Book Club #17 Recap: Wuthering Heights
Thoughts, quotes and further inspo on Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Our November book club book was Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights - a book whose moody atmosphere fit the month perfectly. Published in 1847, the book has long been considered a classic and garnered a reputation as “the greatest romance of all time”. But is it really that?
Our group came with different expectations. Some didn’t know much about the book at all, others already proclaimed it their favorite book, and more than one person had heard the central relationship was “toxic”. We mostly agreed that yes, the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff was pretty toxic, and could it really be called an amazing love story? However, they fit together perfectly, for example, in how they both seem okay ruining each other and everyone else. So, maybe it is the exploration of love, passion, obsession, and pain that makes it the greatest love story? Maybe it is a romance, in the way that gothic romances or dark romances function, and the characters’ happiness is not a necessary ingredient at all.
Other than a gothic novel about obsession, revenge, and possibly love, I would describe it as a story about gossip. The narrative style is strangely removed from the story’s central characters. Almost everything is shown through the eyes of the housekeeper, Nelly, who recounts the story to Mr. Lockwood, a new tenant, bored and hungry for entertainment. So really, they are just gossiping, and Nelly recounts everything through her eyes and in hindsight. And whether she’s a reliable narrator or Wuthering Heights is just Nelly’s “fanfiction”, as someone called it, of what happened to these two families, is anyone’s guess.
What we were sure about, though, was that we didn’t like her, or anyone. While one member highlighted her love for Isabella, most of the other characters primarily inspired dislike. Heathcliff is “moody” and “whiny”; one woman is “a gossip”, the other “crazy”, and everyone definitely needs therapy. But, take all of those people and put them in a tiny world made up of two houses, two families, and an abundance of moors, and what you get is essentially like a reality TV show in a gothic setting. So if you love drama and unlikable characters, maybe this is the classic for you.
Our discussion left us with an overall rating of 4.43 stars, making Wuthering Heights our highest-rated book club book ever, together with Giovanni’s Room! Personally, I loved the book, too– for the gothic vibes, the beautiful writing, and the unexpected humour that showed up from the very beginning. And while most of the book is filled with horrible people doing horrible things, the ending even offers some kind of hope.
Highlights from our discussion
These quotes give you a glimpse into our discussion on everything from the characters to the pacing to the writing style.
I kind of hated all the men and all the women. My favorite character is Cathy‘s pony.
I actually liked that I didn‘t like any of the characters.
It really satisfied my love for reality TV shows.
My favorite character is the landscape.
Nothing ever happens…
Favorite quotes from the book
Some lines we couldn’t stop ourselves from highlighting:
⭐ Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you–haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always–take any form—drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!
⭐ He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.
⭐ I wish I were a girl again, half-savage and hardy, and free.
⭐ If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.
Holistic Reading
🎶 As always, we created a shared playlist as the background for our book club discussion.
🎬 We’re incredibly curious about the new movie adaptation coming out in February 2026. Until then, the trailer already has us debating casting choices and outfits.
📚 Books that came up throughout our discussions included
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - another gothic classic about obsession and revenge.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - in a comparison between Heathcliff and Gatsby, who disappear at some point and return changed.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck, which you may love if you enjoyed Wuthering Heights.
📺 If you’re interested in the lives of the author and her sisters, you might look into the TV show To Walk Invisible, a drama exploring their family.
💬 And just in case you’re also struggling to understand Joseph’s accent in the book, you can find translations here.
Have you read Wuthering Heights? Share your thoughts in the comments - we would love to hear them! And if you haven’t, there are still some copies left in the shop. We highly recommend you pick one up :)
Next year, we’re committing to reading a different genre every month. In January, we’re starting with the science fiction novella A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. If you’re interested in joining, you can follow the community channel on Instagram or WhatsApp to be updated first when the book club tickets release.
Keep reading and stay curious! 📚☕
Lina 🍄
I love the idea of an accompanying playlist in the background while reading 🪄