Tenant of Wildfell Hall

 The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte is a very blunt book, especially for the day and age that this Bronte Sister wrote it. 

"Gilbert Markham is deeply intrigued by Helen Graham, a beautiful and secretive young woman who has moved into nearby Wildfell Hall with her young son. He is quick to offer Helen his friendship, but when her reclusive behavior becomes the subject of local gossip and speculations, Gilbert begins to wonder whether his trust in her has been misplaced. It is only when she allows Gilbert to read her diary that the truth is revealed and the shocking details of the disastrous marriage she left behind emerge. Told with great immediacy, combined with wit and irony, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a powerful depiction of a woman's fight for domestic independence and creative freedom."

General Thoughts: Oof, this was a tough read. Not only is it an older book, first published in 1848, but the subject matter is hard too. In reading about it, Charlotte Bronte--Anne's sister--had the book pulled from publication no long after Anne's death because she thought it was one of the reasons she died, too much mental and emotional strain--which is probably one of the reasons it Anne wasn't as popular amongst readers as Emily and Charlotte were which is sad. It's a great book; it's just not a light easy read. 

Plot and Theme: This book is about the tragedies and abuses of some women's lives. Helen hates liquor because of what her husband did while he was intoxicated--angry, abusive, unfaithful, and plain-old nasty. I'm sure there were many women who wanted to run away from the same kind of husband back then who were socially and financially unable to. Death was more acceptable than divorce. The social critique; the blatant, in-your-face depictions that were shown here I'm sure were a shock then. Those things weren't talked about openly but was probably rampant in gossip chains. Helen running away from her husband is amazing. 

Setting: This was set in the time period it was written, so I'm sure the setting was spot on. Historically, lol. From what I recall it was well set up. The atmosphere was dark and gray like the position Helen was in. I would have liked to see the cliffside where they picnicked and even the crumbling down Hall. 

Characters: It has been over a years since I read it, but from what I recall Helen was an angelic character, almost too much so. Going back to take care of her husband who was dying is potentially more saintly than I would be, especially after what he put her through. Gilbert Markham was an interesting lens to look though. I remember him being frustrated and charmed and kind which I'm sure was new and refreshing to Helen  though she didn't trust him for a while. I do think that the other characters, especially around the topic of alcohol, were interesting. She, for her time and place, Helen was probably an extreme outlier, everyone had a sip of brandy or glass of wine or some such. I, being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, appreciate her vehemence and her ability to stick to her guns. Her character was unwavering and I can support her in that. 

Spice: 1/5 Spicy Chilis, but not in a good way. Arthur Huntingdon is an awful person and needed to be put down. The fact that people were in uproar over the fact that Helen "slammed the bedroom door" on her husband because she was so sick of his abuse and infidelity makes my modern brain very upset. The other romance between Helen and Gilbert was chased, like most historical novels of the era. 

Writing Style: Again, this is an old book and not written with the "modern" audience in mind. It is written much like Jane Eyre and Jane Austen's books with their elaborate words and long sentences and paragraphs. Some modern readers might not like that that and I must admit that I had a hard time finishing it too. 

Overall: It is probably one of those books that everyone should read before they die. It is considered one of the first "feminist books" which is pretty cool. 

Ella Enchanted

 Another retelling of Cinderella. 

Ella was "blessed," more like cursed, when she was a baby by a fairy named Lucinda to be Obedient, therefore she must do everything someone, anyone, tells her to do. She tries to fight against the curse going at it slowly or obnoxiously, but eventually she has to give in to whatever someone says. After her beloved mother dies, she is forced to go to finishing school with two nasty girls (who'd eventually become her step sister). On her way there, Hattie figures out that Ella has to be obedient and starts making her life miserable. She runs away, trying to find Lucinda to take the curse away (with the help of her own fairly godmother) but things don't go as planned. 

A simple, very fanciful retelling of the traditional story, it "fixes" a few of the things that modern audiences have problems with. Why didn't Cinderella leave? Why does she have to do what she's told? Why would the Prince marry her at the end without even knowing her? Historically, those questions wouldn't have mattered. Arranged marriages happened all the time and not being able to leave your home or position was obvious. But it gives our modern eyes reasons and explanations. 

I enjoy Ella and Char as a characters. I like the way their relationship is friendly and develops over the course of the story. Often we don't get that in a Cinderella story (which is why I think it is retold so much and why we get so many versions of it, the romance is open ended). I think their relationship is what makes this story. Yes, Ella goes on an adventure, but them together or their letters to each other is what really draws us through the story. 

The Scarlet Letter (Manga)

I've never read this classic and when scanning through the comic section of my library, I came across it and finished it in a day. 

1642, Hester Prynne is married to a man in England whom she doesn't love and has a baby with another man. She won't say who this man is and lets the blame fall completely on herself. She is given a scarlet letter to put on her chest so that everyone in town knows of her sin and will treat her with the distain she deserves. Her husband makes arrives in town but tells her now to reveal who he is and they can go about their business, an ever present demon as he seeks to find who is the baby's father and take his vengeance on the man's soul. Hester raises her daughter, Pearl, on her own and tries to do her best to receive redemption for the sin she committed. As the years go by and by her good works in her community, the letter on her chest starts to represent her "ability" to do good as opposed to the "adultery" she is convicted of and she creates a good name for herself although her sin is never far from people's minds. 

This was a very interesting book. My friends were forced to read it in school and many didn't like it (who does when it's mandatory reading?). So I didn't know what I was really getting into. The fact that it's a manga and the pictures helped illustrate what the metaphors in the story were trying to convey what was going on much better than I think I would have gotten the first time through on a normal book read. My brain is kinda like that. Roger Chillingworth becoming more demonic as time goes on and the amount of guilt that radiates from poor sickly Arthur Dimmesdale is very well portrayed, along with how the town slowly changes their opinion of Hester as she proves that one mistakes is what makes her up as a person. 

The overarching theme of how guilt can impact people is extremely interesting and probably why it is a classic. The fact that because Hester's sin is in front of everyone and that her guilt is boldly on her chest for everyone to see, as opposed to Arthur, who is looked up to greatly by all of the community, hides it and becomes sick because of the gnawing guilt of it all; and the way it compares the two, their reactions and that of the community, and how freeing it can be to... forgive themselves...? Is that what it is? To let the guilt be lifted and how freeing that can be. 

The artwork in here was extremely well done, as was the "summary" of the story. Obviously it's not all of it. I'm sure many of the conversations and sermons were shortened or no in there at all which is fine. From the other "Manga Classics" that I've read, they do a very good job at portraying the most important things of the story without missing as much as you thing. 

Jane Eyre

 Apparently it has been quite a few years since I've read or listened to Jane Eyre, and I'm glad I made this journey again. 

Young, plain Jane is orphaned. Forced to live with her uncles wife and children, she is abused and neglected. Her strong will and temperament are then bridled at Lowood Academy. There she makes friends with the teachers and other pupils. Death pays a visit on a large scale at the Academy, which brings sorrow and a heightening of the presence of God into Jane's life. Fully grown and educated, Jane decides to take her academic learning into a career as a governess. She finds a position at Thornfield Hall and enjoys the small society there. With only the master of the house, her pupil, and the servants in attendance, she begins to find a home at Thornfield and has found a friendship with the master of the house, Mr. Rochester. Their relationship starts to become more than simply governess and master, and he eventually proposes marriage. She begins to let her bridled passions and true character unwind. But fate has a strange turn and all is not as it seems at Thornfield Hall. 

There are reasons why this book has been well loved for nearly 180 years. The characters with their foils, the gothic mystery, the fairytale, the love story, view of God, and symbolism are amazingly well done. 

Jane has probably become my favorite character, almost ever. She is bold and brash where and with whom she finds it appropriate. She has her fault of probably being too easily led, by those who mean well and those who are manipulating a situation -- though part of me wonders how much of that was do to the time and what was expected of women 180 years ago and how much was her character, I don't have an answer yet on that. I love how she is religious and learns, as we all should, about forgiveness and charity and service to others. Those aren't often what is written about now without seeming pompous or prudish. I love how she stands up for what she believes to be right even though it hurts her greatly. She chose not to stay with Mr. Rochester for important reasons. She holds her ground with Mr. Rivers and, though she comes close, she doesn't recant her opinions and holds her ground. She knows what she wants, especially in the long term, and doesn't let herself be trodden on or manipulated by others feelings and wants. She is and has a strong character! I mean, come on! She says, "Oh, I will give my heart to God. You do not want it!" Bold as brass! <3 Love it. 

Mr. Rochester is an interesting character too. Similar to Jane, he's not handsome (which is cool because how many characters are often portrayed as the most beautiful person ever in the whole world or time? It's unrelatable for a large portion of society.) He's loud, has strong opinions, and is rather grumpy (though given his circumstances, it's understandable), sometimes I think he talks more than Jane -- which does make the relationship they have in the beginning a little hard to believe, though that might just be because I need to pay better attention -- but he sees that she is smart and thoughtful. He is proud, which is his biggest fault, but throughout the course of the story he finds himself extremely humbled. I love the way Charlotte Bronte words his devotion for Jane. His love is palpable on the page. It is beautiful, kind, and honest. 

The Gothic and supernatural elements of this book are the best thing for it. It gives the ghosts the prowl the Hall so much more life and vivacity than I think could have been done in any other setting. It gives strong tones of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen -- though Austen was a satire of Gothic literature in her time. This Gothic atmosphere only ever lends itself to the story and bolsters it up. 

I think the mystery of Thornfield Hall is what most people remember of Jane Eyre today. "Vampyres" and fires are pivotal points in this story and they are so well written. Just... *chefs kiss * it's so well done. 

I have no problems with this book. It was well written. The writing, though older and potentially longwinded, is elegant and only give to the story. It is written in a "more modern" tone as opposed to even Jane Austen which was written 30 years previously which made it considerably easier to dive into. 

I'm extremely interested in finding the many depictions of this story that have been produced. I know plays have been done and I own a movie, but I have a need for more. 

I love it. I love it. I love it. 

In finding a cover of Jane Eyre for this post, I was in awe of how many beautiful (sometimes funny) covers were published. Here are some of my favorite ones. 

Some of these covers, though, make no sense whatsoever or are just completely inaccurate.

He looks really creepy here.... Um... Excuse you, dude! 

I mean, what is this? It definitely screams 1840s Gothic Classic to me... right... 

Peter Pan

 

Peter Pan is an old classic.

The Darlings' children get visited by the boy who never grows up and teaches them to fly. Off to Neverland they go which is the place of their fantasies, pirates, mermaids, Indians, and adventures galore. 

It is a fine book. One that can touch the lives of many people who are wanting to escape the bounds of growing up and knowing that we all need a mother--biological or "make-believe." This one will probably be one I'll read to my son because it's a fun, simple adventure. 

Reading it myself, though, wasn't as fun as I remember. The narrator in it was funny, in an odd way. Like an adult trying to be childlike, as opposed a child like say Wendy telling the story. It could be the fact that the audiobook was narrated by an older man, but it shouldn't make that much of a difference. The tone and fake childishness of the story put me off enough that I couldn't give it four stars. 

I've seen the play. I've seen the movies. The story is a good one. I like the emphasis and explanation we get for Mr. and Mrs. Darling. It makes them far more alive than even some of the movies give us. I also really like the implication that maybe, just maybe, when Mrs. Darling was younger, she too spent time with Peter. Maybe not off to Neverland with him, but stories and potential glances of him out her own window as a girl. 

I'd read it again for someone else, but for me I think I'll stick to the movies if I need a Peter Pan fix. 

Pride and Prejudice

The lovely classic that is Pride and Prejudice.

The Bennet family in regency England has five daughters and no boys to become heir of the family's estate. And what is on the mind of the ever dramatic Mrs. Bennet is to have her daughters married to wealthy young men so they aren't out on the street when "your father is dead." So when a Mr. Bingley purchases Netherfield Park not far away, obviously one of her daughters must marry him. With this entrance comes many more members of society that the Bennet's weren't aware of, such as: their cousin Mr. Collins, the magnificent Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Bingley's meddling sisters, the charismatic Mr. Wickham, and the every handsome but off-putting Mr. Darcy.  All these eligible young men must marry one of the Miss Bennet's, right?! 

This is a great story. One that I happily read and watch over and over again. The story is fantastic; the romances charming; the characters are engaging, villainous when appropriate, and very memorable. 

I think the reason I love this book so much is the characters. I think the reason why this book has stayed so popular over the 200 years it's been around is because of the characters. There are so many with different, full personalities that it seems to breathe. There is no one like Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh let alone their relationship. Charlotte Lucus is understandable and though she makes an unbelievable choice is still in the good graces of all her readers. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are a hoot and a holler and one of my favorite "parental couples" in almost any book. I especially love Mr. Bennet's quotes and his constant picking on his wife, as well as his commentary saying, "My dear child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life" because he most definitely cannot respect his and knows the importance of it. Jane is amazing too and reminds me a lot of myself (though probably not nearly so handsome). The best things I saw online concerning Jane Bennet is this: 

It makes my day. 

It is a classic and a good classic. It was written 200 years ago so the writing style is different and for some may be hard to understand, but persevere my friend! If you a have troubles, go find the movies. There are many to choose from and while many praise Keira Knightly's 2005 version, go for the 1995 one instead. Jennifer Ehle and Collin Firth are amazing and the movie gets so much right! Read and watch it now. Just go! 

Guardians of the West

Guardian's of the West is the first book in the Malloreon, a sequel series to David Eddings' Belgariad. This is one where it is best if you read the Belgariad first otherwise there are major spoilers.

The story starts with Polgara, Durnik, Errand, and Belgarath travel down to the Vale. Now that the Evil God Torak has been defeated and the prophecy of the Child of Light vs the Child of Dark has been completed, things can become peaceful. They are able to live, for the first time in millenia, in peace without having to worry about Kal Torak waking up and ruling the world in darkness. However, small things begin to happen. People appear, have mysterious and odd conversations, then vanish. The East is very unsettled and in the midst of internal conflict and wars on a mass scale. There is talk of a strange dark stone and evil forces moving again. But their lives have been so focused on Torak and the Mrin Codex's prophecy that maybe they missed something. Is there something more moving out there now that Torak is dead and gone? Garion and Ce'Nedra are in Riva with trials of their own, marriage conflicts (brought to you by a clash of personalities), and the country grows restless without an Heir to the Rivian throne. There have also been murders in the castle and attempted assassinations, each time with so little information to go off of. Who is doing this? Why are they after the baby? What is this newly discovered prophecy that is throwing this world into an upheaval again?

This book starts off very slow. I started reading it years ago but I got through about half the book and nothing "super exciting" was going on so I put it down. (Apparently right before things really got interesting. This is the first book in a large series and so needs a bit of introduction. It also sets up the fact that years are passing between the death of Torak and the wiggling changes that this new prophecy and the workers behind it are implementing. This book goes to show that sometimes it just takes time for real dangers to hit and that sometimes those dangers, if left unnoticed or unchecked, can suddenly grow into all wars.

It also brings back the love of old characters. All of them I have loved throughout the whole Belgariad series many make their appearances here and seems will continue to do so as the series goes on. By the end, we are informed that many more new characters will find their way into the story and we're left with wondering "who are they?"

This book is written rather like The Hobbit where there isn't much in the way of description of surrounding areas. Hardly any at all. Much of the book is conversations and dialog with funny, snarky comments. Much is left to the imagination of the reader in terms of setting and other descriptions. This, I think, is mainly do to the time in which is was written, where Edding's lets the (now considered) cliches run themselves. He's not trying to break the troupe or cliche because fantasy was still fairly new and weren't considered cliche much.

I do really like the fact that women (in the very male ruled society) are still able to put their foot forward. Polgara is highly respected. A king dies and his wife takes over until their son can grow up and claim the throne, where she runs more of the campaign than the rest of the men do so it seems, and she is very prominent in all of the counsels that they have. Vella makes a return and has a fowl mouth that made some gentlemen blush yet can stand on her own feet and defend herself while being sold (which is Nardak custom). But then we also have many other different women throughout the books, casting different personalities and none of them were looked down on or belittled because some where more compassionate or powerful or sneaky or overcome by sea sickness. I think it would be interesting to read articles based on the women in his stories. There is a lot that could be said here.

In the end, now that things are moving forward a bit more dramatically, I'm very interested on where the rest of the story is going. Where it's not just black and white, good vs evil, one big bad guy where we know where we're going. But there is more of a mystery too it which can make it more exciting. I'm ready to read on.

The Color of Magic

This very odd book is rather fantastic.

The story follows Rincewind, an "incompetent" wizard who only knows one spell, that's so powerful he doesn't dare use it, and Twoflower a former insurance clerk, now bumbling tourist who wants to see everything there is to see on the other side of Diskworld including tavern brawls, pirates, heroes, dragons, magic spells, and everything else that he's heard of from the docks. Oh, as well as Twoflower's luggage chest that walks on its own with about a hundred legs, and Death, who is spotted quiet often and is quite a character.

This book is a very well thought out Dungeons and Dragon's campaign (rolls of the dice included) with the most entertaining characters.

Terry Pratchett's writing style may not be for everyone, which is understandable because the way it describes things is rather obnoxious but in a humorous way. There were times when things happened and I had to go back because "What just happened?" As I said, it may not be for everyone but I laughed out loud and nearly fell over while I was jogging because of the way things were said or the weirdness of Twoflower.

I think the world that Terry Pratchett made is unique yet still has the basics of "typical fantasy." Magic, the Gods, Death, and pretty much the universe has been warped and changed to the delight and curiosity which is Twoflower and us as the reader. I mean, what fantasy world has dragons and jet planes? You tell me. ;)

While I was looking online a bit about this book, I found out that it is also a movie!!! WHAT!?! Starring Sean Astin, David Jason, and Tim Curry... I about died. The movie, I believe, is based on The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic. The rest of the Disk World series and lore might be in it too, but because I haven't seen it, I don't really know for sure. I do plan on finding out though, just for a laugh because I'm sure Sean Astin will to a phenomenal job as the ridiculous tourist.

Wow.

Entwined

I picked this book up years ago and after reading through the first couple of pages gave it back to my local library (go support your libraries, ladies and gents. It's worth it!). I knew I wanted to read it again or at least give it a try, but when my library was "weeding" the books they were going to get rid of this one. So for $0.50 I snagged it, hoping I'd get to it eventually. Well, I got to it eventually, lol.

This is a fairytale retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Azalea is the eldest of eleven princesses whom she loves and takes care of while their mother is deathly ill. Their mother is pregnant and sick and on the night the youngest is born she dies. The girls and the King grieve in different ways, but all are subjected to mourning for a year. Merry Christmas, everyone. The thing that the girls love most is dancing and because of mourning they are denied this. They get scolded and reprimanded for sneakily doing it in defiance of their father, knowing "Mother would have let us do it." The castle they live in is a magic one and they find an enchanted room in their fireplace where a man with magic has been imprisoned by the same magic he uses. He invites them all down every night to dance and enjoy themselves. They greedily take the opportunity. Between arguments with their father, grieving over their mother, being forced to be alone in mourning, and the occasional "political business" where gentlemen would strut around trying to entice the princess into political marriages, they dance.

I really enjoyed the ending of this book. The beginning was a bit cheesy, which is why I didn't get very far the first time, and the middle was a little elongated more than it really needed to be, but the ending was very well done. Highly intriguing and engaging where I finished the last 200 pages in a day--where as I somewhat struggled picking it up in the middle. It was worth it in the end. I'll definitely be keeping this book on my shelf and will probably read through it again later.

The driving force of this book was more to do with Father/Daughter relationships more than "I love this boy" which is different than most YA books out there. Yes, there is romance, but moral of the story is family. They learn to grieve together and it's not something that happens over night. That build up of Parent/Child relations is what took the middle of the book so long. It was needed and important for the end, so I'm glad it was there, but it might drag a bit for some. Family is first. Loving family first where boys and potatinal marriages are second. Different and good.

There is a struggle some authors have in keeping different character (especially lots of different characters) separate and distinct. Heather Dixon does a good job with this. All the girls are flower names, but they are all in alphabetical order so then we as the reader can at least guess as to where they land in age. Azalea is 17 or so all the way down to baby Lilly. We can keep them in order because of their names. There are also a lot of gentlemen who come and go throughout the story and, through their names as well, we are able to keep them separated as well as given a bit of their personalities. Lord Teddie is rambunctious, Lord Bradford is practical and a good political while still being kind, Lord Fairweather is constant and stiff. Names and personalities here were well straightened out for the most part, which is hard to do with so many people.

The setting was fun, and the magic in the world was simple, yet different. The large portion of magic at the end, the climax and resolution of it all, was set up well enough but there was one part I had a problem with due do lack of explanation--which gave its excuse of it possibly being "Old Magic" therefore mysterious. Slight cop out, but I guess it works.

The only thing that I can complain about is the slight cheesiness of the dancing toward the beginning. It got better as it went on and it might have to do with the fact that I'm not a dancer, really, and don't get the fascination so much. Good for them if they do, but it was kind of cheesy to me. The reader can get over it and it's not so bad, just push on and it gets to be better.

In the end, it's a really good book. Heather Dixon did a really good job at portraying this story which often gets over looked for other "princess classics." Read it and enjoy.

The Watson's

I have learned now that it is important to read through all the introductions first in a book. They can be very helpful.

When I came across The Watsons at the end of my Northanger Abbey book, I started reading it just as I did Lady Susan not realizing that The Watsons was an unfinished work, almost along the lines of a blip from one of her other stories.

Our main character is Emma Watson who is invited to go to a Ball by a neighbor. She is set apart by her family as she looks over her invalid Uncle and doesn't get out much. She is given a diagnosis of the people going to the Ball and told whom to look out for. She is given offers to dance, seen by many, and gets the basic notions of those around her. There are visits after the Ball along with her family coming into town and trying to get her to come back home instead of enjoying the solitude and pleasant companionship of her Uncle.

It is only about forty pages and doesn't have much in the way of extended plot, but, as I said earlier, it's not finished. I think someone described it as a scribble. There is definite possibility for this story, and it resembles a bit of Pride and Prejudice in some aspects, but it is it's own story.

I found it very funny that the main character's name is Emma Watson, though I'm sure the actresses parents didn't know about this story. It made me happy. As for the other characters, there were so many in such a short period of time that it was hard to keep some of them straight. Few had solid characteristics in my mind that it was hard to keep many of them separated. I would have liked to read more about this particular story, but, alas, no such luck.

I did really enjoy one part of the story where the gentleman who would, if the story went on long enough, and Emma sat somewhat awkwardly in silence and talked some. It seems to be that that particular part might have been the founding part of this short story. It fit well and made me smile. Jane Austen has it well written, all of the story, but this part had that extra bit of "umph" to it that made me rather like the story and want more.

One other thing that I did struggle with, and it might just be that I have an "older" copy of the text is that there are sometimes four to five pages of text without a paragraph break. Pages full of conversation that has no breaks for the mind. This, I believe is only on my Oxford World Classics edition (that had awesome footnotes and explanations about the times) that had it that way. If I were to read it again, I'd go for a different edition, one that made it easier to read.

Miss. Jane, you need to "have an affair with the tab key." ~Mr. Bradley

Northanger Abbey

Upon reflection, I realized I haven't written about Northanger Abbey and how much I thoroughly enjoyed Jane Austen's first written novel, thought it was published after she died in 1817 alongside Persuasion.

Catherine Morland was not born to be a heroine. That is how Jane Austen starts it. She isn't particularly pretty. She isn't super accomplished. As she grew, she started to love novels and reading. But being born out in the country, she didn't have much in the way of possible social interactions which is what a young girl in her station needed in order to find a good husband to marry. So, joining a family friend in Bath in hopes of finding that social interaction, she runs into a boy--well, man--who seems shrouded in supernatural mystery. Or maybe she's reading too much into his family secrets. Mr. Tilney isn't the only one looking to become better acquainted with the somewhat naive Miss. Morland as well. Love and potential Gothic encounters are in the air. Or maybe she's reading too much into all interactions.

This is one of my favorite Jane Austen books, so much so that I wrote my under-graduate thesis on it in college. Jane has her satirical fingers all over this book as she's poking fun of the Gothic novels that were circulating around her in her teenage years, when she started to write. Catherine reads these types of books and when presented with Northanger Abbey, which is Mr. Tilney's family home, she can't help but imagine secret passageways, diabolical schemes, ghosts, even vampires that reside behind each fluttering curtain. Jane Austen was critiquing The Monk, The Castle of Otranto, The Mysteries of Uldolpho (which she names specifically) and many others (none of which I've read). She pokes fun of them all because, in her opinion, they are kind of ridiculous.

I love the fact that Catherine isn't really the heroine of her own story. It says she is and it is her story but she doesn't save the day, she didn't solve a mystery (maybe I could give that one to her, but I probably wouldn't), she wasn't taken captive by a roving spirit where Mr. Tilney had to come and save her from a fire that the ghost started. No fainting spells, no vampires, no vindictive vendettas she needed to evade, or whatever. In part, she nearly lost it all because her imagination was wild and got the better of her.

Catherine and the rest of the characters are fun. Jane Austen is really good at making her characters human and realistic. Even though her writing style is older it works and stands well against time. Honestly, not many can do that well. They are human with fault and problems, with family who are sometimes the problem, with tempers, and schemes for marriages, for wealth, for love, for stability and survival. Jane Austen took the situations, and sometimes the people, around her and gave them to us to see. One could say she gave a big portion of the truth of Society to Society. (It kind of make me think of The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Such a great book.)

I think the biggest hang up that people have for this is the older writing style of Jane Austen's books. Modern minds have to take a second and slow down to actually think about what is being said instead of having the language be as simple as it is today. It's like they have to adjust their eyes and minds to the colorful words.

Lady Susan

Jane Austen is a well known name for many of her works. Mainly Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, &c. but there are some of her works that people don't know. Lady Susan is one of those, though it has risen in popularity though people may not know it.

Lady Susan is a story written in letters between the different characters about the flirtatious whims of Lady Susan. After making a quick leave from friendly relations, she imposes herself on her brother and his family for a time. She is an expert in the ways of speech and a ridiculous flirt. Mrs. Vernon--Lady Susan's sister-in-law--after being invaded by this woman with a sour reputation, has a full house when her brother, also a lover of flirtation, comes to meet her and have lively conversation. But then Lady Susan starts captivating the young Mr. De Courcy. She has snatched away his sense and has him completely wrapped around her finger. Other characters are introduced that shed light on Lady Susan's character, or lack there of, which characters include her daughter and a certain Mr. Manwaring and Mr. James. People all around her can see her intentions and falsehoods, yet are still bewitched by her words.


This story has recently been retold in the movie adaptation "Love and Friendship" (Not to be confused with Jane Austen's satirical story "Love & Freindship," which is also funny, but different). I think Kate Beckinsale did an amazing job at this proud, rather obnoxious character.

I think Jane Austen did an expert job with the letter writing between characters. It gave enough information to not lead the reader astray, but also make it feel like they were letters to friends or family. There was even voice change, even slight at parts, between the different writers, which (as a writer) was fascinating.

I really like the characters. I like they they are a family that has to work through a family problem and that this story doesn't have a "we fixed her and she's not who she was." There is no way to fix Lady Susan because she doesn't think she needs fixing. She is insufferable, but she doesn't think so.

I like how this also shows Jane Austen's humor. Honestly, how many people were writing books like this where the title character is willingly being a lover to a married man and thinks its the wife's fault, and writing this story at the turn of the 19th Century? I mean this two decades before the Victorian Era where they were the most prude and proper society. Twenty years, that's not a lot. (Yes, I know Shakespeare made fart jokes, let us move on.) That is not what we think of when we think Regency, not initially any way.

It is a great read. A short read comparatively, though it comes from a different age. Therefore, writing style and wordage's are different. (Similar to the Hardy Boys, The Belgariad, and Shakespeare.) That change in age can take some getting used to, but once you do it flows so quickly. I love it.

Enjoy the book. Watch the movie and enjoy that too.

Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting was a book I originally read in my 5th grade class and in all actuality is probably the first chapter book to read in class that I actually enjoyed. I haven't read it for years but I found that I still loved it.

Winnie Foster is a girl who is stuck in the moment of sameness. Nothing changes for her in her life, with no friends because she is to proper, to clean, and practically confined to her yard. The only conversation she gets is from a toad that sticks around her yard. So not much conversation, until a man in a yellow suit comes by and asks about a peculiar family that she doesn't know. One day at the top of summer where it is the most hot and nature stands still from heat exhaustion, she decides to run away. She gains the courage to step outside her fenced yard and starts traveling through the woods her family owns when she stumbles upon a boy drinking from spring near the base of a tree. What she is about to find out is that he's part of a family who can't die. She gets taken away to have the situation explained to her, but wait... did she just get kidnapped.

It's a sweet book about kind people who have found the meaning of death, in a not gory or creepy way. I very much enjoyed the book, even as an adult.

I love the way Natalie Babbitt used cycles and circles to convey the metaphors, morals, and themes throughout her story. They were well done and well thought out. I also very much love the characters and they are all so human. Setting was well done especially for the fact that this books takes place, for the most part, in two days. It was set up well.

I honestly don't have any faults in this story. Any major disheartening or dislikes or major troubles.

It's a good book that deserved its rewards. It also has two movie adaptations (one in 1981 and the other in 2002). I very much enjoyed the portrayal of the book done in 2002, though there are differences for exaggeration, but they were fun concepts that were played with. I'm gonna be watchin' it soon.

Please, read it. Enjoy it. You could probably finish it in a day.

Castle of Wizardry

The fourth instalment of the Belgariad by David Eddings is a longer one. It is not my favorite one, but it is still good.

Garion and the rest of his traveling companions have retrieved the Orb of Alder and venture back to safe territory. Killing Murgos and finding armies along the way. They make stops at remembered placed, but as they enter farms and caves, Garion finds that they are different. More like they are the same and he is different. He has grown in the year he's been gone traveling with Aunt Pol and Belgarath. Suddenly he also finds himself a King to a country he doesn't know and people trying to murder him on a supposedly safe island away from those who'd do him harm. Ce'Nedra isn't being helpful either. But then bigger decisions have to be made and prophecies must be fulfilled.

As I said, it's not my favorite. There seems to be a lot more traveling happening and not as much storytelling going on. Events happen, but they have more of a diplomatic feel to them instead of action adventure. This series is written differently than most, especially nowadays, and goes slower. These events, diplomatic though they may be, needed to happen in order to further the story on. Slow going, but push through it and enjoy the last book.

As always the development of the characters is what holds me on, although I've become more and more intrigued by the final battle with Torak and what will happen in the future.

Magician's Gambit

The third book in the Belgariad series is my favorite of the first three.

It picks up directly where Queen of Sorcery. Running out of the snake country, through Maragor, the Vale of Aldur, and Ulgo Land all to get to sneak into enemy borders to get the Orb of Aldur in on of the most well guarded and scary temples of Torak.

I enjoy this book so much because of the diversity of cultures that are presented as well as the background we get on Bargarath. Mara is so sad and my heart breaks for the God. Relg, the zealot of UL, can be annoying to some but he grew on me. He also gets better when he meets a certain woman who makes me laugh.

As always in this series, the map and culture explanation was very important to David Eddings. So there is a lot of traveling in here, but unlike those cultures we explore in Queen of Sorcery I think these people and cultures are so vastly different which makes the comparison more interesting. Ulgo Land and Maragor are one of the most intriguing.

We, again, have many of the same recurring characters who are up to their old tricks, so much so that Silk gets himself in major trouble and has a little PTSD from his experience all the while Barak makes fun of him for it. They are my favorite characters throughout most of the series. Comic relief, okay. I love them.

I recommend this whole series to anyone who is starting to get into fantasy, teens for sure.

Queen of Sorcery

Book two of the "Belgariad" is one of my favorites.

Garion has learned much about the world since he's left the little farm he grew up on. He's made more friends, has his world turned upside down realizing that his aunt and friend the storyteller are far more distantly related, and this mysterious adventure is far less mysterious though no less dangerous.

Seeking the Orb of Aldur makes them travel south through Arendia, Tolnedra, and Nyissa. Throughout their travels, Garion has been made acquaintances of more than a few kings and is instrumental in stopping quiet a few feuds/civil wars. He's busy throughout this book and is learning slowly that things aren't what they really appear. He also finds new strengths within himself that he will have to master or else blow himself up.

As always, the characters in the books have been my favorite. They add three more to love though one only sticks around for a portion of the book. I love the fact that they all come from different walks of life and bring very different cards to the table. They are all part of a prophecy which we don't get a full picture of yet though a "bear, a rat, and a man who lives twice" are in there somewhere. Eddings created this story based off of his map of the world and (although some seem a bit stereotypical of their particular countries) they are all so different from one another. Part of it feels like a D&D group or many fantasy based RPGs, for those who are familiar with the game. But still they are comical and very dear to me. I love the growth that Garion does have. Not only his little whiskers but that he is growing up mentally. That his choices have consequences and he has to deal not only with his first actions but that actions that follow certain choices. Others show different sides of themselves as well as change; they realize fears or chances to stand up for themselves or others.

I also love how although they go from country to country Garion makes the realization that even though they crossed a boarder, none of the scenery actually changes (until you get to the swamps that is). He's realizing that boarders are merely an illusion that humans make. The land is the land. It is a small part, but now that he is out of his home country and actually traveling, he's realizing (helping us to realize) that the grass is just as green on this side as the otherside.

This is the book I go back to when I want a taste of the "Belgariad" and I always find I enjoy it.

Pawn of Prophecy

Pawn of Prophecy is the first book of the "Belgariad." The first time I read this was about ten years ago at the recommendation of my brother. It was my kickoff into fantasy which I am so very grateful for.

Garion is a boy who lives on a Faldar's farm with his Aunt. It starts out a bit slow, farm life, finding girls attractive, nearly dying while rafting on a lake, normal adventure-y things that one would do when you're too young to be working in the field. They will occasionally have visitors: the storyteller, merchant that are suspicious, and that strange rider that always seems to be lurking though no one else can see him. Aunt Pol and the storyteller seem to have a background, though it's a friendly one. Garion overhears conversation of something vastly important being stolen, then he is suddenly ousted from the life he knew into one of utter confusion. Joining up with his Aunt, the storyteller, the blacksmith from the farm who has eyes for Aunt Pol, a rat faced man, and a man as big as a bear, they find themselves in search of something while at the same time running from those who pursue them. Garion is finding himself way over his head in things he doesn't understand.

This book is very near and dear to my heart. While it might not be the best piece of literature out there, I love the characters and the cultures it creates and develops. David Eddings takes a lot of time for the cultures and peoples he creates and it shows through his writing. It is a "hero's journey" where we watch the development of Garion and his companions while they are seeking something vitaly important--though the quest seems to be not quite on par with the characters. Having read the series before, it gets better as the series goes on (similar to Tamora Pierces' books or really any debut novel).

The part of the book that I enjoy the most is and will always be the characters. They might be considered cliche now, but that is only because David Edding's was one of the first to modernly do it.  Silk is the thief among thieves. The first of the greats in my opinion. While not technically a thief, more like a spy, he is amazingly sly. He is my favorite. But the rest of the characters are just as fantastic.

I will warn all that this was written in the early 80's, and so the style is different from what we are used to today. They travel a lot in this series. They can travel leagues (whatever that actually means) and weeks will pass with the words "weeks passed." Which saves us from boring "and they traveled and traveled and traveled" expositions. But it portrays a sense of idleness, like not much is going on. It also seems like there are parts that are easily skimmable. Not that you should, but it is possible.

All in all, everyone should read these. They are a classic like Tolkien. Read them!

Alanna: The First Adventure

It has been so long since I have read anything about Alanna, Jon, Gary, and George. When I first read it years ago, I disliked reading. I was on the verge of hating it. Whenever I was called on in class to read aloud, my stomach would fall through the floor. I had very little practice and found nothing of interest in the fiction books we were forced to read in school. But these simple books, for they are simple, helped me find a joy I didn't know. 

Reading through it a second time, I realized just how blunt these books were. It is, in the end, a short book. It moves very quickly to keep the attention of the youth. The point of view was third person omniscient, and jumped from a person's head to another. I didn't remember this when I read it on 2005. This can be a difficult way to write without it appearing odd or obvious. But, the fact that it's quick makes it very appropriate. There is very little subtlety so then the junior high kids don't miss the important things--which was super helpful to me when I was in junior high. 

The setting is cliched, your typical fantasy world with magic and knights. But when you got youth how don't know it's a cliche, it works. 

But really its the the characters that I loved and they still have a special place in my heart . George is the one who introduced me to thieves and romanticized them for me. I wouldn't have loved Six of Crows if it hadn't been for George. Some of my favorite characters where probably basses on him. George. *sigh* The other characters are good, too, they are rounded and individuals without over doing it. Their attributes are simple and Tamora Pierce is good at reminding us who is who and that they are individuals. 

This is a good story for young girls who want to be unpowered, I think. But it also shows that boys are good too. It is about embracing who you are while not criminalizing others. 

The second book in the series is In the Hands of the Goddess.


P.S. I feel as though I have to add the 2002, Atheneum Books hardcover edition because it was the one that I originally read and enjoyed so much. I had to because my heart demanded it. 

Les Miserables (Manga)

 Les Miserables but for now I recommend this wonderful Manga. The pictures inside are marvelous!
I am working my way up to the true

This book is based off the original, unabridged novel by Victor Hugo (not the musical), but because it is a single manga and not fifty or so it did have to get edited down.

I was happily surprised by the additions that weren't in the musical (the only other way I've seen this story presented) though I feel like some of the artistry in the people and scenes was influenced by the movie with Hugh Jackman from 2012. Like how Eponine and Marius meet and her family's little influences (though end up being big) progress the story.

Again the artist's work here was amazing and breathtaking. For those who need a quick read of this for school *wink wink* or those who are intimidated by the approximate 1100 page unabridged book, this is a good one to start out with.

I thoroughly enjoyed this manga.