What's in a Name 4 Wrap-Up

This is my second time participating in Beth Fish Reads What's in a Name Challenge. It is one of my favorites. It's always fun trying to find book titles to fit in with the different categories. Here is my completed list, linked to my reviews.

1. Number--The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
2. Gem--The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
3. Size--Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
4. Travel or Movement--Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
5. Evil--Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
6. Life Stage--Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

Four Mini-Reviews of Really Great Books

Brideshead Revisited

by Evelyn Waugh
published 1945
completed May 2011

Brideshead Revisited starts with Charles Ryder coming upon Brideshead, a huge estate, at a time when the British military has taken it over. Memories rush in of a time when he was young and was swept into the life of the upper-class family who owned Brideshead. It's is a tale of heartache for almost all involved. I ended up not knowing quite what to think of Charles Ryder--his motives are ambiguous. The theme of religion, specifically Catholicism, is thought-provoking throughout the book, as much is discussed of the pressure that religion places on families. Waugh's writing is brilliant, and the characters are memorable, particularly Sebastian and his mother. Highly recommended.


**I did watch the 2008 movie adaptation, and was surprised that they changed some major plot points. The movie by itself was great, but not a fair representation some of the pivotal relationships in the book.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

by Tracy Chevalier
published 1999
completed October 2011

Girl with a Pearl Earring is a fictionalized account of the story behind the famous painting by Vermeer as featured on the book's cover. Griet is sent to become at maid at Vermeer's home to help with her family's financial difficulties. Being Protestant, Griet finds it an adjustment to work in the home of Catholics. When cleaning Vermeer's studio, she displays to him her unique eye for art, which begins to unravel a dramatic set of events. The story was compelling. Griet was young and naive. Watching her mature as she was forced into the adult world, learning to navigate these new situations she found herself in, not always successfully, was fascinating and heart-breaking. I highly recommend this one.

The Thirteenth Tale

by Diane Setterfield
published 2006
completed April 2011

Although there are several side stories in The Thirteenth Tale, the book centers around the mysterious author Vida Winter. During each interview, when asked about her personal history, Ms. Winter always tells a different story. None are believed to be true. When she takes ill, she seeks out Margaret Lea, for a unique reason, to which to write her biography. Once the stories of the family began, I was captivated. So eerie, unique, and disturbing. There are several shocking moments throughout the book that come out of nowhere, in a good way. As a ghost story, The Thirteenth Tale delivers. The writing, the characters, and the story are all top-notch. Go read it. Now!

Something Wicked This Way Comes

by Ray Bradbury
completed November 2011
published 1962

A traveling carnival comes to town. Two young friends, Will and Jim, sneak out in the middle of the night to visit it, only to discover that it is not quite what it seems. A unique cast of terrifyingly evil characters are operating the carnival, and the young friends get sucked into a chilling battle of good and evil. It took me a little while to get in sync with the writing on this one, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. The writing is beautiful, and at times poetic. I read this around Halloween, and it was perfect. Very creepy story, exceptional characters, and an amazingly fast paced ending. Most definitely recommended.

**Trying to wrap-up a few challenges so there might be more than one post a day. Sorry! Thanks for understanding.

The TBR Double Dare

I decided to sign up for one more challenge this year. I'm doing The TBR Double Dare hosted by C. B. James of, Ready When You Are, C. B. I have soooo many books on my shelf that I really need to read. I've been acquiring books over the past couple of years at a ridiculous rate so I really need to crack down and read what I have.

The challenge details and sign-up can be found here. The basics are that you are to read books that are in your possession as of midnight January 1, 2012 either on your personal shelves, checked out library books, or on your library hold list. The challenge runs from January 1 to April 1. I can do this! Join us. It should be fun. Won't it feel so good to have read more of the books we own that call to us from the bookshelves in our homes, begging to be read? C'mon, you know you want to.

Villette by Charlotte Brontë

Villette

by Charlotte Brontë
published 1853
completed December 2011


Villette has been sitting on my shelf for several years as part of a collection of Brontë novels. I didn't feel an urgency to get to it until I saw a post on it by Allie, of A Literary Odyssey. She loved it, so it got placed a little closer to the top of the pile. I've read Jane Eyre twice, and while I enjoyed it, I can't really say that I loved it. I can honestly say that I loved Villette. I rated it a 5 out of 5 on goodreads, and I don't do that often.

Lucy Snowe, orphaned at a young age, travels to a foreign land as a young adult. With no family to speak of, she seeks a situation that will allow her independence and finds a position teaching English at a school.  Lucy Snowe narrates as she looks back on her young life, often breaking the fourth wall to add retrospective insight to particular moments.

Unlike Jane Eyre, I wouldn't really call this a love story, although there is much talk of love. The focus of Villette is more on the protagonist's inner conflict. The following quote gives insight into her mindset.

Some lives are thus blessed: it is God's will: it is the attesting trace and lingering evidence of Eden. Other lives run from the first another course. Other travellers encounter weather fitful and gusty, wild and variable--breast adverse winds, are belated and overtaken by the early closing winter night.

It's apparent that she feels that she is one of those travelers to whom constant storms will arrive.She is isolated and lonely. Her sorrow and loss as a child has made her close herself off from others, and she is unable admit her need for love and friendship. Lucy feigns indifference when often there is inner struggle about her desire to express her feelings in many situations.

Despite all of her efforts to hide her emotions, Lucy finally allows some through in the second to last chapter, which I found utterly satisfying. It's a bit of a spoilery quote so beware, but I found it beautiful.

In such in adequate language my feelings struggled for expression: they could not get it; speech, brittle and unmalleable, and cold as ice, dissolved or shivered in the effort. He watched me still; he gently raised his hand to stroke my hair; it touched my lips in passing; I pressed it close, I paid it tribute. He was my king; royal for me had been that hand's bounty; to offer homage was both a joy and a duty.

The ending is ambiguous,which may bother some readers, but it felt right. The writing in Villette is exquisite. I found it a slow, but luxurious read, though very dark. There is an underlying sadness to this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would highly recommend Villette with one caveat--it probably isn't for everyone (some find it boring), but it is certainly worth a try for any Brontë fan.

**Advanced warning that there may multiple posts over the next few days. I have a few challenges to wrap up, so forgive me.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

by Jonathan Safran Foer
published 2005
completed June 2011


I'm finally getting around to writing my review on Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. This one is for Trish, of Love Laughter and a Touch of Insanity. I read it on her recommendation and she requested that I review it soon, so here goes. Her review is much better than mine, so make sure to check it out.

As most know, this book centers around Oskar Schell, a nine year-old who lost his father on 9/11. It also winds an additional narrative of a married couple with a strangely dysfunctional relationship. As the story unfolds, the reader discovers how these stories intersect.

Let me start by saying that I adored Oskar, despite him being extremely precocious. I rarely laugh out loud when reading, and the first few pages had me roaring (which garnered me a few strange looks from my husband). I found Oskar's method of pseudo-swearing hilarious. Jonathan Safran Foer created an incredibly believable voice for Oskar. He walked the line often between funny and heartbreaking. Every time Oskar had heavy boots, my heart ached.

The second narrative is where I started to have reservations. Oskar and his story felt real to me, but it was a stretch for me to believe many of the occurrences in the couple's narrative. For those who have read it, I particularly had difficulty with the "nothing" and "something" spaces, and the tattooed hands. I understand what they represent, and I respect what he was trying to evoke, but for me, the story would have rang more true if their situations hadn't seemed as contrived.

Foer's writing is impressive when he's describing the emotional impact of real-life situations. This is where he shines. Ultimately, this is a story about grief, and his choice to juxtapose Oskar's grief with the grief surrounding the aftermath of the Dresden bombings was brilliant. Sometimes I focus on the lives lost in these devastating wars or acts of violence, but those left behind are central to the story. It's heartbreaking to reflect on how the lives of the survivors are destroyed, and they have to find a way to rebuild themselves around their grief and loss.

The bottom line is that I didn't love this book, but I unequivocally do not regret reading it. Foer is a brilliant writer. The gimmicks and experimental nature of the book were a slight distraction to me from what could have been a book that I loved. Do not let my thoughts detract you from reading it. Many people love Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, for the very reasons that were drawbacks for me. I would highly recommend it, despite the fact that it didn't 100% work for me.

Have you read Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close? If so, what you think about Foer's unconventional approach?

2012 TBR Pile Challenge

Adam at Roof Beam Reader is hosting another TBR Pile Challenge for 2012. I am participating in his 2011 and loving it (four books to go--three of which I'm more than half way through [what is wrong with me?!?]), so I thought I'd jump in again. It's nice to tackle those books that I've been meaning to read forever, but have yet to take the time to read. I love that the list can't change, so I can't talk myself out of it! Below are the books I'm committing to read. For full rules pertaining to the challenge, click here.



My TBR List to Conquer


01.  Dracula by Bram Stoker
02.  Lord of the Flies by William Golding
03.  The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
04.  Night by Elie Weisel
05.  The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
06.  Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
07.  Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
08.  The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
09.  Coraline by Neil Gaiman
10.  Howards End by E. M. Forster
11.  The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
12.  Looking for Alaska by John Green


Alternatives
1.  North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
2.  The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien


Will you join us? It'll be fun!

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Gone with the Wind

by Margaret Mitchell
published 1936
completed September 2011

Before I start the review, I just want to mention that the cover image is the same one that was on the book that I read. It was a copy that I borrowed from my library, and let me just say that I'm not a fan of that cover. What is up with Scarlett's hair? It's all whispy and looks like half of it has been burned off. Hideous, I tell you! Maybe I'm the only one that thinks so.

So, on to the book. I don't know if there is anyone alive that doesn't at least know the premise of Gone with the Wind. I'll just sum it up by saying it is a story of Scarlett O'Hara of Georgia and begins before the Civil War and continues through the Reconstruction. The scope of the novel is about ten years. I read a post by Jill of Fizzy Thoughts that made me laugh. She said that she hated Scarlett from the beginning (as did I). Click on over because she says it so much better than I can. Scarlett is awful! I kept hoping through the ten years of the story, she would have grown out of her selfishness, but no, she just seems to get worse. Despite not liking Scarlett, I actually like the novel (didn't love it though). I'm curious if there is anyone out there that actually liked Scarlett.

Gumption is often mentioned in this book as a positive trait. It is, to some extent, but where it starts to break down for me, is when morality is lost because of gumption. For example, is it okay to steal food from other so that you can survive. I'm not talking about stealing from the rich even, I'm talking about stealing from other poor who will likely starve without it? Scarlett was full of gumption; she was constantly pushing to ensure security for her family. But at what price? I think it's interesting in the end that there is much discussion about happiness. Scarlett is constantly in pursuit of what she thinks will make her happy, but what happens when she has it? Is she really happy? I'm sure you can guess what the answer is.

I know there are many who think Melanie as a character who is too unrealistic. I disagree. I have met people like her who are strong, but refuse to be dragged down into the muck. They see the good in others and are principled, yet kind. Some call people like Melanie naive, but I think she knew much more than she let on.

Having finished this behemoth of a book, I'm glad to have said that I've read it. I certainly won't be doing it again. The first half was a major slog. Once I hit about 500 pages in, it picked up and I read the rest fairly quickly. I'm a bit lukewarm on this one. I didn't find the writing anything special, not poorly written, but a little repetitive. I found the historical parts kind of boring. Historical fiction isn't a genre I generally enjoy, so out of personal preference, I was wishing those parts were more succinct.

Lastly, I watched the iconic movie a couple of days after finishing the book, and I was surprised by how much was changed. I found it interesting that they chose to leave out her first two children. For simplicity, I can see why, but I think showing how poorly she treats her first two children is quite an insight into her character. I found the movie a little slow and it took me a few days to watch it because of the length.

Am I blaspheming by saying I didn't love this? If you've read it, what are your thoughts on Gone with the Wind (especially Scarlett and Melanie)?


P. S. I still remember all of your recommendations on what to review! Thanks to everyone who responded. Life has hit me hard in the past few months, but I'm going to try to catch up. I'll definitely try to post reviews on the ones you requested first. Thanks!