The Death Of The Heart
The Death Of The Heart
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1938
Book Brief
418
Novel • Fiction
London • 1930s
1938
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen tells the story of Portia Quayne, a 16-year-old orphan who moves in with her half-brother Thomas and his wife Anna in pre-World War II London. Struggling to adapt to her new life in upper-class society, Portia maintains a diary and develops feelings for Eddie, a colleague of Thomas. Her subsequent disillusionment with Eddie and conflicts with Anna reveal the complexities and emotional challenges of her coming-of-age journey.
Melancholic
Contemplative
Bittersweet
Emotional
Mysterious
Reviews & Readership
9,094 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Elizabeth Bowen’s The Death of the Heart is praised for its incisive depiction of adolescent turmoil and complex character portrayals. Critics admire Bowen's keen psychological insight and evocative prose. However, some find the pacing slow and the plot meandering. Overall, it's a thoughtful study of innocence and emotional awakening, despite its leisurely development.
Who Should Read The Death Of The Heart?
Readers who appreciate intricate character studies and subtle examinations of emotion will be drawn to Elizabeth Bowen's The Death of the Heart. This novel will appeal to fans of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway and E.M. Forster's A Room with a View, who enjoy rich, atmospheric prose and explorations of social mores and inner life.
9,094 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
418
Novel • Fiction
London • 1930s
1938
Adult
18+ years
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