Archive | August, 2008

to die is to live

18 Aug

She made a discovery that surprised her; she, who had been afraid of almost everything in life, was not afraid of death. It did not seem in the least terrible to her. And she need not now be afraid of anything else. Why had she been afraid of things? Because of life…. Valancy felt a curious freedom.

A few years ago, someone recommended that I read L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle. Like many, I have read and adored LMM’s Anne of Green Gables series, but I had never read any of her other novels.

Published in 1926, The Blue Castle is set in the early 1900′s (early enough that women still wear petticoats, and bobs are not yet in fashion). Valancy Stirling, 29, unmarried, stifled by an overbearing mother and live-in cousin, and generally abused by her relatives, has lived a predictable, boring life. She is told when to get up, when to eat, how to wear her hair, and is not allowed to be alone for more than five minutes at a time, lest she enjoy herself in idleness. Shy, Valancy has never had any real friends, always overshadowed by her popular and pretty cousin, Olive.

Valancy has two enjoyments: escaping to her imaginary Blue Castle and reading the books of John Foster. Both of these require stealth; because Valancy is not allowed to be idle, reading is looked on as a dangerous activity, and daydreaming is a cardinal sin.

Feeling an unusual palpitation in her chest, Valancy decides to go against her family and seek advice from a local doctor without consulting anyone. Valancy knows that her family will only make a fuss and tighten their control over her if they learn that her heart is bothering her.

Learning that she has a life-threatening condition, Valancy decides to live. She leaves her home, takes a position as a caretaker for the fallen and dying daughter (remember, pregnancy and consumption always go hand-in-hand ;) ) of the local drunk and proposes to the town scoundrel.

Life has a few surprises for Valancy, but it is the promise of death that makes them possible.

Overall, a sweet fun read. A sad story with a very happy ending and a very avant-garde heroine.

oh, stephenie meyer…

16 Aug

Admittedly, I enjoyed Twilight. I picked it up when it was on the Borders Original Voices shelf a few years ago. It was wish-fulfillment fluff, but sometimes I’m in the mood for fluff. I was bothered by Bella’s inability to ever save herself but, for a heavy dose of teen angst romance, it was somewhat expected.

I kind-of-sort-of liked New Moon. I found some of the werewolf bits tedious but, I generally found it to be a quick, fun read.

Eclipse started to lose me.

And a few months ago I ranted about my less than optimistic expectations for the fourth book.

However, I still wanted to give Breaking Dawn a chance. I ordered it, I started reading it when I received it, and I quit not two hours ago. I can’t read it. If I have to read about Edward’s *insert rock-like adjective here* chest one more time, there will be serious damage. First, the wedding angst. Then, the sex angst (this is where I nearly quit the first time. There is so much wrong with this whole scenario). Then, the big shocker (as if we didn’t see that one coming a mile away). I just could not take anymore. I got through the second chapter of the second part and decided that I would go no further.

I had low expectations from the beginning, but this is ridiculous. The cover taunted me with the idea of Bella becoming a stronger, independent, mature character… one who can love, yes, but who also knows herself and does not need to be saved every time she crosses the bloody street. I thought, “Ooh! Pawn to Queen! This looks like it might redeem the series.” I was sorely disappointed.

To all you loyal Twilight “saga” fans… enjoy your happy ending. It just wasn’t for me.

For an in-depth and fantastically funny, chapter-by-chapter summary, read Cleolinda’s Review.

character and elegant economy

9 Aug

Lady Susan by Jane Austen

As an Austenite, I felt I had to read Lady Susan at some point. I am one those rare people who actually enjoy the epistolary genre, but there was something about this novella that left me a bit underwhelmed. One of Austen’s minor works, Lady Susan tells the story of Lady Susan Vernon, profligate coquette and shamelessly manipulative woman about town… er… countryside. Followed by a terrible reputation, Lady Susan’s character is quickly revealed through the letters of her dead husband’s sister-in-law. A terrible mother, concerned with making her daugther as miserable as possible so that she will marry out of despair, Lady Susan has little to recommend her to good society other than her charm. And charming she is, even when she writes to her friend, Mrs. Johnson, describing her plans to dispose of her daughter and toy with several men in the process. However, it is not until the Conclusion that Austen’s wit really comes through. For a 60 page novella, this little story seemed to drag along, only redeeming itself in its brief (non-epistolary) ending.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Yes, I read this because I so enjoyed the miniseries. Cranford was a charming little novel, a series of vignettes describing the goings-on in the sleepy little town of Cranford. “In possession of the Amazons,” Cranford is ruled by a set of middle-aged spinsters and widows concerned with the preservation of manners and social niceties. A series of episodes narrated by Cranford enthusiast Mary Smith, the stories are sweet and funny, and completely unlike any other Victorian novel I have read–in Cranford, spinsterhood is a respectable position, there is no rush to marry; the Amazons look upon marriage as a strange and unneccesary custom, after all, what use is a man in Cranford society?

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