Truly the most beautifully written book I’ve ever read, though also extremely heartbreaking. I kept rereading lines, phrases, and even whole pages, trying to figure out how certain words could be joined together so masterfully. James has a way with metaphors (he describes some pretty complex feelings and emotions in terms of simple yet beautiful ones). This is my first James novel, and I found that he was very intelligent and witty.

I didn’t love how unrealistic Isabel Archer was. She was extremely stubborn and blind throughout the entire book, which I’m almost positive would be too exhausting to keep up in real life. However, this book made me think and feel deeply. I strongly recommend it.

Some quotes I loved:

‘...I always want to know the things one shouldn’t do.’
‘So as to do them?’ asked her aunt.
‘So as to choose,’ said Isabel. - Page 121

An Englishman’s never so natural as when he’s holding his tongue. - Page 141

‘Do you know I’m very much afraid of it – of that remarkable mind of yours?’ - Page 163

‘There’s always a little of it and never too much at once,’ she said, ‘It never wets you and it always smells good.’
She declared that in England the pleasures of smell were great – that in this inimitable island there was a certain mixture of fog and beer and soot which, however odd it might sound, was the national aroma, and was most agreeable to the nostril. - Page 241

‘I haven’t always been happy,’ said Madame Merle... ‘Such a wonderful thing!’ - Page 244

All of chapter 39