It takes about 6 hr 52 min to read Wuthering Heights at a fiction reading speed of 260 words per minute.
Short answer: Wuthering Heights takes about 6 hours 52 minutes of reading time at an average fiction pace of 260 words per minute — roughly 7 hours 8 minutes at the general adult average of 250 wpm.
Emily Brontë’s intense gothic romance, Wuthering Heights is a classic of English literature.
- Approx. words: ~107,000
- Reading time at 260 wpm (fiction): 6 hr 52 min
- 30-minute sittings: 14
- Audiobook approx.: ~11 hr 30 min
Word counts are approximate — editions and translations vary.
Try the book reading time calculator for your own pace
About this book
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, published in 1847, is a wild, strange story of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, told backwards through two narrators on the Yorkshire moors. It baffles many first-time readers — almost everyone shares a name, and the timeline folds in on itself — but at roughly 107,000 words it is the shortest of the great Victorian doorstoppers.
A simple reading plan
At an average fiction pace of 260 words per minute, the whole book takes about 6 hours and 52 minutes of actual reading time. Spread it out like this:
- 20 minutes a day: finished in about 21 days
- 30 minutes a day: finished in about 14 days
- 1 hour a day: finished in about 7 days
Good to know: keep a note of the two Catherines and two generations as you go. Five minutes spent on the family tree at the start saves real confusion later.
Reading time at different speeds
| Reading speed | Time for Wuthering Heights |
|---|---|
| 200 wpm (slower, careful reading) | about 8 hours 55 minutes |
| 250 wpm (average adult) | about 7 hours 8 minutes |
| 260 wpm (average fiction pace) | about 6 hours 52 minutes |
| 300 wpm (fast reader) | about 5 hours 57 minutes |
Based on roughly 107,000 words. Your own pace matters more than the average — measure your reading speed or use the book reading time calculator for a personal estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages is Wuthering Heights?
Most editions run to roughly 340 pages, though page counts vary a lot by edition and print size. The word count — about 107,000 words — is the more reliable measure for reading time.
How long does Wuthering Heights take to read at 250 wpm?
About 7 hours 8 minutes. At a slower 200 wpm it takes about 8 hours 55 minutes, and a fast reader at 300 wpm finishes in about 5 hours 57 minutes.
Why do readers find Wuthering Heights confusing at first?
Two narrators, a folded timeline, and two generations sharing names (two Catherines, two Lintons). The first five chapters are the hardest; after that the structure clicks.
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