Review: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Title: The Blue Castle
Author: L.M. Montgomery
Published: 1926
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic Romance
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Caution: May contain spoilers

At twenty-nine Valancy had never been in love, and it seemed romance had passed her by. Living with her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt, she found her only consolations in the " forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle. Then a letter arrived from Dr. Trent, and Valancy decided to throw caution to the winds. For the first time in her life Valancy did and said exactly what she wanted. Soon she discovered a surprising new world, full of love and adventures far beyond her most secret dreams.
~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

This was stated on a synopsis from Goodreads and I thought it was interesting: "One of Lucy Maud Montgomery's only novels intended for an adult audience, The Blue Castle is filled with humour and romance."

As a lover of Anne Of Green Gables since the moment I first saw the movie and then bought the book at school and read it at least six times during my childhood, I’ve been curious about the standalones by L.M. Montgomery. As iconic as Anne Shirley is, could Valancy Stirling win me over? I have to admit, I didn’t think it was possible to come close, but she did.

Valancy in the beginning was always being walked over and taunted. The way she was treated by her family was atrocious. Is that really how people viewed unmarried twenty-nine year old women back then? If it is, thank goodness I don’t live back then! In any case, when Valancy finds something out about her health, she comes to the conclusion that she’s done with it. Done with being treated horribly and going along with everything she’s told to do.

This is when I fell in love with the story. Valancy starts to talk back and say things she shouldn’t. And it was hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. I kept giggling every time she said something out of turn. Then she makes a choice that causes her entire family to wonder where her mind is.

The Blue Castle was a brilliant piece of literature. The love story (which I would touch on, but I’d rather not give away everything) was perfectly arranged, and the ending was everything I wanted it to be. Valancy is one of those protagonists not many people will come to know, but I’m glad that I did. L.M. Montgomery wrote such amazing stories. I believe I’ll be picking up another standalone next year!

My Rating:

Very Good: Stay up late

Review: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Title: The Bell Jar
Author: Sylvia Plath
Published: 1963
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic Fiction
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Caution: May contain spoilers

Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under--maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational--as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, "The Bell Jar" is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I have been curious about Sylvia Plath for awhile. I’m a lover of poetry and knew that she wrote not only poems but also this book. It has been said that the book told a lot about her personally, including the struggles she went through dealing with depression. I knew this was the one I wanted to read and review for Banned Books Week this year.

In the beginning, I found it absorbing the way she would bring up these little tidbits from the past, things from her childhood. There was something from the present that triggered a memory and it was such a seemingly insignificant piece of information, but it made the book seem more realistic. Sometimes I didn’t know whether she was talking about the present or the past, but in either case, I was still intrigued enough by whatever story was being discussed that it didn’t matter.

As the story progressed, it became a little darker and more depressing. I found myself feeling sad and disheartened reading Esther’s inner dialogue. I know a little bit about depression and suicidal tendencies, but reading this made it all the more clear how deep-seated those emotions ran inside a person. You may think you can (as a person who isn’t clinically depressed but has had moments in life where depression has struck) understand, yet I never fully understood until now.

The Bell Jar is not a story for the weak to read. It can be upsetting to read about someone who is going through a severe mental illness. Sylvia Plath really put her everything into writing this novel. She doesn’t mince words and she expresses feelings in a way I’ve never seen. I did enjoy it for the most part, even though the atmosphere of the story brought me down.

My Rating:

Very Good: Stay up late

Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Title: The Princess Bride
Author: William Goldman
Published: 1973
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic Fantasy
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Caution: May contain spoilers

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A tale of true love and high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts - The Princess Bride is a modern storytelling classic.

As Florin and Guilder teeter on the verge of war, the reluctant Princess Buttercup is devastated by the loss of her true love, kidnapped by a mercenary and his henchmen, rescued by a pirate, forced to marry Prince Humperdinck, and rescued once again by the very crew who absconded with her in the first place. In the course of this dazzling adventure, she'll meet Vizzini - the criminal philosopher who'll do anything for a bag of gold; Fezzik - the gentle giant; Inigo - the Spaniard whose steel thirsts for revenge; and Count Rugen - the evil mastermind behind it all. Foiling all their plans and jumping into their stories is Westley, Princess Buttercup's one true love and a very good friend of a very dangerous pirate.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Here’s my story about how I didn’t discover The Princess Bride until I was an adult. When I was a kid (I’m guessing I was 11 at the time), I was at a friend’s house and we wanted to watch something. She wanted to watch The Princess Bride and I wanted to watch Kratt’s Creatures. I can’t remember what we ended up watching, but it wasn’t The Princess Bride or Kratt’s Creatures. I heard off and on about the movie, but never ended up seeing it until I was 22. Another friend was talking about it and I decided that it was necessary for me to watch the movie. So I did. And I loved it.

True story.

I’ve probably only seen the movie all the way through 6 or 7 times total, but my family and I join in with the rest of the lovers of The Princess Bride in quoting various lines that have become iconic. Of course, my watching it only those little over a handful of times limits my quoting ability. It just means I need to watch the movie more.

But I digress… This is supposed to be about the book. And my thoughts on the book: FREAKING AMAZING. Even though I knew what was coming, I still got sucked into the world of Florin and the love of Buttercup and Westley. The lines and scenes not included in the movie were splendid. At one point early on, I found myself laughing out loud and running to the computer to post a quote on Facebook. Here it is:

"I am your Prince and you will marry me," Humperdinck said.
Buttercup whispered, "I am your servant and I refuse."
"I am your Prince and you cannot refuse."
"I am your loyal servant and I just did."

Throughout the whole thing, you can’t help but fall in love with everything. William Goldman was actually the person who wrote the screenplay and he did a fantastical job at it. A lot of the lines from the book are word for word in the movie. It was all the necessary ones, I can’t think of much that was left out that should have been there to tell the story. And the story really was an epic tale of everything that makes a good book all rolled into one: action and love and honesty and humor.

The Princess Bride is by far one of the best books written. While William Goldman didn’t pen the original story (it was written by S. Morganstern in an enormous volume had so much back story, as Goldman states in the foreword), he did an amazing job putting together the “good parts” version. Which is what writers have to do sometimes--omit all the extensive details that aren’t pertinent to the story and keep it interesting. The bottom line with this book is that it is a must read. If you don’t think you can handle the book and haven’t seen the movie, at the very least watch the movie. After you do, you probably will want to read the book.

It’s just that good.

My Rating:

Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM

Review: Under The Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy

Title: Under The Greenwood Tree
Author: Thomas Hardy
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic
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Caution: May contain spoilers

...
One of the most popular of Hardy's novels, Under the Greenwood Tree is a delightful and humorous depiction of life in an early Victorian rural community. The story delicately balances the concerns of the Mellstock parish choir with a romance between the village schoolmistress and a member of the choir. Hardy thought well enough of the tale to place it among his Novels of Character and Environment, a group which is held to include his most characteristic work.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I saw the movie of Under The Greenwood Tree before I read the book. I figured that since I enjoyed the movie, I should check out the book. It should be worthwhile, right? Hmm… not exactly.

Let me explain. The writing wasn’t horrible, there were a lot of lovely descriptions of places and scenery. Made it feel more real. But the dialogue… oh, the dialogue… most of it was written as it was spoken back then. Choppy words, shortened words. Some of it was tolerable because I could imagine it as I heard it while watching the movie, but most of the time I was just frustrated with it. I would come across certain words, then do a double take and think, “Wait, what word is that supposed to be?”

Also, the story line was a bit different than the movie. The basic premise was similar, three possible suitors for Fancy, but the way it progressed was not the same. To be honest, if I read the book first, I probably wouldn’t have watched the movie. Maybe it was just that the scenarios made more sense back then. It was just too bizarre for me. Fancy wasn’t the same, she seemed less strong in the book than the movie. Like she could hardly stand on her own two feet or even think for herself. By the time I reached the end of the book, all I could think was, “THAT is how it ends? Okaaaayyy…”

It was nice, though, to read Under The Greenwood Tree for the sake of knowing the movie’s origin. Thomas Hardy can write quite nicely in a narrative. Despite those two things, I suggest seeing the movie instead of reading the book. The story line is much easier to follow and makes more sense. Plus, I adore the actors and actresses in the movie, especially the guy who plays Dick Dewy. Swoon.

My Rating:

It's Okay: It can wait until tomorrow

What do you think of books that are retellings of or inspired by classics?

Great movie, you must watch it.

I told you guys recently that I came up with a new story idea that has me giddy with excitement. What is the idea? I can’t say yet, I don’t want to jinx it. But, as you can tell from the title of this post, it is inspired by another story that has already been told.

As of the moment I’m writing this post, I have just started reading For Darkness Shows The Stars by Diana Peterfreund, which was inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion (one of my favorites as far as the story goes, and the movie, see picture above). Other than this one, I don’t think I’ve read many books that retell classic tales. The only other one that comes to mind is Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey. Of course, there’s also several movies I’ve seen that are supposed to be just like a classic story (fairy tale or even Shakespearean). Other than that, I’m in the dark as far as a retelling goes.

I’ve been doing some brainstorming on the idea. Thinking about the different directions I could take the story, like whether I want to make it modern or futuristic. If I make it futuristic, will it be just somewhat science fiction or an all out dystopian universe?

Also, trying to work out the details of the story itself. Like, how close should it or can it be to the original? And by how close, I mean, how many scenes/ secondary characters can I replicate in some way? Is there a certain point you’re allowed to go to without making it a complete duplication of the original? Because there are a lot of aspects to the story I want to retell that I absolutely adore, but I’m in a quandary as to which ones should be left on the cutting room floor.

I probably won’t be able to get this one going for at least a year. There’s a lot to work out as far as the plot itself goes, not to mention the setting. I would like to take more time looking into the original too. And it will give me plenty of time to read a few inspired by/retellings in the meantime to see how it is done.
 

But… I still want some opinions from my followers…

What do you think of retellings?
Have you read any?
Have you written any?
How close is it to the original?
Is it just slightly inspired or heavily inspired?

Thank you in advance for the thoughts and suggestions!

Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne du Maurier
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic Mystery
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Caution: May contain spoilers

/
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again",

With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

A friend of mine one time at the book store was looking for this book. She said she really liked the movie and wanted to read the book. I heard from her, and then read online, about the book and movie. It sounded very enticing, and since I try really hard to read books before watching movies, I thought I would go for it. It’s not a Jane Austen era classic, but a classic nonetheless, and definitely out of my regular reading range. Yet, I found this novel fascinating.

As I sat down to type up a review, I realized that I couldn’t for the life of me remember what our heroine’s name was. She was basically referred to as Mrs. de Winter throughout the majority of the book. Turns out, the author never gave her one. Which makes this all the more strange, to be honest. In any case, the story is told from Mrs. de Winter’s perspective and it was enjoyable to see this world through her. She was so innocent and peculiar, I couldn’t help but like her. And I could see a little bit of myself in her too. Her husband, Maxim, was a sometimes charming, sometimes mysterious gentleman.

The book takes place mostly at Manderley, the beautiful mansion full of secrets. Upon reading the first chapter, you’re swept away in the loveliness of the place. That’s one thing I really enjoyed, the descriptions of everything down to the detail. Sometimes detail can be too much, but there was an air of mystery throughout that it kept you interested. Once Mrs. de Winter arrives at this place with Maxim, there is an unending atmosphere of an eerie nature flowing through the hallways and rooms. The first Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, was someone that everyone knew and everyone loved. For the current Mrs. de Winter, it is impossible for her to fill those shoes. She can’t help but wonder what happened to Rebecca, this woman that nobody could find fault with, and why everything associated to Manderley seems to be surrounded by secrets of a disturbing kind.

There are so many others in this story, members of the staff and family and friends, I don’t think I could list them all. I do have to make note of Mrs. Danvers. Oh my goodness, that woman. As I read her words, the things she dared say to Mrs. de Winter, I was in disbelief at her. I expected as much, seeing how their first encounters started, and by the end, everything she did was not shocking anymore.

The ending, however, did not go remotely as I expected. The mystery, when discovered, was more like… really? And as the time passed by after this discovery, I was thinking, NOW how will this end? How CAN it end? I was baffled. Maybe I’m just so used to being completely surprised by things. This wasn’t a complete surprise.

One thing I can say is that Rebecca did keep me wondering throughout what was going to happen. One minute you’re lead in one direction, then you’re lead in a different direction. You never know what is what, or who is trustworthy, or if the words uttered can even be believed as fact or fiction. It will definitely keep you on your toes. Daphne du Maurier wove a tale so mysterious and remarkable. I would recommend this for sure. And now, for me to see the movie.

My Rating:

Very Good: Stay up late

Review: I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith

Title: I Capture The Castle
Author: Dodie Smith
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic Young Adult
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Caution: May contain spoilers

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I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

What can I say, this story was pretty amazing. It was so vivid and compelling, and it had gorgeous storytelling and background detailing. Cassandra, our narrator and guide to her life, is charming and sweet. She was so likable, I don’t know how someone could not like her. She so… REAL. Her speed writing book, novel, journal (or whatever you’d like to call it) is brilliant.

I loved the way she would tell the story. It would always be so humorous and serious all at the same time. The chapters were long though… very long. That’s the one thing that made it a little harder for me to read, especially when I needed to find a spot to stop. There’s so much going on you don’t want to lose your place and get confused.

There are numerous stories contained in this one novel. It’s one big story, of course, but the side stories make the whole thing even better. I wish I could talk about some of them but it would give away too much.

Cassandra’s dealings with her family and friends, and new-found friends, are very interesting. She and her sister, Rose, have this imaginary friend (a mannequin they call Miss Blossom that they pretend is real) that they have talk to each other. It’s pretty cute. The potential love part of the story is intriguing. I know that I was guessing and second guessing who would be with who, who should be with who, who the author would probably put together. It was a whirlwind. In the end, I believe it turned out as I expected. And it wasn’t bad how it ended. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was the way you would think it should end, given the circumstances.

I Capture The Castle definitely captured my heart. Cassandra’s story us one I will not soon forget. It was filled with all sorts of charms and character. Dodie Smith knows how to tell a story. She also wrote 101 Dalmatians (the book behind the movie, which is VERY different in detail compared to the movie), and I adored that story too. I’m glad I took the time to read this, even though it took me longer to read.

My Rating:

Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM

The Classics Reading Challenge

Ever find yourself saying, "All my life I've heard about that classic book and wanted to read it but never got around to it"? Ever watch a movie adaptation of an old novel and find yourself wishing you had read the book?

Well, it's time to end that procrastination because I am offering a simple solution:

The Classics Reading Challenge 2012

(hosted by Jessica @ Thoughts At One In The Morning) *

We all have at least a handful of classics we would like to read and haven't read. What better way to get caught up on them than to challenge ourselves to read a few of them this coming year? There are many benefits to reading the classics. Check out this article and see how.

The classics I'm talking about include ones by such authors as William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, etc. I'm also talking about modern classics like To Kill A Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby. Here's a couple links with lists of classic novels: Wiki 100 Classic Book Collection & Greatest Novels of the 20th Century. (I had originally thought pre-1970, but there are some great classics from the 1970's as well, so they count too! So let's go with pre-1980 instead, use your own discretion.)

In this reading challenge, it's simple and easy. Pick out classic novels you have always wanted to read but haven't yet. Then read them! (An easy way to do this is to sort your Goodreads to-read shelf by date published, a few unknowns may pop up near the top, just go to the first one with a date and keep going until you reach the 1980's. This is what I did!)

You have 5 levels to choose from:

Level One: 1-3
Level Two: 4-6
Level Three: 7-9
Level Four: 10-12
Level Five: 13-15

Of course, you can read whatever number of classics you would like to. This is just a guideline if you want to have one.

Here's the details:

1. This challenge starts January 1st 2012 and ends December 31st 2012.
**Edited to add: Books can be in audiobook format and count toward this challenge as well.**
2. All books read for this challenge can be counted toward all other reading challenges.
3. All books chosen for this challenge must be books you have NEVER read or NEVER finished that were written prior to 1980.
4. Choose a level or number of books you would like to read.
5. Create a sign up post for your blog including the Classics Reading Challenge picture above and the books you would like to read (you can change your mind at any time).
6. Sign up for the challenge with the link to that post in the linky list below:




And that's about it! How about it guys? Who wants to read some of the classics we've missed out on over the years? I can't wait! I hope you join in as well.

~Jessica

EDIT TO ADD: Review Link Up has been posted September 1st 2012. Click THIS LINK to be directed to it to add your reviews. Thanks!!!

* As host, I reserve the right to remove you from the linky list if you are purposely going against the rules of the challenge, or if you are linking to anything that has nothing to do with this challenge. I highly doubt anyone would be stupid enough to do such a thing, but I feel it necessary to note just in case. Thanks for reading!

Review: Persuasion by Jane Austen

Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen
Summary: Read Goodreads Synopsis
Source: Purchased paperback
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
Caution: May contain spoilers


My Thoughts:

Persuasion is one of my favorite movie adaptations in the world. I could watch the Masterpiece Theater version over and over without getting sick of it. That’s how much I love it. Since I had never read a Jane Austen book before, I decided to go with that one for my Summer Romance Challenge. I have to admit it was not easy at first. The very beginning with the details on the family and friends of the family was a struggle to get through. I think the reason why is because I know the story so well from the movie. Once more dialogue came about, it became very enjoyable.

Anne Elliot was once engaged to Frederick Wentworth when she was very young. Since her friend Lady Russell didn’t approve of the match, she persuaded Anne to break off the engagement. Fast forward eight years later. Anne’s father Sir Walter and sister Elizabeth have nearly brought the family to bankruptcy. They have to let the house to someone while they get things back to where it should be financially. The person who takes up residency is Admiral and Mrs. Croft. And guess who happens to be the brother of Mrs. Croft? You guessed it--Frederick, now Captain Wentworth.

So now Anne is forced into being around him often, watching him from afar, imagining him as not wanting anything to do with her. Especially when it seems he is preferring the company of another. As time goes on, he gets to see a different side of her, how selfless she is.  And when it seems he is attentive to her, Mr. Elliot, her cousin, seems to be very interested in Anne. But where does Anne stand? Does she have a chance with Frederick again?

Like I said, this is one of my favorite movie adaptations. Reading the book was like icing on the cake, completely put it all into perspective, getting into the mind of the characters. Jane Austen really is an amazing author. I wish I hadn’t taken so long to read one of her novels. Definitely one of the best classics I’ve read so far.

My Rating:

 Very Good... Stay up late

~Jessica