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.

~

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.

“…Why do we cherish being forgiven by God? There are answers to this question that would dishonor him, because there are benefits from forgiveness that a person may love without loving God. We might say, “I cherish being forgiven by God because I hate the misery of a guilty conscience.” Or “… because I hate the prospect of pain in hell.” Or “…because I want to go to heaven to see my loved ones and have a new body with no sickness.” Where is God in these reasons for cherishing forgiveness? In the best case he is there in all these reasons as the real treasure of life.

If so, then these delights are really ways of cherishing God himself. A free and clean conscience enables us to see more of God and frees us to enjoy him. Escape from hell at the cost of Christ’s blood shows us more of God’s commitment to merciful holiness and his desire for our happiness. The gift of seeing loved ones highlights God’s  wonder in creating relationships of love. Getting a new body deepens our identification with the glorified Christ. But if God himself is not there in these gifts-and I fear he is not for many professing Christians-then we do not know what forgiveness is for.”

John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life

The Goal of Life- Gladly Making Others Glad in God

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*

There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.

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.

The Golden Road was my second book in the L.M.Montgomery Reading Challenge. I choose this book because it portrays the adorable, witty, and trouble finding children of the King family, Peter Craig, and Sara Rae. Felicity, Felix, Cecily, and Dan are clearly envisioned after watching most joyously the Road to Avonlea series where the characters are so happily portrayed by the talented cast of children. I will always remember Felicity King’s love of her hair, Sara’s satin slippers, Cecily’s gently tones, Felix’s stubborn attitude, and Aunt Hetty’s very  precise pronunciation of words.

However, much to my reluctant disappointment, the characters are a little switched around. Oh well! We need not worry, for L.M.Montgomery’s characters are always agreeable and fun and we need not mind the change for it is all agreeable.

The Golden Road follows Felicity, the Story Girl, Felix, Dan, Peter Craig, Sara Rae, and Bev who tells the story from his perspective. It is interesting to read the original stories that lead to the series Road to Avonlea. The honesty and purity of the children is agreeable, and the true character traits and wit are easy to identify. Felicity, Felix, and Dan are all tied up in trying to annoy the other while Sara Stanley is throughout the book being whimsical and telling stories to amuse the others. Cecily tries to mend the others harsh words, and Sara Rae comes and goes often aggravating someone when she is present. For those who have only watched the TV series, Sara Rae is the equivalent to Clemy Rae.

I found this book to be adorable and a ‘chuckle to yourself’ type of humor, and I would encourage anyone to read it to see ‘behind the scenes’ of L.M.Montgomery’s original sort of mini series. There are 369 little pages in this book.

Notice: Thanks to Carrie’s post on The Story Girl which comes before The Golden Road in the time line, which I had not read prior to The Golden Road as I should’ve, I now know how the characters are related. If you have watched the beloved Road to Avonlea series only, just be aware that the relations between the characters are sometimes not quite the same as the original literature series. Because of that, I was completely oblivious to who Bev (through whom the stories are told) was because he was not included into the Road to Avonlea series. To see the family ties and who is really so and so’s cousin, you can go to Carrie’s post.

You can see my other L.M.Montgomery Challenge posts here and here.

I have been participating in the Lucy Maud Montgomery Challenge here hosted by the lovely Carrie. The challenge was to read one or more Lucy Maud Montgomery books and one of which I chose to read was Rilla of Ingleside, the story of Anne’s daughter.

I have found that Lucy Maud Montgomery has such a pleasant old fashioned way of defining the characters in her stories. One feels more a companion to her creations by reading, much more so than by watching the movies. I am an avid Anne fan, and yet I have found that reading the books not only gives more sentiment, the emotions in your mind place you back into her world and something completely  natural but ethereal brings a grin to your face and lightens your heart with every chapter. I found myself walking around the house with a feeling of felicity and I couldn’t wait to continue the book and flip through the life of Rilla. Montgomery’s characters are so in depth and human that it is a lost art that when one finds it, the feeling can hold them captive and placed into a deep loyalty to the author.

Let alone the bond between reader and hero, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s story lines and events in the life of her creations are exciting, nostalgic, comforting, and relieving. The quirks of everyday life will give the reader a sense of friendship with the characters in every situation, and if the feeling has not been felt by the reader, Lucy Maud Montgomery explains it in such passion and wording that the reader has thus been through the ordeal and will feel for the creature as if he or she had indeed lived the event.

Lucy Maud Montgomery~1874-1942

As for the storyline of Rilla of Ingleside, it is very realistic and historical. The plot centers around Bertha Marilla Blythe “Rilla”, the last child of Gilbert and Anne. L. M. Montgomery describes Rilla as a handsome young girl, besting any young lady in the neighborhood in looks, and yet she is quite aimless in her future goals. All of her other siblings (Jem, Walter, Nan and Di, and Shirley) are all going to college, university, or studying in some form, but Rilla although only 14 when the book starts, has no dreams of attending any higher form of education and doesn’t quite know what to do with herself. Anne is also a little curious how her dear Rilla will turn out.

She soon is picked up into the oncoming World War 1, even from the first page the seemingly ‘insignificant’ death of the Archduke Ferdinand is stated, giving the reader the foreknowledge that war will come to their world. After a few chapters, war is announced that throws Rilla’s world into a frenzy. She has 3 brothers who are young and strong who also seem to possess a certain eagerness to prove themselves on the battlefield, all save Walter, who I find a very realistic character. Walter is determined not to go to war, for he fears the pain of death as so many do. He does not just gallivant away as if he was not scared to fight and kill men, he stays and takes the criticism until he does indeed board the train taking him to Europe. I find Walter’s fear very human and a good portrayal of man’s fear of mortality.

Rilla also finds her maturity in situations which consist of her overcoming her dislike for babies when she is thrown into the task of being a mother to a war baby, finding romance, living through the death of a brother, watching good men be called to action and cease to return to arms of their women, and live through the war as a woman on the home front.

You can read my other posts here and here.