#Review: (Rupa Classics) Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence

Rupa Classics

Women in Love
Author: D. H. Lawrence

There is something genuinely exciting about seeing classics being republished. A story that has existed for decades suddenly gets a fresh physical life, and this Rupa Classics edition does exactly that. I particularly loved the cover—it has that old-world, slightly dramatic feel that suits Lawrence perfectly. It really does feel like old wine in a new bottle, and in this case, a very pretty bottle.

At the heart of Women in Love are two sisters, Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, and their relationships with Rupert Birkin and Gerald Crich. But this isn’t simply a love story. Lawrence uses their relationships to explore desire, marriage, individuality, friendship, power and the complicated ways in which people try to connect with one another. The characters are wonderfully layered, sometimes frustrating, sometimes fascinating, and rarely predictable.

What I particularly enjoyed was Lawrence’s writing. The vocabulary and the style can take a little getting used to, especially if you’re accustomed to contemporary fiction. But once you settle into his rhythm, there is something almost hypnotic about it. This is one of those books that deserves to be read slowly rather than rushed through.

And perhaps the most interesting part is how surprisingly relevant it feels. The questions Lawrence raises about love, independence, intimacy, relationships and the tension between individual freedom and emotional attachment haven’t disappeared. Society has changed enormously since the novel was published in 1920, but people, rather inconveniently, are still people.

For me, Women in Love is exactly why classics continue to matter—and why giving them beautiful new editions is worth celebrating.

Find this book here.