Written by the lesser known Bronte sister, Agnes Grey is a  fairly short book composed by Anne Bronte. It follows a few years in the life of young Agnes, a daughter born to parents who married for love and not for money, which their income is lacking. To help with the pecuniary situation, Agnes decides to pick herself up and leave to be a governess. With some reluctance, Mrs. Grey allows her daughter to go, but warns her it will not be what she thinks. Nevertheless, Agnes is sent to a home with children who rule their parents. After a few months of horrible spoilt children, Agnes is then sent to a calmer home, but still with its faults. While there presumably she meets the curate, Mr. Weston, and the two grow to enjoy each others company. I will leave the rest for you to read on your own:)

I would say that the book is well written, with a flowing style of writing, yet the only thing I wished for in the story was perhaps a little, okay a lot more detail in the plot, with perhaps some twists or obstacles, but nonetheless it was still an agreeable read.

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Our family also has enjoyed the BBC costume drama, Little Dorrit based on the book by Charles Dickens. My review is from the perspective of one who has not read the book. It is 7 and a half hours long, with a tremendous cast, and lovely filming. A lot of actors can be seen amidst dozens of other BBC adaptations, which gives them a familiar feel.

from left to right: Mrs. General, Mr. Meagles, Pet Gowan, Mr. Gowan, Flora Finching, Mrs. McClennam, Arthur McClennam, Flintwhinch, and Affrey

Little Dorrit is about a young lady born in a debtor’s prison with her poor father and a host of friends. She begins work for an elderly lady, Mrs. McClennam, whose son has been abroad for 15 years and who has come back due to his father’s death. But the house of McClennam has a secret many try to hide and unearth.

Amy Dorrit

The storyline brings sinister villains, mainly a Frenchman named Rigaud, extremely lovable characters such as John Chivery, interesting inhabitants like Mr. Pancks, and plenty of warm, detailed, and relieved moments. However the story does contain sensual expressions, a somewhat bloody suicide scene, and violence (usually in the presence or right after the presence of Rigaud).

Arthur McClennam

Despite the previous, I enjoyed the movie, and have been able to re-watch it many times. I rated it with the likes of Bleak House, although I think I enjoy Bleak House a tad more than Little Dorrit, but Mum really enjoyed Little Dorrit, more than most costume dramas.

A dear friend of ours suggested this (309 page) book to us after Mom had written a post about Stonewall Jackson. It was written by Harnett T. Kane and I would call it historical fiction. It is about the marriage and love of Anna and Thomas Jackson, who were dedicated to the Lord through their trials, and whose love for their Creator enhanced their feelings for each other. The story, with a simply elegant writing style, goes from Anna’s single years with her family, through her marriage with Tom, up until his death after the Wilderness. I probably shed a tear or two as I imagined their words spoken to each other. (I seem to be growing ever more sentimental) And in the book I was reading, there were two pictures of Anna Jackson and her husband on the back covers. It was nice to be able to flip back and see what they looked like, so as I could have a correct picture in my mind.

On Thursday, we picked up the book Kitty, My Rib by E. Jane Mall from the library. It’s not a big book, with only 173 pages. It was written in 1959, and is quoted as being a “fictionalized biography” by the author herself, so not everything is accurate, but most of the facts are portrayed correctly. I was mostly captured by the title, which I think to be adorable.

The story is about the life of Katharina (Katherine) von Bora, the beloved wife of Martin Luther, the great reformer. It starts as the nuns make their well known escape from the abbey, and ends with Katharina being old, a widow, and dearly loved by her children.  It is a warm hearted view into the God honoring union between Martin and his wife.

I would recommend the book as a quick easy read when you want to relax with a good book.

Since our school year started this past Monday, we thought the best thing would be to jump right back into literature, one of my favourite subjects. We started with Hemingway, whose “plainspoken, no frills writing style became so famous that is is was (and still is) frequently parodied“.

My first thoughts after reading his biography, were “I hope I can read through one of his books” due to the reviews I read. I read the two, of the two books we had gotten from the library, and I ended up reading The Old Man and The Sea-the safer choice. Apparently his books are manly and have questionable content including sensuality and language.

It is true…Hemingway wrote in a plainspoken, no frills style. Sentences are simple and straight to the point. You read the lines and that is it, with an occasional pondering or two. To me, he didn’t seem like the great writer people spoke of for it was just too plain for me, which is probably why people like him. He is a simple writer for easy, relaxing reading. The Old Man And The Sea won a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.

I also want to say that the title says it all…The Old Man And The Sea was indeed about an old man and the sea. If you love to hear about fishing techniques, survival tips, and rough adventures, this book will entertain you.

This is probably my first and last Hemingway book. Sorry.

I am pro life. I stand firm on that fact, and yet if people wanted to discuss the viewpoint with me, I probably wouldn’t have much to say to them other than that “Abortion is still murder of a child” But, what if the person needed further convincing, and they were the type that needed proof in facts and statements?

I checked out the book ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments by Randy Alcorn from our local library and I must say that I have already added it to my list of books to have in my home. I will not go into a deep review, but this book needs to be read by every American, for “no single issue has divided Americans so sharply as the issue of abortion.”

I would recommend (BUY THIS BOOK NOW) it to every prolife supporter and every prochoice supporter.

Millions of lives are at stake.

Most everyone has at least heard of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, yet a sad majority of American’s have not read this book, and I was in this category. The first time I remember hearing about Uncle Tom’s Cabin was in the movie, The King and I when the play is put on before the kind and his ambassadors. However, this summer’s reading was composed of Les Miserables and Uncle Tom’s Cabin; two of the greatest books written, in my mind.

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this book during a time, when our country was battling slavery and the consequences it had upon our native men and women. Stowe, an abolitionist, wrote this great novel, to try and bring the reality of slavery to every home and show those who had no intimate contact with slavery, the horrors that gallivanted through the plantations. So, in 1851, this little woman had published one of the most influential books in American history.

As I read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, I was riveted by the message she so beautifully brought to life in my mind, and I imagined myself as a person amidst the conflict of slavery, reading this book. The story line is fascinating as a whole, and yet it is much more captivating in it’s Christianity. The characters that are believers are strong, firm in their faith, and a constant light throughout this shadowed tale. Uncle Tom and Eva, the protagonists, are encouraging in their faith and how they project their happiness to all around them. The story does show the unthinkable cruelties to the slaves, but the gospel message penetrates the deepest sorrow and pain-giving the suffering hope through their trials.

Uncle Tom’s willingness to share the gospel and allow everyone to hear the word is breathtakingly beautiful. And the angelic Eva St. Clare is my favourite character. Even at her young age, she is for the glory of the Lord in all she does, and her spiritual mentality is encouraging and edifying. This is truly one of my favourite books ever written.

For the last two weeks I have been constantly entertained by another work of Victor Hugo’s. After reading The Hunchback of Notre Dame and getting the feel of Hugo’s writing style, I was eager to begin another work of his. And what better to choose than Les Miserables, and also because it was a requirement for school:)

I found Les Miserables extremely entertaining. The plot was excellent and the characters were so beautifully interwoven to make a tapestry of suspense and emotion. Each character was carved to fit the reader’s desires and their actions and situations would bring out the deepness of their emotions.

What I liked: I enjoyed this more than the Hunchback of N.D. because of the absence of lust and the presence of love. Characters were darker in the previous book and certain parts were awkward to read. However in Les Miserables the characters are deep, and heartfelt in all of their actions.

What I didn’t like: the only thing was during the battle between the revolutionaries and the guards was a little hazy for me since I had just a tad bit of trouble keeping the french names straight and trying to remember the characters they were mentioning. Embarrassing, but true.

Now that the book is finished, I can start the movie. Mom wouldn’t let me watch the move until the entire book was finished. Now, I am glad that she set the literary standard.

This little paraphrase will sum up how I felt with the plot line and the book in general… “I finished a 501 page book in less than a week“. I was captivated by the intense story line from the very beginning. My family can tell when I am in a good book for you can only see my fingers gripping the binding instead of my face. While my fa-mi-ly had noodle making lessons I confess that I buried my intellectual mentality into ciphering the words of Hugo instead of paying close attention. That seems to happen a lot to me. For instance in algebra, when Mom and I were trying to figure a problem and she said that I could I relax for a few minutes…those minutes were spent gripping “Quasimodo” as we called it.

I will not burden you with reading the story line, for it is indeed intense and time consuming, however I will leave you with my overall review of the book.

In a moral sense, The Hunchback of Notre Dame has some unconventional views upon salvation, the use of God’s holy name, and sensuality. When referencing to salvation, the book gives the tone that Christians are weak mice like creatures who are so focused on God that fun is absolutely out of the question or they are truly deep dark creatures with insanity running in their veins. That does not bother me as much as the other two notes, for I know the truth. Upon God’s holy name, blasphemy is used in almost every chapter although it is not too excessive, yet once is more than necessary. And as to sensuality, there are 2 or 3 instances where characters give into their lust for one another, but Hugo deals with these moments with poise. His writing is not too descriptive but he does inform the reader what is happening. I was disappointed however in the frequent musings of lust in a certain character.

However, in a literature sense, I thoroughly enjoyed the speed and drama of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Almost every page held yet another formula that deepened the reader’s view to every character. The story features upon some well rounded characters whose mental and verbal dialogue give insight into their descriptions. Quasimodo, the  “main character in the background” is beautiful in his thoughtfulness and even though Hugo gives endless descriptions of his hideousness, the reader does grow to love Quasimodo’s compassionate and thoughtful nature.

I must also say that the last paragraph of the book is beautiful in its mortal description.

I have finally read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, one of the two posthumous novels finished in her hand, Persuasion being the other. Sandition, The Watsons, and Lady Susan were all started but unfinished before her death.

A more intimate reason for reading Northanger Abbey is the fact that I wondered if I would be able to visualize the storyline without having ever seen a movie version. I watched Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Emma without reading first and I wondered if I could truly read her very descriptive and regency style of writing without the help of movies. I have heard people say that they stopped because they didn’t understand her theme, her words, or her motivation. Compared to romantic novelists, Jane Austen wasn’t the best. She didn’t have the extremely romantic and tragic tales as the Bronte sisters or others of her century; she was more of a commentator on the Regency life. Jane Austen’s writing was more of a description rather than a fantasy.

The plot is Jane Austen. The heroine is Catherine Morland, the daughter of two unimportant people with a batch of siblings - nine to count. She has no dramatic events in her life until she is invited by the Allen’s to visit Bath with them. Catherine goes happily until after a few hours during a party where they are acquainted with no creature, she decides Bath is horrible, until the fine features and charming conversation of Herny Tilney comes to cheer Catherine’s spirits. She soon finds herself at every party and social gathering unknowingly searching for her dear Tilney. Another character to whom Catherine is introduced is Isabella Thorpe who is the daughter of an old schoolmate of Mrs. Allen. *to me, right from the beginning it felt as if Isabella had a almost forceful hold over Catherine’s mind, as if she manipulated Catherine’s thoughts with Isabella’s own*

After a few more weeks in Bath, and a few more acquaintances desired, Catherine leaves Bath to go with the Tilneys, at request of Henry Tilney’s sister Eleanor. The party goes to Northanger Abbey, a residence of the family. Henry Tilney knows that Catherine is an avid reader of Gothic novels, like those of Mrs. Radcliffe. On the carriage ride to the Abbey he tries to fill her head with the mysteries surrounding ordinary abbeys, yet she is determined that she will not be frightened of Northanger.

However, after a few vague details during her stay (about Mrs. Tilney’s death and General Tilney’s character) spark Catherine’s gothic imagination and decides in her own impressioned mind that there is indeed a mystery surrounding Northanger Abbey. But when she comes back to the reality of the family she is most horribly embarrassed by her unaccountable wild fantasies. It becomes worse for Catherine to find out that her brother’s intended has been declared in love with another, bringing Catherine’s sisterly affections to sorrow. Also, after Catherine’s stay at Northanger Abbey begins to close, she is sent away in a rude manner by General Tilney for a reason that sends Catherine into horribly unpleasant wonder. Yet, after a few mistakes and trouble Catherine, Jane’s heroine, receives “all that her heart desires“.

*I do not recommend the racy 2007 movie version of Northanger Abbey however the book is  agreeable*

The third and last book of my challenge was The Story Girl by L.M.Montgomery, which I should’ve read before The Golden Road because it indeed does come before…my mistake. This story introduces the characters better and their real relationships during the two books, which is really helpful.

In honour of the book, my family and I watched the library’s local Season 1 of Road to Avonlea while I was reading the book. I watched the episodes with Peg Bowen, Peter Craig, The Awkward Man (Jasper Dale), and all of the mishaps that were based off of the book which actually surprised me. Most of the witty lines that are in the series were actually from the book and I could follow along from what I read very easily. A very enjoyable read.

You can read my other L.M.Montgomery posts here and here.