Puppies and cupcakes and sunshine yay! Do I sound uber cheerful? I hope so because a couple of days ago I signed up to be a cheer leader for the 24 hour read-a-thon. I took part last year, the last one Dewey lead before she died. I learned that I suck at concentrating when there is the virtual equivalent of a loud, peppy parade going on outside my window. I spent too much time taking part in challenges and reading other people's posts to make any headway with my own books.
So this year I'll be doning my mascot uniform (minus crazily hot animal head) and cheering on the readers throughout their quests. I'll be doing a bit of reading on the day (April 18th from noon GMT) but mostly I'll be dropping by blogs and offering encouragement to flagging readers. They sure could use more cheerleaders so drop by and sign up if you think you can commit to one hour of cheering on the day.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Monday, 30 March 2009
The Journal of Dora Damage - Belinda Starling
There are a few plausible ways authors can give women in historical fiction the amount of freedom they need to take part in an interesting plot. Their characters can be born rich or come into money somehow; they can be part of a family where the parents or husband has reasonably progressive ideas for the time they live in; they can live outside of society (for example prostitutes) or they can be required to flout decorum because of poverty. Belinda Starling chose to use this final device in her debut (and sadly last) novel ‘Dora Damage’. It’s intriguing to see how poverty could actually free women in Victorian times as well as trap them, as it required them to work in order to feed their family.
The novel’s heroine Dora has ignored the signs that her husband’s bookbinding business is failing in order to preserve harmony and because she feels that business affairs are her husband’s concern. Of course the collapse of his business has a huge impact on Dora as it is Dora’s job to feed her family, keep the house respectable and keep the creditors sweet without any money. As her husband can no longer work due to crippling arthritis Dora decides that she and Jack, the apprentice, must try to run the business themselves. This, and the decline of her husband as he becomes addicted to the o which soothes his pain, allows Dora a certain amount of extra freedom, which results in a plot that would have shocked the Victorians. Through her work Dora becomes involved with almost everything the Victorians would have publically deplored: working women, pornography, and much more.
‘Dora Damage’ contains a clever mixture of the fear of poverty and the gothic horror found in so many Victorian novels. The fear and the vice soaks the novel in a rich coating of dark imagery which is deliciously satisfying to read. However there was a point in the novel where it begins to feel as if Starling has overburdened her story with transgressions. She crams in everything that would have angered the public face of the Victorian realm, when removing a few of the more inconsequential ones might have allowed readers to focus on those that really matter to the main plot. However all will be forgiven when readers reach her gruesome, final taboo breaking moment, which has the power to stun readers who may think they have been desensitized by their exposure to so much vice throughout the novel.
So that finishes off my official participation in the Victorian challenge (hurrah a challenge finished). I still wish I’d managed to read a novel written in Victorian times, and it’s still my ambition to read ‘Great Expectations’ by the end of the year. I feel that ‘Wives and Daughters’ was not the Gaskell for me right now, perhaps I would have been better starting with ‘North and South’ or ‘Cranford’, but that would mean buying new books (which would be bad, right?). I look forward to seeing those who took on more ambitious goals for this challenge posting reviews up at the blog.
Other Reviews
Book Snob
The novel’s heroine Dora has ignored the signs that her husband’s bookbinding business is failing in order to preserve harmony and because she feels that business affairs are her husband’s concern. Of course the collapse of his business has a huge impact on Dora as it is Dora’s job to feed her family, keep the house respectable and keep the creditors sweet without any money. As her husband can no longer work due to crippling arthritis Dora decides that she and Jack, the apprentice, must try to run the business themselves. This, and the decline of her husband as he becomes addicted to the o which soothes his pain, allows Dora a certain amount of extra freedom, which results in a plot that would have shocked the Victorians. Through her work Dora becomes involved with almost everything the Victorians would have publically deplored: working women, pornography, and much more.
‘Dora Damage’ contains a clever mixture of the fear of poverty and the gothic horror found in so many Victorian novels. The fear and the vice soaks the novel in a rich coating of dark imagery which is deliciously satisfying to read. However there was a point in the novel where it begins to feel as if Starling has overburdened her story with transgressions. She crams in everything that would have angered the public face of the Victorian realm, when removing a few of the more inconsequential ones might have allowed readers to focus on those that really matter to the main plot. However all will be forgiven when readers reach her gruesome, final taboo breaking moment, which has the power to stun readers who may think they have been desensitized by their exposure to so much vice throughout the novel.
So that finishes off my official participation in the Victorian challenge (hurrah a challenge finished). I still wish I’d managed to read a novel written in Victorian times, and it’s still my ambition to read ‘Great Expectations’ by the end of the year. I feel that ‘Wives and Daughters’ was not the Gaskell for me right now, perhaps I would have been better starting with ‘North and South’ or ‘Cranford’, but that would mean buying new books (which would be bad, right?). I look forward to seeing those who took on more ambitious goals for this challenge posting reviews up at the blog.
Other Reviews
Book Snob
Weekly Geek - 2009, 12
We’re community building this week at Weekly Geek, using an idea that Dewey came up with way back in Week 2. Dewey saw a great idea being proposed by Darla at Books and Other Thoughts, which she wanted to borrow for Weekly Geek (with Darla’s permission of course). She thought that when a WG reviewed a book it would b fun if they linked to other reviews of that book that were written by members of the Weekly Geek community. She had reasons and we all love a good, logical list so here they are:
1. As a blog reader, I like that I can have my review linked in someone else’s blog.
2. As a blog reader, I like that if I’m interested in a book Darla writes about, there will be other reviews linked at the bottom of the page, so I can get other viewpoints. You can see how this works here.
3. As a blog writer, when I review a book, I often remember that I read someone else’s review at some point, but whose? And when? With Darla’s method, people tell her about their reviews, and she can see what they had to say about a book that is still fresh in her mind.
I think this will add an extra feeling of community spirit to some of our blogs, which I’m all in favour of so I’ll be adopting Dewey/Darla’s policy from now on. Here’s how it’ll work:
If you’re a Weekly Geek stop by and say hey.
See a book I’ve reviewed that you also read and reviewed? Leave a link to your review in the comments section of my review post.
In a few days you’ll see a link to your review at the bottom of my original post (hopefully B will play nice and it will work).
I’ll be flitting around other Weekly Geek blogs this week to get to know some of the other participants and to see if they’ve reviewed any of the same books as me. Oh and I need to pick up a button because I love the shiny, shiny blog bling. By the way I have no idea why the line breaks on this post have gone insane - sorry bout that.)
1. As a blog reader, I like that I can have my review linked in someone else’s blog.
2. As a blog reader, I like that if I’m interested in a book Darla writes about, there will be other reviews linked at the bottom of the page, so I can get other viewpoints. You can see how this works here.
3. As a blog writer, when I review a book, I often remember that I read someone else’s review at some point, but whose? And when? With Darla’s method, people tell her about their reviews, and she can see what they had to say about a book that is still fresh in her mind.
I think this will add an extra feeling of community spirit to some of our blogs, which I’m all in favour of so I’ll be adopting Dewey/Darla’s policy from now on. Here’s how it’ll work:
If you’re a Weekly Geek stop by and say hey.
See a book I’ve reviewed that you also read and reviewed? Leave a link to your review in the comments section of my review post.
In a few days you’ll see a link to your review at the bottom of my original post (hopefully B will play nice and it will work).
I’ll be flitting around other Weekly Geek blogs this week to get to know some of the other participants and to see if they’ve reviewed any of the same books as me. Oh and I need to pick up a button because I love the shiny, shiny blog bling. By the way I have no idea why the line breaks on this post have gone insane - sorry bout that.)
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Celebrities and Book Prizes
The comments at this story talk about why Will Young should/should not be allowed to judge a major literary prize for short stories. Notice the total lack of understanding re irony.
I wonder why we never have rock stars competing for places on literary panels...have they already got too many books on their own reading list or are they just not bothered about literature? I really hope it's the first reason.
Reading Dewey's Books - Mini Challenge
Maree and I have taking part in this month's mini-challenge for the Reading Dewey's Books Challenge. We each had to choose something different, something we don't read often. I chose a play, 'The Barber of Seville', as I haven't read a play since college and maree 'tackled Travels Through France & Italy, by Tobias Smollett, a collection of letters by Smollett from the 18th century. Smollett, a doctor, took his wife touring after the death of their teenage daughter, Elizabeth.' The connecting thread is that we each read something from the 18th century. Now we're going to tell you what we thought of our different reads.
This is maree talking:
1): You chose to read some non-fiction, a book of letters called Travels through France and Italy. Can you talk a little bit about why you chose that particular non-fiction, and why that book?
I chose non-fiction, because I don't read a lot of it, and I chose this book, honestly, because it's been sititng on my shelves for a few years. It's all letters, which is a style I almost never read, so it fit the challenge parameters' pretty well.
2): What was the last non-fiction book you read before Travels through France and Italy and when did you read it? Why is non-fiction something you don’t read much of?
It was Up Till Now, William Shatner's autobiography. I don't know why I don't read more non-fiction. I don't go out of my way not to read it, it's just that there are so many novels in my way!
3): I hear that the author finds fault with quite a lot of things. Did you find the author very cynical and if so was his cynicism amusing, distracting, powerful…?
From my perspective, he complained about eeeeeeeeverything! Honestly, I only made it to his eighth letter before I had to give it up. It was depressing to read, and as I told you in one email, it made me want to go out and eat rocks. I actually found him quite tedious to read. I also would have liked to know who he was writing to, but that's not mentioned anywhere in the letters nor in the introduction, and there's no appendices, or notes, which I think would have helped my understanding, if not my enjoyment.
4): Have you visited any of the places mentioned in the book? Based on the descriptions the author gave do you think you would have preferred to visit any of them in the 18th century?
I've never travelled far from home, although I would love to visit France and Italy one day, which is another reason I chose this book. However, based on the letters I did read, I'd much rather visit them now, than then.
5): What other non-fiction books are on your TBR list?
I had to check, but I have Fernleaf Cairo, by Alex Hedley, about the experience of New Zealand soldiers in Egypt in World War II, and a trilogy of books by H V Morton, which were given to me by an old priest many years ago, who was a friend of my father's. I've kept them for sentimental reasons, and I'm trying to read more of my own books this year, so they've gone on that list. They are In the Steps of the Master, In the Steps of St Paul and Through the Lands of the Bible.
6.) Did you enjoy this book and has it made you want to read more non-fiction?
I can't say I enjoyed the book. I didn't even finish the book! But I always want to read more non-fiction. I find the world fascinating. :)
and this is me:
1): You chose to read a play, and it was the Barber of SevilleCan you talk a little bit about why you chose that particular form, and why that play?
Well I decided to read something from the 18th century to tie in with maree’s book choice. When I started investigating Restoration theatre it seemed that most of the plays had been discarded by the modern dramatic community. Even Voltaire’s plays got a rough ride and most of the plays from that period were seen as very much of the period, with little relevance or interest for a modern audience. Beaumarchais Figaro trilogy was one of the few exceptions and Beaumarchais himself sounded like an intriguing person so I started in on ‘The Barber of Seville’.
2): I find in my experience that I prefer to see dramatic works performed. How did it differ, reading a play, to watching one being acted out? Did you get a good sense of the storyline? The action? The comedy/drama?
I haven’t read a play since I was in college (that’s sort of 16-18 in the UK) and I’d forgotten how much fun it is. Plays are quick to read, you can dash through them without giving the text all the dramatic inflections and pauses it would have on stage, but you can still get a good sense of the plot and the comedy. I also like that you can spend as much time exploring areas of the text, whereas with plays on the stage your thoughts go with the action. I think plays involving sword fights don’t do so well with me when I’m reading plays instead of seeing them because I’m used to reading highly described fight scenes in novels. Comedy can date but one good comic line can conjure a vivid moment while stage directions do nothing for me.
3): Would you read more plays from the same era, or seek out dramatisations of them?
All the way through the Barber of Seville I’d catch myself hearing the inflections a modern cast would give to the words so I’d love to see a drammatisation of this play. The forward says the play is often dramatically altered for a modern audience with scenes and poems slashed right out. I’m also looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I might look out some of the other plays that have continued to be thought well of, but I’m not sure about those that have become historical curiosities.
4): Can you give us a run down of the plot of the play?
It’s a simple comic plot. Count Almaviva has fallen in love with a girl named Rosine but her guardian Barthollo hopes to marry her so he whisks her away to Seville and hides from the world. The Count tracks them down and tries to work out how to win Rosine. While doing so he encounters his old servant Figarro, newly a barber in Seville. They hatch plan to save Rosine from a forced marriage, and this plan involves false names, play acting and trickery. In the end Barthollo is confounded and the Count and Rosine marry thanks to Figarro’s endeavours.
5): And finally, did you enjoy it?
I did enjoy it. I was rooting for the Count and Rosine, just like the author wants. Figaro is a fun trickster character, although his schemes are not the most elaborate I’ve ever read.
This is maree talking:
1): You chose to read some non-fiction, a book of letters called Travels through France and Italy. Can you talk a little bit about why you chose that particular non-fiction, and why that book?
I chose non-fiction, because I don't read a lot of it, and I chose this book, honestly, because it's been sititng on my shelves for a few years. It's all letters, which is a style I almost never read, so it fit the challenge parameters' pretty well.
2): What was the last non-fiction book you read before Travels through France and Italy and when did you read it? Why is non-fiction something you don’t read much of?
It was Up Till Now, William Shatner's autobiography. I don't know why I don't read more non-fiction. I don't go out of my way not to read it, it's just that there are so many novels in my way!
3): I hear that the author finds fault with quite a lot of things. Did you find the author very cynical and if so was his cynicism amusing, distracting, powerful…?
From my perspective, he complained about eeeeeeeeverything! Honestly, I only made it to his eighth letter before I had to give it up. It was depressing to read, and as I told you in one email, it made me want to go out and eat rocks. I actually found him quite tedious to read. I also would have liked to know who he was writing to, but that's not mentioned anywhere in the letters nor in the introduction, and there's no appendices, or notes, which I think would have helped my understanding, if not my enjoyment.
4): Have you visited any of the places mentioned in the book? Based on the descriptions the author gave do you think you would have preferred to visit any of them in the 18th century?
I've never travelled far from home, although I would love to visit France and Italy one day, which is another reason I chose this book. However, based on the letters I did read, I'd much rather visit them now, than then.
5): What other non-fiction books are on your TBR list?
I had to check, but I have Fernleaf Cairo, by Alex Hedley, about the experience of New Zealand soldiers in Egypt in World War II, and a trilogy of books by H V Morton, which were given to me by an old priest many years ago, who was a friend of my father's. I've kept them for sentimental reasons, and I'm trying to read more of my own books this year, so they've gone on that list. They are In the Steps of the Master, In the Steps of St Paul and Through the Lands of the Bible.
6.) Did you enjoy this book and has it made you want to read more non-fiction?
I can't say I enjoyed the book. I didn't even finish the book! But I always want to read more non-fiction. I find the world fascinating. :)
and this is me:
1): You chose to read a play, and it was the Barber of SevilleCan you talk a little bit about why you chose that particular form, and why that play?
Well I decided to read something from the 18th century to tie in with maree’s book choice. When I started investigating Restoration theatre it seemed that most of the plays had been discarded by the modern dramatic community. Even Voltaire’s plays got a rough ride and most of the plays from that period were seen as very much of the period, with little relevance or interest for a modern audience. Beaumarchais Figaro trilogy was one of the few exceptions and Beaumarchais himself sounded like an intriguing person so I started in on ‘The Barber of Seville’.
2): I find in my experience that I prefer to see dramatic works performed. How did it differ, reading a play, to watching one being acted out? Did you get a good sense of the storyline? The action? The comedy/drama?
I haven’t read a play since I was in college (that’s sort of 16-18 in the UK) and I’d forgotten how much fun it is. Plays are quick to read, you can dash through them without giving the text all the dramatic inflections and pauses it would have on stage, but you can still get a good sense of the plot and the comedy. I also like that you can spend as much time exploring areas of the text, whereas with plays on the stage your thoughts go with the action. I think plays involving sword fights don’t do so well with me when I’m reading plays instead of seeing them because I’m used to reading highly described fight scenes in novels. Comedy can date but one good comic line can conjure a vivid moment while stage directions do nothing for me.
3): Would you read more plays from the same era, or seek out dramatisations of them?
All the way through the Barber of Seville I’d catch myself hearing the inflections a modern cast would give to the words so I’d love to see a drammatisation of this play. The forward says the play is often dramatically altered for a modern audience with scenes and poems slashed right out. I’m also looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I might look out some of the other plays that have continued to be thought well of, but I’m not sure about those that have become historical curiosities.
4): Can you give us a run down of the plot of the play?
It’s a simple comic plot. Count Almaviva has fallen in love with a girl named Rosine but her guardian Barthollo hopes to marry her so he whisks her away to Seville and hides from the world. The Count tracks them down and tries to work out how to win Rosine. While doing so he encounters his old servant Figarro, newly a barber in Seville. They hatch plan to save Rosine from a forced marriage, and this plan involves false names, play acting and trickery. In the end Barthollo is confounded and the Count and Rosine marry thanks to Figarro’s endeavours.
5): And finally, did you enjoy it?
I did enjoy it. I was rooting for the Count and Rosine, just like the author wants. Figaro is a fun trickster character, although his schemes are not the most elaborate I’ve ever read.
The Juliet Club - Suzanne Harper
‘The Juliet Club’ by Suzanne Harper is just lovely. I read it in one day, which is something I just never manage when a book is over 200 pages long. I’m a slow reader, so that’s against me and I’m also busy/distractible but this book just hooked me with its pleasant mixture of romance, Shakespeare and well characterised teenagers.
Kate Sanderson has just had her heart broken, not that she’s about to admit it. So, to the horror of her friends, she’s decided to give up on love and concentrate on her studies. When she wins entry to the first annual Shakespeare seminar in Verona she’s anticipating a long month of learning about Romeo and Juliet, while eating gelato and pasta; absolutely no summer flings allowed. The other Shakespeare scholars don’t seem to offer much in the way of romance, especially not Giacommo Marchese who continually fights with Kate about everything. But how far away can you really be from romance when living in Verona, answering letters sent from troubled lovers as part of the famous Juliet Club and working on the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet?
I really admire Suzanne Harper after this book. She managed to get me to completely identify with her main character even as Kate’s attitudes to love diverged with mine. Everything she wrote for Kate seemed right for the character and I was rooting for Kate to get what she wanted from the beginning to the end, even though what Kate wants changes dramatically along the way. It’s also wonderful that Kate doesn’t have to compromise her intelligence to find a relationship, she starts off a smart girl and while she tones down her verbose responses at times, that just keeps her from tipping over into obnoxiousness. It never feels as if she is dumbing down to appear more attractive.
Harper makes sure that her secondary characters don’t become just plot facilitators that help to get the main characters together. They each have their own individual issues and character traits, as well as their own love stories. I could quite happily have spent much more time with Tom, Benno and Silvia because they felt so real. They had complex emotions, which stemmed from the histories that had shaped them into the people they are at the beginning of the book. They also change, or reveal more about themselves as the story progresses, showing how self-aware they are but also discovering things they didn’t know about themselves.
Sadly Lucy’s character was a little weak. Although Harper clearly tried to make her more than a bubbly blonde looking for love by making Lucy doubt herself this was done a little too late in the book to make any real impact on how I viewed Lucy. She was a nice girl, but she felt a bit insubstantial compared to strong female characters like Silvia and Kate. Still Harper manages to juggle six characters and creates enough space alongside the main narrative for three of the secondary characters to express themselves as fully as the main characters. The book never feels overburdened with so many different stories; it retains its lightness and its punchy pace. Some chick-lit authors, writing for adults struggle with just two secondary characters.
The device of having her characters answer letters addressed to Juliet allows for some vigorous discussions on love and Shakespeare that address the importance of literature and romance. I especially liked the way that the author shows how quickly we will initially take a position on a love affair according to our gender. All reason goes out the window because the way we have experienced our own relationships colours how we respond to the romantic dilemmas of others. We can only experience our own relationships from the position of our own gender, and while empathy towards the opposite gender may be something we strive for in other areas of life it is extremely hard to empathise with them when it comes to romance because (if you're straight) they have been the source of all your romantic disappointments. This is all brought to the surface by the different reaction the boys have to the girls when discussing one of the letters. Another of the most perceptive arguments about romance and Shakespeare actually comes from Lucy who relates Romeo and Juliet to real life:
‘…I realized that Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love and get married and die in three days, which is like a super-condensed version of what happens to most people over their whole life. One way or another you end up losing the person, but you still are happy you loved them.’
That quote sums up for me how this book manages to be so positive but also remains realistic. There are family troubles, the characters worry and feel resentful but love is important too and it manages to compensate for the problems of the world. I’d recommend this for anyone interested in love literature or life.
Other Reviews
Dreaming in Books
Kate Sanderson has just had her heart broken, not that she’s about to admit it. So, to the horror of her friends, she’s decided to give up on love and concentrate on her studies. When she wins entry to the first annual Shakespeare seminar in Verona she’s anticipating a long month of learning about Romeo and Juliet, while eating gelato and pasta; absolutely no summer flings allowed. The other Shakespeare scholars don’t seem to offer much in the way of romance, especially not Giacommo Marchese who continually fights with Kate about everything. But how far away can you really be from romance when living in Verona, answering letters sent from troubled lovers as part of the famous Juliet Club and working on the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet?
I really admire Suzanne Harper after this book. She managed to get me to completely identify with her main character even as Kate’s attitudes to love diverged with mine. Everything she wrote for Kate seemed right for the character and I was rooting for Kate to get what she wanted from the beginning to the end, even though what Kate wants changes dramatically along the way. It’s also wonderful that Kate doesn’t have to compromise her intelligence to find a relationship, she starts off a smart girl and while she tones down her verbose responses at times, that just keeps her from tipping over into obnoxiousness. It never feels as if she is dumbing down to appear more attractive.
Harper makes sure that her secondary characters don’t become just plot facilitators that help to get the main characters together. They each have their own individual issues and character traits, as well as their own love stories. I could quite happily have spent much more time with Tom, Benno and Silvia because they felt so real. They had complex emotions, which stemmed from the histories that had shaped them into the people they are at the beginning of the book. They also change, or reveal more about themselves as the story progresses, showing how self-aware they are but also discovering things they didn’t know about themselves.
Sadly Lucy’s character was a little weak. Although Harper clearly tried to make her more than a bubbly blonde looking for love by making Lucy doubt herself this was done a little too late in the book to make any real impact on how I viewed Lucy. She was a nice girl, but she felt a bit insubstantial compared to strong female characters like Silvia and Kate. Still Harper manages to juggle six characters and creates enough space alongside the main narrative for three of the secondary characters to express themselves as fully as the main characters. The book never feels overburdened with so many different stories; it retains its lightness and its punchy pace. Some chick-lit authors, writing for adults struggle with just two secondary characters.
The device of having her characters answer letters addressed to Juliet allows for some vigorous discussions on love and Shakespeare that address the importance of literature and romance. I especially liked the way that the author shows how quickly we will initially take a position on a love affair according to our gender. All reason goes out the window because the way we have experienced our own relationships colours how we respond to the romantic dilemmas of others. We can only experience our own relationships from the position of our own gender, and while empathy towards the opposite gender may be something we strive for in other areas of life it is extremely hard to empathise with them when it comes to romance because (if you're straight) they have been the source of all your romantic disappointments. This is all brought to the surface by the different reaction the boys have to the girls when discussing one of the letters. Another of the most perceptive arguments about romance and Shakespeare actually comes from Lucy who relates Romeo and Juliet to real life:
‘…I realized that Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love and get married and die in three days, which is like a super-condensed version of what happens to most people over their whole life. One way or another you end up losing the person, but you still are happy you loved them.’
That quote sums up for me how this book manages to be so positive but also remains realistic. There are family troubles, the characters worry and feel resentful but love is important too and it manages to compensate for the problems of the world. I’d recommend this for anyone interested in love literature or life.
Other Reviews
Dreaming in Books
Thursday, 26 March 2009
My First Weekly Geek Out
I've been thinking about becoming a Weekly Geek for a while now but hadn't seen a weekly topic that really grabbed me until now. This week the geeks are getting in their time machines and dropping back into history on a magical history tour to talk about their favourite historical periods. That gives me a chance to jump up and down and shout about the seventeenth century, really I need very little excuse for the jumping.
Is there a particular era that you love reading about? Tell us about it--give us a book list, if you'd like. Include pictures or some fun facts from that time period, maybe link to a website that focuses on that time. Educate us.
I love reading about the seventeenth century (1600 - 1699). When it comes to history I find I tend to go a bit country specific, I like to read about what was going on in a particular country during most periods, but I find that every country and continent had something really interesting going on in the seventeenth century. There was so much happening: the English civil war, the opium wars, the witch hunts, the settlement of America, developments in science, maths, literature and art. It was an exciting and dangerous time to be alive.
Last year I read Neal Stephenson's epic book 'Quicksilver' which is based in part of the seventeenth century. It follows some of the most influential men of the day like Isacc Newton and Robert Hooke. It also includes one of the most complex female characters I've ever read, Eliza the sexually experienced virgin who is manipulative but absolutely loveable. I started out thinking that the book was going to be too dense for me, as I had nothing but a basic knowledge of science and maths, but actually the complex ideas were explained so thoroughly that sometimes I found myself catching on. The characters were realistic, strongly created and engaging. As I came to the end of the 900 or so pages I realised I was going to miss them all, especially Daniel, the troubled scientist.
So isn't it wonderful that this book is part of a trilogy! 'The Confusion' is sitting in among my book pile (somewhere) and it is almost as satisfyingly chunky as the first installment. I'm so looking forward to starting it, but I need a bag with reinforced lining so I can take it to work and read it in my lunch break.
At the begining of the year I decided I was going to set myself a little personal challenge to read more about the seventeenth century. This goal seems to have been obscured a bit by other challenges but I'm going to try to get back on track soon. Danielle at A Work in Progress helped me out by recommending this list of contemporary novels set back then:
Is there a particular era that you love reading about? Tell us about it--give us a book list, if you'd like. Include pictures or some fun facts from that time period, maybe link to a website that focuses on that time. Educate us.
I love reading about the seventeenth century (1600 - 1699). When it comes to history I find I tend to go a bit country specific, I like to read about what was going on in a particular country during most periods, but I find that every country and continent had something really interesting going on in the seventeenth century. There was so much happening: the English civil war, the opium wars, the witch hunts, the settlement of America, developments in science, maths, literature and art. It was an exciting and dangerous time to be alive.
Last year I read Neal Stephenson's epic book 'Quicksilver' which is based in part of the seventeenth century. It follows some of the most influential men of the day like Isacc Newton and Robert Hooke. It also includes one of the most complex female characters I've ever read, Eliza the sexually experienced virgin who is manipulative but absolutely loveable. I started out thinking that the book was going to be too dense for me, as I had nothing but a basic knowledge of science and maths, but actually the complex ideas were explained so thoroughly that sometimes I found myself catching on. The characters were realistic, strongly created and engaging. As I came to the end of the 900 or so pages I realised I was going to miss them all, especially Daniel, the troubled scientist.
So isn't it wonderful that this book is part of a trilogy! 'The Confusion' is sitting in among my book pile (somewhere) and it is almost as satisfyingly chunky as the first installment. I'm so looking forward to starting it, but I need a bag with reinforced lining so I can take it to work and read it in my lunch break.
At the begining of the year I decided I was going to set myself a little personal challenge to read more about the seventeenth century. This goal seems to have been obscured a bit by other challenges but I'm going to try to get back on track soon. Danielle at A Work in Progress helped me out by recommending this list of contemporary novels set back then:
Heretics Daughter, Kathleen Kent Rosetti
Letters, Christi Phillips
Potrait of an Unknown Woman, Vanora Bennett
Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
Captain Alatriste, Arturo Perez-Reverte
Mary Queen of Scotland, Margaret Geoge
City of Dreams, Beverly Swerling
Book of Splendor, Frances Sherwood
Poison, Kathryn Harrison
Havoc, In its Third Year, Ronan Bennett
Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks
Blood of Flowers, Anita Amirrezvani
Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
I so want to get started, so why don't I? I suppouse I feel like I need to finish at least one challenge set by someone else before I start on my own personal challenge. With the Victorian Challenge nearly completed I may soon be able to dive into a delicious pile of novels set in the seventeenth century.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Quotes, Covers and Cool Links (Day Five)
Don't you love this period cover for Pat Barker's 'Life Class'? I wanted to post a quote from Barker's 'Regeneration' about anti-war poets but I can't find it right now so instead I thought you might like a little snippet from Ani difranco's poem about 9/11 'Self Evident'. I get chills every time I read the poem, there are so many chilling, resonant parts that grab at the reader but I chose this part to share with you because the balance of weariness, defiance and realism is just right in this section. When I listen to the post 9/11 version of 'In a New York Minute' I always think of this poem and the lines about the newscasters.'and every borough looked up when it heard the first blast
and then every dumb action movie was summarily surpassed
and the exodus uptown by foot and motorcar
looked more like war than anything I've seen so far
so far
so far
so fierce and ingenious
a poetic specter so far gone
that every jackass newscaster was struck dumb and stumbling
over 'oh my god' and 'this is unbelievable' and on and on
and I'll tell you what, while we're at it
you can keep the pentagon
keep the propaganda
keep each and every TV
that's been trying to convince me
to participate
in some prep school punk's plan to perpetuate retribution
perpetuate retribution
even as the blue toxic smoke of our lesson in retribution
is still hanging in the air
and there's ash on our shoes
and there's ash in our hair
and there's a fine silt on every mantle
from hell's kitchen to Brooklyn
and the streets are full of stories
sudden twists and near misses
and soon every open bar is crammed to the rafters
with tales of narrowly averted disasters
and the whiskey is flowin
like never before
as all over the country
folks just shake their heads
and pour'
and then every dumb action movie was summarily surpassed
and the exodus uptown by foot and motorcar
looked more like war than anything I've seen so far
so far
so far
so fierce and ingenious
a poetic specter so far gone
that every jackass newscaster was struck dumb and stumbling
over 'oh my god' and 'this is unbelievable' and on and on
and I'll tell you what, while we're at it
you can keep the pentagon
keep the propaganda
keep each and every TV
that's been trying to convince me
to participate
in some prep school punk's plan to perpetuate retribution
perpetuate retribution
even as the blue toxic smoke of our lesson in retribution
is still hanging in the air
and there's ash on our shoes
and there's ash in our hair
and there's a fine silt on every mantle
from hell's kitchen to Brooklyn
and the streets are full of stories
sudden twists and near misses
and soon every open bar is crammed to the rafters
with tales of narrowly averted disasters
and the whiskey is flowin
like never before
as all over the country
folks just shake their heads
and pour'
Read the full version here.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Quotes, Covers and Cool Links (Day Four)
Today a Terry Pratchett quote from 'Going Postal' that sounds quite topical right now:
Paul Kidby has a website with pretty much everything you could ever want with Discworld art on it.
'Steal five dollars and you were a petty thief. Steal thousands of dollars and you were either a government or a hero.'
I love the original covers for the Discworld books, created by Paul Kidby. The 'adult' black minimalist covers bore me, I miss the detailed fantasy art. One of my favourite priginal covers is this one for 'Reaper Man':
Paul Kidby has a website with pretty much everything you could ever want with Discworld art on it.
Monday, 23 March 2009
Quotes, Cover and Cool Links (Day Three)
Today we have a fun tv quote because I'm watching the Gossip Girl, which competes with Beverley Hills 90210 to be probably the trashiest thing I'm currently watching and this quote made me giggle for a long time. From the Big Bang Theory comes:
'He once fought a bobcat for some liquorice.'
Which is kind of a 'you had to be there' quote like a Russel Howard set ('Mum I'm afraid of wolves.' 'With Good reason son, with good reason.') .
'He once fought a bobcat for some liquorice.'
Which is kind of a 'you had to be there' quote like a Russel Howard set ('Mum I'm afraid of wolves.' 'With Good reason son, with good reason.') .
To go alongside it I've found the cute cover for honky tonk sci-fi quest 'Spaceman Blues':
Today you should totally drop by Eve's Alexandria because this blog is written by a well educated group of women who can talk succinctly about literature, and read all the way through some of the major book prize lists. The most recent post isn't about books, but rather about women in sport and the exposure they deserve. Feminist lit-bloggers are just the best bit of the internet.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Quotes, Covers and Cool Links (Day 2)
I am bushed tonight so I'm going to drop into bed rather than hunt for a cover image but I have a quote and a link before I wander off. My quote today is the begining of a poem called 'Necklace' by Naomi Shihab Nye - I hope your Sundays have all been like this:
' I hope Sunday's slow and long
steeped like a pot of mint tea.
Soft sun and deep thinking.
Saturday was a crowded calendar page,
a mound of chores.'
The back issues of The Bookworms Carnival will give you plenty to read tomorrow morning at work (oh sorry I mean during your lunch break).
' I hope Sunday's slow and long
steeped like a pot of mint tea.
Soft sun and deep thinking.
Saturday was a crowded calendar page,
a mound of chores.'
The back issues of The Bookworms Carnival will give you plenty to read tomorrow morning at work (oh sorry I mean during your lunch break).
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Orange Prize, New Voices and (Foolishly) a New Challenge
I'm going to spend the rest of the day reading. I have a free day with no plans and no where to go this evening which doesn't happen very often. Although I don't want to become a shut it I feel like I really need a day with no demands, and the company of books to recharge my batteries. I've spent lots of time on the computer lately, and I think we all know that the little shiny box can become a bit draining sometimes.
Before I go I wanted to drop some links of interest:
The Orange Prize longlist has been announced. Let's wait for more commentary on how unfair a women only prize is. Hopefully we'll see no repeat of the generalisations about women that last years judges indulged in. Where will everyone stand on allowing a man on the judging panel this year? Watch and wait for the drama drama.
Waterstone's New Voices for 2009 have also been announced. There's lots I want to read from this list. Strangely the only one I don't really fancy, and that's the book named after a song by one of my favourite bands. 'The Earth Hums in B Flat' possibly sounds like it might not be for me. However I might feel different later, judgement reserved.
It's time for Carl's third Once Upon a Time Challenge. I can't resist, why would I try, I'm joining! There are quest options and cool banners, I am swayed. I'm going to undertake Quest The Third where participants try to read five books from any of the four challenge categories (fantasy, folklore, fairy tale and mythology) and read/watch A Midsummer Nights Dream. I have no idea what I'll read but I remember there were lots of suggestions when the challenge began in 2007. I want this to be the year of Gaiman and having enjoyed the film version of Stardust so much at Christmas it's possible this will make the list. I have 'Money' by Terry Pratchett sitting around so that's a possibility. How freeing to have no idea what my challenge list will be made up of.
So today I'll be finishing up 'The Barber of Seville' and then I might pick up a book to finish the Victorian Challenge (although I seem to have cast aside genuine Victorian lit in favour of modern pastiches). Or I might go off challenge all together agggghhhh!
Before I go I wanted to drop some links of interest:
The Orange Prize longlist has been announced. Let's wait for more commentary on how unfair a women only prize is. Hopefully we'll see no repeat of the generalisations about women that last years judges indulged in. Where will everyone stand on allowing a man on the judging panel this year? Watch and wait for the drama drama.
Waterstone's New Voices for 2009 have also been announced. There's lots I want to read from this list. Strangely the only one I don't really fancy, and that's the book named after a song by one of my favourite bands. 'The Earth Hums in B Flat' possibly sounds like it might not be for me. However I might feel different later, judgement reserved.
It's time for Carl's third Once Upon a Time Challenge. I can't resist, why would I try, I'm joining! There are quest options and cool banners, I am swayed. I'm going to undertake Quest The Third where participants try to read five books from any of the four challenge categories (fantasy, folklore, fairy tale and mythology) and read/watch A Midsummer Nights Dream. I have no idea what I'll read but I remember there were lots of suggestions when the challenge began in 2007. I want this to be the year of Gaiman and having enjoyed the film version of Stardust so much at Christmas it's possible this will make the list. I have 'Money' by Terry Pratchett sitting around so that's a possibility. How freeing to have no idea what my challenge list will be made up of.
So today I'll be finishing up 'The Barber of Seville' and then I might pick up a book to finish the Victorian Challenge (although I seem to have cast aside genuine Victorian lit in favour of modern pastiches). Or I might go off challenge all together agggghhhh!
Friday, 20 March 2009
Quotes, Covers and a Cool Link - Day 1
So today begins my week of quote posts. I collect quotes in my head all the time but I just don't have enough space in there for all of them and catchy music quotes tend to push out the literary ones. So I started a quotes journal and later a poetry journal where I could collect some of the words that were important to me. Every quote you'll see here this week resonates strongly with me in some way, this is probably one of the most personal weeks I'll have here at the blog. So deep breath and...sharing time.
I thought we'd start the week of quotes, covers and cool links with a quote on the possible nature of books taken from a novel that's part of my permenant collection 'Goould's Book of Fish' by Richard Flanagan:
'My Hung says that a book at its begining may be a new way of understanding life - an original universe - but it is soon enough no more than a mere footnote in the history of writing, overpraised by the syncophantic, despised by the contemporary, and read by neither. Their fate is hard, their destiny absurd. If readers ignore them they die, and if granted the thumbs-up of posterity they are destined forever to be misconstrued, their authors transformed first into gods and then, inevitably, unless they are Victor Hugo, into devils.'
I thought we'd start the week of quotes, covers and cool links with a quote on the possible nature of books taken from a novel that's part of my permenant collection 'Goould's Book of Fish' by Richard Flanagan:
'My Hung says that a book at its begining may be a new way of understanding life - an original universe - but it is soon enough no more than a mere footnote in the history of writing, overpraised by the syncophantic, despised by the contemporary, and read by neither. Their fate is hard, their destiny absurd. If readers ignore them they die, and if granted the thumbs-up of posterity they are destined forever to be misconstrued, their authors transformed first into gods and then, inevitably, unless they are Victor Hugo, into devils.'
This gorgeous steampunk cover is from 'The Affinity Bridge' by George Mann. The spine is glittery and I love my copy of this book! Such a cool story as well, a piece of sci-fi set in a Victorian London plagued by killer robots and a scary new disease.
Today you should check out Guys Lit Wire, a site filled with reviewers passionate about finding books teenage guys will really enjoy. If you're trying to get your kids to engage with books send them here now, then sneak off to the site later and buy up some of the cool novels recommended. They're for the kids...
The Birth of Venus - Sarah Dunant
Unfortunately I didn’t find out about the wonderful pro-female challenge that Ruminations on Reading is holding, until today. She’s encouraging people to read books by female authors in March, to celebrate Women’s History Month (apparently women get a whole month of celebration in the US, which sounds like a wonderful idea). I don’t think I’m now going to be able to read 3 books by female authors by the end of March, so my review of Sarah Dunant’s female focused, historical novel ‘The Birth of Venus’ will have to serve as my contribution to the March’s celebration of literary women.
Sarah Dunant has quickly become one of my top five historical novelists after just two books. I read ‘In the Company of the Courtesan’ last year, which was sumptuous and fascinating.
I was expecting nothing less from ‘The Birth of Venus’, which was written before ‘In the Company of Courtesan’. I wasn’t disappointed, Dunant breaths warm life into 16th century Florence, with a multitude of evocative, everyday details. ‘The Birth of Venus’ follows the life of Alessandra a closet artist in a family rising in status thanks to a successful cloth business. All Alessandra wants to do is draw and paint, but her future seems to be the unavoidable future of many women from well-off families; a marriage, made to advance her family’s status. When a painter arrives to decorate her family’s chapel Alessandra begins to yearn for freedom and artistic instruction even more.
Around her Florence is changing, a fanatical monk called Savonarolla controls the pulpit and the French are likely to occupy the city on their way to war. Finding little help from the painter, and wishing to avoid being sent to a convent, where she can be hidden from the advancing French soldiers Alessandra decides to try to take control of her own life by marrying an older man who she hopes will allow her some freedom. However others have subtly influenced Alessandra’s choice of husband, and while she gains freedom through her marriage she finds other things lacking in her life.
Dunant deals with the exotic elements of 16th century Italy, the scandal, the secrets, the warnings of hellfire and the trysts, yet it never feels as if she has manipulated history to sex up the story. Nor does she give her female characters unrealistic freedoms, although as many writers have, she creates characters whose situations would have allowed them the greatest amount of freedom in a restrictive, historical society. Alessandra is the daughter of a wealthy family, with an intelligent and reasonably lenient mother. She marries an intellectual man whose lifestyle means his wife is allowed more freedom than the average woman. Even when she eventually moves to the convent, which is mentioned at the beginning of the book and fills it with a deep sense of foreboding, the timing of her arrival means that convents are much more permissive than they had been. Lucky for Alessandra, and a historically justified way of keeping her free enough to have an interesting life. She still has to face tough opposition in her life, as the new religious order want to keep women inside and away from church. She is pragmatic, helped through the practicalities of living free in times of repression by her slave Erila, but also has an emotional side that made me feel connected to the character.
Dunant’s characters live in a version of history that feels entirely genuine, due to the multi-sensory detail that Dunant crafts into her novel. Alessandra is given a strong feeling for colour due to her art and her father’s dyed cloths so her vision of the world is filled with the details of shade around her. Dunant also recreates the sounds, textures and smell of 16th century Florence, the city bell tolls when the head of the Medici family dies, and I can almost hear the sound, see the bell moving, when I remember that point in the novel. The sense of physicality in the descriptions of Florence complements the physical acts, like birth, murder and sex that appear often during the novel.
This novel has scandal, strong women, striking descriptions of artistic technique, religious turmoil and faith, as well as a bit of a love story. Sarah Dunant continues to make me want to buy her books and talk about them to everyone.
With this novel I begin my Dewey’s Books reading, as well as my Art History challenge (love their monthly roundup posts by the way, complete with cover art). Now it’s on with my mini challenge for Dewey’s Books, as I read ‘The Barber of Seville’ to do something different and read a play.
Other Reviews
Stella Matutina
Sarah Dunant has quickly become one of my top five historical novelists after just two books. I read ‘In the Company of the Courtesan’ last year, which was sumptuous and fascinating.
I was expecting nothing less from ‘The Birth of Venus’, which was written before ‘In the Company of Courtesan’. I wasn’t disappointed, Dunant breaths warm life into 16th century Florence, with a multitude of evocative, everyday details. ‘The Birth of Venus’ follows the life of Alessandra a closet artist in a family rising in status thanks to a successful cloth business. All Alessandra wants to do is draw and paint, but her future seems to be the unavoidable future of many women from well-off families; a marriage, made to advance her family’s status. When a painter arrives to decorate her family’s chapel Alessandra begins to yearn for freedom and artistic instruction even more.
Around her Florence is changing, a fanatical monk called Savonarolla controls the pulpit and the French are likely to occupy the city on their way to war. Finding little help from the painter, and wishing to avoid being sent to a convent, where she can be hidden from the advancing French soldiers Alessandra decides to try to take control of her own life by marrying an older man who she hopes will allow her some freedom. However others have subtly influenced Alessandra’s choice of husband, and while she gains freedom through her marriage she finds other things lacking in her life.
Dunant deals with the exotic elements of 16th century Italy, the scandal, the secrets, the warnings of hellfire and the trysts, yet it never feels as if she has manipulated history to sex up the story. Nor does she give her female characters unrealistic freedoms, although as many writers have, she creates characters whose situations would have allowed them the greatest amount of freedom in a restrictive, historical society. Alessandra is the daughter of a wealthy family, with an intelligent and reasonably lenient mother. She marries an intellectual man whose lifestyle means his wife is allowed more freedom than the average woman. Even when she eventually moves to the convent, which is mentioned at the beginning of the book and fills it with a deep sense of foreboding, the timing of her arrival means that convents are much more permissive than they had been. Lucky for Alessandra, and a historically justified way of keeping her free enough to have an interesting life. She still has to face tough opposition in her life, as the new religious order want to keep women inside and away from church. She is pragmatic, helped through the practicalities of living free in times of repression by her slave Erila, but also has an emotional side that made me feel connected to the character.
Dunant’s characters live in a version of history that feels entirely genuine, due to the multi-sensory detail that Dunant crafts into her novel. Alessandra is given a strong feeling for colour due to her art and her father’s dyed cloths so her vision of the world is filled with the details of shade around her. Dunant also recreates the sounds, textures and smell of 16th century Florence, the city bell tolls when the head of the Medici family dies, and I can almost hear the sound, see the bell moving, when I remember that point in the novel. The sense of physicality in the descriptions of Florence complements the physical acts, like birth, murder and sex that appear often during the novel.
This novel has scandal, strong women, striking descriptions of artistic technique, religious turmoil and faith, as well as a bit of a love story. Sarah Dunant continues to make me want to buy her books and talk about them to everyone.
With this novel I begin my Dewey’s Books reading, as well as my Art History challenge (love their monthly roundup posts by the way, complete with cover art). Now it’s on with my mini challenge for Dewey’s Books, as I read ‘The Barber of Seville’ to do something different and read a play.
Other Reviews
Stella Matutina
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Time to Party On
It’s time for this year’s Ultimate Blog Party, wuhoah (regular visitors don’t be scared – this is just a little party post as part of an internet wide event for women bloggers)!
Let me introduce myself to you new visitors. I’m Jodie, I’ll be your host here at the book obsessed blog Bookgazing. I’m 24, a recently qualified marketer with a degree in history who loves travelling (well being in different countries not so much sitting in airports), partying, reading, making things and is trying to will herself to be a gym bunny. You can check the places I hang out by following the links in my sidebar.
Last year I hosted a bit of a late party at my other blog (now sadly defunct, but you can still see the party post) but this year I’m prepared (after seeing a reminder two days before the festivities were due to begin). Last year’s party was a ‘girls looking pretty’ type of affair with leopard print heels, dancing and drinks – this year I wanted to go a slightly different way and host a pajama party. So no need to blow the squirreled pennies on expensive party frocks and your feet can stay unhurt, you just need your most fantastic pjs, your beauty kit and plenty of supplies. Try not to splash the books while pouring the drinks!
Let me introduce myself to you new visitors. I’m Jodie, I’ll be your host here at the book obsessed blog Bookgazing. I’m 24, a recently qualified marketer with a degree in history who loves travelling (well being in different countries not so much sitting in airports), partying, reading, making things and is trying to will herself to be a gym bunny. You can check the places I hang out by following the links in my sidebar.
Last year I hosted a bit of a late party at my other blog (now sadly defunct, but you can still see the party post) but this year I’m prepared (after seeing a reminder two days before the festivities were due to begin). Last year’s party was a ‘girls looking pretty’ type of affair with leopard print heels, dancing and drinks – this year I wanted to go a slightly different way and host a pajama party. So no need to blow the squirreled pennies on expensive party frocks and your feet can stay unhurt, you just need your most fantastic pjs, your beauty kit and plenty of supplies. Try not to splash the books while pouring the drinks!
What do you need for a girls night in party? Well pizza is a must, accompanied by chips or potatoe wedges, then you need popcorn, Kettle Chips, a selection of chocolate (including my beloved peanut butter KitKats) and I surely hope one of my visitors from the US will bring one of those cakes shaped like a pizza (quick the drug dogs!). Then we need bad 80s dance movies, classy drinks that need coloured liqueur, music, makeovers and games! Yes we like to pack it in at my parties.
I’ve decided to make this a week long party (don’t worry I will let you go home to shower and see loved ones) with a special post for you to look out for each day. Every day there will be a new quote I love (inspired by last weeks WeeklyGeekly post idea), a book site link for you to journey to and a book cover I think is pretty snazzy. I hope you have fun here and I’ll see some of you at your own parties this week.
I forgot to mention I'm on the prize page - you can win an original handmade necklace from me (shipping Internationally).
Finally (I think) if you want to help children and adults read please consider dropping by my charity blog and sponsoring one of our diligent readers for charity. Pop to The Year of Readers and follow the links in the sidebar or in the Mr Linky to find someone reading for a good cause. If you want to make a donation as they spend 2009 reading for charity please leave them a comment at their linked website.
(Oh and if I'm lucky enough to get a prize I'd love International 7, 19, 21 or 30)
Bookworms Carnival - Theme Ideas
I'm hosting a Bookworms carnival in December and I'm trying to decide what the theme should be. I've got lots of ideas, probably too many, and I don't know which to pick so I thought I'd let anyone who comes across the blog vote and decide that way. I've left a little poll in the right hand corner where you can pick your favourite. Just read the descriptions below, and think about which one you'd like to see a whole carnival of posts on:
Bad Girls - A carnival dedicated to the 'bad girls' of fiction. I'm thinking of all the female characters you may not immediately like but who suck you in (think Scarlet O'Hara etc)
Rebels - This theme would encourage posts about characters who rebel against their society, as well as posts about non-fiction focusing on real life rebels and political movements.
Frontier towns - Whether it's a dysotopian novel set towns of the future like the settlements in 'The Pest House' or non-fiction about the first American settlers it would be perfect for including under this theme.
Women - A general carnival about women. Authors, chick-lit, womens fiction, female characters.
Steampunk - I don't know a lot about steampunk novels but the little I do know I like. I'd love to see posts and learn more about it.
I need you! Cast your vote.
Oh and fair warning tomorrow I'll be hosting a virtual party as part of the Ultimate Blog Party so expect to see a mad party post, not about books tomorrow.
Bad Girls - A carnival dedicated to the 'bad girls' of fiction. I'm thinking of all the female characters you may not immediately like but who suck you in (think Scarlet O'Hara etc)
Rebels - This theme would encourage posts about characters who rebel against their society, as well as posts about non-fiction focusing on real life rebels and political movements.
Frontier towns - Whether it's a dysotopian novel set towns of the future like the settlements in 'The Pest House' or non-fiction about the first American settlers it would be perfect for including under this theme.
Women - A general carnival about women. Authors, chick-lit, womens fiction, female characters.
Steampunk - I don't know a lot about steampunk novels but the little I do know I like. I'd love to see posts and learn more about it.
I need you! Cast your vote.
Oh and fair warning tomorrow I'll be hosting a virtual party as part of the Ultimate Blog Party so expect to see a mad party post, not about books tomorrow.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Changeling - Steve Feasey
Trey Laporte lives in a care home run by a sadistic manager until an intense man claiming to be his uncle spirits him away. The strange Lucien quickly reveals that Trey has been living under a delusion of normality. Everything changes as Trey discovers he is part of a supernatural world he never knew existed. Trey is in fact the last known hereditary werewolf, and that means he’s in danger.
How is this book like Harry Potter? Let me count the ways:
The main character Trey is an orphan
Both his parents were killed by an evil adversary
His mother died protecting him
Lucien, a mysteriously powerful adult arrives to rescue him from his rubbish life
Trey discovers he has a power he never knew about
Trey is in danger because of a prophecy
Trey discovers there’s a whole supernatural world he never knew existed
Oh and in that age old, beloved plot easer previously impoverished Trey finds out he has lots and lots of money. He’s actually a millionaire. Because nothing slows your plot down like a kid without cash.
If you’re looking for a new supernatural YA action/adventure series to replace the hole Harry left then I’d recommend trying 'Changeling' by Steven Feasy. It’s scene setting is Harry Potter with fur, in fact when I googled the book most of the links that came up related to how you’ll love this book if you enjoyed Harry Potter.
Trey Laporte is not like Harry Potter at all despite the similarities above. His voice is different and he has a completely different feel to him, but he is so obviously modelled on the boy wonder, for no apparent reason. I felt like there was no need for it. Trey is fun to follow around; he has a strong character energy, he has an awesome werewolf power and there’s a genuineness about him that made him a joy to read about. He would have been a fantastic character without all the ‘next HP’ identifying traits thrown in, and I found all the similarities extremely distracting. It took a while for me to get into the book because every other chapter something would happen that had clearly been influenced by the Harry Potter school of plot development.
Still Potteresqueness aside this book has got some gumption. As I said Trey is fun to follow around because he’s energetic, he’s inquisitive and he has a strong spirit. I thought he spent minimal time moping around after finding out that he’s a werewolf with powerful enemies, in fact he spent an incredible amount of time beating himself up for supposedly wallowing in his pain. That guilty streak just made him more likeable, it’s nice to see a character who is hyper aware of other people’s feelings.
The pacing of the plot was spot on and the rapid launch into Trey’s adventures in the demon world propelled me through the aspects of the book that tried to interfere with my connection with the book’s universe. All the action scenes had obviously been refined until they flew. They contained the most natural writing in the book, which is a real achievement because so many writers overdescribe and stilt the physical surge of their action. The other characters were intriguing and I found myself hungry for everyone’s backstory. I want to learn more about Tom, I want to hang out with him while he cleans his guns! It was wonderful to find that when main characters passed out from pain or got knocked out I didn't have to follow them into oblivion and listen to what happened being related by someone else later. Feasey just picks up with another character and shows his readers the scene as it happens, which was a nice change.
I found a few other issues distracting throughout the book, for example there’s a bit of brand dropping which is just a personal dislike. I know that mentioning a brand can be a useful shortcut for explaining parts of a character’s personality, but I find it a bit lazy. The writing is also a little self-conscious in places, like Feasey is relying heavily on Word’s thesaurus, but this is the first book in the first series he’s ever written, so I’m sure he’ll find a way to smoothly integrate his interest in using a varied vocabulary.
Alexa feels a bit underutilized, the girl has serious sorcery skills and a great big intellect yet she spends most of the book shopping to ‘recapture normality’ and is inactive during the most fast paced battle as she’s been kidnapped. I’m going to assume that due to the exciting revelation at the end Alexa’s character will be more involved in the second book. I’m also going to hope that Trey will get over his odd attitude to Alexa in the next book. He needs to stop saying things about how she looks much prettier without her rock girl makeup, and randomly deciding he might love her because, well, it’s very, very annoying. It's just my girls opinion but it irked me.
So while the main character is a werewolf I think Lucien features enough for me to count this as the second book in the vampire challenge, it's also YA so chalk up another for that challenge (which I think makes four). Let's keep those challenges rolling!
Other Reviews
Flipping Pages
Book Crazy
How is this book like Harry Potter? Let me count the ways:
The main character Trey is an orphan
Both his parents were killed by an evil adversary
His mother died protecting him
Lucien, a mysteriously powerful adult arrives to rescue him from his rubbish life
Trey discovers he has a power he never knew about
Trey is in danger because of a prophecy
Trey discovers there’s a whole supernatural world he never knew existed
Oh and in that age old, beloved plot easer previously impoverished Trey finds out he has lots and lots of money. He’s actually a millionaire. Because nothing slows your plot down like a kid without cash.
If you’re looking for a new supernatural YA action/adventure series to replace the hole Harry left then I’d recommend trying 'Changeling' by Steven Feasy. It’s scene setting is Harry Potter with fur, in fact when I googled the book most of the links that came up related to how you’ll love this book if you enjoyed Harry Potter.
Trey Laporte is not like Harry Potter at all despite the similarities above. His voice is different and he has a completely different feel to him, but he is so obviously modelled on the boy wonder, for no apparent reason. I felt like there was no need for it. Trey is fun to follow around; he has a strong character energy, he has an awesome werewolf power and there’s a genuineness about him that made him a joy to read about. He would have been a fantastic character without all the ‘next HP’ identifying traits thrown in, and I found all the similarities extremely distracting. It took a while for me to get into the book because every other chapter something would happen that had clearly been influenced by the Harry Potter school of plot development.
Still Potteresqueness aside this book has got some gumption. As I said Trey is fun to follow around because he’s energetic, he’s inquisitive and he has a strong spirit. I thought he spent minimal time moping around after finding out that he’s a werewolf with powerful enemies, in fact he spent an incredible amount of time beating himself up for supposedly wallowing in his pain. That guilty streak just made him more likeable, it’s nice to see a character who is hyper aware of other people’s feelings.
The pacing of the plot was spot on and the rapid launch into Trey’s adventures in the demon world propelled me through the aspects of the book that tried to interfere with my connection with the book’s universe. All the action scenes had obviously been refined until they flew. They contained the most natural writing in the book, which is a real achievement because so many writers overdescribe and stilt the physical surge of their action. The other characters were intriguing and I found myself hungry for everyone’s backstory. I want to learn more about Tom, I want to hang out with him while he cleans his guns! It was wonderful to find that when main characters passed out from pain or got knocked out I didn't have to follow them into oblivion and listen to what happened being related by someone else later. Feasey just picks up with another character and shows his readers the scene as it happens, which was a nice change.
I found a few other issues distracting throughout the book, for example there’s a bit of brand dropping which is just a personal dislike. I know that mentioning a brand can be a useful shortcut for explaining parts of a character’s personality, but I find it a bit lazy. The writing is also a little self-conscious in places, like Feasey is relying heavily on Word’s thesaurus, but this is the first book in the first series he’s ever written, so I’m sure he’ll find a way to smoothly integrate his interest in using a varied vocabulary.
Alexa feels a bit underutilized, the girl has serious sorcery skills and a great big intellect yet she spends most of the book shopping to ‘recapture normality’ and is inactive during the most fast paced battle as she’s been kidnapped. I’m going to assume that due to the exciting revelation at the end Alexa’s character will be more involved in the second book. I’m also going to hope that Trey will get over his odd attitude to Alexa in the next book. He needs to stop saying things about how she looks much prettier without her rock girl makeup, and randomly deciding he might love her because, well, it’s very, very annoying. It's just my girls opinion but it irked me.
So while the main character is a werewolf I think Lucien features enough for me to count this as the second book in the vampire challenge, it's also YA so chalk up another for that challenge (which I think makes four). Let's keep those challenges rolling!
Other Reviews
Flipping Pages
Book Crazy
Sunday, 15 March 2009
New Books
I haven't been reading a lot over the past week, but I have been letting my book buying get a little out of control. Yesterday I dropped into a bookshop to pick up part of my Mother's Day present and came away with three other books so now I have:
The Court of Air - Stephen Hunt: The story of orphans and secrets, adventure and danger which I've been restraining myself from buying since it came out (got to cut back on the hardback buying)
Up a Tree in the Park with a Hedgehog - P Robert Smith: This sounded like it would satisfy some of my current hunger for the surreal. Benton Kirby has a brother who drives Death around and a girlfriend with a history of suicidal pets - odd and trippy sounding.
Jamesland - Michelle Huneven: Sadly the only copy of this was a bit battered but I really wanted it. This also sounds a bit surreal, focusing on a bunch of people dealing with issues of insanity.
When I came back off holiday I had two packages waiting for me. Shame on me I had forgotten I'd ordered:
The Figaro Trilogy - Beaumarchais: I'm reading the first play for my Dewey's Books mini challenge. I'm just starting it now because I need to have it finished by the end of the month so me and my partner can do a joint post.
Liberation - Brian Francis Slattery: A crazy story of a gang out to fix the problems of future America. I have high hopes of this one after I loved his debut novel so it better be good :)
I'm off to read The Birth of Venus now. I'm feeling a little hung over after a major girls night out so fab historical fiction laced with romance seems like a good pick.
The Court of Air - Stephen Hunt: The story of orphans and secrets, adventure and danger which I've been restraining myself from buying since it came out (got to cut back on the hardback buying)
Up a Tree in the Park with a Hedgehog - P Robert Smith: This sounded like it would satisfy some of my current hunger for the surreal. Benton Kirby has a brother who drives Death around and a girlfriend with a history of suicidal pets - odd and trippy sounding.
Jamesland - Michelle Huneven: Sadly the only copy of this was a bit battered but I really wanted it. This also sounds a bit surreal, focusing on a bunch of people dealing with issues of insanity.
When I came back off holiday I had two packages waiting for me. Shame on me I had forgotten I'd ordered:
The Figaro Trilogy - Beaumarchais: I'm reading the first play for my Dewey's Books mini challenge. I'm just starting it now because I need to have it finished by the end of the month so me and my partner can do a joint post.
Liberation - Brian Francis Slattery: A crazy story of a gang out to fix the problems of future America. I have high hopes of this one after I loved his debut novel so it better be good :)
I'm off to read The Birth of Venus now. I'm feeling a little hung over after a major girls night out so fab historical fiction laced with romance seems like a good pick.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Estellas Revenge - March
This month in Estella's Revenge you can see Heather taking the reins while Andi concentrates on being loved up (hehe go lady).
We're talking about classics this month so Stuart wonders who reads classics, Chris looks at a classic comic and I focus on all the strange ways 'Pride and Prejudice' has been reinvented (zombies anyone, Pride and Predator?). You can also see a mountain of reviews this month, and my column where I talk about 'Temeraire' by Naomi Novick (so scrumptious).
I've just finished 'Changeling', which I have mixed feelings about. There was plenty of good material, but it was not the kind of monster book I was looking for and I feel like I will focus on the things I didn't like in an especially snarky way right now. So I'm going to hold off posting about it for a few days until I can be more even handed as the book really deserves a fair review.
Tomorrow night I'm going to see 'Marley & Me' at the cinema. I love a sappy dog movie, even if it does contain Owen Wilson.
We're talking about classics this month so Stuart wonders who reads classics, Chris looks at a classic comic and I focus on all the strange ways 'Pride and Prejudice' has been reinvented (zombies anyone, Pride and Predator?). You can also see a mountain of reviews this month, and my column where I talk about 'Temeraire' by Naomi Novick (so scrumptious).
I've just finished 'Changeling', which I have mixed feelings about. There was plenty of good material, but it was not the kind of monster book I was looking for and I feel like I will focus on the things I didn't like in an especially snarky way right now. So I'm going to hold off posting about it for a few days until I can be more even handed as the book really deserves a fair review.
Tomorrow night I'm going to see 'Marley & Me' at the cinema. I love a sappy dog movie, even if it does contain Owen Wilson.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Home Again
I'm back from Barcelona. Long story short I had a fab time, really lovely, until the last few hours. I was on the metro to get to the coach connection for the airport and I had my purse pinched. I was pretty lucky as all that was left in it was my coach fare (about 12 Euros), £20 sterling and my cash card, which needs a pin and ID to be used in Spain. I cancelled the card as soon as we got to the coach station. We think they were going for my passport as well but I turned to open the door to get off the metro and they dropped/abandoned my passport holder on to the floor, where we found it just as we were leaving the metro. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I'd lost that because it not only had my passport but my train ticket from Bristol, my health insurance card and my ticket for the Bristol flyer.
So I'm glad I didn't loose much (except quite a nice Radley wallet) but it kind of bummed me out, now my fabulous Barcelona holiday has forever become the holiday where I was robbed.
I've got the day off work today so I'm just catching up on tv (Wild at Heart, One Tree Hill etc all quality stuff), e-mails and such. I see that some nice things turned up while I was away. Marika Cobbold dropped me a line to say she enjoyed my review which was nice. I got a reply saying I get to host a , Bookworms blog carnival in December, which I'm psyched about. Now I have to think up a theme. Finally Farm Lane Books awarded me an 'I Love Your Blog' award (yay a cool graphic) which it was juts lovely to receive:
Thanks for all the comments while I was away. I'll be back with book updates, and hopefully Barcelona pictures to show you I did have a nice time on holiday, later in the week.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Mailbox Monday
Over at The Printed Page Marcia hosts Mailbox Monday, where participants talk about what books they've received in the post that week. Although I'm not around this week to see if a couple of books have dropped in I can tell you about two books I received just before I left for my holiday.
I was looking for books to read for the vampire challenge, and I was in the mood for monster books in general so when I saw a Thursday Soapbox with Stephen Feasey with the book foxes I decided to snap up his first book 'Changeling', about the last hereditary werewolf. Trey thinks he's an ordinary teenager until he meets a mysterious, pale skinned stranger called Lucien...can we say dundundun :)
I can't say I'm a fan of the cover art, what with the holographica which I think makes books look a bit cheap, but it's not really aimed at me and I'm sure it will reel in the teenage boys.
I bought Skarlet at the same time. I love Snowbooks and I'm determined to keep supporting this smaller publisher as long as they keep handing out fresh talent. Skarlet is of the vampire = evil side of the vampire genre, which should make a nice change after all the supernatural romances. London's clubbers are dying due to a new drug, but within 48 hours they wake up and feast on the living. Right now you can read a free short stroy by the author Thomas Emson at website.
Right now I'll be on my way back from the airport, no more sunshine for me I predict.
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Blog Improvement Project - Week Five
March is social media month at the Blog Improvement Project, and this week is the social media carnival where all the participants will be discussing different social media tools. I use lots of social media sites but most of it is not directly related to my blog.
I use Facebook to sort out plans with real life friends (although it's currently getting swamped with people who used to vaguely know me way back whenever), and to update the fan page for my shop.
I use Twitter on and off, but that is filled with Etsy people trying to sell me their wares (and that's initially why I joined, until I realised no one likes a market stall twitterer). I'll need to unfollow masses of people before I'll be able to see what the people I have connections with are doing.
I use Technorati to monitor how my various blogs are doing.
I don't use Stumbleupon often, as I use Bloglines to keep track of my favourite sites.
I don't think I'm in the right generation bracket to use Diggit (is that even spelt right?) :)
I tried Squiddo but man is that site complicated. I have a lens about my charity project...somewhere in the ether. Hopefully one of the other participants will clear that mess up for me this week.
The networking tool I like best after blogs is the Ning network. This is a group of communities created to bring people together and generate discussion. I guess they're like little internet wateringholes where people congregate to chat.
I think I enjoy Ning so muchbecause I've become a member of a fabulous Ning community called BoutiqueFlair where there are lots of great ladies. You can set up a profile page quickly, leave your blog address and as long as you engage with the community people will constantly turn up at your page and see it. I have my RSS set up on my personal page so people can see what I'm talking about. I'm also a bi-monthly contributor for BoutiqueFlair's front page, which I hope will draw in new people to see my blog. Recently I set up a second RSS feed so I could see a couple of other members blogs from my personal page, because I'd found a bunch of women who had interesting opinions and high quality blogs. I mean that's what social media was all about before marketers (like me, did I mention I qualified as a Chartered Marketeer last week?) decided it was the hip new way to hawk things.
After joining BoutiqueFlair I decided to find an active book blogging Ning community. I joined one (you can see the button at the bottom of my blog) and set up a page which has led to the blog getting its first follower. I take part in discussions there because the forums are more active than those at BoutiqueFlair, however it seems to be harder to make friend at the book community.
I've recently been invited to a couple of other Ning communities. I'd love to join but it takes a lot of effort to establish quality connections. It might seem like just dropping your blog address off will get you some exposure but no one is going to visit your page if you don't participate, so you need to take the time to let your fun personality shine through. I'd say find one, or possibly two Ning communities you love that fit with your blog's vibe and forge genuine friendships there. Like everywhere else in the online social community content is key at Ning.
I use Facebook to sort out plans with real life friends (although it's currently getting swamped with people who used to vaguely know me way back whenever), and to update the fan page for my shop.
I use Twitter on and off, but that is filled with Etsy people trying to sell me their wares (and that's initially why I joined, until I realised no one likes a market stall twitterer). I'll need to unfollow masses of people before I'll be able to see what the people I have connections with are doing.
I use Technorati to monitor how my various blogs are doing.
I don't use Stumbleupon often, as I use Bloglines to keep track of my favourite sites.
I don't think I'm in the right generation bracket to use Diggit (is that even spelt right?) :)
I tried Squiddo but man is that site complicated. I have a lens about my charity project...somewhere in the ether. Hopefully one of the other participants will clear that mess up for me this week.
The networking tool I like best after blogs is the Ning network. This is a group of communities created to bring people together and generate discussion. I guess they're like little internet wateringholes where people congregate to chat.
I think I enjoy Ning so muchbecause I've become a member of a fabulous Ning community called BoutiqueFlair where there are lots of great ladies. You can set up a profile page quickly, leave your blog address and as long as you engage with the community people will constantly turn up at your page and see it. I have my RSS set up on my personal page so people can see what I'm talking about. I'm also a bi-monthly contributor for BoutiqueFlair's front page, which I hope will draw in new people to see my blog. Recently I set up a second RSS feed so I could see a couple of other members blogs from my personal page, because I'd found a bunch of women who had interesting opinions and high quality blogs. I mean that's what social media was all about before marketers (like me, did I mention I qualified as a Chartered Marketeer last week?) decided it was the hip new way to hawk things.
After joining BoutiqueFlair I decided to find an active book blogging Ning community. I joined one (you can see the button at the bottom of my blog) and set up a page which has led to the blog getting its first follower. I take part in discussions there because the forums are more active than those at BoutiqueFlair, however it seems to be harder to make friend at the book community.
I've recently been invited to a couple of other Ning communities. I'd love to join but it takes a lot of effort to establish quality connections. It might seem like just dropping your blog address off will get you some exposure but no one is going to visit your page if you don't participate, so you need to take the time to let your fun personality shine through. I'd say find one, or possibly two Ning communities you love that fit with your blog's vibe and forge genuine friendships there. Like everywhere else in the online social community content is key at Ning.
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Emotional Experiences with Sci-fi
After finishing 'Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep' by Philip K Dick I'm left asking the same, old question; why don't I read more sci-fi?
Every time I read an inspired sic-fi novel (which '...Elecric Sheep' certainly was) I come away remembering how exhilirated, exhausted and emotionally envigorated the best of the genre can make me feel. When I reached the end of this novel I was dazed, it was like all my emotions had been squeezed together, then punched and pummeled until they were one indistinguishable mass.
I was wrung out, and the effect was so strong I couldn't even to think about starting a new book in the same day, which doesn't happen very often. All I wanted to do was sit and think about the book, think about life in general.
There have been other novels that connected with me as deeply, but as a genre sci-fi has the most consistent effect.So why don't I read more of it, especially when there's so much around? I read plenty of comic fantasy, but I only manage maybe one sci-fi novel a year. Perhaps it's due to a lack of knowledge about what's out there, and what's good.
So please bombard me with your recommendations for good sci-fi novels I might like. I love what little I've read of Philip K Dick, and two years ago I was grabbed and kissed hard by 'Spaceman Blues' by Brian Francis Slattery. I like energetic plots, that grapple with ethical issues and contain complex ideas, as well as complex characters you're never quite sure about. I dislike long, Jurassic Park style monologues about science that don't blend with the story, and aliens that arrive at a convenient time, explaining away all the crazy happenings. Go nuts!
Every time I read an inspired sic-fi novel (which '...Elecric Sheep' certainly was) I come away remembering how exhilirated, exhausted and emotionally envigorated the best of the genre can make me feel. When I reached the end of this novel I was dazed, it was like all my emotions had been squeezed together, then punched and pummeled until they were one indistinguishable mass.
I was wrung out, and the effect was so strong I couldn't even to think about starting a new book in the same day, which doesn't happen very often. All I wanted to do was sit and think about the book, think about life in general.
There have been other novels that connected with me as deeply, but as a genre sci-fi has the most consistent effect.So why don't I read more of it, especially when there's so much around? I read plenty of comic fantasy, but I only manage maybe one sci-fi novel a year. Perhaps it's due to a lack of knowledge about what's out there, and what's good.
So please bombard me with your recommendations for good sci-fi novels I might like. I love what little I've read of Philip K Dick, and two years ago I was grabbed and kissed hard by 'Spaceman Blues' by Brian Francis Slattery. I like energetic plots, that grapple with ethical issues and contain complex ideas, as well as complex characters you're never quite sure about. I dislike long, Jurassic Park style monologues about science that don't blend with the story, and aliens that arrive at a convenient time, explaining away all the crazy happenings. Go nuts!
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Holidaying Needed
I'm off on holiday tomorrow to spend a few days with a friend in Barcelona. I am so ready for this trip as I'm feeling a little disillusioned with my job, I still haven't really made it over the Christmas blues yet (I know I'm pathetic), plus I caught the cold bug this week. Lazy mornings, sightseeing and drinks in the afternoon sound tso good to me right now.
I've packed most things but I'm stumped on what reading material to take. We're not flying from my local airport so I have a train journey there and back, which makes me think I need a substantial read. However I need a book that will fit in my already bulging handbag, so I'm thinking two thinner books would be best...but which ones?
What do you look for in a holiday read? Personally I don't want something that's going to promote too much introspection, crying about the state of my life by the pool is not one of my planned activities on holiday. However I don't want an absolute fluff-fest, because sometimes books like that start out fun and end up annoying. I think I want a plot driven book, because although I love books that play with language it's hard to concentrate when you're switching from lounger to pool all day :)
Before I go I just want to say I'm loving seeing people drop by and leave comments. My new blog is getting it's first bit of love, whcih is fantastic. As this blog is so new I didn't want to leave it empty the whole time I was away so I'm setting up a few 'phantom posts' to pop up while I sun myself. Even though I can't answer them straight away it would be great to see comments when I get back.
Have fun, let me know what you'll be doing all week and I'll see you when I get back.
I've packed most things but I'm stumped on what reading material to take. We're not flying from my local airport so I have a train journey there and back, which makes me think I need a substantial read. However I need a book that will fit in my already bulging handbag, so I'm thinking two thinner books would be best...but which ones?
What do you look for in a holiday read? Personally I don't want something that's going to promote too much introspection, crying about the state of my life by the pool is not one of my planned activities on holiday. However I don't want an absolute fluff-fest, because sometimes books like that start out fun and end up annoying. I think I want a plot driven book, because although I love books that play with language it's hard to concentrate when you're switching from lounger to pool all day :)
Before I go I just want to say I'm loving seeing people drop by and leave comments. My new blog is getting it's first bit of love, whcih is fantastic. As this blog is so new I didn't want to leave it empty the whole time I was away so I'm setting up a few 'phantom posts' to pop up while I sun myself. Even though I can't answer them straight away it would be great to see comments when I get back.
Have fun, let me know what you'll be doing all week and I'll see you when I get back.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
I Suck at Challenges - February Update
Ahem so it’s time for me to give an update on my challenge progress for the ‘I Suck at Challenges’ group. Eeek I hate to admit it guys but this month I actually took on another challenge (the Vampire Challenge) but, BUT, it’s ok because I’ve already read one out of the two books required. I finished Twilight in the middle of the month and this may actually be the first challenge I complete! Oh and Twilight counted as my time of day selection for the What’s in a Name Challenge and it counted for the YA Challenge as well so I’ve been multi-tasking. Get in.
I still haven’t started Reading Dewey’s Books, but I did sign up to do a mini challenge this month where I read a French play, while my challenge partner reads a book about travels in France and Italy. I’m also not quite working on the Chunkster Challenge or the Art History Challenge…I’m apparently working on The Science Challenge but I don’t seem to be making much progress with my first book. Wait here while I wander of and have a quick panic attack!
I completed another book for The Year of Reading Dangerously, A Passage to India, which I have yet to post about. I also completed a book for The Victorian Challenge, although it was an alternate to my original choices. That was The Rose of Sebastopol, which I just posted about. Just one more book and I’ve finished that challenge. Finally I read The Tenderness of Wolves for my prize winning author in the 9 for 09 Challenge.
I’m being bad at the moment because I’m reading another non-challenge book (that’s three so far this year), but I wanted something entirely different. So right now I’m flying through Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick. I have no idea why I don’t read more sci-fi, I absolutely love it.
I still haven’t started Reading Dewey’s Books, but I did sign up to do a mini challenge this month where I read a French play, while my challenge partner reads a book about travels in France and Italy. I’m also not quite working on the Chunkster Challenge or the Art History Challenge…I’m apparently working on The Science Challenge but I don’t seem to be making much progress with my first book. Wait here while I wander of and have a quick panic attack!
I completed another book for The Year of Reading Dangerously, A Passage to India, which I have yet to post about. I also completed a book for The Victorian Challenge, although it was an alternate to my original choices. That was The Rose of Sebastopol, which I just posted about. Just one more book and I’ve finished that challenge. Finally I read The Tenderness of Wolves for my prize winning author in the 9 for 09 Challenge.
I’m being bad at the moment because I’m reading another non-challenge book (that’s three so far this year), but I wanted something entirely different. So right now I’m flying through Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick. I have no idea why I don’t read more sci-fi, I absolutely love it.
The Rose of Sebastopol - Katherine McMahon
I’m going to say upfront that I was more than a little disappointed by ‘The Rose of Sebastopol’ by Katherine McMahon. When I began the book it was enjoyable, if a little tiresome in places (as I mentioned earlier there are tons of heavy handed allusions to what Rosa hopes to get from her relationship with Mariella). In the later stages the book became rather frustrating, so I burnt through the last hundred pages because I wanted the book to be over. It’s not all bad, but it was often uninspired.
Mariella lives a happy, ineffectual life with her parents, waiting for family friend, and celebrated surgeon Henry to propose. Then her distant uncle dies, throwing her aunt and cousin onto the charity of her parents. Mariella’s world is broadened by her cousin Rosa, who is consumed with attempting to get an education and do something to help the world. When the opportunity arises for Rosa to help the troops by nursing in the Crimea she leaves. Henry also leaves to tend to the troops but falls sick, meaning that Mariella must journey to him. On arriving she finds a changed man, consumed with finding Rosa who has recently gone missing.
My edition of The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon came with questions for reading groups, helpfully supplied by the Richard and Judy consortium. I’m going to use a selection of them to flesh in the rest of my review.
How traditional a romantic tale is The Rose of Sebastopol?
It’s pretty traditional, but there are some areas where it breaks from traditional romance. There’s the first romantic hero, Henry who seems like a good bet but in the end turns out to be a cad. However he’s also the quiet lad from Mariella’s childhood and in a traditional romantic tale that sort of character often turns out to be the undiscovered love. Mariella has already decided that she loves him in early childhood so it’s a pretty safe bet that that will not work out. Henry is also a ‘cold fish’ when it comes to Mariella, and expects her to remain the same as he has always know her. Any kind of repression around the future missus generally means caddish behaviour will follow in traditional romances.
Then there’s the dashing secondary hero, Max who is the traditional rash, intense soldier character. But the dashing young captain always adds to the romantic excitement so I was happy to see him take a bigger part towards the end of the book. He is of course, a man of action. Henry may be a surgeon, so he’s not quite the traditional dreary, paper bureaucrat readers know will get the boot, but he’s still not in the same league as a soldier.
Mariella is the good little virgin, inexperienced in the ways of the world. Quite in keeping with the historical times, and also quite traditional.
Obviously having a lesbian character like Rosa breaks with old romantic traditions (depending on what books you read) but the way the author just drops clanging hints to her sexuality into the story, instead of dragging her feelings into the open is typical of some older style romances. We can also compare her attitude to Mariella, to Henry’s attitude: both want her to remain ‘a constant’, both like to be a little patronising, both like to control her a little. Is Rosa the lesbian version of the unsuitable male suitor, presented in the book?
‘The result of this behaviour was that all eyes were upon her.’ Is this Rosa’s intention in life, or just a by-product of her transparency?
I mentioned before that in my opinion Rosa seems to ‘cry prettily’ and always get her way. Her behaviour often seems suspect, and I came to find her quite a controlling character. However I don’t think it is her intention to have all eyes on her, it is just the fact that she feels and embraces life to an extent that other people in society do not.
Then again it’s hard to get a grip on Rosa. The only information we have about her is provided by Mariella, who is clearly blind when it comes to even the basics about her cousin. So, despite all the details we’re given about her life, and her personality, we never see beneath the surface or discover her true motives. That is why I think the book began to drag, for me, because it clearly wanted to be a book that examines character in depth, but it never penetrates Rosa’s character because all the information comes from unknowing, second hand sources. Perhaps the author is going for an air of unsolveable mystery, all that how much can we ever really know a person stuff, but I found it frustrating to be given a character so full of promise, but then to never be allowed to engage with her.
‘What an odd, turbulent period of history we live in, a clash of conflicting ambitions, great and small.’ How well does The Rose of Sebastopol portray the 1850s?
I have no idea how well the novel portrays this time; I did not study the Victorians or the Crimean war. I do think the book provided an interesting alternative view of the medical set up to that shown in ‘The Great Stink’, but without further reading I couldn’t say which book had the more accurate depiction. I did enjoy the descriptions of the locations Mariella travelled to, they were vivid and drew me in. The development of the different settings and Mariella’s reactions to them was probably my favourite element of the book. It made me want to read No Place for Ladies right away.
BIG SPOILERS COMING UP NOW!
The Rose of Sebastopol deals with desire in many forms – some of them secret and forbidden. How far do you see Rosa as a doomed heroine from the beginning?
A really annoying feature of the book was the constant hinting at an extra layer to the relationship between the young women. So many chapters ended with breathy, enigmatic hints at the clearly obvious, if forbidden, love that I think I actually started sighing audibly. How many times have I mentioned that already? It did bother me a lot, I needed maybe two hints to know that there was going to be a lesbian plotline, and after that I would have just assumed it and waited for it to develop.
I wish that a modern novelist hadn’t felt the need to kill off the inconvenient character, just to simplify the romantic ending. It’s to be expected from novelists writing in the Victorian era who would have been able to see no other future for a character like Rosa, once Mariella decides on Max, and who liked to kill of inconvenient females in general (Dickens I’m looking at you). I would have expected more from a modern novelist. It’s true that Rosa and Mariella could never openly have been a couple (in the context of the book, and the context of the historical period) but it seemed like a girl with as much drive as Rosa would have been able to forge a different version of the happy ending. So, yes she’s a doomed heroine as soon as the author decided on dooming her I suppouse.
How satisfied were you with the ending of The Rose of Sebastopol?
Not satisfied at all, not one bit. The entire book is focused on finding Rosa, all action is driven by this search, then at the end she’s found dead and the book abruptly cuts out. Mariella falls for Max but throughout the early parts of the book there’s definite evidence that she reciprocates Rosa’s feelings, or has sexual curiosity about women. Is it just Rosa she feels this way about, or is she interested in women as well as men?
Henry’s crazy mania for Rosa, which is the author’s way of freeing up Mariella for Max, seems to come form nowhere. His obsession is never explained, even in his own illogical terms and what happens to him after she dies?
Oh and I wanted the full story on Nora, as she had clearly had a tragic life, worthy of a plot line.
Finally, I promise, what is the point of the plotline about the sexually abusive uncle? Is it meant to be important in understanding the girl’s characters, or was it just thrown in there as an extra? It’s never dealt with properly, and if it’s meant to be another surprising twist it doesn’t work, as it’s also signalled heavily throughout the book.
So that's two read for the Victorian Reading Challenge - just one more to reach my total.
Other Reviews
A Work in Progress
Mariella lives a happy, ineffectual life with her parents, waiting for family friend, and celebrated surgeon Henry to propose. Then her distant uncle dies, throwing her aunt and cousin onto the charity of her parents. Mariella’s world is broadened by her cousin Rosa, who is consumed with attempting to get an education and do something to help the world. When the opportunity arises for Rosa to help the troops by nursing in the Crimea she leaves. Henry also leaves to tend to the troops but falls sick, meaning that Mariella must journey to him. On arriving she finds a changed man, consumed with finding Rosa who has recently gone missing.
My edition of The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon came with questions for reading groups, helpfully supplied by the Richard and Judy consortium. I’m going to use a selection of them to flesh in the rest of my review.
How traditional a romantic tale is The Rose of Sebastopol?
It’s pretty traditional, but there are some areas where it breaks from traditional romance. There’s the first romantic hero, Henry who seems like a good bet but in the end turns out to be a cad. However he’s also the quiet lad from Mariella’s childhood and in a traditional romantic tale that sort of character often turns out to be the undiscovered love. Mariella has already decided that she loves him in early childhood so it’s a pretty safe bet that that will not work out. Henry is also a ‘cold fish’ when it comes to Mariella, and expects her to remain the same as he has always know her. Any kind of repression around the future missus generally means caddish behaviour will follow in traditional romances.
Then there’s the dashing secondary hero, Max who is the traditional rash, intense soldier character. But the dashing young captain always adds to the romantic excitement so I was happy to see him take a bigger part towards the end of the book. He is of course, a man of action. Henry may be a surgeon, so he’s not quite the traditional dreary, paper bureaucrat readers know will get the boot, but he’s still not in the same league as a soldier.
Mariella is the good little virgin, inexperienced in the ways of the world. Quite in keeping with the historical times, and also quite traditional.
Obviously having a lesbian character like Rosa breaks with old romantic traditions (depending on what books you read) but the way the author just drops clanging hints to her sexuality into the story, instead of dragging her feelings into the open is typical of some older style romances. We can also compare her attitude to Mariella, to Henry’s attitude: both want her to remain ‘a constant’, both like to be a little patronising, both like to control her a little. Is Rosa the lesbian version of the unsuitable male suitor, presented in the book?
‘The result of this behaviour was that all eyes were upon her.’ Is this Rosa’s intention in life, or just a by-product of her transparency?
I mentioned before that in my opinion Rosa seems to ‘cry prettily’ and always get her way. Her behaviour often seems suspect, and I came to find her quite a controlling character. However I don’t think it is her intention to have all eyes on her, it is just the fact that she feels and embraces life to an extent that other people in society do not.
Then again it’s hard to get a grip on Rosa. The only information we have about her is provided by Mariella, who is clearly blind when it comes to even the basics about her cousin. So, despite all the details we’re given about her life, and her personality, we never see beneath the surface or discover her true motives. That is why I think the book began to drag, for me, because it clearly wanted to be a book that examines character in depth, but it never penetrates Rosa’s character because all the information comes from unknowing, second hand sources. Perhaps the author is going for an air of unsolveable mystery, all that how much can we ever really know a person stuff, but I found it frustrating to be given a character so full of promise, but then to never be allowed to engage with her.
‘What an odd, turbulent period of history we live in, a clash of conflicting ambitions, great and small.’ How well does The Rose of Sebastopol portray the 1850s?
I have no idea how well the novel portrays this time; I did not study the Victorians or the Crimean war. I do think the book provided an interesting alternative view of the medical set up to that shown in ‘The Great Stink’, but without further reading I couldn’t say which book had the more accurate depiction. I did enjoy the descriptions of the locations Mariella travelled to, they were vivid and drew me in. The development of the different settings and Mariella’s reactions to them was probably my favourite element of the book. It made me want to read No Place for Ladies right away.
BIG SPOILERS COMING UP NOW!
The Rose of Sebastopol deals with desire in many forms – some of them secret and forbidden. How far do you see Rosa as a doomed heroine from the beginning?
A really annoying feature of the book was the constant hinting at an extra layer to the relationship between the young women. So many chapters ended with breathy, enigmatic hints at the clearly obvious, if forbidden, love that I think I actually started sighing audibly. How many times have I mentioned that already? It did bother me a lot, I needed maybe two hints to know that there was going to be a lesbian plotline, and after that I would have just assumed it and waited for it to develop.
I wish that a modern novelist hadn’t felt the need to kill off the inconvenient character, just to simplify the romantic ending. It’s to be expected from novelists writing in the Victorian era who would have been able to see no other future for a character like Rosa, once Mariella decides on Max, and who liked to kill of inconvenient females in general (Dickens I’m looking at you). I would have expected more from a modern novelist. It’s true that Rosa and Mariella could never openly have been a couple (in the context of the book, and the context of the historical period) but it seemed like a girl with as much drive as Rosa would have been able to forge a different version of the happy ending. So, yes she’s a doomed heroine as soon as the author decided on dooming her I suppouse.
How satisfied were you with the ending of The Rose of Sebastopol?
Not satisfied at all, not one bit. The entire book is focused on finding Rosa, all action is driven by this search, then at the end she’s found dead and the book abruptly cuts out. Mariella falls for Max but throughout the early parts of the book there’s definite evidence that she reciprocates Rosa’s feelings, or has sexual curiosity about women. Is it just Rosa she feels this way about, or is she interested in women as well as men?
Henry’s crazy mania for Rosa, which is the author’s way of freeing up Mariella for Max, seems to come form nowhere. His obsession is never explained, even in his own illogical terms and what happens to him after she dies?
Oh and I wanted the full story on Nora, as she had clearly had a tragic life, worthy of a plot line.
Finally, I promise, what is the point of the plotline about the sexually abusive uncle? Is it meant to be important in understanding the girl’s characters, or was it just thrown in there as an extra? It’s never dealt with properly, and if it’s meant to be another surprising twist it doesn’t work, as it’s also signalled heavily throughout the book.
So that's two read for the Victorian Reading Challenge - just one more to reach my total.
Other Reviews
A Work in Progress
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