The Mill on the FlossThe Mill on the Floss
Score Classic
What it's about
Clever Maggie yearns to be loved, while her brother Tom is made to study. When Tom casts her out, she's shunned by society and must face the consequences of renunciation.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a story of frustrated intelligence and longing from the author of Middlemarch.
You'll love it if you liked
Middlemarch
Silas Marner
Jane EyreGood to know
It's a classic.
By the numbers
- Readers30 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #201 of the 260 young adult books we rank
- #802 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2564 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by George Eliot
Middlemarch
Daniel Deronda
Adam BedeSilas MarnerIf you like this, read next
The Great Gatsby
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
The Woodlanders
Cranford
My Ántonia
Purple HibiscusExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Mill on the Floss worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,564 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Mill on the Floss about?
Clever Maggie yearns to be loved, while her brother Tom is made to study. When Tom casts her out, she's shunned by society and must face the consequences of renunciation.
How long does it take to read The Mill on the Floss?
About 13 hours (510 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Mill on the Floss?
If you liked it, try Middlemarch by George Eliot, Silas Marner by George Eliot or Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.