Great Victorian Books I Read in 2023

[@darrylfriesen]

Kate, it’s been SO fun watching you read through and document this reading challenge over this past year!! I need to read every single one of these books that I haven’t yet!!

[@katehowereads]

I'm so glad you've enjoyed it!

[@radiantchristina]

I recently finished the Perpetual Curate and really enjoyed it

[@amyofhearthridge]

The Belton Estate made my favorites, too. Clara was so intriguing to me. This was so interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@katehowereads]

It was such a delight from start to finish.

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

Yay a Kate video!!🎉🎉❤ Trollope!!!! Mrs Oliphant!!!

[@katehowereads]

🎉🎉🎉

[@msrichardsreads]

I really need to get to The Cloister and the Hearth! I felt the same way about Pillars. Even though I was enjoying the plot, the last part was harder to get through because I was ready to be done. Lol

[@katehowereads]

The Cloister and the Hearth is definitely worth the effort!..It's definitely frustrating to end a book on that note as opposed to starting it not loving it as much but ending on a good note.

[@michaelmccarty]

I received The Pillars of the House for Christmas. It will be my first CMY -- looking forward to it! 🙂

[@juliealvar4587]

Thanks for this video Kate. You definitely convinced me to read The Cloister and the Hearth. Btw, have you ever read Quo Vadis? It’s a late Victorian novel by the Polish writer Sienkiewicz(sp?) that takes place in Rome during the time of Nero and is centered around the early Christians. Such a fantastic book!

[@angelawebb7676]

Quo Vadis. Sounds like my kind of book. Thank you!

[@kathleencraine7335]

Wonderful wrap-up--just love these short reviews of yours of Victorian Lit. Just the name George Vavasor gives me the shivers! And totally agree with you on every point about The Moorland Cottage (which I re-read this year), especially the ending vs. ending of Mill on the Floss.

[@jamesbrisbin7079]

Kate, what is the intro music...its on the tip of my tongue. Making me crazy. I love your reviews and passion for reading . Thank you

[@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711]

What a year of Victorian reading. Getting to Charlotte Mary Yonge has to be a 2024 goal for me. I suppose I should start by trying The Heir of Redclyffe. I love the way you describe The Trumpet Major as a blast. That's so true. Thank you for helping me get to grips with Aurora Leigh. It ended up as one of my most memorable books of the year.

[@katehowereads]

I would love to know what you think of Charlotte Mary Yonge's writing! I do think The Heir of Redclyffe is a wonderful place to start. I still can't get over how beautiful the language in Aurora Leigh was!

[@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711]

@@katehowereads me too.

[@SheepandOak]

It's like you made this video just for me. I love it, thank you ❤

[@denisadellinger4543]

I read Moorland Cottage as well for Victober. After the Trollope read, it was very quiet and mellow.

[@elizabethbrink3761]

You had so many good Victorian reads this year! It was so fun to chat about these with you through the year. And now I'm going to work on getting to 150. 😂

[@katehowereads]

Onwards and upwards! 💃

[@MilenaReads]

Thomas Hardy has regained your favour, what a wonderful thing! Haha

[@KierTheScrivener]

I absolutely loved Can You Forgive Her. I read six Anthony Trollope books in 2023 and it was delightful and I just started Phineas Finn so I hope I have better luck with it than you had.

[@StephaniePatterson-jb5it]

Kate-- Are you familiar with Hazel Holt's Mrs. Mallory series. Mrs. Mallory is an amateur sleuth who is a Victorian literature scholar. Her specialty is Charlotte Mary Yonge. Holt also wrote an early bio of Barbara Pym and was Pym's literary executor. Somehow I think you probably know all this. But just in case...

[@katehowereads]

Wow! I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know about it. I will definitely check it out.

[@angelawebb7676]

Kate may know but certainly didn’t! I will definitely check out that series. Thank you for posting about it!

[@josmith5992]

How lovely to find an author like Charlotte Mary Yonge that you just want to keep reading throughout the year, and read all her work! How many novels did she write Kate? I think the only books I’ve read on this list are the two Trollope’s, so I have a lot to explore but Rainey and I start The Perpetual Curate this weekend!

[@katehowereads]

According to Wikipedia she has over 160 works but I'm not sure how many of those are novels. Definitely lots more to explore! Can't wait to hear what you think of The Perpetual Curate!

[@nnjack9931]

I have started The Cloister and the Hearth but have put it down. It heartens me to know that you gave it five stars. So, back to reading it I go.

[@katehowereads]

I hope having a break was just what you needed! Take all the time you need with it.

[@readwritecollage]

I really enjoyed being able to watch this video with my morning coffee. I’m definitely putting Uncle Silas on my list for this year. I’ve never read any Charlotte M. Young and would like to explore her work. Do you have one that’s you’d recommend as an entry to her work? As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@katehowereads]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I think a good Charlotte Mary Yonge to start with would either be Chantry House because it's written in first person or Dyvenor Terrace because it was so easy to immediately fall into the story. Either way, I hope you enjoy her writing!

[@jessicayork9035]

I loved Can You Forgive Her too! I loved the female characters - Trollope writes amazing female characters. But then i Read The Way We Live Now and really disliked it so now im havnig a hard time starting Phineas Finn...

[@katehowereads]

We are very in sync - I didn't enjoy The Way We Live Now either!

[@davidmccalip5759]

Hello Kate! I hope all is well with you and your family. Sorry to change the subject on your video, but since I do not do other forms of social media, I can only ask you in the comments section about your January Read a Thon about the King's General. Is that being done on your Patreon or Discord? If Discord, can you provide a link? I am planning to read this book in January. Have a great day!

[@katehowereads]

Hi David, no problem. It is being hosted on my Patreon.