Christina Reviews *Pierre, or The Ambiguities* by Herman Melville

          "And in the times to come, there must be---as in the present times, and in the times gone by---some splendid men, and some transcendent women; and how can they ever be, unless always, throughout all time, here and there, a handsome youth weds with a handsome maid?"

            Pierre, or The Ambiguities by Herman Melville (P. 23)



            Pierre Glendinning is a 19 year old young man who is just full of hilarity.  When the novel begins, he is intent on marrying the beautiful Lucy Tartan.  But when a strange woman introduces herself to him as his long-lost half-sister,  he decides to "marry" her instead.  The reason he does this, in case you were wondering, is because he knows his mother will never accept his father's illegitimate daughter into the family otherwise.  And this way, sister Isabel will get her share of what's coming to her.

            This is a gothic novel that is hilariously over the top and more than a little bit obtuse.

            Apparently the critics gave Melville a hard time for this one.  What do you expect?  He'd written a book so rich with meaning as Moby Dick (never read it, but I'm sure it must have been full of something), and then he had to go and follow it up with this highfalutin nonsense. 


             I am still in the middle of reading the book.  My full review will be coming soon...