If you pick up Pointed Roofs expecting a fast-paced plot, you might be surprised. Published in 1915, this book is often called the first true 'stream of consciousness' novel in English. It follows seventeen-year-old Miriam Henderson as she leaves her troubled family in England to work as a student-teacher at a small, strict girls' school in Germany.

The Story

The story is built from Miriam's immediate impressions. We experience her sea voyage, her arrival at the school with its pointed gables (the 'pointed roofs'), and her daily life alongside the other teachers and pupils. There are lessons, walks, meals, and tense interactions with the school's authoritarian Fräulein. There's no grand adventure or dramatic climax. Instead, the tension comes from Miriam's inner world—her sharp observations, her resistance to the school's rigid rules, her moments of loneliness and sudden joy, and her dawning awareness of herself as separate from the expectations placed upon her. The conflict is internal: a young woman navigating a confined world while her mind seeks freedom.

Why You Should Read It

Reading this book is an act of close attention. Richardson throws out the usual narrator who explains everything. You are right there with Miriam, feeling the scratch of a starched collar, cringing at a social misstep, getting lost in a daydream. It can feel fragmented and intense, but that's the point. It captures the messiness of thought itself. Miriam isn't always 'likeable' in a conventional way—she's judgmental, restless, and confused—but she is fiercely alive. You witness the birth of a modern consciousness, one that questions rather than accepts.

Final Verdict

This book isn't a casual beach read. It's perfect for readers who are curious about literary history and want to see where authors like Virginia Woolf and James Joyce got some of their inspiration. It's for anyone who loves deep character studies and doesn't mind a book that prioritizes psychological truth over plot. If you enjoy sinking into a character's perspective and experiencing the world through their senses, you'll find Pointed Roofs a groundbreaking and rewarding journey. Just be prepared to read slowly and let the rhythm of Miriam's mind carry you.