Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, descriptions of gore
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
I had high hopes for Philippa Gregory’s YA writing since her historical novels are so good, but the only word I can use to describe Changeling is weak. I wanted to like it, I’ve waited almost a week to write this review in the hopes that I could find more I enjoyed about the book and process the ending a bit better. I’m still disappointed though.
I was distinctly unimpressed with the introduction; Luca gets invited to train in this secret organisation at the start of the book and then we hear nothing more of it until suddenly (literally a couple of months later, I think) he’s a qualified Inquirer and we’re off on your first journey with him. Why not just introduce him ready qualified? Why not show us the process and get the reader involved? And why mention all this about his intelligence and possibly being a changeling child if it’s not going to really come up again? Also that intelligence? Really not proven by the following events.
The mystery of the nunnery just kind of sucked. What was more frustrating than the transparency of the “mystery” though, was Luca’s sudden turn around at the last second. It was bound to happen since the intensity of everything increased so rapidly, but he went from having zero suspicions - or at least having zero expressed in the text - to figuring the whole thing out just in time. I appreciate that in a mystery the reader shouldn’t know exactly what was going on, but Isolde and Ishraq had worked out what was happening whilst Luca didn’t have a clue. If they had spoken, I might be able to understand how Luca worked things out so quickly, but they didn’t. Luca went from understanding nothing to understanding everything, and as a reader I felt no kinship or enjoyment in working it out with him. I worked it out by myself, whilst Luca - instead of understanding from his investigation - very suddenly knew what was happening. Changeling was the worst writing I’ve seen from Gregory, there was no subtlety to it, the whole thing just felt clunky, maybe even like a first draft.
Sometimes things were mentioned that went nowhere, other times conversations were so circular it was like Gregory feared we wouldn’t understand what happened unless things were repeated a hundred times. Take, for example, the below extracts about Isolde going to see her godfather (or his son - I can’t really remember) in order to get revenge on her brother:
“I will turn on [my brother]. I will meet him and I will know what was my father’s will...I might declare war on him”
“I have been puzzled as to what I should do...I will go to the son of my father’s friend, my godfather’s son….I will ask him to clear my name, and to ride with me against my brother”
“It is not his own land. It is mine. I will hold him to account. I will return and take back my lands...I will go to my godfather’s son and get help.”
“I will have my revenge on my brother, I will regain my inheritance”
Isolde repeats her desire for vengeance four times - at least - within three pages of text. I get that she’s passionate about it, but I’m not going to forget what he plan is just because somebody else started talking. It just really frustrated me to read the same conversation happening on repeat, it was unrealistic and clumsy.
Do I really need to talk about the werewolf incident? Surely not. Surely I don’t need to talk about how a whole village of people mistook a young boy who had grown up in the woods to be a werewolf. I was really intrigued by the introduction of a mythical creature because I wanted a fantasy element in the series, it was the perfect set up; Luca’s mission is to fight the devil so I thought it made perfect sense to have some magic included. I was genuinely intrigued by the idea of a werewolf, and with Frieze making friends with it - and when it spoke? Oh my gosh, that was the most involved and puzzled I became throughout the whole book! Instead, Frieze made friends with a young child who had grown up in the wild. I don’t care how many years he had lived there, how dirty, covered in hair or how feral this child was, I do not believe it possible for everyone to continue to believe it was a werewolf after they had captured it.
And now we come to the ending. The ending which didn’t really make me want to continue reading the series. If you have a mystery series, surely you end it on a cliffhanger? Instead, they sorted out the second mystery of the book and then started on their next adventure. I shan’t deny that some sort of set up for the next book has been included, but I don’t think it was a very good one. There was no urgency, nothing to induce me to read the next book as soon as possible, no feeling of needing desperately to know what happens to the characters. I was left totally underwhelmed by the writing of this book...the plot could have been something, but what a let down.
The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love.
Rating: 2.5/5
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
Somehow I’ve managed to read almost all of Austen’s great novels despite proclaiming I had no desire to do so. Whilst I always believed that they told the same story with the same characters, it has become evident that whilst the same themes are present throughout Austen’s writing, her characters are original, her writing witty, and he observations of the world subtle criticisms of the hypocrisy and materialism she witnessed.
Sense and Sensibility is a critique of the ideas of ‘sensibility’ that were so prevalent in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Essentially, sensibility is the idea that could be so sensitive to the world, so emotionally receptive, that everything would had the power to affect them, to arrest their feelings and cause them to faint, to cry, to swoon. The kind of exaggerated stuff you get from adaptations of Austen’s work a woman swoons in response to merest suggestion of something upsetting. All down to this trend of sensibility, which even at the time had mixed responses. Austen’s writing of Marianne and her mother, Mrs Dashwood, is her response to these ideas. I would say Austen was caricaturing sensibility, but I’m not entirely sure that would be accurate; sensibility was about over the top emotions and Marianne in particular displays a great excess of emotion.
That being said, I think Marianne could be a divisive figure amongst readers. In some ways she is naive and innocent - I, for one, was inclined to forgive her emotional overindulgence because she was so happy with Willoughby to begin with. Of course, she was foolish, but she’s also 17 (I think) so I felt like she was allowed to fall in love so rapidly. I do believe many would see her naivety as something less easy to forgive, however. She was frequently blind to what was proper, and unwilling to talk to many of the other characters because she did not like them, rudely disappearing from rooms when they arrived, or declining invitations. Nothing wrong with doing that, obviously you don’t have to spend time with people you don’t like, but it was evidence of a greater lack of understanding for behavioural codes and manners.
Elinor, on the other hand, had a much greater understanding of codes of conduct - in fact, she seems to be the only one in the entire book who does so. All the surrounding characters have strange foibles which show...perhaps a lack of “good breeding” is the term Austen would use. Eccentricities which make them fun characters to read about, but perhaps odd people to know.
The examination of the titular qualities - sense and sensibility - really was an interesting look at societal expectations/trends of the time, but as for the romance which is inevitably used to examine these qualities...well it’s not quite Pride and Prejudice. I’m proud of Marianne’s improvement after her sickness, but I see no reason to forgive or pity Willoughby as Elinor, Marianne and their mother seem to. He chose the ability to live an expensive lifestyle and pay off his debts over his love for Marianne. I don’t really understand why Elinor, with all her sense, would pity him for it.
The final two chapters just felt a little rushed to me. I know that most Austen novels wrap themselves up neatly with a summary of how things end, but this felt especially rushed, pushing together Marianne and Colonel Brandon simply because he had admired her for so long (I liked him as a character, but he deserved more than her...he deserved Elinor to tell the truth). And as for Elinor and Edward? Well, they’re a good match but it was all rather convenient wasn’t it. Lucy turned out to be a worse person than I imagined, Robert was about as bad as I thought, and Edward regretted his young engagement...honestly I just kind of wanted Elinor to find out that Edward and Lucy truly loved each other, and then for her to marry the Colonel but what do I know? One marriage would be far too few for Austen to end on.
If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
Rating: 4/5
Trigger Warnings: violence, death
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
So for a while I’ve been saying I didn’t like Goblet of Fire that much, but I really, really enjoyed this reread. Finally we have an opening that isn’t just a re-introduction to Harry Potter and his childhood. It was so interesting to read this dark mysterious opening rather than the repetition of Privet Drive being a very normal place and Harry being the one strange thing because he has magic. That has been reiterated in every book but at some point an author needs to accept that if a reader is picking a book series, they can retain enough information to know the protagonist attends a magical school.
The darkness of this opening, along with it turning out to be Harry’s dream, really starts to introduce the bigger themes of the series as well. Here is where things start to take a turn towards darkness, where the books stop being for children and approach more mature themes. The seeds are being sown that Rowling will later reap, making us realise just how planned out this series was, how thoroughly she had thought through the plot.
I also really appreciate the expansion of the magical world that comes along with the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament. Even now we’re learning more about the Wizarding World (though I think we’re all starting to question how much we can listen to Rowling as she continues to create more), but I think the fourth book was really the first time we realized how much magic there was outside of Hogwarts. For books 1-3, the action takes place almost exclusively at Hogwarts, with Privet Drive, The Burrow, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade as our other main locations. Goblet of Fire really shows magic to be a worldwide phenomenon for the first time, and brings with it the varying cultures of other countries and the way they utilise magic.
The Quidditch World Cup was particularly exciting as it showed how well Rowling had thought about all aspects of the magical world; not only does a massive sporting event take place, but there is travel and security and accomodation all thoroughly explained to us. I really believe that the highest praise I can give this book is its demonstration of a well-built world - it is one of Rowling’s biggest strengths.
The introduction of more magical schools was also a very clever addition to prove the presence of worldwide magic and cultural differences (the film’s gender division within Durmstrang and Beauxbatons frustrates me more than I care to express). The world expansion in terms of magical creatures was equally as good as the globalisation of magic. Veela, leprechaun, blast-ended skrewts, dragons, merpeople, sphinx, nifflers and more are all introduced in the fourth book, and it’s really fun to learn new things about the Wizarding World. The Tournament was also a fun way to mix up what was happening in the books. As I said above, most the action takes place at Hogwarts, so every year it is at school that threats seem to take place, and whilst the Tournament took place at the school, it changed up the pattern of things, taking away quidditch and giving us something new to read about.
It was also fun to learn something new about the characters; Hermione’s political motivations were revealed with SPEW, Ron’s jealous side came out showing he wasn’t just loyal to Harry no matter what and Harry...well we know a lot about Harry, but I’m going to say we learnt about his laziness in Goblet of Fire. He repeatedly lied about how well he was doing with the golden egg puzzle because he kept putting it off - and it’s so true of what most teenagers would do. His fear of disappointing people as a motivation was very touching, but made his lack of progress all the funnier. The increased contact with Sirius was also really fun because we can see a real relationship developing between the two. I’d have loved to see them live together; Sirius would have been a really awful influence on Harry, but it would have been so much fun.
The final thing I want to rave about is the introduction of politics. Fudge is infuriating and ignorant and just a whole issue, but the introduction of politicians not only makes it feel real, but shows the complexity at play. Voldemort is really back, no longer an abstract threat, and Dumbledore (plus, you know, everyone except Fudge) realises that this means war. Things aren’t going to be the same from here and this is going to affect everyone, not just those at Hogwarts. Again, it’s the expansion of the world that is important. Sure, Voldemort’s a threat, but until we see the complexity and fullness of the world, that threat does not seem as large as it is. A whole political system indicates that this story is now bigger than Harry and Hogwarts. (Moment of appreciation for Hagrid, by the way, who treats Harry like normal, tells him things are going to change now, but that that’s okay and they will handle it when they come to it. He’s a really wonderful character.)
So I feel like this whole review has been me raving about the planning and detail Rowling puts into her books...well, the main 7 at least, the rest of her writing has been a little questionable. However, it’s what I love about the Harry Potter Series. The plots are interesting mysteries which are engaging, but the reason rereading them is so fun is because I can rediscover the world I loved so much, with all its subtleties.
Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering 'it will be happier'
Having returned to uni incredibly early in January for my exam and having lessons restart two days after my exam, January has merged straight into university, and I’ve already finished my third week of the term. Which is kind of terrifying...I wish I hadn’t worked that out now. We’re really coming to the point where I have to think about after university and how things are going to work. As with most big life-changes, this is something I don’t feel like facing up to. Just thinking about moving home and away from all the wonderful people here has me getting emotional. So we’re not thinking about that. January hasn’t been very eventful for me, so I don’t have much to say sadly, but it has been a positive month with lots of preparatory work and getting ahead with reading. As I started the month (and year!) by turning in work I was proud of and sitting an exam which (fingers crossed) went well, I’m keeping in the same vein and being as prepped as I can be for my final term!
January Successes…
Ummmm. Nothing has really happened. I made a banging banana loaf the other day, that was pretty successful. Had no chocolate in, so put a spoonful of nutella in the mix. Was pretty good even if I do say so myself.
January Faves...
Music: Human EP, dodie
Though I’m often not sure whether I love it or hate it when it comes to dodie’s music, I’m really enjoying this EP. Still don’t love all of it, but it’s really nice morning wake up music. Well, it’s equally good midnight music, but the themes are a little heavy for that time of the night and I imagine things could get a little deep. ‘Sick of Losing Soulmates’ will probably remain my favourite dodie song though.
Book: Daughters of Decadence
I posted a full review of this collection last week but it has been my favourite book of the month. It was very tempting to place The Picture of Dorian Gray here, but I’m rereading it and haven’t finished it so it felt a little like cheating to place it here unfinished, even if I know the ending. Additionally, Daughters of Decadence was full of things I’d not seen before which is why I have to list it here.
Film: Mary Poppins Returns
I’m sure Mary Poppins Returns has its faults but I am currently blind to them. It was a beautiful, nostalgic film. It was a lot of fun, and the colour and life in it made me leave the cinema with a massive smile on my face. Emily Blunt did so well taking up the role of Mary, and Lin Manuel Miranda - a man who can do no wrong - in his portrayal of Jack the Lamplighter was a brilliant throwback to Bert. Highly recommend for a cheery throwback which will leaving you humming along to new music.
February Goals...
I always seem to use exercise as an escape from things, as some me-time when I’m feeling particularly overworked, but now that I have all the time in the world, I can’t motivate myself to get up and do something. I’m hoping to do quite a bit more in February than I’ve managed in January… shouldn’t be too hard considering I’ve only been for one run.
We’re not confronting the fact uni will end soon because I’ll get too emotional, but we are applying for jobs. Quite actively too, but I don’t think I’m going about it with the most passion. Maybe that’s a weird way to phrase it - who is passionate about applying to tens and tens of jobs and receiving rejection after rejection? - but I could probably be a bit more careful and conscientious about what I apply for and how I apply. So I’ll keep applying, but try to take it a little more seriously.
Tiny goal, but I want to look for more writing opportunities to grow my portfolio and get more work published. I don’t know why this one didn’t hit me long ago, but I love writing and I want to do it more. Maybe this isn’t such a tiny goal…
This was either the end of the world or the beginning of a new world for women.
Rating: 4.5/5
Trigger Warnings: mental health, depression
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
Daughters of Decadence is a short story collection, containing the writing of a number of female writers from the end of the 19th century - the fin de siècle. Around the time, there was a lot of daring new fiction. Experimental and courageous, this writing was candid about female experiences around sex and marriage. What seems to have been shocking to Victorian critics of the period (who were used to more... shall we say, repressive texts?) will likely be puzzling and surprising to modern day readers.
I’d presume that a lot of people will have heard of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s novella The Yellow Wallpaper, but this collection of female authors shoes such a variety of writing that I urge people to have a read.
This was the first time I’d read The Yellow Wallpaper and I have to say, in all honesty, it has me puzzled. I really enjoyed it but (spoilers for its ending) I fully expected the narrator to kill herself at the end. I hadn’t even questioned where else the narrative may go, I had assumed escape meant death. Yet I was pleasantly surprised - more than that, I was amused. The novella ends on the odd image of the narrator crawling repeatedly round her bedroom, perhaps believing herself inside the wallpaper. Without having studied it too closely, I see the wallpaper is an allegory for the entrapment the narrator feels, but the lasting image of her crawling over her unconscious husband has left puzzled and entertained, despite the desperate, almost manic tone of much of the narrative.
Though The Yellow Wallpaper was the only one I had heard of, it has not been my favourite. Many have been equally as surprising or as puzzling, but my favourite has been Theodora: A Fragment. A chapter of a longer novel, I am now incredibly intrigued by the whole novel - Six Chapters of a Man’s Life. The narrative style reminded me somewhat of Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby, with a woman so rapturous and engaging, who seems to know so much and be so much to a man who has been everywhere. I was amazed that it had been written by a woman, to tell the truth.
What I’ve found most interesting in reading this collection is the variety in the voices, and the experimentation that was taking place in the period. Inevitably no one module I study can give me an all-encompassing view of a period of literature, but this collection has been like nothing I’ve read before. For one, the number of female voices feels like a breath of fresh air in comparison to the hundreds of male writers I’ve had to look at. More importantly than that though, is that this collection is evidently women finding their voices. There is nothing formulaic about this writing, each expresses itself in a different way, saying something new. Definitely recommend, and would love to discuss any of the many stories within - they are truly fascinating.
Rating: 2/5
Trigger Warnings: depression, suicide, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, sexual assault
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
The Bell Jar has been on my TBR list for about 4 years now but I finally got around to reading it and, like most classics or must reads… it disappointed me a bit. Well, disappointed is the wrong word. I don’t feel let down by the book, just unimpressed.
Esther Greenwood’s psychological journey isn’t an uninteresting one. Her “overachieving” in education led to a feeling of being lost when there was no more path set out for her, which is a relatable enough experience for many people who finish education and are none the clearer as to what they want to do in life. To move from this, to depression and suicidal thoughts is made to look incredibly natural in the narrative, and the slow realisations about her emotions - or lack of - were well expressed to indicate to a reader that it wasn’t a sudden switch from a successful life to wanting to kill herself.
Something I really appreciate in The Bell Jar is the display of mental health as an ongoing journey. Even once in the asylum, it was easy for people to move back and forth between the wards and progress was not a case of moving in a straight line. At the end of the book, there is a sense that Esther is not recovered. Her narration shows the progress of her health, and by the end of the book it has definitely returned to a “pre-breakdown” style, but after all she’s been through, something in the writing has changed, and I think it indicates the idea that the end of the book is not the end of the story.
I said to my sister that it was one of those ‘nothing happens but people learn a deep lesson’ books - which I really tend to hate - but she corrected me: things do happen, but in a very passive sense. After she said this, I appreciated more the sense of disassociation that the writing put across. The events were all there, but, like Esther, the reader had a disconnect from them, they weren’t really sinking in and having the emotional effect they could have had.
Whilst I did appreciate a lot of the elements in The Bell Jar, I didn’t enjoy it as a book. It felt educational, almost, in its ability to reveal what living with depression can be like. Of course, this isn’t everyone’s journey, but it’s something Plath went through, and that is evident in the writing. I don’t want to go to far with an autobiographical reading as it can be hard to see where the line is between real life and fiction, but it would be hard to depict depression and suicidal thoughts the way Plath does without having experienced it. The Bell Jar is an interesting book, and no doubt has plenty in it to pick apart and study, but I can’t give it a higher rating as I didn’t enjoy the actual process of reading it.
I think a yearly wrap up can be difficult at the best of times, but when I’m still on an academic timetable figuring out what happened this year can be kind of tough. I know I’m not the only one, the idea that this year has felt like a long one is all over the internet. Unlike most the internet, however, I don’t think mine has been such a shitstorm. Sure, the world might crash and burn in the foreseeable future, but things are looking up on a personal level.
This year, I feel more confident than I ever have. My second year at university really reassured me that I was in the right place, and despite striking lecturers and partaking in a sit-in protest, I finished the year with better grades than I had really thought I could achieve. This set me in great standing for third year, and over the summer I started reading for my dissertation (fully advise you do this if you have a dissertation next year, it helps so so much). A dissertation which I’ve just finished this week. I’m pretty proud of all the work I’ve put into it, so we’ll just have to see how it does when I hand it in!
Over the summer, I did a brief internship with an academic publishing company. I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t great, but it was experience. Supposedly you need experience to get a job, so I guess it’s going to be helpful. When uni started up again, my placement in a different publishing company started. As part of a module, there was to be an essay at the end of this one. I didn’t love it, especially when I was simply given admin tasks, but as the weeks went by it got more interesting, and I really appreciated the opportunity to work for an independent publisher focused on a good cause. The last academic thing I want to mention, is my dissertation presentation. I was nervous af for this presentation. I am miles more confident, and don’t get as worried about presentations as I used to, but I was about to talk about lesbian sex in front of 20 people. I feel like it’s fair to worry. Sat in the room though, I realised everyone was just as nervous as each other. Shoutout to the friend who was their with me, and who I wouldn’t have been able to do it without.
Looking back over my diary, I’m kind of shocked that some of the events took place this year. I’ve ticked a few more theatre shows off my ‘must watch’ list - Hamilton, Wicked, and War Horse - as well as a couple of bucket list things - I went go karting for the first time, attended an outdoor cinema (almost in the pouring rain), and I got an article published in an online magazine. It feels like a lot of these happened years ago to tell the truth, but they were all so incredible.
Of course, the year hasn’t been entirely joyful, incredible opportunities. I left my job this year. It was the right decision, of course, and I was happy to move on from the place, but it was a very strange feeling to leave the people there. After three years I had made a lot of connections there, and I have to admit I’ve failed to keep up with these people… that’s something I think I’ll have to work on next year. I’ve had several panic attacks this year. Nothing too serious, or too frequent, but they stick out in my mind as grey patches. When I have an attack, I remember it in flashes. At the time fully conscious of what’s happening, looking back there’s little to no auditory memory, and the overwhelming feeling is one of taking up too much space or ruining someone’s night. It kind of sucks. In early December, I had my first panic attack in front of my parents. Though they knew it had happened before, I find it quite hard to talk to them about it, so whilst I’m happy they could see it to understand what happens, it felt extra embarrassing to show them that part of me.
On the other hand, I found Boo - the best burger place I’ve ever been too. I took part in a mini-surprise party for a friend. I started baking! (and I make a damn good coffee cake). I went to watch my boyfriend play a varsity hockey match at university. Despite the rain, I had a great day, and it was the first time I’d watched him play. I felt like I understood him a little better after watching him do something he loved so passionately. At the other end of summer, we went back to university and celebrated our year anniversary. I met his parents this year - and I’m meeting more of his family next week! Things are going great.
As my friends and I ate our (home-cooked) Christmas dinner in my university kitchen, talking about what we’d be doing when we all went home the next day, it struck us that this was our last Christmas at university. Everything we did this year was the last time we’d be doing it and next year we’d all be back home (or somewhere else, at least) and it would be harder to see each other. I’ve made friends for life at uni, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they’ve done for me. Things wouldn’t be the same without them.
Anyway, I’m done being soppy. Here’s my top five books of the year!
What were some of your favourite books, and what would you recommend I pick up next year?
Happy New Year, wishing you all the best for 2019!
Top 5 Books of the Year
One of Us is Lying, Karen McManus
Before this year, I’d rarely read any books that were outright mysteries, let alone murder mysteries, but One of Us is Lying has definitely changed my outlook. I’m actually thinking about reading some classic detective novels like Christie, or Conan Doyle. Though not entirely unpredictable, One of Us is Lying was so interesting, and I loved how simple it appeared in the beginning compared with how complex the characters became.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Becky Albertalli
I’m a sucker for a romance, and this one ticked all the boxes: pining, mystery, angst, slow build, family support, ah it was just great. I talked about it a lot in my review, but Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda confronted the idea of outing people really well, as well as supporting people when they come out. The moments between Simon and his parents really touched me, whilst Simon and Blue were endlessly entertaining. Fully recommend this book!
The Martian, Andy Weir
Such a surprise! I will never be over how funny The Martian was. Mark Watney was hilarious. A sense of humour, intelligence, and motivation to keep himself going despite being stuck all alone on Mars...great admiration for the man. And, of course, for Weir. The science went straight over my head, but his writing was incredible. Probably wouldn’t read much more scifi, but I definitely enjoyed this dip into the genre.
White Teeth, Zadie Smith
Despite reading this for a university module, it really was one of my favourite books of the year. It’s about diversity, finding your place in the world, family, self-confidence, it’s just a really wonderful, witty book. Zadie Smith knows just how to write real life, and even when the characters are infuriating, there’s something endearing about them. Fully recommend this one - and don’t be intimidated by the length, I promise you’ll get through it quicker than you think!
Circe, Madeline Miller
I was torn for fifth place between Circe and The Taming of the Queen. Strictly speaking, Taming of the Queen should be here - I gave it a higher rating at the time of reading it, but something just didn't feel right about that. I really enjoyed it, but looking back now, Circe was feels like the better book, there’s something visceral about it. I think it could be Miller’s style of writing, it’s so beautiful and transporting, that even though the political workings of Henry VIII’s court were fascinating, it just doesn’t hold up in the same way. I don’t think I could reread Taming of the Queen, but I would Circe - and if that’s not the mark of a good book, I don’t know what is.
December's wintery breath is already clouding the pond, frosting the pane, obscuring summer's memory
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and also Happy Holidays because you might not celebrate Christmas, who knows, I just hope you enjoy whatever you do at this time of year!
As expected, December has whizzed by and suddenly we’re staring January in the face. And you know, I have no complaints. Sure, I can barely distinguish the difference between days in the last month, but it’s been a pretty good one. Since coming home I’ve got loads of work done, filled in a few more job applications, (finally) seen my friends, and - most importantly - been so warmmmm. Not looking forward to going back to uni and not having the heating on almost permanently!
For a long time, I wasn’t really a Christmassy person - not that I disliked the holiday, but I wasn’t overly enthusiastic. Arguably, I’m still not, but I’d like to think I’m getting there. It’s easy to get irritable at this time of year, but it’s important to remember that it’s a period of celebration and togetherness - no matter what denominational holiday you partake in. Though things have been a little different this year in my household celebrations, I’ve enjoyed it nonetheless, and sincerely hope all you have found something to be joyous and thankful for this Christmas season.
December Successes…
So - and this is the last time it will make an appearance on this list - I’ve finished my dissertation! About 6 months worth of work all in all, and I’m actually hella proud of it. I have a couple of little edits to do regarding footnotes, but I can’t fix them until I go back to uni and have the books I need. For all intents and purposes though, I am finished with it!
Does eating really good food count? Because I’d really love to count all the great food I’ve been eating over Christmas a success this month. Not only Christmas dinner - turkey is a big win - but also all the buffets and leftovers. What can I say, food makes me happy.
December Faves...
Music: Passepied (Debussy), Punchbrothers
This might be a weird one, but since I’ve been revising a lot all the music I’ve listened to is either Christmas music, or instrumental music. And I’ve actually really been enjoying the instrumental. Apparently Punchbrothers stuck out so much that I’ve favourite a whole bunch of their music on Spotify. Who knew.
Book/s:
So I haven’t actually read anything this month...which is kind of awful, but anything I read is in preparation for my exam in January, and not of it was particularly...exciting. I did, however, receive Naomi Alderman’s The Liars’ Gospel for Christmas, and I cannot wait to start it!
TV: The Crown
Another odd one, I’m only half watching this. In reality, my sister is the one watching it, but I walked in one day and sat with her whilst she watched it. I was on my laptop, but I found myself repeatedly drifting to the TV, caught up in the simple filmography and the stunning acting from Claire Foy. I’m going to have go back and watch the episodes I missed, but it’s a really intriguing show, and always good to know more about my country’s history.
January Goals...
My brother got my some mini succulents for Christmas, and it might sound silly but one of my January (and long term) goals is simply to keep them alive! I don’t have the best track record with plants I take to uni - they do pretty well whilst I’m there, but then I’ll forget to take them home with me and they die whilst I’m enjoying myself at home. Succulents should be a little more hardy...hopefully.
Sadly, I believe it is time I started getting up earlier. Eight is pretty early, but to prep for the real world and make the most of my time, I want to try and shift it to seven. I got up at half seven today, and though it isn’t that much extra, it has made quite the difference to my productivity.
No big January goals for me, keeping things simple. It’s already hand in/exam time, alongside it being the last time I head back to uni. Let’s not add anything big to the mix...
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
I absolutely love Prisoner of Azkaban - mostly because I love the Marauders and anything exploring their dynamic. Book 3 is where I think they start to become less of a children’s book, at least by the time it ends. The darkness of Sirius’ story and the seriousness of the betrayal bring a more sombre tone to the series, despite the ease with which most of the year passes. In fact, Harry’s third year at Hogwarts passes rather rapidly and, other than a couple of ‘grim’ moments and a fight with the Dursleys, it’s a pretty fun one.
Opening with a visit from Aunt Marge, it’s hard to believe what Harry put up with at the Dursleys, and easy to understand his anger. Whilst I think he can be a touch too sensitive when it comes to his parents (every mention of them has him at their defense in 0.1 seconds) the disrespect from the Dursleys puts him on the edge and I enjoyed the lack of control he experienced as his emotions overtook him. This felt like real magic, and after being cooped up and shut off the magic world all summer, it seemed very possible that an outburst of emotion would lead to something like this. Not only do I care about Harry by this point, but I want to defend him from those who are hurting him.
And then we get the Knight Bus. I love this journey Harry takes, I wish it wasn’t the only appearance in the series because it’s such a fun little magical invention (though it might appear again in the books, I can’t quite remember). Before this, though, we get a glimpse of Padfoot - of course, we don’t know it at that point but as this is a reread, that moment means so much more. I love that Rowling puts these moments in, little Easter Eggs that when you look back over a book, or over the whole series, you realise that everything will become relevant, it all builds up to the conclusion. This is one of Rowling’s major strengths: her plot-building is all relevant, but not necessarily obvious...first time round, at least. So much seems to happen in Prisoner of Azkaban, so much backstory provided, but it never feels heavy or unnatural.
Rereading book 3 was especially emotional for me. Once you know the story of the Marauders, of Lily and James’ death, going back and meeting Lupin and Sirius again is so much more revealing. Their reactions - Lupin’s, mostly, as we only get a brief time with Sirius - are so telling of the affection they had for James and Lily. Though it is hard to read of Harry hearing his parents’ last moments, Lupin’s reaction to this moment reminds you that Harry wasn’t the only one to lose people important to him that night. James and Lily were in their very early 20s when they died, meaning Lupin lost both of them, as well as Sirius and Peter, that night. He lost all his friends, and most of the people willing to accept his lycanthropy. I have so much sympathy for the man.
Likewise, Sirius spent 12 years knowing he was innocent, and knowing Peter had betrayed his best friend. He spent 12 years being tortured at the hand of dementors (sidenote: dementors are actually a really terrifying concept and also torture devices which are condoned by the magical governments which is are a whole issue) and then, when he almost has his freedom, has to continue to live on the run. These men are so unlucky. I love, however, the instant affection between Sirius and Harry. Even before meeting him, Sirius goes to watch Harry play quidditch, goes to see him at Privet Drive just to get a look at the boy, he invites him to live with him like an hour into knowing the boy for heaven’s sake! Lupin and Sirius are good men, who continue to fight for what’s right despite the unbelievable amount of tragedy that is in their lives, and that really means a lot to me.
The one thing about Sirius’ story that doesn’t gel well with me is his escape from Azkaban. The animagus thing makes sense, with dementors having no eyes and feeding off emotion, I’m sure transforming into a dog does help with the sanity thing. But on a physical level, getting out of a maximum security prison, swimming from some island in the middle of the sea, and then living on the run...I just felt like this one needed a little more thinking through because after 12 years in prison I don’t think it’s possible. But hey, it meant Sirius got out so I shan’t complain to much!
Prepare for more dislike of Snape! If you didn’t dislike him before, you will now, when a school grudge against a group of boys now drives him to forcing one out of a job, revealing a deeply held secret, hoping to have one (essentially) executed by dementors, and just generally talking down to kids because he thinks he knows better. Can you tell he pisses me off? ‘Bravest man I ever knew’. Sure thing.
Anyway, most of this review was me talking about my love of the marauders so I think I’m going to wrap it up now as I could go on for a long time. Other than these wonderful characters, I just really enjoy the happy parts of Prisoner of Azkaban, with the quidditch cup win feeling like a major accomplishment as Gryffindor have chased it for so long. Not too excited for Goblet of Fire as I’ve never loved it, but I am excited for Cedric Diggory and some good Hufflepuff representation!
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
Though Chamber of Secrets is one of my least favourites from the series, I really enjoyed revisiting it; this book contains a lot of Hogwarts history, and solidified the relationships that Philosopher’s Stone introduced, setting up character dynamics that we’re going to see throughout the series. It begins to expand the world that was set up so well in the first book, and I think as I reread them I will repeatedly praise Rowling for her worldbuilding. Every book expands just enough on the lore we already know, giving us a chance to take in the world in stages, instead of overwhelming us with information.
Let’s start at the beginning: the Dursleys. I don’t entirely believe in the Dursley’s. The first time I read the books they were the oppressive muggle family who stopped Harry doing magic, this time round they were genuine child abusers. They locked him in his room, put bars on the window, barely seem to feed him - they aren’t fun or funny and why Dumbledore/McGonagall/Hagrid/anyone let’s Harry stay with them after he finds out he’s a wizard is beyond me. They are an abusive family and I’m surprised that they don’t have more of an affect on Harry’s mentality. They feel like the least realistic parts of the book and obviously they are intended as a stark contrast to the joy and freedom of Hogwarts, but I don’t believe in them - even if they only ever come up in the first and last chapters of the books. Somehow, Dobby - a magical subservient elf - was a more believable character than the Dursleys.
When Harry escaped from the Dursleys with the help of Ron, Fred, and George is always a great moment, but I enjoyed it especially after realising how awful the Dursleys were being. Harry’s absolute amazement at such a simple, happy household is lovely to witness, and I maintain that Molly Weasley is one of the best characters to come from the Harry Potter series. She knows to tell off her sons for taking an illegal flying car, but turns to Harry with nothing but warmth and concern. She’s a formidable woman and people know not to cross her, but she is also one of the most thoughtful, welcoming characters I’ve ever come across. Honestly, she’s what I want to be when I grow up.
I definitely prefer the opening of Chamber of Secrets to the rest of the book. Witnessing the Weasley family, learning about their home, letting Harry have a happy end to summer, and witnessing some new magic with the introduction of Floo Powder on the way to Diagon Alley was all a lot of fun. Part of finding entertainment in these moments is because I know the adventure/mystery side of things, and, perhaps more importantly, I know how dark the series gets, the things these kids have to go through, so seeing the fun side of things feels much more important to me this time round. Instead of being amazed at the small, everyday pieces of magic in these moments, I want to stay in that happy time where things are okay.
To confront the dark parts of this book though, I will have to say I love this look at Tom Riddle. Voldemort in Philosopher’s Stone is barely there, we’re glimpsing at him in his half-life, and the challenge of reaching the stone, rather than of defeating Voldemort, is the focus - Harry doesn’t even know about Voldemort being present until he confronts Quirrel. True, Harry doesn’t think it’s Voldemort behind the voice he hears and the petrified students, but we do get a proper look at Tom Riddle, who he was before Voldemort. I just appreciate that we get this before knowing too much about Voldemort; a load of exposition further on in the series would have felt like too much, and this introduction indicates that this was a long-term plan for Voldemort, displays his intelligence and forward thinking - as well as Rowlings.
I know this is quite a cursory glance at Chamber of Secrets, but like I said, it’s not my favourite, and I’ve already started Prisoner of Azkaban (one of my favourites) so my mind is much more focused on the third book than the second. I think I’ll write my next review as I go, because there’s a lot I forget when I come to actually write it all down,and realistically there’s so much I could say about these books. But there we are, 2 books down, 5 to go, and already I don’t want to be witness to the darkness that’s to come - it’s going great!
Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils
As expected, November has gone by in a flash. It always does. Deadlines appear, there’s a build up to Christmas, the cold starts to seep into your bones, and everything feels like it’s just a movement towards the end of the year. Whilst December is a month of celebration, November feels like the end of things, an admittance that things are closing before we turn to the joy of December.
I can’t deny that this is particularly true of November this year. I am very aware that I have no idea where I’ll be next year, that this is the last time I will be at university for Christmas - in fact, that everything I do is the last time I’ll be doing it at university. That seems underwhelming when I write it out, but there’s something melancholy about knowing this is the last time I will celebrate Halloween here, the last Bonfire Night that will pass, just recognising that this isn’t where I will be next year. I’m trying not to think about it too much, but coming up to December means semester 1 is done, and I’m halfway through my last year of uni. It’s kind of terrifying.
On the other hand, I’m really enjoying how autumnal everything has become, autumn is by far my favourite season and we’re undeniably in autumn now! It’s been a productive month too, and strangely I’m enjoying the days I spend at the library, a cup of coffee, headphones to block the world out, and just a couple of hours focusing on one piece of work. There’s been some good social times too, of course, namely seeing the new Fantastic Beasts film - lots of thoughts and discussion followed, and it was a really lovely night.
November Successes…
Dissertation - apparently all I have spoken in my round-ups since term restarted. Except I’m actually super happy with where I am. My tutor actually really liked my essay plan which was super reassuring considering I thought he wouldn’t, and then I had to do a presentation to my peers about it. I was pretty nervous about this since I don’t like presenting (who does?) but it actually went well! Granted it was three minutes so there wasn’t much chance for me to screw up, but have it done is a weight of my shoulders, and a motivation to keep working hard on the essay.
Shall we look back to by goal of applying for jobs? I don’t always like my goals for one month to be the successes I pick when looking back over it, but I think I can just about count this one. I’ve written a proper cover letter, and started to look for serious jobs and grad schemes. I can’t say how much success is coming from it, but every little helps, you know?
And on a positive note: Christmas shopping! I’ve been more organised than usual and got an early start on my present shopping. I really like giving people thoughtful gifts that might mean something to them, and I’m not 100% sure that’s happening this year, but yay for being organised, right?
November Faves...
Book/s: Audiobooks
So. I know this is vague as hell to say my favourite of the month is simply ‘all audiobooks’, but I really want to take a moment to appreciate them. I’ve only been listening to the Harry Potter books, but they’re just so good! It’s reading with half the effort. Like I said in my HP and the Philosopher’s Stone review I don’t know if I could manage it if I hadn’t read the book before, but I really like going to sleep with a chapter playing, or having it on whilst I get ready in the morning. Definitely recommend audiobooks.
TV: Doctor Who
I must be feeling daring to put this here. I think I have about the same relationship as most people who used to love Doctor Who do: somewhere between mid-Matt Smith and Capaldi something was lost. When Jodie Whittaker was announced as the Doctor, I was definitely excited for the show, but not really excited about the show. There was so many ways for it to go wrong. However, having watched all but the finale, I think I’m happy to say that it’s my favourite of the month. It was nice to recognise some of the classic elements of Doctor Who in the new stuff, and whilst I don’t think it’s amazing, it’s definitely a bit of fun, and I’ve enjoyed returning to something that had started to let me down.
December Goals...
Be open and social. Christmas is a bit of a contradiction. On the one hand, I have 4 weeks off uni. On the other, I have nearly 7000 words to write and exam to prep for. So I’m going to say be open because I don’t want to overwork myself - Christmas is a time for reconnecting with people, in my opinion, and I know I can do the writing if I just structure my time well.
Just the one goal for December. Afterall, it’s the end of the year, I’ll be busy, and hopefully happy, and I don’t really have much more to say today. Have a great day guys!
Re-read - Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends
Rating: 3.5/5
Trigger Warnings:
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
Harry Potter. A real love of mine, something so much a part of my life that as I write this I’m wearing a Hufflepuff jumper. This being said, I read the books once through secondary school and that’s it. I really love them, but I’m not much of a re-reader and, for a long while, there was no point re-reading because I could tell you the tiniest facts about the book. It’s been a long time since that though, and there are a lot of things I can no longer recall. So here we are listening to the audiobooks!
I guess this review might be a little different because of that - I’ve never read an audiobook, let alone reviewed one. I’m not even sure if you say you ‘read’ an audiobook to be honest. It was really enjoyable though, barely even feels like you’re reading something because it’s about half the effort and I can get on with chores/exercise/journeys in the meantime. That being said, I’m not sure I could read a book as an audiobook if it was the first time I was reading it - I feel I’d be skipping back every so often if I missed a detail, or that things wouldn’t stick with me as well as they would had I physically read the book. I can’t complain one bit, however, about the wonderful narration of Stephen Fry. What a great guy.
Onto the book itself though… about as fun as I remember it to be. I’m going to talk a bit about the world building in a minute, but it’s such a wonderful introduction to the series. The first book is just so easy, none of the emotional trauma of the last couple, and I’d forgotten about it to be honest. It really is a children’s book, there’s no getting round it. This series grows so much and I’m really excited to witness that again!
Where I think Rowling really succeeded (and I have problems with her, just as others do, but we’re ignoring them and focusing on the book at hand) is in her introduction of the world. There is so much to introduce, and obviously this is done throughout the series, but Philosopher’s Stone is a really full and encompassing foundation for them to start on. Making the journey with Harry means we learn things alongside him, introduced to the world as he is and therefore learning the relevant magical lore but not being bogged down with too much information, people explaining to him what he needs to know at the time. This third-person narration works really well, and, though I have limited knowledge, would say works best as an audiobook.
What has already struck me in re-reading the first book, is the difference between the books and the films. I love both, but I really, really miss the centaurs in the films. I’d completely forgotten they existed in the first book, thinking they came into play in the fourth or fifth, but I was so happy to hear about them - especially Firenze. The films are, on the whole, an accurate adaptation of the books, but there always those little things that just don’t fit into a film - things like Peeves or Professor Binns - that really endear me to the series.
It’s kinda nostalgic to be rereading the series, and there’s been a number of moments in the first one where I’ve just had to pause and thinking about how much I love these books. Can’t wait to get started on Chamber of Secrets!
If someone asks you how you are, you are meant to say FINE. You are not meant to say that you cried yourself to sleep last night because you hadn't spoken to another person for two consecutive days. FINE is what you say.
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
What an unexpectedly delightful book. I really think the blurb undersells this book - by miles. The hype around Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is the only reason I really took a second glance at the book. The concept is intriguing, but the idea I had of the book was completely off. That’s fine - I was pleasantly surprised in fact - but I just feel like the blurb didn’t do it justice, didn’t explain what it was about.
The plot was really unexpected, though not entirely unpredictable. It had a lot of mystery/thriller undercurrents, without it being marketed (to my knowledge) as such. I really enjoyed this though, finding out Eleanor’s backstory was really interesting, but I liked that it wasn’t at the forefront of the novel. Her psychological journey seemed to be placed ahead of her back story. Obviously her back story was a part of the psychological journey, but there was so much to come before she explored her PTSD (not a term given in the book, but one I believe to be apt). It was in meeting Raymond, helping Sammy, and attending social events that you could see her progressing before she even approached her past trauma. I was really proud of that progress in terms of socialising, without needing to know about what had brought her to the point at which we meet her.
I didn’t love the plotline with the musician, if I’m honest, but I saw its necessity. I think my dislike of it was simply because it showed an immoral and delusional side to Eleanor, making me dislike her when thus far I had empathised with her and enjoyed following her interactions with people. (EDIT: just want to add that I don’t dislike her because she was delusional but because of the way she acted).
There were undeniably flaws in the story, but they appear to me as I look back, rather than getting my way when reading the book. Eleanor’s alcoholism was strange, disappearing very rapidly after her major binge, and being apparent only on weekends when she was left alone. If she went out for a drink somewhere, it was just a drink. I don’t understand the intricacies of alcoholism, but this does seem a little strange looking back. Also, her therapy sessions. Don’t have a problem with her progress - was super proud of her, and felt like they were realistic techniques. It was just a little rapid as a whole. And I’ll add that the trauma experienced was kind of predictable - until the twist in the final couple of pages in which we find out Eleanor's mother had died in the fire, along with Marianne, I felt it was all rather heavily hinted at throughout. The fire was admitted to, being started on purpose was an obvious one when you heard her mother’s voice, and the sister became more and more obvious as Eleanor started saying ‘us’ and ‘we’ when talking of her childhood.
The reason my review is only 3.5 stars, instead of the 4 or 5 I was going to give it whilst reading, is because when I’d finished, I realised it was rather predictable. Very fun to read, and I really liked Eleanor as a character, but I don’t think I could read it again - hence the slightly lower rating. Definitely recommend the book, but interested as to whether anyone felt the same upon finishing it?
It was one of those perfect autumn days so common in stories and rare in the real world
October is one of my favourite months because it feels like pique autumn. The weather is getting cold, the nights are drawing in, and everything is just getting a little cosier. Plus, you know, Halloween. This month has been pretty good, though it’s passed by crazy fast. I started getting sick in the third week of the month and on a particularly bad night where I couldn’t stop coughing, I very suddenly realised I hadn’t seen my parents in about 4 weeks - the longest I’ve gone without seeing them - and very desperately wanted to. Being the brilliant, wonderful people they are, they came to visit me the same week.
October feels particularly orange this year… that’s probably an odd comment to make, but sometimes colours just associate with things (e.g. anger is red, sadness is blue) and whilst October has always been orange to me, this year feels particularly warm and comfortable, maybe even homely, if a month can feel such a way. Occasionally I have moments of stress, but I’m doing really well at getting the frustration at the situation out and then continuing to work; making use of my diary to really make the most of the time I have available is working wonders. I’m surrounded by good friends, my boyfriend is always at my side, and my family are there the moment I need them...I guess I’m just feeling optimistic this month :)
October Successes…
Last month’s goal was to bake more, and I can happily confirm that I have achieved that! Chocolate cake, ginger cake, some damn good cookies, and banana loaf muffins...it goes without saying that my housemates are enjoying my new hobby.
I’m just going to come out and congratulate myself on being really on top of work. Got my reading done, been doing prep, did a short presentation, and got a dissertation plan. Not bad in my opinion.
October Faves...
Book/s: Pride and Prejudice
So I’m turn with this one because really I want to put Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine since I’ve finally got on the hype train for it, but sadly I don’t think I can count it since I’m only 100 pages in. However, my surprise at Pride and Prejudice leads me to put it as my favourite book of the month. My full review is here but in short, it was so much more funny than I thought it would be, and Austen is a more satirical writer than I realised when I first read Emma a couple of years ago. Definitely recommend - as a love story and a social commentary!
TV: Black Sails
Yeah, I’m a little behind on this one, but I’ve just utilised student prime and my boyfriend pointed out it meant we could watch (or rewatch, in his case) Black Sails. I didn’t think it would be my thing, but I also didn’t think I’d like Game of Thrones as much as I did, so I gave it a go and it’s the same kind of vibes. Little too much violence for me, and a lot of characters that I don’t really like, but there’s something about it that’s got me hooked.
November Goals...
Gotta start writing that disso! 5000 words to write by January - shouldn’t be too hard, but it’s kinda a Big Deal™ so after planning it last week, I’m going to try to start writing it this week (i.e. reading week), whilst keeping in mind that whatever I write now doesn’t have to be perfect.
So if I stick it in the goals section I kind of have to stick to it, right? In which case...I need to apply for some jobs. The goal shall be set at 3. It’s only November, so I feel like it’s okay for me to be a little laid back about it (or at least I’m letting myself think that).
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife
Rating: 4/5
Trigger Warnings: -
Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…
I was going to start this review by saying it was pretty redundant to have a spoiler alert on a book as widely-read as Pride and Prejudice but then I realise that I’m a third year English student and have never voluntarily picked it up. In fact, I was adamant, when I saw it on the module reading list, that I’d hate it. I’ve read two Austen novels previous to this - Emma and Northanger Abbey. The former was when I thought I should probably have read some more classics than I had done if I wanted to study English Literature, and the latter was part of my college course. I didn’t really like either, but I definitely preferred the satire of Northanger Abbey.
What I might have missed about Emma (though I’m not going to re-read it, so I guess I’ll never know if I did) was the humour in Austen’s voice. I thought she was one of those authors that was essentially an account of the upper class in the 1800s, with hundreds of characters meeting each other at balls but never really taking the story anywhere, just watching people live their lives. In a way, that’s what Pride and Prejudice is: a simple account of the Bennet sisters lives. It’s done in such fun, lively way though. Don’t get me wrong, they go too balls, and there’s too many characters to keep track of, and at times the language feels a little superfluous, but I can’t get over how surprising my enjoyment of this novel was.
The characterisation, to begin with, is so complete and well-rounded. There is such variety in the characters, and their emotions, characteristics, and foibles all feel so true to life. One of my favourite characters was Mr Bennet, if I’m being completely honest. Sure, his lack of interest or discipline with his daughters led to the whole Lydia issue, but his bluntness and sense of humour was brilliant. If he didn’t care something, he was open about it, if he didn’t want to do something, he wouldn’t, but he knew how to have fun with his family and (obvious favouritism aside) his love of Lizzie was truly touching.
Though if we’re talking of loving Lizzie, we really ought to focus on Darcy. I was fully prepared for a Heathcliff character - dark and brooding, not wishing to partake in civilisation - but I was saved from that hell by the wonderful Darcy. Yeah, prideful, lacking charm or charisma maybe, but let’s be honest, he was just a shy boy unsure how to express his love. He also turned out to be surprisingly selfless, acting out of his love for Lizzie even after she had rejected him and he had little reason to believe her feelings would change. Turns out he was a proper gentleman.
Lizzie was likewise delightful. I knew I’d like her to be honest, because she was headstrong and willing to express her opinion even if it went against the majority - but she was also super conscious of not offending people unless they deserved it. Though I didn’t love the whole atmosphere of Victorian-esque manners and reserved politeness, Lizzie stayed true to herself as best she could despite the need for decorum - and she was willing to admit that she was wrong...eventually.
The characters were just so genuinely flawed (apart from maybe Jane) and it somehow came as a surprise to me to read such an old novel (well, old is a relative term) and find characters related to so much. Especially in something I was reading for class, rather than pleasure. It seems I never learn that it’s in those I least expect it, that I find something so utterly relatable.
The book was also unexpectedly accessible. The chapters, at least at the start and end of the book, are really short - a couple of pages at the most, and the language is not particularly high-flown. There are a couple of run-on sentences that, had Austen been writing nowadays, would probably have been cut down, but if you just take your time, and occasionally read a sentence twice, it’s no harder than modern fiction. It was difficult, in the beginning, to be introduced to so many characters at once and be able to keep track of relations, but it’s pretty easy to find a character list/mind map kind of thing online to explain everyone’s relationships to each other (you might not want to do this if you want to 100% avoid spoilers, however), and once you get about 10 chapters in, you’ll have the important characters down easily.
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