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. 

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.

First Test

First Test is the first book in the Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce. Taking place just a few years after the ending of The Immortals series, Keladry of Mindelan wants to be a lady knight just like Alanna the Lioness.

However there are problems, the training master doesn't want girls to be knights and convinces King Jonathan to have the girl go on probation, unlike any of the boys that train to be knights of the realm. This, obviously, rubs Kel the wrong way but she is persistent and determined to become a knight like her hero. Many of the boys in the castle don't think she should be there and there are many times she is beat up in fights she goes looking for. Her own code of chivalry outshines many of the older boys she is around.

This is a book that any feminist would love. I wouldn't classify myself as such, but I enjoy it anyway. Kel is a very bound and determined girl who won't take no crap from any of the boys. She is willing to stand up for anyone who can't/won't stand up for themselves. She's pretty cool.

I will say for the first time I read this, about a decade ago, I didn't like Kel. This series reminded me too much of the Song of the Lioness with dealing with bullies, going through the same things that Alanna did as a page, etc. But in this reread, I've started to like her more. There are differences between Alanna and Kel that I'm content. Kel was trained when she was young by the Yamani (Oriental stereotype equivalent) to be stone faced and show no emotion. She has plenty of emotion, just that she doesn't show it outwardly. Whereas Alanna had emotion burst at the seams as she punched people. This book also has immortals in it and Daine and Numair make appearances, alongside Alanna. So I've changed my original opinion and rather enjoy Kel.

Tamora Pierce still has the same problem in this series though as she did in her earlier two series: her setting. It always seems to be lacking. She says hall or forest or mess hall or classroom and most of the time gives us nothing else. Is it dark, are there torches lighting the way, firs or quaking aspens or pine trees, etc.? There are some many things that can make the world more lively that she loses because there is such a lack of setting. If we were to make a world out of just her descriptions a lot of it would be blank and empty. I know she gets better, but I, myself, really enjoy a lively world.

Read it and enjoy though. It's pretty good.

Maid-Sama Part 2

I was able to find the last half of Kaicou Wa Maid-Sama! (The Class President is a Maid) and I loved it. Not only now is Misaki wanting to keep her working life and school life separate, but now there are deeper feelings between Usui and herself that she has to face as well. He also isn't all that he appears, beside the charming, annoying, good at everything, guy that he is.

Misaki is introduced to Usui's half-brother and glimpses of his background. Now there is trouble with social standing not only with Usui's past but the Student Counsel President of the other (very much annoying), rich school (I'm not even going to try to spell it, sorry).

I believe I read somewhere that Usui got an award for being the best love interest or something along those lines. I'd completely agree. He is charming, funny, again annoying, cheeky, and does his best to show Misaki that he loves all sides of her: maid, president, and simply herself.

This is a great, lighthearted read that I was fun to enjoy. It made me laugh a lot. I wouldn't mind buying the whole series.