Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence

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★★★ Well-written but thoroughly unenjoyable.

D. H. Lawrence’s skill as a writer is undeniable, but from an early point I couldn’t wait to be done with this book. The pace is slow, the characters are dislikable, and all the relationships are contorted. As a portrait of 19th century working class life, it is compelling, but as a portrait of an individual and his family, it’s mostly just depressing. I found no insights here to warrant the slog through Paul Morel’s unhappy life. Lawrence offers unadorned descriptions of people and events, but lacks any sense of joy.