content: If compared to Eliot's best (Middlemarch, Mill on the Floss), Silas Marner is almost a disgrace. The brilliant literary style of Eliot seems all but gone, and the story could have easily been dispensed with in a form of a short story. The story, taken on its own, is heart-warming. But there is so much "background noise" to contend with. Overall this book should be a definite miss, even for Eliot fans (like me!).In addition I'm quite surprised this novel is used as part of the English literature curriculum in many schools (here in England at least). I feel sorry for those young minds having to wade through this. I hope schools will choose Mill on the Floss instead despite its length.