Marianne is worth reading for its historical perspectives on the value of females,
notable in that Marianne decides to marry the man who has so silently misjudged her.

Not only is Andre depressed and totally self absorbed,
but he has no work, no desire to support himself, and so lives dependent on his Mother
which will transfer to complete dependence on Marianne.

Independent Marianne, judged eccentric because she loves solitude and riding her horse alone,
deserves a stronger mate. Love does not always conquer all...

Why Marianne would choose to marry this guy instead of the more accomplished and fun,
though shallow, Philippe, still feels false.

Where is Henry David Thoreau when he is obviously needed?!?

(Story is preceded by one of the longest introductions ever = 78 pages.) ( )

The things that made the character, Marianne, shocking in the 1800s, make her seem somewhat provincial today. She is an unmarried twenty-five year old with land--unheard of. She is unafraid to ride her horse about the countryside alone--unheard of. She knows what she wants in a husband and refuses to settle for anything less--unheard of. I think the affect of people being shocked is lost and that probably diminishes the impact that this novel would have had when released.

It is short, even for a novella, but it makes its point with some beautiful prose stylings. I was anxious to read something from George Sand. The forward, which consumes almost a half of this edition, made me all the more interested in her as a person and author. I am now quite anxious to read The Dream Lover, a biographical novel of her life.

I could have gone 3.5, but not 4, so I have rounded down.
( )

An engaging book about a strong woman that does not act as society expects. A short read and a good introduction to George Sand. ( )