines of classical literature, belonging to the category of Elizebeth Bennett and Jane Eyre. But whereas their romances end with a happy ever after touch, Isabel's is ambiguous. She is not of the Anna Karenina or Emma Bovary variety, those bored housewives who seek excitement in extra marital affairs that eventually lead to their downfall. Isabel is made of sterner metal, and she lives up to the homily that with great freedom comes great responsibility.I recommend this book to every reader.

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wonderfully thorough psychological novel, the thoroughness can drag at times.

[knightlight777 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Hmmm, this is one of those classics you are supposed to read. Instead I listened to it. All twenty-three hours. One of those books you force yourself to finish, mainly because you started it. I found really not much of redeeming value in this long tiring portrayal of the miseries of the lovelorn. Isabella, and I strain to remember if that was her name the object of the tortures of committing her life to a man though she fought it pretty much every step of the way. Well more than this man as it turned out. In fact a number of them.And through the twists and turns a of a relatively mindless plot I was left hanging in suspense at the conclusion as I tried to decipher what every did happen to her. Was that just me? Maybe, but I also have to say it didn't really seem to matter that much.

[stensvaag_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I attempted this work because it was so highly recommended by Timothy Spurgin in his Teaching Company lectures on the British Novel. I was unable to make it past the first third, however, and finally peeked at a synopsis of the plot on the web. I have no doubt that my failure to cope with this book reflects a weakness in me, rather than the author, but I found it unbearably tedious.