Washington SquareWashington Square
Score Classic
What it's about
What Catherine Sloper lacks in brains and beauty she makes up for in goodness, and handsome Morris Townsend will do anything to win her, even pretend he loves her and cares nothing for her wealth.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read.
You'll love it if you liked
The Portrait of a Lady
The Age of Innocence
Pride and PrejudiceGood to know
It's a short classic.
By the numbers
- Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller6 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
- #220 of the 260 young adult books we rank
- #854 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2740 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Henry James
The Golden Bowl
The Wings of the DoveThe Portrait of a LadyIf you like this, read next
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The Book ThiefExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Young adult booksTop 25 · 260 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is Washington Square worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,740 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Washington Square about?
What Catherine Sloper lacks in brains and beauty she makes up for in goodness, and handsome Morris Townsend will do anything to win her, even pretend he loves her and cares nothing for her wealth.
How long does it take to read Washington Square?
About 5 hours (192 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Washington Square?
If you liked it, try The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.