I had to read this book for my 19th-century American lit class, so this is not a typical read for me lol. I honestly don't have much to say about this book, as it was quite hard to get through at times. I honestly think I only rated it 3 stars because I could relate to the fact that the main charact

Welp. I read it. It's one of those, "this is an important book, not a fun book" kind of reads.

It fundamentally influenced the notion of the afterlife - not just domestically, but internationally - and was, I believe, the second most read book of the 19th century, right behind UTC.

I understand where

Not a great start personally for my American Fiction class, but I have a feeling this book tells more about the time in America and the context surrounding it, rather than being a phenomenal novel.

Devout Christians might like this better than I did. The editors say that 'The Gates Ajar' invented or popularized a concept of heaven that's become commonplace by now, but one that was somewhat scandalous in Congregationalist circles in the 19th C, where people were discouraged from thinking too ha

The Gates Ajar is an 1868 novel that was immensely popular following its publication soon after the American Civil War where so many men had been killed. In diary format, it tells the story of Mary Cabot, who is mourning the death of her brother Royal who was shot dead in the war. Their parents are

I had never heard of this nor its author and bought it in the famous bookshop in Porto despite the fact that I was not entirely confident I would actually read it or be able to comprehend it. Well, I did and I was. I cracked it open on holidays and was instantly hooked by the warmth of the narrator'

I just finished reading this for one of my university modules. I didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did, it has been a pleasant surprise (though not so much so because my lecturer is just THAT good at choosing books).

I am not a spiritual person, though I have read a lot about Buddhism

A classic allegory of a young woman's journey toward Spiritual Maturity (a Pilgrim's Progress type journey). Set in the North East United States during the Civil War, the main character: "Mary Cabot" faces the loss of her beloved best friend, mentor and brother "Royal". Elizabeth Stuart Phelp's port

This is my 1000th book read and rated on Goodreads!

'The Gates Ajar' is an 1868 religious and epistolary novel written in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The protagonist, Mary Cabot, is reeling and grieving after the death of her beloved brother Roy (she REALLY loves him). Her anguish is not