I just love 'classic reads' like these, you pick up a book with a 19th century cover and feel, and within a few pages you read that an angry and drunkI just love 'classic reads' like these, you pick up a book with a 19th century cover and feel, and within a few pages you read that an angry and drunk man arguing with his wife, ends up auctioning her and his baby daughter to a passing sailor! Sober the next day, he's too late to find them, so he pledges 21 years sobriety! And that's just the opening. We next come to Casterbridge many years later, where that self-same man has become a very successful businessman and The Mayor of Casterbridge! And when his wife and daughter come back to his life, slowly but surely he begins to reap what he sowed! [image] Considered a masterpiece by as many that have issues with the number of big events plotted in the book (it was originally serialised), this is a delicious classic read, as it feels like nothing you'd expect from this era, is nearly all story and plot, and his above all, an interesting immersive read. 8 out of 12. [image] 2022 read...more
The beyond classic 17th century first published and questionably still the greatest work of theoretical fiction is a must-read because of its status iThe beyond classic 17th century first published and questionably still the greatest work of theoretical fiction is a must-read because of its status in global publishing history. The book itself is very meh, but its appeal to readers interested in theoretical Christian fiction is way beyond doubt, and with its standing in history the very least I can give it is a Two Star, 5 out of 12. Still a book that has to surely be on every reader's tick-list? [image] 2022 read...more
This is a classic that has never appealed from the title, cover and few reviews I have read of it over the years. A story a year in the lives of the fThis is a classic that has never appealed from the title, cover and few reviews I have read of it over the years. A story a year in the lives of the four March sisters, the oldest being 16 and the youngest being 12 told in a style. A bildungsroman loosely based on the lives of the writer and her three sisters with numerous nods to and references to John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. The work is seen as more or less the seminal Young Adult book as being pretty much the first to merge sentimental and romantic themes into a work for children. It was a roaring commercial and critical success from the off! [image] On completing this book I read a number of online reviews and was not surprised to find out that it is generally accepted that this depicts an idealised version of Alcott's youth and is actually seen as one of the core roots of the idea of an 'all-American girl'. The book does have an almost fairy tale like feel, but the writer still manages to build some impressive characterisations as well as lots of pulling of heartstrings. In the context of when it was written, it's overall pleasing message which although likening domesticity and the search for true love as core goals for young women , also has surprisingly strong pro-woman themes set around the strength of the mother and sense of the power and importance of female/sister kinship it's well worth the 7 out of 12, Three Stars I give it :) [image] 2022 read...more
A semi-biographical story of four generations of the Pontifex family by Samuel Butler, that he only allowed to be published after his death that takesA semi-biographical story of four generations of the Pontifex family by Samuel Butler, that he only allowed to be published after his death that takes apart Victorian society focusing on the unrelenting hypocrisy of, in this case the monied religious family focusing on the detrimental effects of patriarchy and how they fed down from generation to generation. Although technically a classic, this sits better as historical fiction as it reads well, but was a lot of hard work to get through. [image] This could be a really useful historical record and was lauded by George Orwell: "A great book because it gives an honest picture of the relationship between father and son, and it could do that because Butler was a truly independent observer, and above all because he was courageous. He would say things that other people knew but didn't dare to say. And finally there was his clear, simple, straightforward way of writing, never using a long word where a short one will do."
And A.A. Milne: "Once upon a time I discovered Samuel Butler; not the other two, but the one who wrote The Way of All Flesh, the second-best novel in the English language".
Alas for me it's a 5 out of 12 Two Star read, but one that should be on everyone's top 100 Victorian novels. [image] 2022 read...more
That's it there needs to be a new genre - Dark Classics! Going so much against the grain of the times, this is the story of Tess Durbeyfield trying toThat's it there needs to be a new genre - Dark Classics! Going so much against the grain of the times, this is the story of Tess Durbeyfield trying to live her life in 19th century England; eldest daughter to aspirational educated rural working class parents with their sights on their wealthier 'family' the D'Urberville's. With family tragedies, deaths, sexual harassment and assault(!), gender inequality, eschewed religious values and more, Tess maintains a pretty clear idea of her wants, needs and personal moral compass, balancing them against her struggling family's needs throughout this relentlessly well constructed true classic, a dark Victorian 'romantic' saga with the masks of civility completely ripped off; as this is read, it leaves little to the imagination of how the power of male dominance is used and abused in the day. It's no surprise that this was censored and Hardy castigated. I can see why the so-called religious majority got so up in arms about this ground breaking work. [image] Many critics see this as a look at the corruption of the rural communities by industrialisation, a few more say that it is a look at the corruption of the innocent and pure (rural) working class by the privileged urban dwellers - but me, maybe because of my 21st century lens would say that this is not only an epic depiction of the flawed gender in-equal (Victorian) society, but also a swipe at the dominant wave of (popular) romanticism of male-female unions of the day. In a thousand years I hope this is still deemed a classic as many others fall by the wayside. An astounding book, in that with the limitations of the world he knew and lived, Hardy managed to tell this story and so well convey Tess' true heroic nature and that her true enemy was Victorian society and its so-called values. [image] I make no apologies for reading up on this book after completion to ensure that nothing was lost on me, as, like a lot of writing of the day it is overwritten and has maybe too many detailed descriptions of farming life - but it's worth reading through and through. A gem of a read. 8 out of 12 Four Star read. [image] 2022 and 2010 read...more
2021 read: Red headed, large nosed Rudolph Rassendyll (great name) has any uncanny resemblance to the adult heir to the Ruritanian throne, and by a qu2021 read: Red headed, large nosed Rudolph Rassendyll (great name) has any uncanny resemblance to the adult heir to the Ruritanian throne, and by a quirk of fate is forced/agrees to impersonate him at his coronation after a failed coup! However, twists and turns result in Rudolph having to impersonate the King for a longer period of time and also lead the rescue of the Prisoner of Zenda which will release him from his predicament and foil the coup plot! The problem is that the coup attempt is ongoing, the Prisoner of Zenda is the King (not a spoiler, as this is made clear very early on), and the King's betrothed Princess begins to fall for Rudolph! [image] Adventure ahoy! That's right this is a good old fashioned almost fairy-tale-esque adventure, but without the fantasy element This being a swashbuckling adventure there's swords, moats, castles and skulduggery aplenty, and I loved every Goddamn minute of reading this purely escapist read that threw me back to watching Errol Flynn movies made in the golden Hollywood Years and aired repeatedly in the 1970s and 1980s in the UK. ! 8 out of 12 :) [image]...more
2021 review: With the Regency era in full flow and seeping into even the most staid and prudish communities, Austen inducts that transformation and it2021 review: With the Regency era in full flow and seeping into even the most staid and prudish communities, Austen inducts that transformation and its effect over everyday life with this tale of the landed old-school Bertrams, the idle young but enriched Crawfords and our uniquely situated and characterised heroine (she often wilts in hot weather or after light exercise!) Fanny Price, with supreme and at times savage pokes at Victorian society and the way they lived back then - although this was contemporary at the time of publication. [image] When I first read this in 2008 it was my first ever Jane Austen; my one line review from back then was - "Fanny Price's tale. A supreme work on the abuse of privilege, nature v nurture, appearance and reality. A genuinely classic dark comedy. And just like that Jane Austen got into my top ten authors' list!" Hmmm? [image] Among the many reasons, in addition to this being exquisitely written, why I like this, is because Austen writes the story of a woman character (Fanny Price) who isn't that strong or willing to be independent, who does sit on her moral high ground and judges other people (albeit silently) etc. So why do I like that. Well that's because I believe that every woman should have a voice, especially one like Fanny's which was very prevalent at the time, and looking at this story through her lens heightens the book's power, its satire and its comedy. 9 out of 12. [image]...more
Walter Hartright comes across a woman clad in white on a moonlit night; a tutoring assignment finds his student to be identical to the Woman in White!Walter Hartright comes across a woman clad in white on a moonlit night; a tutoring assignment finds his student to be identical to the Woman in White! What starts as a daring affair slowly but surely evolves into a waste against time to save his amour as the privilege seek to destroy her! A thoughtful and controversial detective mystery that was built around the gender inequality of the day as the antagonists use their male power to subvert their victims! [image] Originally published in Charles Dickens 'All Year Round' periodical from 1859 to 1860 this 'sensation' novel serial was a commercial success but not so much so with the critics. Sometimes framed as a supernatural, horror and/or mystery work, this ultimately, became with the passage of the time one of the earliest detective genre reads, and it still stands tall today, in my opinion, 8 out of 12, Four Star Read. Although warning it does really go to town with details, but that might be my impatient 21st century brain moaning. [image] The pic and GIF are from the 1948 movie adaptation starring Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker, Sydney Greenstreet, and Gig Young. 2022 read...more
Published in 1813, and dare I say still utterly relevant and compelling today in 2020. I live in a world where almost everything is built on first conPublished in 1813, and dare I say still utterly relevant and compelling today in 2020. I live in a world where almost everything is built on first contact, on first impressions - social media imagery, brash headlines. political soundbites, even book covers! Austin delivers one of the most delightfully appealing and self-aware narrators in Elizabeth Bennett - she of the prejudice, with her often acerbic relationship with - him with the wealth and the good bearing, Fitzwilliam, AKA, Mr Darcy, he of the pride. [image] A story of first impressions, and in particular first impressions influenced by others and the environment we live in (sound familiar?) What could at first glance be deemed to be a cutting satire of the upper classes merry-go-round of marriage seeking, balls and gossip, is much much more in the hands of Austen. From critical looks at gender inequality, through to the fragility of the male ego (told you it was still relevant) Austen holds court. [image] But is it a great story? It is indeed, I found my self squealing in glee when good things happened and completely swept up in this drama in a bubble, going on, supposedly whilst Napoleon was tearing Europe apart. [image] A wonderful, if not the best, example of Austen's trademark mix of realism and humour with dollops of biting irony and social commentary, on top of a compelling and engulfing story, which on paper shouldn't take us away, but does. 9.5 out of 12 [image] Special shout-out to all those that stand by the BBC Pride and Prejudice drama in the GIFs above :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_a......more
George Eliot's deservedly revered classic - a profound and powerful tale about love, loyalty, reward, punishment, fate and fortitude perfectly capturiGeorge Eliot's deservedly revered classic - a profound and powerful tale about love, loyalty, reward, punishment, fate and fortitude perfectly capturing the early years of the 19th century yet still communicating its message today. A wonderful read. 8 out of 12. [image] 2012 read...more
Soooo... Madame Bovary. I'm gonna take it literally as a I read it, not from a 21st century perspective, but simply as it reads. In my most humble opiSoooo... Madame Bovary. I'm gonna take it literally as a I read it, not from a 21st century perspective, but simply as it reads. In my most humble opinion, what Henry James deemed a 'perfect novel' points a finger at the male ego. The male ego of Monsieur Bovary's decision to court Madame Bovary for materialist visual and bourgeois reasons, and how her wanting more was misused, abused and also miswritten by other men. A story with racial slurs against Blacks, Jews and Arabs, a story that appears to demonise the want for female sexuality, and pretty much ignore the selfishness of the male ego and play to the piper of the in-equal age it was written, A most splendid novel, but in my opinion, if read literally misinterpreted by the literary classes. 8 out of 12. Read it, and you decide. [image] ...more
SF Masterworks (2010- series) #90: This, now deemed a classic story, narrated by shipwreck survivor Edward Prendick, of his rescue, and then time straSF Masterworks (2010- series) #90: This, now deemed a classic story, narrated by shipwreck survivor Edward Prendick, of his rescue, and then time stranded on the Island of Doctor Moreau, is interesting enough without the monsters. It's pretty neat the way Wells' uses this story to highlight the issues around vivisection and Darwinism which were big news at the time of publication. For me, the book reads much more like a horror, where we're being shown that the worse monster might be man himself. For the literati, this was the earliest example of the science fiction 'uplift' motif, where a more advanced race abuses another less advanced race. Overall this has aged a lot better say, than Wells' The Invisible Man and is such a great concept, proven by the multiple adaptations made of it! 6 out of 12. [image] 2020 read...more
A new tenant visits his lessee's grand home, the Wuthering Heights, only to find the most dysfunctional house he could imagine, from Master HeathcliffA new tenant visits his lessee's grand home, the Wuthering Heights, only to find the most dysfunctional house he could imagine, from Master Heathcliff, down to the servants! On (finally) getting back to his lodgings he gets to hear the very dark history (recounted back to him over a number weeks) of the families that lived at Wuthering Heights and at his lodgings, The Grange. This book tells that story, a story of human savagery, artfully penned, taking on themes of gender equality, class, hypocrisy, selfishness, envy, and let's not forget, the frailty of the male ego. Emily Brontë's only finished novel caused a bit of a sensation when it was first published, and even today verges on being a tale of horror! I loved every single page of it, and spent an entire day wolfing it down. I had no idea that this work would be so readable and addictive. 9 out of 12, flaming Four Star read. [image] 2020 read...more
My staggeringly short one sentence review and my rating pretty much says what I felt about this read: "The well known classic, that tells the passionsMy staggeringly short one sentence review and my rating pretty much says what I felt about this read: "The well known classic, that tells the passions, anger, defiance, strength and overwhelming desire of Jane Eyre.".. in that I had so little to say about it! This book needs to be reread. 5 out of 12. [image]...more
Thomas Hardy's classic symbolic, poignant and tragic tale of Tess D'urberville… my first Thomas Hardy read, one that I found enjoyable and actually quThomas Hardy's classic symbolic, poignant and tragic tale of Tess D'urberville… my first Thomas Hardy read, one that I found enjoyable and actually quite captivating at times. 6 out of 12 [image]...more
So, I have attempted my first Honoré de Balzac read, and it didn't go well for me at all! Balzac's 'gripping tale of violent jealousy, sexual passion So, I have attempted my first Honoré de Balzac read, and it didn't go well for me at all! Balzac's 'gripping tale of violent jealousy, sexual passion and treachery, and a brilliant portrayal of the grasping, bourgeois society of 1840's Paris (The culmination of the Comedie humaine).' just didn't grab me at all. I n hindsight I should have tried some of his earlier work first maybe? 2 out of 12. [image]...more
First published in 1932, this modern classic, although not the first dystopian novel, probably had the biggest impact? First, via a tour of the CentraFirst published in 1932, this modern classic, although not the first dystopian novel, probably had the biggest impact? First, via a tour of the Central Hatchery and Conditioning centre Huxley gives you the core of the this supposed utopia - laboratory egg fertilisation, fetal development and conditioning, including pre-ordained societal status from 'Alphas' down to 'Epsilons'. One of the more powerful things about this work, is although we can see it's terrible from our world viewpoint, we can also see how for the majority living in this reality, it really is a utopia! [image] Huxley goes on to tell the stories of a few characters who are not fulfilled as a way to further share the nature of this reality and more explicitly, detail its failings. A society by the way, where mass cloning of genetically engineered and conditioned lesser beings are used to produce and contain the worker classes. [image] How did the book make me feel? For a book written in 1932 the detail in which Huxley built this dystopia is breathtaking; although not to dissimilar in many cases to what was about to happen in NAZI Germany! I also liked the building of the era's earlier history and development; and how it also showed that not all people adhered to enforced status quo. The only sleight I have on this book, is the language and behaviour of main protagonist 'John', whose behaviour I feel didn't really make sense in light of how and where he was born and 'educated'. Overall the book still stands up today, I dearly wanted to see what would happen next and where would the individual naysayers end up. 8 out of 12, up a point from my previous read. [image]...more
The classic Mars invasion of Earth tale, told in excruciating detail, from the viewpoint of the invaded England. One of the key Science Fiction books.The classic Mars invasion of Earth tale, told in excruciating detail, from the viewpoint of the invaded England. One of the key Science Fiction books. In the 21st century, a fair bit of Well's works and writing are not ageing well, and I feel it's come to the point that older works, especially sci-fi need to be judged in the context of when they were written - and this was written in 1898! 6 out of 12. [image]...more
Consisting of 100 chapters and nearly a 1,000 pages in length, this satirical saga was one of the last great Victorian serials, and it was savaged by Consisting of 100 chapters and nearly a 1,000 pages in length, this satirical saga was one of the last great Victorian serials, and it was savaged by critics when it first began being periodically published in 1875. After years in the British colonies, Trollope returned to London and the South East only to be shocked by what he saw was the immorality and dishonesty that had seemed to go hand-in-hand with the growth of capitalism. He put together this, his longest work, taking no prisoners, satirising business, politics, religion, the literary world, the media, the upper classes etc. and he also did not hide way from writing about prejudice, snobbery, domestic abuse, gender-based double standards, white collar crime and what is essentially male privilege! [image] This book is tremendous, the characters although emblematic of certain traits are still well rounded and very lifelike, and I felt as much pity, as I did horror, at even some of the worse characters. The attack on the idle rich is scathing, showing a world of buffoons swanning around smoking, boozing and gambling their lives away, and all this when they're not out there trying to get rich heiresses to fall in love with them. There are at least eight(!) entwined major story lines, but the coup de grace is the story line centred around one of the richest men in London trying to swagger his way to respectability, by lavishing money everywhere, seeking a place in Parliament... by using underhand white collar crime, and that's when he isn't busy trying to force his daughter to marry into aristocracy for his own betterment. [image] But what really makes this such a tremendous read is the whole being the sum of so many parts and being so meticulously and tightly plotted. You start off reading about these 30-40+ people from the mostly entitled past where millions live in deep poverty, and by the end of the book not only do you know each and everyone of them, you care about them! 10 out of 12, Five Star Read. [image] The killer thing is that nearly every thing he wrote about then, is pretty much still going on - white collar crime involving huge amounts of funds, that everyone goes along with as long as they get their cut; the insularity of the church; domestic abuse; gender-based double standards; privilege; the literary elite and paid for reviews; laddish-ness... Indeed the only thing that has changed in 150 years is that patriarchy has much less power in some house holds! All the Stars! [image] 2020 goddamn fine read...more
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