I absolutely loved What Souls Are Made of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri!! I'm usually a little hesitant when it comes to reading remixes of the classics, but this book blew me away. I loved the descriptions, character development, and romance. I thought that Tasha Suri did an incredible job remixing this classic, and I will definitely be recommending it to my students.

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

This was a struggle for me and I wasn't able to finish. I'm unsure if it's because I am not much of a historical romance reader, or simply the slower pace of the book's start. Regardless, I wanted to love this one. I just did not.

‘What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix,’ by Tasha Suri is an enchanting retelling of Wuthering Heights - with a twist. If you didn’t like it the first time around (cough, high school English) give this one a read!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #WhatSoulsAreMadeOfAWutheringHeightsRemix

I'm all for classic updates and remixes. And I love the dark intensity of Wuthering Heights. I also love the South Asian representation. Luckily, I've read the original text and roughly remember the plot that I can follow along with the updated version enough to not be horribly lost and confused. I'm thankful we didn't start when Cathy and Heathcliffe were young, like the original. And the updated diction is so much easier to understand and follow. That makes it more engaging. But it's also the exact same story and characters, it's just Modern language and shows what Heathcliffe got up to while away from Wuthering Heights. I was about to give up reading it because I didn't want to read a tragic ending with these two characters. Since this book is in first person, I get to know the characters so much more intimately that I care about them more and don't want them to suffer like I know the original story does. Then when Heathcliff comes to his defining moment, I loved seeing him picture the road his character takes in the original and chooses differently. I was so proud of him. And seeing some added context and motivation for Hindley, and really all the characters because of their South Asian identities, was really nice. It doesn't excuse the horror behavior, but it humane and the characters feel more real. I like the story and I love the changes, but it took such an effort to focus and read it. There was so much narration, I think, and so much was of a story I already knew with only minor changes until the second half. The second half really picks up with action and introspection and character growth. I loved seeing it.

I wish I had known what part of the book this was remixing because I went in with this preconceived mentality that I would dislike the characters because I very much hated Cathy and heathcliff in the original story. Because of this, I found it difficult to really connect and enjoy the full story until close to the end. I think once I read the first part of the author's note about the history in the story and the significance of it, I appreciated the full picture a whole lot more.

That being said, overall I think this was a beautifully dark experience. It was haunting and beautiful and explored identity and lost love. It didn't hold back about the brutality of Britain's involvement with India. I would definitely re read this now that I've gotten the full backstory for what was taking place.

As someone who was mildly ambivalent & underwhelmed by Wuthering Heights, simply because Heathcliff is actually the worst, this was a very fun retelling! I would happily read a full wuthering heights retelling by Tasha Suri, since this only covers the period where Heathcliff leaves Catherine and she considers marriage to another. Unlike the original Suri actually made me believe there was unfortunate circumstances AND love between our characters, rather than just the former. The added layer of South Asian representation and colonial powers/influences at work was also a breath of fresh air. This was my first introduction to the Classics Remixed series and I cannot wait to read more!

Tasha Siri's writing is exceptional. I haven't read Withering Heights, but this retelling made me want to. I love the Remixed Classics series and highly recommend this book.

Rating: 4/5 feathers that fly across long distances

Format: e-book. I’d like to thank the author and FierceReads for sending me an e-arc of this book to review!

To sum up:
This is Wuthering Heights, but not as you know it! It is remixed and reimagined with a diverse cast, reimagined backgrounds, and enhanced motivations.

What I enjoyed:
I think a lot of people feel that the main characters in Wuthering Heights are pretty deplorable. I was curious therefore to see how this author would portray these classic characters! Suri mixed in a fascinating and rich new background for these characters by making them both immigrants and "outsiders" that find shared identity with one another. With that background, the story transforms into part love story and part journey of self-discovery of identity and heritage. This fits so well into the history of this era and landscape, I thought it was pretty ingenious!

The story is told through alternating POVs, and both characters are complex and interesting without being as despicable as they are in the original.

What was meh:
I felt the plot started to unravel a bit in the middle, and I wasn't sure where the story was going, but by the end the journey made sense.

Overall, I thought this remix was better than the original!

I feel like I should preface this review by saying I have not read the original Wuthering Heights book. 😬 so I think that definitely played into me not connecting with this book as much.
It is interesting and beautifully written, but I did feel is was a bit slow at times and felt it took the characters a very long time to reunite. However, I can see fans of the original enjoying this retelling.

I think this book can be read without the knowledge of Wuthering Heights, but I'd probably appreciate this story more if I had read it recently. (Although I'm more of a Charlotte Bronte fan, not so much Emily, so it may not change my feelings much if I had done a reread).

Catherine and Heathcliff are two recklessly, co-dependent teens haunted by their past and the lack of knowledge of their past. They stumble upon things that begin to help them understand themselves. The author does well letting Catherine have a voice of her own in the remix, where as Catherine's story in Wuthering Heights was told from the lens of other characters. Heathcliff struggles being a "nobody" in the original and does so in the remix, but it also focuses on the fact that Heathcliff was of a different origin than everybody else. I love the historical setting, I rarely get to read books set during the British colonial era of India. You have the gothic setting, very doomy and gloomy, with harsh subjects and immense emotion between characters. I did enjoy the way the chapters seemed as if Catherine and Heathcliff were almost speaking to each other despite not being near each other.

I think this is a really well done book and if you're looking for a gothic remix of a classic that's a bit more hopeful than the original, this is a great one to read! I think people who enjoy old, gothic romances will enjoy this one.

CW: physical abuse, alcoholism, racism, slavery, etc.

Disclaimer: I received What Souls Are Made of as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.

In high school, my senior year final paper was on the Bronte sisters. So for the full year I read, re read, quoted, researched, etc. Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Agnes Grey. Now? I'm pretty sure I blocked out most of the memories of writing that paper. Here is why I appreciate this remix:

While I never want to read the classic again, I do have a bit of fondness for this story. The remix is a bit of nostalgia for the classic as well as a depth in the story that certainly feels less tragic. The book gives voices to Nelly as well as Cathy and Heathcliff. Also to note, you don't need to have read the classic before reading this one. I loved Tasha Suri's words. I just wanted to stay in them. It's an enjoyable read if you want some gothic brooding for your summer.

What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix showcases Suri's beautiful prose, but ultimately, the story lacked enough forward movement to keep my attention. There was a lack of plot, and while I understand that the story was character driven, at 50% through, little more had happened than Heathcliff and Cathy pining over one another and thinking about their past together.

From the beginning, I was captivated by What Souls Are Made Of. Suri is able to not only captivate Heathcliff's feeling of Otherness, but also this kindred spirit that both he and Catherine share. Beginning with an almost external POV looking inwards, What Souls Are Made Of is dual POV but also like they're speaking to each other. This simple narration choice solidifies these characters in our minds and hearts. Furthermore, it solidifies the ways in which they cannot escape each other. How even apart, they think of their memories and the ways in which they speak to each other.

In What Souls Are Made Of Suri does not shy away from the ways Catherine and Heathcliff hurt each other. How when we love someone, we know exactly what to say to wound them. At the same time, Suri describes the ways in which we can be sure of what we want, of who we want. That we end up hurting the ones we never would want to in the process. What resonated with me in What Souls Are Made Of is how Suri describes the world hardening us.

A South Asian retelling of a very old and white classic? Sign me up! Against the dark and dreary neck drop of London, the characters Cathy and Heathcliff are vibrant and dynamic. I really liked how the dynamics of both race, class, and sex impact the characters differently. Most of all, I loved the interactions between Cathy and Heathcliff! I feel like their personalities complemented each other’s very well and softens each other. I’m definitely going to check out the author’s other books!

2.5/5 stars ... I'm one of those rare people (I think) who actually really likes "Wuthering Heights." I've read it many times, and it gets better and more understandable with every read. While I think this book does some interesting things with what it chooses to focus on, time-wise, and the explorations of the Indian-British imperialist history, I was disappointed with the removal of the second half of the novel. Yes, the original book is devastating and dark and tormented, but that's the point! Heathcliff and Catherine have a connection that ruins them, but they cannot go without one another. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Cathy literally haunts Heathcliff - she marries Edgar Linton, has a baby, Cathy, and dies during childbirth. So Hareton and Cathy #2 become a reincarnation of the Heathcliff/Catherine cycle, both hated because of the deaths of their mothers, both wild and untamed. I dunno, I like that this remix presents Bronte for a new generation but I think it's a disservice to candy coat the actual storyline.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own!

Another incredible remix on a classic tale. Tasha just has a way with words. I once again enjoyed this way more than the original. It was inventive, fun, and so well written. Definitely give this a read!

I will be honest and say that I didn't read the original Wuthering Heights but I did really like this remix. I love a dual perspective and I fell in love with Heathcliff's voice. I noticed how different their voices were, how he was talking to the other character rather than just relaying his experience to a wider audience. I also appreciated how he navigated the world and how he was trying to make it. I did see the growth in Catherine and how her perspective did shift. There were some points where I was a little confused but otherwise, I thought this story was great.

Ah, Catherine and Heathcliff! Those of us who adore the Brontes are constantly imagining a world where Catherine and Heathcliff have a happy ending and Tasha Suri does that with a spectacular look at the history that is covered over by the white person's perspective. This is most definitely a remix - and a good one.

I liked the book, truly appreciated the historical crafting of what Heathcliff and Catherine's heritage could have been, but I'm not sure how I feel about having this version in the library if students haven't had the chance to read Wuthering Heights without this story in their head. I"m torn on this one, but let the record show - more stories with accounts outside of the singular white person's perspective are appreciated.

What Souls Are Made of is my least favorite of the Remixed Classics, in part because I’ve never particularly cared for the source material (I’d much prefer to sit down with Jane Eyre, written by Emily’s sister Charlotte).

My hope going into What Souls Are Made Of was that I would be able to come at the story afresh, much like author Tasha Suri does. In this retelling, the. Story unfolds from the alternating viewpoints of Cathy and Heathcliff. Indian colonialism plays a large role in this retelling, adding meat to the story.

Suri does a commendable job capturing the Gothic spirit so prevalent in Wuthering Heights and her settings, particularly the moors, are spot on.

If only I cared for the characters. The lack of connection with both main characters and the slow pacing had me turning to other books in between chapters. It took me a few days to make it a fourth of the way through, and I ended up not finishing. I’ve heard that things do pick up later in the book, and more “qualities” come to light, but it wasn’t worth it to me to keep pushing through.

I suggest reading a sample of What Souls Are Made Of prior to purchase to see if it’s a good fit for you.

What Souls Are Made Of is the fourth book in the Reclaimed Classics series from Feiwel & Friends. The other books include So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix (Sept. 2021), A Clash Of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix (Sept. 2021), and Travelers Along the Way (March 2022).

This is everything Wuthering Heights should have been, I'm sorry but Emily Brontë could NEVER!

I think this is the first foray of this author into YA and I'm very happy to say that Tasha managed to keep everything that's magical about her storytelling and nail the tone for a younger audience while still keeping all the toxicity and trauma from the original story. The choice of adding and exploring the MCs backgrounds against the historical period when the story takes place made everything so much more rich and meaningful, and I think my favorite part was the different route she chose to take with it—to end the cycle of violence and revenge. In the end, this is a story about healing, connection, and reconciliation with one's history and identity, which is one of the things this author excels at and one of my favorite traits in all of her stories.

I also really liked how the Gothic elements are still very present with the ghosts, the nameless rituals, and the haunted treasures, it left me hoping she'll venture into this genre again in the future.