Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange is a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's told through the eyes of Mr. Darcy as he writes in his diary and fights his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet, and there are added or removed parts, of course, since the original was told from Elizabeth's point-of-view.
First Impression: So far, I like the story, but something is bothering me. I think...it's too easy. Maybe I like the story because, essentially, it's Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, just told from a different point of view. I'm sure that I'm wrong about this, but at this point it seems like Grange just read the novel once or twice and then wrote her own version. Some of her viewpoints on Mr. Darcy's emotions are interesting to me, but they don't feel like the result of an in-depth character study, which I think should be necessary when writing a piece such as this. And if I didn't know the author's name, I would still know this was written by a woman. I don't mean to nitpick, but right now it's hard for me to really get into the book. I'm hoping it grows on me as I go on.
Conclusion: I feel like I was unfair in my first impression, because it's obvious that Amanda Grange did her homework. There are many points in the book where she references the social decorum and fashionable styles of the time and place in which the story is set. But the homework she did was just that: the time and place in which the story is set. I still think she could have gone farther into the mind of Mr. Darcy. There was so little mention of things that would have been prominent in his mind--business, for example. Darcy's relationship with his sister, Georgiana, also bothers me. While it's obvious that he loves her and worries about her, I would expect them to be a bit closer than they are in Grange's story. (Speaking of Georgiana, how does she get over Wickham so fast? While the mention of him still makes her "uncomfortable," she seems to pretty much dismiss him as soon as her brother says jump. I would think that the subject would be more painful to her, even if she doesn't still love him, since she had spent so much time with him and planned to elope in such an uncharacteristic way.)
I should tell you that I do not read a lot of sequels or adaptations of classics, so my comparisons can only be to the classics themselves or to other, completely separate books that I have read. I probably enjoyed this book more than I would one about Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's romance after the wedding. Primarily, Grange's re-interpretation of Pride and Prejudice is a romance, where the woman challenges the man and he struggles to resist his love for her. It may not be quite as dramatic as all that, but that is the basic premise. I enjoyed the book, but I probably won't read it again.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Shopgirl
Shopgirl by Steve Martin is about a girl, Mirabelle, who works at a glove counter and sometimes makes charcoal drawings in her free time. Mirabelle is generally bored and often depressed, and Martin's novella is about her experiences as two new men enter her life and how her world is changed by them.
First Impression: Shopgirl by Steve Martin has the dry, understated humor that I've come to expect from the author. I never really know whether I like his characters or not, especially in the beginning of each book, and I'm still on the fence about the characters in this one. One thing I have realized is that I like his stories more when I'm listening to him read them than I do when reading them myself. Something in his tone, perhaps, changes the meaning of several sentences for me. I plan on watching the movie after listening to the piece, and I'm curious how the characters will transfer to screen.
Conclusion: I kind of predicted where the story was going, but that didn't ruin it for me. The characters became a little more balanced later in the novella, and even though I could not relate to any of them, I liked how they turned out. The ending has a smooth, comfortable feel to it, and everything felt resolved when the story ended. Although I enjoyed The Pleasure of My Company, another short piece by Martin, a bit more, Shopgirl is a nice, quick piece to read once or twice.
First Impression: Shopgirl by Steve Martin has the dry, understated humor that I've come to expect from the author. I never really know whether I like his characters or not, especially in the beginning of each book, and I'm still on the fence about the characters in this one. One thing I have realized is that I like his stories more when I'm listening to him read them than I do when reading them myself. Something in his tone, perhaps, changes the meaning of several sentences for me. I plan on watching the movie after listening to the piece, and I'm curious how the characters will transfer to screen.
Conclusion: I kind of predicted where the story was going, but that didn't ruin it for me. The characters became a little more balanced later in the novella, and even though I could not relate to any of them, I liked how they turned out. The ending has a smooth, comfortable feel to it, and everything felt resolved when the story ended. Although I enjoyed The Pleasure of My Company, another short piece by Martin, a bit more, Shopgirl is a nice, quick piece to read once or twice.
Monday, April 8, 2013
State of Wonder
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett is about a pharmacologist, Dr. Marina Singh, who is sent to the Amazon upon the death of her partner to check on the progress of a drug (for continued fertility in aging women) being developed by her former teacher. Upon acceptance into the arms of the studied tribe, Marina finds that nothing is how she expected it to be, and everything she discovers will change her view of her teacher, herself, and the world.
First Impression: Patchett's novel starts out with a stony tone. I did not initially feel connected to the characters, but after a few pages, I felt that the tone matched the subject well. This is not an uplifting book, at least so far. The main character is dealing with the death of a friend and colleague as well as a lot of problems she never fully addressed in the past. The characters and plot of this book are like lettuce leaves, revealing themselves more and more as each layer is removed. I find it very intriguing and am unable to make concrete predictions on the outcome of the novel.
Conclusion: I'll admit, when I first started this book, I did not necessarily expect to like it. With as many tears as it cost me, you might conclude that I didn't like it in the end, but I did. Patchett has a beautiful way of writing that describes things you would never expect and answers questions you would never think to ask. The places to which she takes you are at once horrible and beautiful; it seems to change at each moment. Patchett is not afraid to write about the uncomfortable and, sometimes, really terrible parts that are integral to the story. In fact, sometimes she jumps in very suddenly, and I am so shocked that I am unsure how to react afterward. All-in-all, this book is fantastic, but don't read it if you are wanting a happy ending. Not that it is unhappy per se, but there are two sides to everything in this novel, and sometimes it is hard to tell on which side you are standing.
First Impression: Patchett's novel starts out with a stony tone. I did not initially feel connected to the characters, but after a few pages, I felt that the tone matched the subject well. This is not an uplifting book, at least so far. The main character is dealing with the death of a friend and colleague as well as a lot of problems she never fully addressed in the past. The characters and plot of this book are like lettuce leaves, revealing themselves more and more as each layer is removed. I find it very intriguing and am unable to make concrete predictions on the outcome of the novel.
Conclusion: I'll admit, when I first started this book, I did not necessarily expect to like it. With as many tears as it cost me, you might conclude that I didn't like it in the end, but I did. Patchett has a beautiful way of writing that describes things you would never expect and answers questions you would never think to ask. The places to which she takes you are at once horrible and beautiful; it seems to change at each moment. Patchett is not afraid to write about the uncomfortable and, sometimes, really terrible parts that are integral to the story. In fact, sometimes she jumps in very suddenly, and I am so shocked that I am unsure how to react afterward. All-in-all, this book is fantastic, but don't read it if you are wanting a happy ending. Not that it is unhappy per se, but there are two sides to everything in this novel, and sometimes it is hard to tell on which side you are standing.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
P&P Challenge: Recorded Books Audio
The Recorded Books version of Pride and Prejudice is the complete and original text written by Jane Austen and narrated by Flo Gibson. Since I haven't really recapped the novel yet, I suppose I will for those who haven't read it. Pride and Prejudice is about one of five sisters, Elizabeth Bennet, in 19th-century England. The Bennet family is known in their area for having so many daughters and being generally pleasant, if a little obnoxious, people. Elizabeth is the second-eldest-daughter, and she has a bit more common sense than the others. When a rich gentleman and his friends move into the area and are introduced to everyone, there is a lot of hope and excitement that he will marry one of the local girls. The real surprise, however, comes from the new gentleman's best friend, Mr. Darcy, who at first spurns Elizabeth and then falls in love with her. This book is a classic observation of 19th-century British society, humanity, and how people continue to learn and change throughout life.
The Recorded Books audio version of Pride and Prejudice was interesting. Flo Gibson's voice has a slight rasp to it, which I found annoying at first. Her voice was pleasant; it just didn't seem to have enough variation for the characters. As the novel went on, however, I grew accustomed to the rasp, and Gibson expanded her tone and inflections to provide more variation. In the end, I found this version to be very enjoyable. It adds a calming quality, which I liked. I don't know if this is more due to Gibson's voice or the fact that I always take comfort in having a book read to me, but either way, it was worthwhile.
I know I haven't been updating my blog as often, but hopefully my previous posting frequency will resume in April. We just celebrated Gabe's first birthday, and it was great! I can't believe it's been a whole year. Also, I took a break from some more serious reading to speed through the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I've written mini-reviews for each book, but I plan on posting them all together after I read the companion and the last of the series, which is due to be published in May, I believe. Anyway, keep an eye out for some more great reading soon! I hope you all are having a wonderful early Spring!
The Recorded Books audio version of Pride and Prejudice was interesting. Flo Gibson's voice has a slight rasp to it, which I found annoying at first. Her voice was pleasant; it just didn't seem to have enough variation for the characters. As the novel went on, however, I grew accustomed to the rasp, and Gibson expanded her tone and inflections to provide more variation. In the end, I found this version to be very enjoyable. It adds a calming quality, which I liked. I don't know if this is more due to Gibson's voice or the fact that I always take comfort in having a book read to me, but either way, it was worthwhile.
I know I haven't been updating my blog as often, but hopefully my previous posting frequency will resume in April. We just celebrated Gabe's first birthday, and it was great! I can't believe it's been a whole year. Also, I took a break from some more serious reading to speed through the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I've written mini-reviews for each book, but I plan on posting them all together after I read the companion and the last of the series, which is due to be published in May, I believe. Anyway, keep an eye out for some more great reading soon! I hope you all are having a wonderful early Spring!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
P&P Challenge: 1980 BBC Miniseries
The 1980 BBC Miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice doesn't blow me out of the water. It's generally quieter, more low-key than the other versions I've seen, and perhaps that's because there isn't as much background music. I'm not sure who made that decision, but it's kind of distracting to me during most of the miniseries. Also, the dialogue is more similar to the book than in other movies based on Pride and Prejudice. This would be a good thing, but the lines are moved to different parts of the movie or shuffled around in conversations in a different order than originally intended. The effect is jumpy, as though some of the characters aren't listening to each other--they're just waiting a moment and then repeating their own lines without reference to those around them. And the acting on average is nothing to write home about. It's not that the actors are bad, but this is a very delicate story to act out. There have to be small nuances in facial expression and general body movement to communicate more than words. Without effective nonverbal communication I found it hard to immerse myself in the story as I usually would.
One thing I did like was David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy. At first, he seemed too standoff-ish and blank, but as the miniseries went on, I stopped comparing him to other movie Darcys and started only comparing him to the book itself. I found his version of Mr. Darcy to be an accurate representation of the original. The progression of his love for Elizabeth is detailed and very visible, too, which I liked.
Maybe I'm spoiled by the 1995 BBC miniseries, but the 1980 BBC miniseries disappointed me. It's not so much that it was bad, it's just that there are better ones I could be watching. I will say that this version of the story gets better as you watch it and each time you see it again. Also, due to time constraints, I couldn't sit down and watch the whole miniseries at once, so my mood probably affected my view of what was happening at the time more than it normally would.
One thing I did like was David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy. At first, he seemed too standoff-ish and blank, but as the miniseries went on, I stopped comparing him to other movie Darcys and started only comparing him to the book itself. I found his version of Mr. Darcy to be an accurate representation of the original. The progression of his love for Elizabeth is detailed and very visible, too, which I liked.
Maybe I'm spoiled by the 1995 BBC miniseries, but the 1980 BBC miniseries disappointed me. It's not so much that it was bad, it's just that there are better ones I could be watching. I will say that this version of the story gets better as you watch it and each time you see it again. Also, due to time constraints, I couldn't sit down and watch the whole miniseries at once, so my mood probably affected my view of what was happening at the time more than it normally would.
Running with Scissors
Augusten Burroughs's memoir, Running with Scissors, is about his life from around the age of ten or twelve until eighteen/adulthood. I listened to the Audio Renaissance version narrated by the author. The story begins with Augusten's childhood with his parents when Dr. Finch is first introduced into their lives. His parents begin seeing Dr. Finch for family counseling, which then evolves into his mother seeing Dr. Finch by herself for psychiatric counseling. When he is twelve, Augusten's mother gives custody of her son to Dr. Finch, and so begins a merry-go-round of craziness.
It was really hard for me to believe that this was a true story. Not that I doubted the truthfulness of Burroughs. Rather, parts of the story were just so incredible (not always or even usually in a good way) that I couldn't believe someone would actually do that, and then I took a beat to remember that the events recorded did, in fact, take place. Burroughs writing style is enjoyable and easy-to-read, novel style. He has a nice balance of dialogue and action, as well as humor and drama. So, even though I found this memoir strange, it was an enjoyable listen.
It was really hard for me to believe that this was a true story. Not that I doubted the truthfulness of Burroughs. Rather, parts of the story were just so incredible (not always or even usually in a good way) that I couldn't believe someone would actually do that, and then I took a beat to remember that the events recorded did, in fact, take place. Burroughs writing style is enjoyable and easy-to-read, novel style. He has a nice balance of dialogue and action, as well as humor and drama. So, even though I found this memoir strange, it was an enjoyable listen.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Name Challenge: Bread Alone
Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks is about a thirty-one-year-old woman, Wynter, whose husband decides that he no longer wants the life they've made together. Basically, this just means that he's unhappy with her. So, after lots of struggle and some other craziness, Wynter moves to Seattle (where her best friend lives) and makes a life for herself as an assistant bread baker in a local bakery.
First Impression: I'm a little wary of reading Bread Alone primarily because the main character is a middle-aged woman re-establishing her independence after her husband leaves her. I don't have anything against the situation itself, but there's a tendency toward weepy, boring, and predictable narrative for those characters, at least in novels I've read in the past. Also, I get the impression that Hendricks neglects certain small details which would enhance her characters. She is very attentive to specifics of the bread-making process, for example, but points out that CM, the main character's best friend, has beautiful feet. As a professional dancer (which CM is supposed to be), this is highly unlikely. If she does very much professional ballet dancing, her feet would be pretty messed-up. Maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal, but I think these details build-up a lot of an author's story with small amounts of space and effort. That being said, Hendricks's writing style is more compelling than a good deal of authors who have told similar stories. I'm not sure why I'm interested in how this book will continue, but I find myself intrigued by what might happen. Maybe it's the bread--who doesn't have hankerings for fresh bread, am I right? But whatever the reason may be, I hope the book becomes its own unique world with enough good detail to keep me going.
Conclusion: I didn't like the main character. Wynter was whiny and selfish and a bit of a brat. However, she did seem to be an accurate result of her past life. Her father spoiled her when she was a child, and friends, boyfriends, and her husband have been "taking care of her" ever since. I kept expecting her to learn from her mistakes, or at least to stop yelling at people and throwing big fits. The newly single woman only really learned anything at the end. She had an epiphany--not an increase in maturity, just an increase in understanding herself and what will make her happy. But even though I didn't really like Wynter, I still enjoyed the book. It's somewhat rare for me to say this, but I didn't need to like any of the main characters to enjoy the story. The way that Hendricks brought in pieces of the story (as well as flashbacks to important moments in Wynter's life) kept me intrigued, and I read this book fairly quickly. There are a few bread recipes in the book, as well, for those of you who look for books with recipes, patterns, and the like. To sum it up, this book didn't change my life, but I did enjoy it. If you happen to be browsing at the library or a book store and see this one on the shelf, pick it up. It's a fast and interesting read.
First Impression: I'm a little wary of reading Bread Alone primarily because the main character is a middle-aged woman re-establishing her independence after her husband leaves her. I don't have anything against the situation itself, but there's a tendency toward weepy, boring, and predictable narrative for those characters, at least in novels I've read in the past. Also, I get the impression that Hendricks neglects certain small details which would enhance her characters. She is very attentive to specifics of the bread-making process, for example, but points out that CM, the main character's best friend, has beautiful feet. As a professional dancer (which CM is supposed to be), this is highly unlikely. If she does very much professional ballet dancing, her feet would be pretty messed-up. Maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal, but I think these details build-up a lot of an author's story with small amounts of space and effort. That being said, Hendricks's writing style is more compelling than a good deal of authors who have told similar stories. I'm not sure why I'm interested in how this book will continue, but I find myself intrigued by what might happen. Maybe it's the bread--who doesn't have hankerings for fresh bread, am I right? But whatever the reason may be, I hope the book becomes its own unique world with enough good detail to keep me going.
Conclusion: I didn't like the main character. Wynter was whiny and selfish and a bit of a brat. However, she did seem to be an accurate result of her past life. Her father spoiled her when she was a child, and friends, boyfriends, and her husband have been "taking care of her" ever since. I kept expecting her to learn from her mistakes, or at least to stop yelling at people and throwing big fits. The newly single woman only really learned anything at the end. She had an epiphany--not an increase in maturity, just an increase in understanding herself and what will make her happy. But even though I didn't really like Wynter, I still enjoyed the book. It's somewhat rare for me to say this, but I didn't need to like any of the main characters to enjoy the story. The way that Hendricks brought in pieces of the story (as well as flashbacks to important moments in Wynter's life) kept me intrigued, and I read this book fairly quickly. There are a few bread recipes in the book, as well, for those of you who look for books with recipes, patterns, and the like. To sum it up, this book didn't change my life, but I did enjoy it. If you happen to be browsing at the library or a book store and see this one on the shelf, pick it up. It's a fast and interesting read.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)