en-US Wed, 23 Apr 2025 11:35:09 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 49824
Riding Whinney with Jondalar, the man she loves, and followed by the mare’s colt, Ayla ventures into the land of the Mamutoi--the Mammoth Hunters. She has finally found the Others she has been seeking. Though Ayla must learn their different customs and language, she is adopted because of her remarkable hunting ability, singular healing skills, and uncanny fire-making technique. Bringing back the single pup of a lone wolf she has killed, Ayla shows the way she tames animals. She finds women friends and painful memories of the Clan she left behind, and meets Ranec, the dark-skinned, magnetic master carver of ivory, whom she cannot refuse--inciting Jondalar to a fierce jealousy that he tries to control by avoiding her. Unfamiliar with the ways of the Others, Ayla misunderstands, and thinking Jondalar no longer loves her, she turns more to Ranec. Throughout the icy winter the tension mounts, but warming weather will bring the great mammoth hunt and the mating rituals of the Summer Meeting, when Ayla must choose to remain with Ranec and the Mamutoi, or to follow Jondalar on a long journey into an unknown future.]]> 688 Jean M. Auel 0553381644 midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites
I will say, if you're reading this series, in my humble opinion, book 2 and 3 are the best. Don't stop reading until you get through at least those, it'll be worth it. One of my favorite series ever!]]> 3.95 1985
author: Jean M. Auel
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1985
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/23
date added: 2025/04/23
shelves: classics, favorites
review:
Read this again and loved it. We see in this book Ayla's first interaction with people and it's exciting. They almost think she's magic with all her abilities. From her control over animals to her healing ability, to being able to talk to the young mixed Clan boy, she is constantly surprising the people she meets, and enchanting the reader. There are so many good moments in this book I can't possible go over them all, and I don't want to spoil anything.

I will say, if you're reading this series, in my humble opinion, book 2 and 3 are the best. Don't stop reading until you get through at least those, it'll be worth it. One of my favorite series ever!
]]> 40493 Librarian note: See an alternate cover edition here.

This unforgettable odyssey into the distant past carries us back to the awesome mysteries of the exotic, primeval world of The Clan of the Cave Bear, and to Ayla, now grown into a beautiful and courageous young woman.

Cruelly cast out by the new leader of the ancient Clan that adopted her as a child, Ayla leaves those she loves behind and travels alone through a stark, open land filled with dangerous animals but few people, searching for the Others, tall and fair like herself. The short summer gives her little time to look, and when she finds a sheltered valley with a herd of hardy steppe horses, she decides to stay and prepare for the long glacial winter ahead. Living with the Clan has taught Ayla many skills but not real hunting. She finally knows she can survive when she traps a horse, which gives her meat and a warm pelt for the winter, but fate has bestowed a greater gift, an orphaned foal with whom she develops a unique kinship. One winter extends to more; she discovers a way to make fire more quickly and a wounded cave lion cub joins her unusual family, but her beloved animals don't fulfill her restless need for human companionship. Then she hears the sound of a man screaming in pain. She saves tall, handsome Jondalar, who brings her a language to speak and an awakening of love and desire, but Ayla is torn between her fear of leaving her valley and her hope of living with her own kind.]]> 564 Jean M. Auel 0553381660 midnightfaerie 5
I feel like I can never do these books justice in explaining just how great they are. Think of Little House on the Prairie, but for adults. They talk about the lifestyle and how things are made, from tools, to customs, to medicinal plants, to societal customs, etc. It's fascinating and entertaining. They we have the story of Ayla, a young girl of "the Others", who gets lost during an earthquake and attacked by cave lions. A sympathetic woman of "the Clan" takes her in and thus begins her life with the Clan of the Cave Bear - a people who are thought by the others to be animals because they don't speak, look so very different, and don't adhere to the same customs. Little do the Others know that they do speak, but with their hands, because of how their brain is developed. They also have so many other interesting characteristics, like they can access the memories of their ancestors. So a medicine woman only has to "recall" a memory of the medicine woman before her, to be able to treat a patient with a new plant or method. Ayla learns endurance and strength as one of the clan but finally, as an adult, in this book, she is cast out.

This is book 2 in the series and finds Ayla wandering, trying to find a place in the world and follow the advice of the woman who raised her by trying to find the "Others". In the meantime, she makes leaps and bounds in innovativeness in hunting and ways of life, because she is put to the test in the elements of the harsh world of the ice age. But she is strong and finds friends among the animals she comes to "treat".

Meanwhile, every other chapter tells the story of two brothers and their journey to the end of the "Great Mother River". They are handsome and their realtionship is close. They have many adventures and meet many people along the way. Thonolan falls in love with a beautiful woman, and Jondalar, a man who can have any woman he wants, struggles to fall in love with any of them.

I don't feel like I'm giving anything away, because it's obvious these two new characters will have something to do with Ayla. And in the front of the book, there's a map that shows the path of both the brothers and Ayla, and where they finally intersect. There is so much excitement and suspense leading up to momentous action scenes, that each page has me wishing it would never end.

Auel does an amazing job explaining the lifestyles of the Clan - the people we have evolved from - to the "Others" - the people we turn into. Her years of research into the ice age (a time of history I have NEVER been interested in) makes it fun and exciting. I kid you not, this story is akin to Harry Potter to me in the fact that it has unforgettable characters, tons of action, a great storyline, and a love story for the ages - all while learning about the past. I love historical fiction and this was the series that did it for me.

Don't miss out on this just because you might think it "looks boring" or is too long. It's easy, fun, reading and I think book 2 and 3 are my favorite. Highly, highly recommended.]]> 4.03 1982
author: Jean M. Auel
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1982
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: classics, historical-fiction, favorites, fiction, literature
review:
Wow, just wow. I have always loved these books and have not read them in a while. I had forgotten how good they are. I know they taper off at book five, but the first four are some of the best stories I have ever read. I flew through this one. Ever since Harry Potter came out, (another favorite of mine), I've reread those at least ten times and hadn't picked these up in some time. But I wanted my teenage sons to read them. And as we were choosing their next book, I thought I'd read the first one with them again. So glad I did. Took me very little time to get through this one, I didn't want to stop.

I feel like I can never do these books justice in explaining just how great they are. Think of Little House on the Prairie, but for adults. They talk about the lifestyle and how things are made, from tools, to customs, to medicinal plants, to societal customs, etc. It's fascinating and entertaining. They we have the story of Ayla, a young girl of "the Others", who gets lost during an earthquake and attacked by cave lions. A sympathetic woman of "the Clan" takes her in and thus begins her life with the Clan of the Cave Bear - a people who are thought by the others to be animals because they don't speak, look so very different, and don't adhere to the same customs. Little do the Others know that they do speak, but with their hands, because of how their brain is developed. They also have so many other interesting characteristics, like they can access the memories of their ancestors. So a medicine woman only has to "recall" a memory of the medicine woman before her, to be able to treat a patient with a new plant or method. Ayla learns endurance and strength as one of the clan but finally, as an adult, in this book, she is cast out.

This is book 2 in the series and finds Ayla wandering, trying to find a place in the world and follow the advice of the woman who raised her by trying to find the "Others". In the meantime, she makes leaps and bounds in innovativeness in hunting and ways of life, because she is put to the test in the elements of the harsh world of the ice age. But she is strong and finds friends among the animals she comes to "treat".

Meanwhile, every other chapter tells the story of two brothers and their journey to the end of the "Great Mother River". They are handsome and their realtionship is close. They have many adventures and meet many people along the way. Thonolan falls in love with a beautiful woman, and Jondalar, a man who can have any woman he wants, struggles to fall in love with any of them.

I don't feel like I'm giving anything away, because it's obvious these two new characters will have something to do with Ayla. And in the front of the book, there's a map that shows the path of both the brothers and Ayla, and where they finally intersect. There is so much excitement and suspense leading up to momentous action scenes, that each page has me wishing it would never end.

Auel does an amazing job explaining the lifestyles of the Clan - the people we have evolved from - to the "Others" - the people we turn into. Her years of research into the ice age (a time of history I have NEVER been interested in) makes it fun and exciting. I kid you not, this story is akin to Harry Potter to me in the fact that it has unforgettable characters, tons of action, a great storyline, and a love story for the ages - all while learning about the past. I love historical fiction and this was the series that did it for me.

Don't miss out on this just because you might think it "looks boring" or is too long. It's easy, fun, reading and I think book 2 and 3 are my favorite. Highly, highly recommended.
]]> 50659468
Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she's now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people.

As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre's hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future-and the future of a world in turmoil.

Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her dazzling, sexy, action-packed series to new heights.]]> 626 Sarah J. Maas 1635575583 midnightfaerie 5 fantasy, favorites, romance
First of all, I didn't feel a lot of heat in the first one. I kept thinking Rhysand was so much more of an interesting character and that's exactly where she went. The heat was palpable and even though it's been in the single digits here in Ohio temperature wise, I found myself fanning myself as I read. It was hot. So much sexual tension and build up it was amazing. The story is flipped on its head and makes soooooooooooo much more sense now. I can see why Maas did it this way, although she's playing a risky game hoping the first book was enough to pull people into the second one. In this case, it paid off. It was an interesting enough story that I was curious to how it would continue and let me tell you, I'm so glad I did because this second book was amazing. Just the romance alone was enough to keep me going. But there was so much more.

I don't want to give too much away for people who haven't read it yet, but the plot thickens, Feyre comes into her self and her powers and look out bad guys, cause you are in for a bloody treat! It's almost like Mass is walking up stairs with each book. The first step has Feyre falling in love and going through hell which allows personal growth. The second step is the same thing only on a more intense level. If this pattern continues I can only imagine how amazing this series is going to be. I'm already imagining the resolution of this story in so many ways. Some things I can guess coming, but I never know how exactly. And this author continually throws me for a loop on this one.

Some of the friendships and relationships in this one are so cool and I can't wait to see how they develop, especially as time goes on. I hope some of these other characters get their due in their own story as well. They really deserve it, they are all so interesting.

I have a guilty pleasure to admit as well. I've done something with this book that I never have before. Lots of these fantasy series talk about making TV series but for the first time I went on Pinterest and looked at the fan casting boards for this one if they make the TV series and I had so much fun going down the rabbit hole of which actors would play which characters. I think Henry Cavil was my favorite but I'm not sure if he'd play Tamlin or Rysand. I think in my heart of hearts I'd want him to play Rhys. I've always had a thing for the dark, broken, characters. They ones everyone always sees as bad, but I think are redeemable. I liked Rhys from the very first time we saw him at the festival in the first book. He just resonated with me.

Well, not much else to say without spoilers. Loved the book. Absolutely better than the first and can't wait for the rest. I immediately picked up the third book in the series when I was done with this one and started reading. Highly recommended.]]> 4.65 2016
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.65
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/15
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves: fantasy, favorites, romance
review:
Wow. Just wow. So the first book was subpar and if you read my review you'll see I liked it but wasn't impressed. I also said I'd admit if I was wrong, and well, I was wrong. Maas came out with a bang in this one and did all the things I longed for in the first one. I'm guessing it was just a build up to introduce our characters? Well then, I can now appreciate that first book a little more.

First of all, I didn't feel a lot of heat in the first one. I kept thinking Rhysand was so much more of an interesting character and that's exactly where she went. The heat was palpable and even though it's been in the single digits here in Ohio temperature wise, I found myself fanning myself as I read. It was hot. So much sexual tension and build up it was amazing. The story is flipped on its head and makes soooooooooooo much more sense now. I can see why Maas did it this way, although she's playing a risky game hoping the first book was enough to pull people into the second one. In this case, it paid off. It was an interesting enough story that I was curious to how it would continue and let me tell you, I'm so glad I did because this second book was amazing. Just the romance alone was enough to keep me going. But there was so much more.

I don't want to give too much away for people who haven't read it yet, but the plot thickens, Feyre comes into her self and her powers and look out bad guys, cause you are in for a bloody treat! It's almost like Mass is walking up stairs with each book. The first step has Feyre falling in love and going through hell which allows personal growth. The second step is the same thing only on a more intense level. If this pattern continues I can only imagine how amazing this series is going to be. I'm already imagining the resolution of this story in so many ways. Some things I can guess coming, but I never know how exactly. And this author continually throws me for a loop on this one.

Some of the friendships and relationships in this one are so cool and I can't wait to see how they develop, especially as time goes on. I hope some of these other characters get their due in their own story as well. They really deserve it, they are all so interesting.

I have a guilty pleasure to admit as well. I've done something with this book that I never have before. Lots of these fantasy series talk about making TV series but for the first time I went on Pinterest and looked at the fan casting boards for this one if they make the TV series and I had so much fun going down the rabbit hole of which actors would play which characters. I think Henry Cavil was my favorite but I'm not sure if he'd play Tamlin or Rysand. I think in my heart of hearts I'd want him to play Rhys. I've always had a thing for the dark, broken, characters. They ones everyone always sees as bad, but I think are redeemable. I liked Rhys from the very first time we saw him at the festival in the first book. He just resonated with me.

Well, not much else to say without spoilers. Loved the book. Absolutely better than the first and can't wait for the rest. I immediately picked up the third book in the series when I was done with this one and started reading. Highly recommended.
]]> 1295 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here

This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love. Through Jean M. Auel’s magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves The Clan of the Cave Bear.

A natural disaster leaves the young girl wandering alone in an unfamiliar and dangerous land until she is found by a woman of the Clan, people very different from her own kind. To them, blond, blue-eyed Ayla looks peculiar and ugly--she is one of the Others, those who have moved into their ancient homeland; but Iza cannot leave the girl to die and takes her with them. Iza and Creb, the old Mog-ur, grow to love her, and as Ayla learns the ways of the Clan and Iza’s way of healing, most come to accept her. But the brutal and proud youth who is destined to become their next leader sees her differences as a threat to his authority. He develops a deep and abiding hatred for the strange girl of the Others who lives in their midst, and is determined to get his revenge.]]> 512 Jean M. Auel 0553381679 midnightfaerie 5
The way Auel tells the story is captivating, our heroine, Ayla, a strong character, and an independent woman. She is sometime we can all aspire to be. Then there's the fun storylines, for example, Ayla is a healer, so when she finds a wounded animal she can't help but take care of it. In this way she starts to collect unusual animals as pets, something no one has done during this time, as animals are for food and pelts only. But because she does, she's looked upon with awe, almost as if she's magic, and it leads to some of the most superbly fantastic storylines ever.

Not to mention Auel's descriptions of the life during this time period. You think it sounds boring, but understanding how they hunted, and how they made tools, and how they gathered, and the social heirachy of the people, etc. etc. etc. is engrossing, not to mention educational. I love it. I love everything about this series. I will say it's one of my all time favorites and has been for many years, but I often stop at book four or five. The last two books tend to go on a bit much about the cave paintings and not as much about Ayla and her life. I like cave paintings and learning about them and all, but not 1000 pages of it. Auel got older and wanted to finish the series and I think she was looking for inspiration on how to finish it when she started touring europe and learning all about the prehistoric cave, particularly the cave drawings. This is what she mostly puts into the last two books and after a while I get bored. But I don't care, the first four books, even part of the 5th book, makes such a compelling story that it will forever be one of my favorite series of all time. This says a lot considering how much I've read.

I highly recommend this series. If you're looking for something different, and liked Little House as a kid, give this one a try. But try to stick it out until Ayla get a little older. At least until a quarter into the book, as it gets more interesting as time goes on.]]> 4.03 1980
author: Jean M. Auel
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1980
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves: classics, literature, historical, fiction, historical-fiction, favorites
review:
This is the 3rd or 4th time I've read through this series. It's one of my absolute favorites and this time was no exception. Everytime I read through it, I like it more. This time I'm reading through the first one with some of my kids, but I think I'll continue on to at least the first 4 books in the series, as they're my favorite. Whenever I try to tell people about this book, the storyline sounds so lame and boring, I can never do justice on what an incredible book this is. So fascinating and fun to read. It reminds me of a grown up verson of Little House on the Prairie.

The way Auel tells the story is captivating, our heroine, Ayla, a strong character, and an independent woman. She is sometime we can all aspire to be. Then there's the fun storylines, for example, Ayla is a healer, so when she finds a wounded animal she can't help but take care of it. In this way she starts to collect unusual animals as pets, something no one has done during this time, as animals are for food and pelts only. But because she does, she's looked upon with awe, almost as if she's magic, and it leads to some of the most superbly fantastic storylines ever.

Not to mention Auel's descriptions of the life during this time period. You think it sounds boring, but understanding how they hunted, and how they made tools, and how they gathered, and the social heirachy of the people, etc. etc. etc. is engrossing, not to mention educational. I love it. I love everything about this series. I will say it's one of my all time favorites and has been for many years, but I often stop at book four or five. The last two books tend to go on a bit much about the cave paintings and not as much about Ayla and her life. I like cave paintings and learning about them and all, but not 1000 pages of it. Auel got older and wanted to finish the series and I think she was looking for inspiration on how to finish it when she started touring europe and learning all about the prehistoric cave, particularly the cave drawings. This is what she mostly puts into the last two books and after a while I get bored. But I don't care, the first four books, even part of the 5th book, makes such a compelling story that it will forever be one of my favorite series of all time. This says a lot considering how much I've read.

I highly recommend this series. If you're looking for something different, and liked Little House as a kid, give this one a try. But try to stick it out until Ayla get a little older. At least until a quarter into the book, as it gets more interesting as time goes on.
]]> 23919 821 Edgar Allan Poe 0385074077 midnightfaerie 5

The Raven


The Fall of the House of Usher


Annabel Lee


The Murders In The Rue Morgue


The Pit and the Pendulum


Ligeia


William Wilson


The Cask of Amontillado


The Tell-Tale Heart


The Gold-Bug


Some Words With a Mummy


The Masque of the Red Death


The City in the Sea


Never Bet the Devil Your Head


The Black Cat


The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket


Landor's Cottage


Spirits of the Dead


Berenice


A Descent into the Maelstrom


A Predicament


A Tale of Jerusalem


A Tale of the Ragged Mountains


Bon-Bon


Diddling, Considered as One of the Exact Sciences


Eleonora


Four Beasts in One: The Homo-Cameleopard


Hop Frog


How to Write a Blackwood Article


King Pest


Lionizing


Loss of Breath


Mellonta Tauta


Mesmeric Revelation


Metzengerstein


Morella


Manuscript Found in a Bottle


Mystification


Shadow: A Parable


Silence: A Fable


Angel of the Odd


The Assignation


The Business Man


The Colloquy of Monos and Una


The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion


The Devil in the Belfry


The Duc de L'Omelette


The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar


The Imp of the Perverse


The Island of the Fay


The Lighthouse


The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq.


The Man of the Crowd


The Man that was Used Up


The Mystery of Marie Rogêt


The Oblong Box


The Oval Portrait


The Premature Burial


The Purloined Letter


The Power of Words


The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether


The Domain of Arnheim


The Spectacles


The Sphinx


The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade


The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall


Thou Art the Man


Why the Little Frenchman Wears His Hand in a Sling


Three Sundays in a Week


Von Kempelen and His Discovery


X-ing a Paragrab


The Bells


A Dream Within A Dream


Alone


Dream-Land
]]> 4.39 1849
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1849
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: currently-reading, classics, rory-gilmore, favorites
review:
Next to Dickens, one of my favorite authors of all time. Nothing warms my heart more than a spooky atmosphere and a twisted mind. The King of Horror, in my opinion, and one of the greatest writers ever. His beautiful prose gets me every time. Works reviewed separately below, but not every single one, just some of my favorites and those most well known.


The Raven


The Fall of the House of Usher


Annabel Lee


The Murders In The Rue Morgue


The Pit and the Pendulum


Ligeia


William Wilson


The Cask of Amontillado


The Tell-Tale Heart


The Gold-Bug


Some Words With a Mummy


The Masque of the Red Death


The City in the Sea


Never Bet the Devil Your Head


The Black Cat


The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket


Landor's Cottage


Spirits of the Dead


Berenice


A Descent into the Maelstrom


A Predicament


A Tale of Jerusalem


A Tale of the Ragged Mountains


Bon-Bon


Diddling, Considered as One of the Exact Sciences


Eleonora


Four Beasts in One: The Homo-Cameleopard


Hop Frog


How to Write a Blackwood Article


King Pest


Lionizing


Loss of Breath


Mellonta Tauta


Mesmeric Revelation


Metzengerstein


Morella


Manuscript Found in a Bottle


Mystification


Shadow: A Parable


Silence: A Fable


Angel of the Odd


The Assignation


The Business Man


The Colloquy of Monos and Una


The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion


The Devil in the Belfry


The Duc de L'Omelette


The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar


The Imp of the Perverse


The Island of the Fay


The Lighthouse


The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq.


The Man of the Crowd


The Man that was Used Up


The Mystery of Marie Rogêt


The Oblong Box


The Oval Portrait


The Premature Burial


The Purloined Letter


The Power of Words


The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether


The Domain of Arnheim


The Spectacles


The Sphinx


The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade


The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall


Thou Art the Man


Why the Little Frenchman Wears His Hand in a Sling


Three Sundays in a Week


Von Kempelen and His Discovery


X-ing a Paragrab


The Bells


A Dream Within A Dream


Alone


Dream-Land

]]> 25497812 Edgar Allan Poe midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites, poetry In each nook most melancholy, --
For the heart whose woes are legion
'Tis a peaceful, soothing region ��

Another poem that touches my heart so! As we walk through dream-land �� a place dark and sad with memories around every corner �� a dreary place �� yet, the true dreamer finds a type of peace there, one they can’t get by day. As they wander through the swamps of regret and the dark forest of remembrance, the traveler feels at home here, for it is his life and his alone that he granted these choices to and has come to peace with his decisions on how he lived, righteously or no. So poignant and hauntingly beautiful, Poe does it again.
]]> 3.72
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.72
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: classics, favorites, poetry
review:
By each spot the most unholy --
In each nook most melancholy, --
For the heart whose woes are legion
'Tis a peaceful, soothing region ��

Another poem that touches my heart so! As we walk through dream-land �� a place dark and sad with memories around every corner �� a dreary place �� yet, the true dreamer finds a type of peace there, one they can’t get by day. As they wander through the swamps of regret and the dark forest of remembrance, the traveler feels at home here, for it is his life and his alone that he granted these choices to and has come to peace with his decisions on how he lived, righteously or no. So poignant and hauntingly beautiful, Poe does it again.

]]> 2208200 Edgar Allan Poe 9562919048 midnightfaerie 5 classics, poetry, favorites 4.23 1829
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1829
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: classics, poetry, favorites
review:
Wow, just wow. This one really touched me. It was not published until after his death and it was inscribed in an autograph album. They weren't sure it was his at first but then they verified it. I feel like it says a lot about Poe and anyone who loves Poe is going to have this poem resonate with them. I don't want to go into the meaning of this poem and take it apart. It's beautiful and needs to sit with me for awhile as a friend. I need to digest it. I've been looking for a quote from one of my favorite classical authors for a tattoo and I might have found it...
]]> 49628
Cloud Atlas begins in 1850 with Adam Ewing, an American notary voyaging from the Chatham Isles to his home in California. Along the way, Ewing is befriended by a physician, Dr. Goose, who begins to treat him for a rare species of brain parasite. . . .

Abruptly, the action jumps to Belgium in 1931, where Robert Frobisher, a disinherited bisexual composer, contrives his way into the household of an infirm maestro who has a beguiling wife and a nubile daughter. . . . From there we jump to the West Coast in the 1970s and a troubled reporter named Luisa Rey, who stumbles upon a web of corporate greed and murder that threatens to claim her life. . . . And onward, with dazzling virtuosity, to an inglorious present-day England; to a Korean superstate of the near future where neocapitalism has run amok; and, finally, to a postapocalyptic Iron Age Hawaii in the last days of history.

But the story doesn't end even there. The narrative then boomerangs back through centuries and space, returning by the same route, in reverse, to its starting point. Along the way, Mitchell reveals how his disparate characters connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky.

As wild as a videogame, as mysterious as a Zen koan, Cloud Atlas is an unforgettable tour de force that, like its incomparable author, has transcended its cult classic status to become a worldwide phenomenon.]]> 509 David Mitchell 0375507256 midnightfaerie 5
“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.��

So many literary references, many I know I didn’t get and so many I probably missed. The juxtaposition of the characters along side the different genres posed an interesting thought process that I have to admit was difficult at first. The story changed so rapidly it was hard to process the events with the words. I kept telling the story to slow down so my mind could catch up.

“A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.��

There were a few times I wasn’t sure I would finish it, getting caught up in the tangled plots and getting frustrated at trying to figure out where it was headed. But like most things, it was about the journey, not necessarily the end.

“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.��

The writing was so beautiful, I found myself often stopping in the middle of the page to just digest what Mitchell was trying to say and how it related to the story, and then, how it related to my life as a whole.

“People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching.��

Overall, it was an amazing book. Something I think everyone should read. It’s a journey in self -exploration from beginning to end and I believe will and should someday be labeled a classic.
“Power, time, gravity, love. The forces that really kick ass are all invisible.”]]> 4.02 2004
author: David Mitchell
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/22
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
A book like nothing else I have ever read. A mess of genres and storylines, interweaving and jumping forward in time, only to circle back and end back in the history, then forward again to be back where it started. It was beautiful.

“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.��

So many literary references, many I know I didn’t get and so many I probably missed. The juxtaposition of the characters along side the different genres posed an interesting thought process that I have to admit was difficult at first. The story changed so rapidly it was hard to process the events with the words. I kept telling the story to slow down so my mind could catch up.

“A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.��

There were a few times I wasn’t sure I would finish it, getting caught up in the tangled plots and getting frustrated at trying to figure out where it was headed. But like most things, it was about the journey, not necessarily the end.

“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.��

The writing was so beautiful, I found myself often stopping in the middle of the page to just digest what Mitchell was trying to say and how it related to the story, and then, how it related to my life as a whole.

“People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching.��

Overall, it was an amazing book. Something I think everyone should read. It’s a journey in self -exploration from beginning to end and I believe will and should someday be labeled a classic.
“Power, time, gravity, love. The forces that really kick ass are all invisible.��
]]> 1712675
The "Cambridge English Dictionary" defines an imp as a "small evil spirit." The same dictionary says this about "perverse" as a noun, "strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy." Combine those two and that's a statement. There's murder here. And madness. What else would you expect from Poe?

Librarian's note: this entry is for the story, "The Imp of the Perverse." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere on ŷ������.]]> 24 Edgar Allan Poe 1594561818 midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites
"But out of this our cloud upon the precipice's edge, there grows into palpability, a shape, far more terrible than any genius, or any demon of a tale, and yet it is but a thought, although a fearful one, and one which chills the very marrow of our bones with the fierceness of the delight of its horror."

How can anyone not appreciate the genius of the way this man writes?!?

]]> 3.63 1845
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.63
book published: 1845
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/15
date added: 2024/08/15
shelves: classics, favorites
review:
Oh Poe, you beautiful man! What a great work of art! This one is hard to describe. For lack of a better description, it's somewhat about doing wrong for wrong's sake. Poe takes a look into our psyche (not a pretty picture - especially his) using the "science" of phrenology, and attempts to analyze why we do the things we do. His writing style, is, as always, perfection - humorous and unique. From murder to procrastination, his way of looking at our actions as we go from realizing the desires to the fulfillment of our wishes, takes us on a journey of our own mind and allows us, for a moment, to wonder at our motivations. This is definitely one of my favorites of Poe's and will add it to my favorites list.

"But out of this our cloud upon the precipice's edge, there grows into palpability, a shape, far more terrible than any genius, or any demon of a tale, and yet it is but a thought, although a fearful one, and one which chills the very marrow of our bones with the fierceness of the delight of its horror."

How can anyone not appreciate the genius of the way this man writes?!?


]]> 6346177 12 Edgar Allan Poe midnightfaerie 5 "I thought angels had wings?" I asked.
"My Gott! Vhat am I, a chicken?" the Angel of the Odd replied.


And so goes many a conversation with the Angel of the Odd, an angel of sorts with a German accent who is very silly and causes many unbelievable things to happen to our narrator. This happens only after our narrator reads something implausible in the newspaper and prides himself on his superior intellect for recognizing the poppycock. However, our angel has many lessons to teach, the main one being that sometimes impossible things DO in fact happen, and can happen for no explainable reason.

I found this story hilarious and entertaining, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions and wished it was longer. Just another example of the versatility of Poe's writing.]]> 3.36 1844
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.36
book published: 1844
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/20
date added: 2024/07/20
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
"I am the Angel of the Odd," said a voice.
"I thought angels had wings?" I asked.
"My Gott! Vhat am I, a chicken?" the Angel of the Odd replied.


And so goes many a conversation with the Angel of the Odd, an angel of sorts with a German accent who is very silly and causes many unbelievable things to happen to our narrator. This happens only after our narrator reads something implausible in the newspaper and prides himself on his superior intellect for recognizing the poppycock. However, our angel has many lessons to teach, the main one being that sometimes impossible things DO in fact happen, and can happen for no explainable reason.

I found this story hilarious and entertaining, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions and wished it was longer. Just another example of the versatility of Poe's writing.
]]> 7119391
The good signora has aspirations. She would like to be a writer. At present she is the corresponding secretary to an interesting group of notables in Philadelphia which goes by a lengthy name with the initials of P.R.E.T.T.Y. B.L.U.E. B.A.T.C.H.!

But how to get published? She travels to Edinburgh to meet with the esteemed proprietor and editor of 'Blackwood Magazine.' A real publication of the 1830s. He proceeds to tell her about the kinds of articles that catch the attention of readers in Blackwood's.

Another humorous Poe short story. But is there more to it then that?]]> 26 Edgar Allan Poe midnightfaerie 5
Besides that, the humor is so intellectual and often viewed as over the head of the reader, I think most people don't see that he's not necessarily trying to write over the head of the reader, but instead for the common man, showing him many different sides to the author. I believe, like many writers, Poe didn't necessarily wanted to be limited by the horror genre, instead showing he could be funny and have other facets to his works. Think about some other horror writers, Stephen King for example. He's considered one of the best horror writers of his time, but many people don't realize how many other things he wrote about. One of my favorites was Shawshank Redemption, a heart wrenching story about a man who was wrongly imprisoned.

I'm a big fan of Poe, and love to see the other techniques of literature he jumps into. I found this very funny, and even though I might not have gotten all the jokes (I don't presume to be one of the readers who didn't felt like it was over my head) I absolutely loved his style of writing on this one. I plan to read this one again and again. I wish I had a literary professor to discuss the whole thing with me. Highly recommended.
]]> 2.96 1838
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 2.96
book published: 1838
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/12
date added: 2024/06/12
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
This one was so interesting. If you're not reading creepy horror, you often instead get to see Poe's dry humor and forthcoming wit. Many don't get this piece, thinking it's just a silly writing about a woman who wants to be a writer. But like a few other reviewers on this site, I think there's more to this story. I think he likes to write the funny ones as a change once in a while, but I believe there's always a piece of himself in his writings, which makes them so good. I see the advice the man gives to the wannabe writer as mannerisms in the style of his own writings.

Besides that, the humor is so intellectual and often viewed as over the head of the reader, I think most people don't see that he's not necessarily trying to write over the head of the reader, but instead for the common man, showing him many different sides to the author. I believe, like many writers, Poe didn't necessarily wanted to be limited by the horror genre, instead showing he could be funny and have other facets to his works. Think about some other horror writers, Stephen King for example. He's considered one of the best horror writers of his time, but many people don't realize how many other things he wrote about. One of my favorites was Shawshank Redemption, a heart wrenching story about a man who was wrongly imprisoned.

I'm a big fan of Poe, and love to see the other techniques of literature he jumps into. I found this very funny, and even though I might not have gotten all the jokes (I don't presume to be one of the readers who didn't felt like it was over my head) I absolutely loved his style of writing on this one. I plan to read this one again and again. I wish I had a literary professor to discuss the whole thing with me. Highly recommended.

]]> 8436693
The short entry is an essay on "diddling," a word which has gone out of style. Yet it seems to us that it would still serve a very useful purpose today. What is a diddle? The best way to describe it can be found in the Cambridge English Dictionary: "to get money from someone in a way that is not honest." They use examples of, "He diddled me! He said that there were six [items] in a bag, but there were only five." Or, "I checked the bill and realized the restaurant had diddled me out of £5." Poe is writing about a type of commercial fraud, smaller and more personal in nature than defrauding a bank on a large land deal for example.

Poe sets out the characteristics of diddling and diddlers: minuteness, (self)-interest, perseverance, ingenuity, audacity, nonchalance, originality, impertinence, and grinning. He then proceeds to outline numerous examples of diddling in the 1840s. Different times, but with the same objective, to part you from your money.

Librarian's note: this entry is for the story, "Diddling." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere on ŷ������.]]> 26 Edgar Allan Poe 1594561710 midnightfaerie 5 2.98 1843
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 2.98
book published: 1843
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/17
date added: 2024/05/17
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
This story just tickled me pink and had me chuckling all the way through. Although a word not used much anymore, Diddling was often directed at less than honest people, especially during Poe's time. Even though it might sound like something lewd, it actually means to swindle people out of their money in a dishonest way. Poe's dive into being a human dictionary along with the numerous examples he gave along the way made this one of my favorite Poe's in awhile. Well written and engaging, his tongue-in-cheek style is reminiscent of sarcasm when used as a weapon, teaching those ignorant souls who are attacked with synonyms of what the word represents. It's almost as if a librarian wrote it. I enjoyed it thoroughly and so far, it's one of my favorites.
]]> 6656 This Everyman’s Library edition–containing in one volume all three cantos, Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso–includes an introduction by Nobel Prize—winning poet Eugenio Montale, a chronology, notes, and a bibliography. Also included are forty-two drawings selected from Botticelli’s marvelous late-fifteenth-century series of illustrations.

Translated in this edition by Allen Mandelbaum, The Divine Comedy begins in a shadowed forest on Good Friday in the year 1300. It proceeds on a journey that, in its intense recreation of the depths and the heights of human experience, has become the key with which Western civilization has sought to unlock the mystery of its own identity.

Mandelbaum’s astonishingly Dantean translation, which captures so much of the life of the original, renders whole for us the masterpiece of that genius whom our greatest poets have recognized as a central model for all poets.]]> 798 Dante Alighieri 0679433139 midnightfaerie 5
Never knew where this quote came from. Now I do. Just another example of why everyone should read some of the classics. Besides having a better understanding of literature and the world we live in, it helps us see through the eyes of the people who came before us, what was important to them and how they viewed the world. The Divine Comedy was actually almost a comedy for me. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the events and I found myself endlessly fascinated by what Dante perceived as just punishments for particular sins. I thought that his portrayal of the deepest part of Hell, in the middle of the earth as frozen, instead of hot, interesting as well.

I know there is so much symbology in this piece of work, but it would take years to sort it all out. I wonder why Virgil was his guide of choice for Hell and Purgatory and why he wasn’t allowed into Heaven. Many believe Beatrice, his love and guide into Heaven, is really a representation of his faith. I don’t agree. I don’t think it’s all deep as that, and the love of his life makes his way into his work like she has in some of his past works. Regret can sometimes have more hold than sin, or become a sin in its own right when obsession kicks in.

“The more a thing is perfect, the more it feels pleasure and pain.��

I love this quote. It’s so apt to this piece of work and something everyone can relate to. At the heart of the sin in this story is the pleasure and pain we derive from it and its punishments. Again, a common human condition.

“The Devil is not as black as he is painted.��

Probably my absolute favorite quote, suggesting that the Devil, is really more like us than we suppose. Drawn to sin, struggling to survive, wrestling with moral dilemmas, we often see the Devil as the epitome of all evil, but here Alighieri suggests that he is nothing more than a creature who also struggles with the human condition, and his incessant need to be closer to God, using rebellion for attention instead of good works.

Overall, I thought this poem was much easier to understand than I anticipated, and quite enjoyable. It reads more like a story than a poem, it’s something everyone can relate to, and it’s obviously withstood the test of time. A classic in its own right, this is one I’ll be digesting for a while, piecing it apart, and relating it to other works. I also see myself reading it again someday. Highly recommended and very well written.]]> 4.08 1320
author: Dante Alighieri
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1320
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/01
date added: 2024/05/01
shelves: rory-gilmore, classics, literature, poetry, favorites
review:
“All hope abandon, ye who enter here.��

Never knew where this quote came from. Now I do. Just another example of why everyone should read some of the classics. Besides having a better understanding of literature and the world we live in, it helps us see through the eyes of the people who came before us, what was important to them and how they viewed the world. The Divine Comedy was actually almost a comedy for me. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the events and I found myself endlessly fascinated by what Dante perceived as just punishments for particular sins. I thought that his portrayal of the deepest part of Hell, in the middle of the earth as frozen, instead of hot, interesting as well.

I know there is so much symbology in this piece of work, but it would take years to sort it all out. I wonder why Virgil was his guide of choice for Hell and Purgatory and why he wasn’t allowed into Heaven. Many believe Beatrice, his love and guide into Heaven, is really a representation of his faith. I don’t agree. I don’t think it’s all deep as that, and the love of his life makes his way into his work like she has in some of his past works. Regret can sometimes have more hold than sin, or become a sin in its own right when obsession kicks in.

“The more a thing is perfect, the more it feels pleasure and pain.��

I love this quote. It’s so apt to this piece of work and something everyone can relate to. At the heart of the sin in this story is the pleasure and pain we derive from it and its punishments. Again, a common human condition.

“The Devil is not as black as he is painted.��

Probably my absolute favorite quote, suggesting that the Devil, is really more like us than we suppose. Drawn to sin, struggling to survive, wrestling with moral dilemmas, we often see the Devil as the epitome of all evil, but here Alighieri suggests that he is nothing more than a creature who also struggles with the human condition, and his incessant need to be closer to God, using rebellion for attention instead of good works.

Overall, I thought this poem was much easier to understand than I anticipated, and quite enjoyable. It reads more like a story than a poem, it’s something everyone can relate to, and it’s obviously withstood the test of time. A classic in its own right, this is one I’ll be digesting for a while, piecing it apart, and relating it to other works. I also see myself reading it again someday. Highly recommended and very well written.
]]> 58345 The Awakening shocked readers with its honest treatment of female marital infidelity. Audiences accustomed to the pieties of late Victorian romantic fiction were taken aback by Chopin's daring portrayal of a woman trapped in a stifling marriage, who seeks and finds passionate physical love outside the confines of her domestic situation.

Aside from its unusually frank treatment of a then-controversial subject, the novel is widely admired today for its literary qualities. Edmund Wilson characterized it as a work "quite uninhibited and beautifully written, which anticipates D. H. Lawrence in its treatment of infidelity." Although the theme of marital infidelity no longer shocks, few novels have plumbed the psychology of a woman involved in an illicit relationship with the perception, artistry, and honesty that Kate Chopin brought to The Awakening.]]> 195 Kate Chopin 0543898083 midnightfaerie 5
In doing so, her husband gets increasingly irritated, and even goes so far as to announce her sick in the head she is behaving so abnormally. She begins to paint and ignore her responsibilities, and for the first time in her life, considers what she wants instead of everyone else. This book was scandalous and disparaged when it first came out, as a woman thinking for herself was unheard of and quietly discouraged.

Any women who is married or has children will understand and relate to Edna's plight. This book touched a chord with me that I haven't acknowledged in awhile. While women have the same feelings and passions and wants and needs of all humans, we often put them aside as caregivers. Whether it's society's view urging us on to be a good wife or mother, or internal guilt that makes us give our whole lives to the upkeep of others wellbeing, it often takes over our whole life and we forget to take care of ourselves or view it as not as important. Hopelessness and despair set in quickly when you feel like your backed into a corner.

I loved this book and felt Chopin did a good job putting Edna through all the emotions from Ennui to desperation. So many women suffer in silence and place all their self worth in the caring of others. Many hide in this purpose, unwilling and fearful to explore their own feelings. I could absolutely relate to this book and think there are many others out there that would relate to it as well. The story touched my heart in a way I haven't in awhile and would recommend this to anyone looking for better understanding of a wife and mother. It's withstood the test of time and relates on many common themes - a definite classic.
]]> 3.69 1899
author: Kate Chopin
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.69
book published: 1899
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/05
date added: 2024/03/05
shelves: classics, literature, rory-gilmore, favorites
review:
Our dear Edna goes the way of many women during this age - when hopelessness sets in after struggling to come to terms with who she is and what she wants out of life - she feels like there are no options left for her in life. In a time when toxic masculinity was real, and men used polite gestures and platitudes to make their wives conform to their wishes, women often were left with no real choices in what they could get out of life. Mrs. Edna Pontellier goes through the motion of a good wife and mother, deferring to her children's wishes and her husbands expectations until suddenly one day she is awoken by desire. A passion she's never before experienced engulfs her and she doesn't quite know what to do about it. She starts to rebel in little ways, doing more of what she wants and less of what society expects of her.

In doing so, her husband gets increasingly irritated, and even goes so far as to announce her sick in the head she is behaving so abnormally. She begins to paint and ignore her responsibilities, and for the first time in her life, considers what she wants instead of everyone else. This book was scandalous and disparaged when it first came out, as a woman thinking for herself was unheard of and quietly discouraged.

Any women who is married or has children will understand and relate to Edna's plight. This book touched a chord with me that I haven't acknowledged in awhile. While women have the same feelings and passions and wants and needs of all humans, we often put them aside as caregivers. Whether it's society's view urging us on to be a good wife or mother, or internal guilt that makes us give our whole lives to the upkeep of others wellbeing, it often takes over our whole life and we forget to take care of ourselves or view it as not as important. Hopelessness and despair set in quickly when you feel like your backed into a corner.

I loved this book and felt Chopin did a good job putting Edna through all the emotions from Ennui to desperation. So many women suffer in silence and place all their self worth in the caring of others. Many hide in this purpose, unwilling and fearful to explore their own feelings. I could absolutely relate to this book and think there are many others out there that would relate to it as well. The story touched my heart in a way I haven't in awhile and would recommend this to anyone looking for better understanding of a wife and mother. It's withstood the test of time and relates on many common themes - a definite classic.

]]> 7785 48 Dr. Seuss 0007158513 midnightfaerie 5 the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go."


One of the most iconic quotes of Dr. Suess as well as my favorite, this book talks about the different ways in which to read and all the things you can learn about when you read. One of my favorites of his, Dr. Suess will always be on the top of my list of classical and influential authors of all time.]]> 4.18 1978
author: Dr. Seuss
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1978
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/18
date added: 2024/02/18
shelves: classics, childrens, literature, favorites
review:
"The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go."


One of the most iconic quotes of Dr. Suess as well as my favorite, this book talks about the different ways in which to read and all the things you can learn about when you read. One of my favorites of his, Dr. Suess will always be on the top of my list of classical and influential authors of all time.
]]> 180785866
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872 �� 1906) was an American poet. Born to freed slaves, he became one of the most prominent African-American poets of his time in the 1890s. "We Wear the Mask" was first published in Dunbar's 1895 Majors and Minors, which was his second volume of poems.]]> 1 Paul Laurence Dunbar midnightfaerie 5 classics, poetry, favorites 3.86 2012
author: Paul Laurence Dunbar
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/14
date added: 2024/02/14
shelves: classics, poetry, favorites
review:
An amazing piece of work by a humble but brilliant man. I read this for the first time as a teen and had no idea the man behind the poem or what it was about but it immediately became my favorite poem and I proceeded to memorize it. As an adult, it's still my favorite poem and I can still recite it. I've been working my way through PLD's life works and biography for the past few years and have found so many other writings that I love. He had such an interesting life and such a sad end. Highly recommended, this author will always be one of my favorites.
]]> 204779
In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms.

The story follows many traditions of Gothic fiction and is often analyzed as an allegory about the inevitability of death, though some critics advise against an allegorical reading. Many different interpretations have been presented, as well as attempts to identify the true nature of the titular disease.

Librarian's note: this entry relates to the story "The Masque of the Red Death." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere on ŷ������.]]> 129 Edgar Allan Poe 1594567395 midnightfaerie 5 4.09 1842
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1842
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/18
date added: 2024/01/18
shelves: classics, literature, horror, favorites
review:
Another one of my favorites of Poe's. So creepy. Maybe it's my imagination but I can totally imagine something like this happening. I remember being at a dance club once in my college years and I got the same feeling described in the story. It was almost like a pure evil. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves but I felt distinctly uneasy all of a sudden. I remember getting out of there pretty quickly. Never knew if something happened there, but I don't regret leaving that night. This story reminded me of that. Love the way Poe writes. This would be a fun one to see in a play.
]]> 18062427 0 Various 1482943204 midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant


Eveline by James Joyce


The Lottery Ticket by Anton Chekhov


Adventure by Sherwood Anderson


The Death of a Soldier by Louisa May Alcott


The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin


A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin


A Society by Virginia Woolf


The Death of a Government Clerk by Anton Chekhov


The Ice Palace by F. Scott Fitzgerald


The Nice People by Henry Cuyler Bunner


The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald


Wild Life in a Southern County by Richard Jeffries


Brown Wolf by Jack London


A Blackjack Bargainer by O. Henry


Mountain Man by Robert Ervin Howard


Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address


The Orange Fairy Book by Andrew Lang


The Stone of Invisibility from the Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio


The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras Country by Mark Twain


Prince Bull by Charles Dickens


The Story of the Good Little Boy by Mark Twain


The Story of the Bad Little Boy by Mark Twain


The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde


The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry


Eve's Diary by Mark Twain


The Yellow Fairy Book by Andrew Lang


The Willie Klump Stories - Skip Tracer Bullets by Joe Archibald


Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad by M.R. James


The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs


An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce


The Prophets�� Paradise by Robert W. Chambers


Death and the Woman by Gertrude Atherton


Pickman's Model by H.P. Lovecraft


Spectre Bridegroom by Washington Irving


The Open Window by Saki


Beyond Lies the Wub by Phillip K. Dick]]> 4.67 2013
author: Various
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/17
date added: 2024/01/17
shelves: classics, favorites
review:
Beautiful collection of short stories by a number of different classical authors. A joy to read. Found some authors in here I had never read before and can't wait to read again. I think so many people discount collections of short stories as not as important as the popular works, or too easy. But to have such a great collection of so many great authors really helps in finding those you will enjoy reading. And the plethora of diversity makes for such fun. I couldn't wait to start the next story. Everyone was a surprise. Couldn't find the list of these stories anywhere, so hopefully someone looking to read this book can reference this list to see what's actually in the book.


The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant


Eveline by James Joyce


The Lottery Ticket by Anton Chekhov


Adventure by Sherwood Anderson


The Death of a Soldier by Louisa May Alcott


The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin


A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin


A Society by Virginia Woolf


The Death of a Government Clerk by Anton Chekhov


The Ice Palace by F. Scott Fitzgerald


The Nice People by Henry Cuyler Bunner


The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald


Wild Life in a Southern County by Richard Jeffries


Brown Wolf by Jack London


A Blackjack Bargainer by O. Henry


Mountain Man by Robert Ervin Howard


Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address


The Orange Fairy Book by Andrew Lang


The Stone of Invisibility from the Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio


The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras Country by Mark Twain


Prince Bull by Charles Dickens


The Story of the Good Little Boy by Mark Twain


The Story of the Bad Little Boy by Mark Twain


The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde


The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry


Eve's Diary by Mark Twain


The Yellow Fairy Book by Andrew Lang


The Willie Klump Stories - Skip Tracer Bullets by Joe Archibald


Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad by M.R. James


The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs


An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce


The Prophets�� Paradise by Robert W. Chambers


Death and the Woman by Gertrude Atherton


Pickman's Model by H.P. Lovecraft


Spectre Bridegroom by Washington Irving


The Open Window by Saki


Beyond Lies the Wub by Phillip K. Dick
]]> 19248155 -The language of over a hundred years ago has been extensively modernized.
-End notes, interpretation, and discussion of major themes follow the text.
-Biographical information on Saki included.
-Every effort has been made to keep the story as close to the original as possible.
-Modern readers will better understand a young lady's mischievous prank that shows the value of imagination in providing a meaningful life experience.
For more short stories in easy to understand modern English search for "George Lakon" and "Simplified for Modern Readers."]]> 7 Saki midnightfaerie 5 3.82 1911
author: Saki
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.82
book published: 1911
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/16
date added: 2024/01/16
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
I absolutely loved this story. Great for an around the campfire spooky tale, this author has a wonderful way of drawing you in and wondering what is really real and what isn't. The story starts out with a teenage type girl answering her front door to an already nervous man here to see her aunt. She starts by telling him she'll be down in a minute. They make small talk and then she asks him if he knows why their window is always kept open. She begins to weave a tale of extreme sadness which horrifies the man. Events get sticky when they begin to spy moving objects outside the window. The man grows pale and panic ensues. A tale of horror or amusement? You decide.
]]> 662 This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators?

Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world’s motor �� and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story.

Tremendous in its scope, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life �� from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy �� to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction �� to the philosopher who becomes a pirate �� to the composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph �� to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad �� to the lowest track worker in her Terminal tunnels.

You must be prepared, when you read this novel, to check every premise at the root of your convictions.

This is a mystery story, not about the murder �� and rebirth �� of man’s spirit. It is a philosophical revolution, told in the form of an action thriller of violent events, a ruthlessly brilliant plot structure and an irresistible suspense. Do you say this is impossible? Well, that is the first of your premises to check.]]> 1168 Ayn Rand 0452011876 midnightfaerie 5 favorites, classics
Note: I think that even if someone doesn't agree with the ideologies of Rand, if they're honest, they have to at least admit her writing is amazing. I'm really not convinced that the people who wrote how awful this book is, aren't really attributing their dislike for Rand's opinions to her style of writing.


]]> 3.67 1957
author: Ayn Rand
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1957
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/01/12
shelves: favorites, classics
review:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand opened a whole new world for me. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The Earth Children’s Series by Jean Auel were my favorite books until reading this and now they both are. Picking up some of the classics to read on my list in Barnes & Noble, I ran into an older gentleman who worked there and noticed what I was perusing. He recommended Atlas Shrugged and I had never heard of it. When I realized it was the same person who wrote Fountainhead, I thought that it sounded vaguely familiar but I had not known of it or could remember anything I had heard about it. So, I bought the paperback with the tiny writing and over 1000 pages. I can not tell you how much I absolutely loved this book. It took me about 200 pages to get into it. I was never much on philosophy and didn’t know much about this Objectivism that Any Rand was writing about. But she used politics as an analogy, and threw in her beliefs about Capitalism which I very much agreed with, so after getting past the setup of the story, I was abruptly drawn in. Objectivism specializes in showing how all our motives are really just stem from selfishness or should be, leading up to the pursuit of one’s own happiness. She wraps this idea around a government in America in the 40’s who begin to embrace Socialism at its worst and follows it to its extreme. It reaffirmed everything I believed in concerning taxes, welfare, and monopolies. An economy that is forced over time to subject itself to extreme socialism eventually fails, and the book, in a nutshell, ends with all social structures collapsing, and NY growing dark for lack of energy being able to be piped to it. Meanwhile, in a little valley far away, the most intelligent, productive minds of the era, make plans for economy regrowth with plenty of new and innovative ideas thrown in. Ideas that they were not allowed to possess in the socialist economy. It also had some good romance thrown in for good measure. It was beautifully written and touched me deeply. I wanted to run around shouting yes! This is what will happen if we let Obama get his way with our health care! But since I don’t have a pulpit, only a car, I instead got a bumper sticker that said, Who is John Galt? Hopefully that might cause at least one person in this world to sit up and ask some questions, like I did. I already got an older copy of Fountainhead and added it to my list of must read classics. I also began acquiring any book written by or about Ayn Rand that I could find. She is a phenomenal writer. I absolutely loved this book and her writing is in such a class all its own, it is, it its own right, a classic.

Note: I think that even if someone doesn't agree with the ideologies of Rand, if they're honest, they have to at least admit her writing is amazing. I'm really not convinced that the people who wrote how awful this book is, aren't really attributing their dislike for Rand's opinions to her style of writing.



]]> 286957
In a private journal, the woman records her growing obsession with the “horrid�� wallpaper. Its strange pattern mutates in the moonlight, revealing what appears to be a human figure in the design. With nothing else to occupy her mind, the woman resolves to unlock the mystery of the wallpaper. Her quest, however, leads not to the truth, but into the darkest depths of madness.

A condemnation of the patriarchy, The Yellow Wallpaper explores with terrifying economy the oppression, grave misunderstanding, and willful dismissal of women in late nineteenth-century society.

First published in January 1892 in The New England Magazine.

Excerpt:
Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. I always fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, and that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try.]]> 62 Charlotte Perkins Gilman 1558611584 midnightfaerie 5
The woman, like many during her time, who complained of anxiety and depression, was not allowed to work, and even forced to take naps after each meal. She didn’t want to sleep, she wanted to write and go back to work, but her husband, Richard who was a doctor, told her no and forbid it. They went to reside in the country side for a small getaway, even though her husband still occasionally went back to work while she was there. She asked to sleep in the bedroom on the main floor, so she could see the beautiful roses, but again, her husband said the upper bedroom was better, even though it obviously had belonging to some children, being their nursery and possible doom, considering the faded yellow wallpaper that hung there. She stared at it day after day and eventually, it began to move. The smell, the color, and the pattern all induced this woman to go slowly crazy.

She began to imagine women coming out of the wallpaper and creeping through the gardens she could see from each window. She began to think her husband was acting queer and maybe even having an affair. Eventually she locked herself in the room and proceeded to tear it from the walls.

This amazing story was beautifully written and touched me in a way the other stories I have read lately, didn’t. I, too, suffer from anxiety and depression, although with every other person claiming the same milady in recent years, it probably doesn’t mean much. But I could see this woman in my mind’s eye wasting away not only physically but also mentally and emotionally as well. When she began to creep around the room as the woman in the wallpaper did, I could see the grotesque disfigurement of her slim body as the patterns on the walls distorted her movement. I could see how her husband didn’t listen to her at all and saw her condition as nothing more than a fancy that she made up in her head. A fancy that she could just will away if she had wanted to.

Men, for many years, and even in today’s age, often don’t take a woman’s words at face value. I could see the disappointment and feel the languid wasting away of this woman’s intellect with no one to value or believe her. The story was so vivid, I sometimes could imagine that I would see that wallpaper at night around my room as it shimmered and waved. Eventually, according to an afterword by the author, she got through to at least some other doctors and a few began to change their practices and treatment of the same illness she had. According to this afterword, this was her intention, and not to cause anyone to go sick with madness. She herself never went mad, but her intention was to create a story of what would happen to one of these women who were left unchecked by a self-important doctor of such symptoms.

I loved this story and felt Gilman did a fabulous job of getting her opinion across, so much so, that it came close to being labeled as horror. It was written well and the imagery fantastic. Can’t wait to read more by Gilman. Highly recommended.
]]> 4.11 1892
author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1892
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/11
date added: 2024/01/11
shelves: classics, favorites, literature
review:
First published in 1892, The Yellow Wallpaper got much acclaim as well as much discouragement. Many doctors and other experts wrote Miss Charlotte Perkins Gilman, telling her that making a woman who has an anxious disorder to stop working would never result in such extreme madness as the woman in her story. In fact, the story itself was so horrific that it would endeavor to make people crazy just by reading it. Gilman of course, disagreed, but her story continued to get a lot of attention.

The woman, like many during her time, who complained of anxiety and depression, was not allowed to work, and even forced to take naps after each meal. She didn’t want to sleep, she wanted to write and go back to work, but her husband, Richard who was a doctor, told her no and forbid it. They went to reside in the country side for a small getaway, even though her husband still occasionally went back to work while she was there. She asked to sleep in the bedroom on the main floor, so she could see the beautiful roses, but again, her husband said the upper bedroom was better, even though it obviously had belonging to some children, being their nursery and possible doom, considering the faded yellow wallpaper that hung there. She stared at it day after day and eventually, it began to move. The smell, the color, and the pattern all induced this woman to go slowly crazy.

She began to imagine women coming out of the wallpaper and creeping through the gardens she could see from each window. She began to think her husband was acting queer and maybe even having an affair. Eventually she locked herself in the room and proceeded to tear it from the walls.

This amazing story was beautifully written and touched me in a way the other stories I have read lately, didn’t. I, too, suffer from anxiety and depression, although with every other person claiming the same milady in recent years, it probably doesn’t mean much. But I could see this woman in my mind’s eye wasting away not only physically but also mentally and emotionally as well. When she began to creep around the room as the woman in the wallpaper did, I could see the grotesque disfigurement of her slim body as the patterns on the walls distorted her movement. I could see how her husband didn’t listen to her at all and saw her condition as nothing more than a fancy that she made up in her head. A fancy that she could just will away if she had wanted to.

Men, for many years, and even in today’s age, often don’t take a woman’s words at face value. I could see the disappointment and feel the languid wasting away of this woman’s intellect with no one to value or believe her. The story was so vivid, I sometimes could imagine that I would see that wallpaper at night around my room as it shimmered and waved. Eventually, according to an afterword by the author, she got through to at least some other doctors and a few began to change their practices and treatment of the same illness she had. According to this afterword, this was her intention, and not to cause anyone to go sick with madness. She herself never went mad, but her intention was to create a story of what would happen to one of these women who were left unchecked by a self-important doctor of such symptoms.

I loved this story and felt Gilman did a fabulous job of getting her opinion across, so much so, that it came close to being labeled as horror. It was written well and the imagery fantastic. Can’t wait to read more by Gilman. Highly recommended.

]]> 261240
It is set in a nameless Italian city in an unspecified year (possibly during the eighteenth century) and concerns the revenge taken by the narrator on a friend who he claims has insulted him. Like several of Poe's stories, and in keeping with the 19th-century fascination with the subject, the narrative revolves around the possibility of a person being buried alive or enclosed in a small space with not possibility of escape (aka immurement).

Librarian's note: this entry relates to the story "The Cask of Amontillado." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere on ŷ������.]]> 24 Edgar Allan Poe 1594561869 midnightfaerie 5 classics, horror, favorites 4.09 1846
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1846
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/05
date added: 2024/01/05
shelves: classics, horror, favorites
review:
"The Cask of Amontillado" is probably one of my favorites of Poe’s so far. Creepy and dark in the most wonderful of ways, this is a great one to read around Halloween. Although the Pit and the Pendulum encompasses the terror of torture so nicely, I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be worse to be bricked up behind a wall and slowly whither and die while your screams are heard by no one. Just when I think Poe can’t get more maudlin and depraved, he surprised me pleasantly once again with a new story and twist. A great addition to his collection, and a must read for any Poe fan.
]]> 264158 This volume reprints all 26 of Doré's detailed, masterly engravings from a rare 19th-century edition of the poem. Relevant lines from the poem are printed on facing pages and the complete text is also included. Admirers of Doré will find ample evidence here of his characteristic ability to capture the mood and meaning of a work of literature in striking imagery; lovers of The Raven will delight in seeing its mournful musing on love and loss given dramatic pictorial form.]]> 64 Edgar Allan Poe 0486290727 midnightfaerie 4 4.31 1845
author: Edgar Allan Poe
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1845
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/09
date added: 2023/11/09
shelves: classics, literature, poetry, rory-gilmore, horror, favorites
review:
If you haven't heard at least part of The Raven, you can only live under a rock. This poem is so popular it's become something of geek culture to like it. It's written in typical Poe - dark, spooky, and ever so entertaining. Poe has a very strong style that's easy to recognize and I feel he's one of those authors that you either love or hate. I'm on the love side, always have been, always will. He touches my heart in a way that brings my teenager-angsty-goth-rebellious-self back to life, and reminisce fondly about those days when my friends and I wore all black and spoke of only the evil in the world. He's fun to read and his imagery is superb. Highly recommended.
]]> 60574470 4 Saki midnightfaerie 5 classics, horror, favorites 4.08
author: Saki
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.08
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/03
date added: 2023/11/03
shelves: classics, horror, favorites
review:
I have to admit, I laughed out loud at the end, totally not expecting it, and so delighted with the conclusion. A short one, but so worth it, and perfect for the spooky Halloween season. It's my last read for Halloween this year, but definitely the best. A man visits a teen girl's aunt, who is upstairs and will be down in a minute. So he has an interesting, if not stilted, conversation with the girl. She talks of the open window and why it is open until dusk everyday. Turns out the family has a heart wrenching, pitiful story, one that draws you in, in a matter of minutes, perhaps even seconds. This adds to the horror the man must feel when the end events happen. I really don't want to give it away, but it was so good. This is one I will remember the next time I'm asked to tell a spooky story around a campfire. Highly recommended.
]]> 677552 32 Oscar Wilde 0399224483 midnightfaerie 5 4.10 1888
author: Oscar Wilde
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1888
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/13
date added: 2023/10/13
shelves: classics, favorites, literature
review:
As the story started out, I could somewhat see where it was headed. A tale of caution for those not willing to open their hearts. But the ending had me flabbergasted. I had thought that Wilde was not a Christian, at least I had never read anything that indicated that he was. But this story hints differently. I'm still not completely sure, but it's interested me enough to learn more about the man Wilde and have begun searching for some biographies and other works from him. This story was amazing, and touched me in a way I hadn't by books for some time. Highly recommended.
]]> 10556174 Good Read. Robert E. Howard midnightfaerie 5 You have to give the main character a chance because there's a little buildup with him and where the plot is going but it gets there. So much happens to the poor man who only had to go to town to pick up a letter for his father. Truly a most enjoyable story.]]> 3.62 1934
author: Robert E. Howard
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.62
book published: 1934
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/02
date added: 2023/10/02
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
This is my first Howard and I've never been much into Conan the Barbarian, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What a delightful surprise! I found myself laughing heartily throughout this story. In the beginning I was like, this guy is an idiot, but what a fun story! It makes me think of the stories where the main character is an idiot but always seems to come out on top like The Pink Panther or Mr. Bean.
You have to give the main character a chance because there's a little buildup with him and where the plot is going but it gets there. So much happens to the poor man who only had to go to town to pick up a letter for his father. Truly a most enjoyable story.
]]> 2915975 48 F. Scott Fitzgerald 1419167006 midnightfaerie 5
Sally Carol is a beautiful southern girl who falls in love with a northerner and travels north to her fiancés' home to see where she will be living. It's not what she expected and no matter how hard she tries, she can't make it feel like home. Still so much animosity between the north and the south, no one is really welcoming to her except a professor she talks to one night. She makes a great effort, to try all the cold things, from skiing to snowshoeing but realizes that the other adults think the excursions are childish and are only humoring her. Then one night her fiancés' true feelings about southerners come out and it's their first big fight.

The climax of the story happens at the Ice Palace, a beautiful creating of ice walls formed into a sort of maze for the winter carnival. Sally Carol is faced with the truth, herself, and a decision; which her heart and soul end up making for her of their own accord.

Beautifully written and so explicit in detail the story draws you in. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Fitzgerald and have made a mental note to add more of his works to my list for next year.]]> 3.56 1920
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.56
book published: 1920
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/16
date added: 2023/09/16
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
Wow. I forgot how eloquently Fitzgerald writes. I just fall into his stories and never want to come out.

Sally Carol is a beautiful southern girl who falls in love with a northerner and travels north to her fiancés' home to see where she will be living. It's not what she expected and no matter how hard she tries, she can't make it feel like home. Still so much animosity between the north and the south, no one is really welcoming to her except a professor she talks to one night. She makes a great effort, to try all the cold things, from skiing to snowshoeing but realizes that the other adults think the excursions are childish and are only humoring her. Then one night her fiancés' true feelings about southerners come out and it's their first big fight.

The climax of the story happens at the Ice Palace, a beautiful creating of ice walls formed into a sort of maze for the winter carnival. Sally Carol is faced with the truth, herself, and a decision; which her heart and soul end up making for her of their own accord.

Beautifully written and so explicit in detail the story draws you in. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Fitzgerald and have made a mental note to add more of his works to my list for next year.
]]> 6566531 136 Virginia Woolf 9600212414 midnightfaerie 5
“What shall I teach my daughter?��

“Once she learns how to read, there’s only one thing you can teach her to believe in, that is herself.��
]]> 3.87 1921
author: Virginia Woolf
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1921
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
“It is the object of life to produce good people and good books��, the society of young women say, as they sit around drinking tea. It is the conclusion they come to after realizing that maybe they should bare children anymore until they can figure out if the men are producing something meaningful. An amazing story, Virginia Woolf’s storytelling abilities surpass those of normal classical authors in the way in which she portrays the immediate thought of each character as it comes to her mind. Almost as if there were many different thoughts in a jumble of different conversations, but they come together to form a unique style of writing and a cohesive theme throughout. I’ve never read Woolf before and a story about the importance of reading (as well as other things �� such as perhaps a commentary on the evolution of woman’s role vs. men in society?) was a great first read for me. It took me a bit to understand her methods and I went back several times going over the words, only because they were so quotable! This whole story could be seen as excellent literary quotes. I can see why she’s deemed a classical author and I’d have to agree. I very much enjoyed this and highly recommend it. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite parting quotes:

“What shall I teach my daughter?��

“Once she learns how to read, there’s only one thing you can teach her to believe in, that is herself.��

]]> 2267195 32 Kate Chopin 078915479X midnightfaerie 5 4.08 1894
author: Kate Chopin
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1894
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/13
date added: 2023/09/13
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
Wow. My first Kate Chopin and it was exquisite. She touched me to my soul, even though this was yet, another short story about death. However, this one had a few twists and turns I wasn't expecting and I found myself right there with our main character and her dilemma. When she felt something coming, and I kept thinking "What is it? Her own death? Depression? What?" and it was something totally unexpected, it blew my mind. Loved how she turned the story on it's side and threw the reader for a loop. I'll have to read some more of her. Loved it.
]]> 24874356 Miss McEnders --
The story of an hour --
Nég Créol --
A pair of silk stockings.]]> 64 Kate Chopin 0141398531 midnightfaerie 5 3.65 1897
author: Kate Chopin
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.65
book published: 1897
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/13
date added: 2023/09/13
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
Well, if all of Chopin's stuff is this good, she's going to move to the top of my classical favorites real fast. The Awakening has been on my list for a while but I'm going to have to add it to next year's "to read" list. Seriously, this was just as amazing as The Story of an Hour. Chopin has a way of writing that speaks to a woman's soul. Maybe it's because I've been married with kids for 20 years or maybe it's just because I find myself in a rut lately, but this one really touched me. Our Little Mrs. Summers unexpectedly comes across an extra $15 one day and, like a good mom, immediately begins to make a mental list of all the things her kids need. Then, suddenly, as she is shopping, something comes over her, and without thinking she begins to buy things. This is so much more than a story of a woman who is in desperate need of some self care, and without giving too much away, I have to say my favorite part was the end. Again, I loved this mostly because Chopin has a way of writing that really spoke to me and I have a feeling she might get under the skin of other women readers as well. It's sad she wasn't more appreciated during her time.
]]> 29751398 The Power the world is a recognizable place: There's a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; and a tough London girl from a tricky family. But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power: They can cause agonizing pain and even death. With this small twist of nature, the world drastically resets.]]> 341 Naomi Alderman 0670919985 midnightfaerie 5
However, I’m not stupid, and I still see the inequality that goes on. I was a programmer for many years in a “Good ol�� boy�� company. I saw how women were underpaid doing the same job as men. I saw and spoke to the women managers surrounded by male managers. I heard their stories of being hit on constantly. I saw their struggles to be seen as competent, when they tried to be nice there were seen as “weak�� and when they tried to be tough they were called a “bitch��. This is a real thing and it’s still happening. There is indeed a glass ceiling although you don’t hear too much about it. I have hobbies like board gaming and often hang out with a group of my guy friends, who sometimes even themselves fall into male gender roles they don’t realize. We’d be playing a game for a few hours for example, and someone would be like, we should make something to eat, and they’d all look at me. I’d be like “What? I’m the girl so I’m in charge of cooking?�� Whatever!

That being said, this book really spoke to me. It’s a story about woman, specifically it starts with teenage girls, that begin to have the ability to shock others with hands. This gives women, over time, extreme power over the men. Naomi Alderman does a good job of exploring all aspects of this change over time. How the fear in men begins to form a hatred in some so they try to fight back. Others think nuclear weapons are the answer. Some women think men should be subservient to them at all times, no matter the situation, and should be punished with pain and humility when they disobey. I think I related to the ones who strived more for equality and peace. But every faction was there. Overtime these feelings escalated and came to a head.

Alderman shows the world as it would be if women were in charge and honestly, in some ways it’s not much different than how it’s run now. I don’t want to give too much away so I won’t give examples.

I can see some men I know hearing about this book and rolling their eyes. In fact, I’ve seen it. I was trying to describe this book to a man in my life and that’s exactly the reaction I got, as if he was tired of hearing about woman complaining about lack of rights. It took me aback, for a minute. Remember, I’m one of those quiet ones, I don’t speak up much about these feelings. But I found myself to be extremely irritated. I wondered how he’d handle having to go somewhere at night in a big city and having to be careful not to walk down certain streets if he were a woman. Nowadays, if I were to walk down a street in the dark known as a hang out for bad men and get raped, I’d be blamed. “Why would you do that? Go somewhere you know to be dangerous?�� They’d ask. But let me ask, why should there be any streets I can’t walk down? In the book, this is turned around and men begin to get scared going out alone in these areas. I don’t want to sound trite, but it made me a little self-satisfied to read it. Men don’t have to worry as much about these things. (Yes, I know there are exceptions.) But it might be nice for some of them to realize what it feels like when we have to be careful about going on blind dates, and where we walk, and being told we shouldn’t be uber drivers because who knows who we’ll pick up? In that way, this book was very satisfying.
But like all human nature, there are always people who go too far. Those are the ones who have, of course, been hurt more terribly by men. The ones who are constantly underestimated, or passed over, or are raped. When does it stop when you hurt others because they hurt you? It will never end if revenge is your main objective. So other objectives and ideas are thrown into the mix. It made for a compelling and highly engaging book.

I also really enjoyed how Alderman started out with the premise that she was reading a script for a book written by a man. I won’t give away the end, but I laughed out loud when I read the last line. It was a stroke of brilliance on Alderman’s part.
The more I think about it, the more I think this could be considered a classic or at the very least required reading for a school room. I see it along the lines of a book like Fahrenheit 451 or Lord of the Flies where we see a story from a different viewpoint and see what happens when this viewpoint is allowed to go too far. We can learn from these books and viewpoints. I have three teenage boys and I think in a few years I will make them read this book and then discuss it with them. In a world where middle class white males are beginning to have less and less of a voice, I’d be curious to see how they’d respond to this kind of world.

If I’ve upset you with my opinions, I don’t mean to. More and more I hesitate to state how I’m really feeling, not wanting to get into a huge political debate that often turns ugly. Everyone has a right to an opinion. And you’ll never make anyone see your side of things by putting them down for what they believe. That being said, I welcome any intelligent, respectful, discussions. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the tv show on Amazon Prime. I’ve seen the first two episodes and am already enjoying it. Although I think leaving out the fact it started as a book manuscript was a mistake. But they might still add that in. Who knows?
]]> 3.75 2016
author: Naomi Alderman
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/20
date added: 2023/04/20
shelves: classics, drama, favorites, literature, science-fiction
review:
A thought-provoking story like none other than I’ve read in a long time. I’m not a huge feminist, at least I’m not the kind of person that speaks out on those topics or goes to rally’s and such. I’m more of a quiet female empowerment kind of girl, knowing that I’m smart and capable of taking care of myself, but don’t feel the need to shout it to the world. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just not me. My 20-year marriage is strong because we allow each other to be stereotypically in our individual gender roles. For example, I could change a tire if I wanted to, but when I let my husband do it, he feels needed and loved. We do this for each other and it works.

However, I’m not stupid, and I still see the inequality that goes on. I was a programmer for many years in a “Good ol�� boy�� company. I saw how women were underpaid doing the same job as men. I saw and spoke to the women managers surrounded by male managers. I heard their stories of being hit on constantly. I saw their struggles to be seen as competent, when they tried to be nice there were seen as “weak�� and when they tried to be tough they were called a “bitch��. This is a real thing and it’s still happening. There is indeed a glass ceiling although you don’t hear too much about it. I have hobbies like board gaming and often hang out with a group of my guy friends, who sometimes even themselves fall into male gender roles they don’t realize. We’d be playing a game for a few hours for example, and someone would be like, we should make something to eat, and they’d all look at me. I’d be like “What? I’m the girl so I’m in charge of cooking?�� Whatever!

That being said, this book really spoke to me. It’s a story about woman, specifically it starts with teenage girls, that begin to have the ability to shock others with hands. This gives women, over time, extreme power over the men. Naomi Alderman does a good job of exploring all aspects of this change over time. How the fear in men begins to form a hatred in some so they try to fight back. Others think nuclear weapons are the answer. Some women think men should be subservient to them at all times, no matter the situation, and should be punished with pain and humility when they disobey. I think I related to the ones who strived more for equality and peace. But every faction was there. Overtime these feelings escalated and came to a head.

Alderman shows the world as it would be if women were in charge and honestly, in some ways it’s not much different than how it’s run now. I don’t want to give too much away so I won’t give examples.

I can see some men I know hearing about this book and rolling their eyes. In fact, I’ve seen it. I was trying to describe this book to a man in my life and that’s exactly the reaction I got, as if he was tired of hearing about woman complaining about lack of rights. It took me aback, for a minute. Remember, I’m one of those quiet ones, I don’t speak up much about these feelings. But I found myself to be extremely irritated. I wondered how he’d handle having to go somewhere at night in a big city and having to be careful not to walk down certain streets if he were a woman. Nowadays, if I were to walk down a street in the dark known as a hang out for bad men and get raped, I’d be blamed. “Why would you do that? Go somewhere you know to be dangerous?�� They’d ask. But let me ask, why should there be any streets I can’t walk down? In the book, this is turned around and men begin to get scared going out alone in these areas. I don’t want to sound trite, but it made me a little self-satisfied to read it. Men don’t have to worry as much about these things. (Yes, I know there are exceptions.) But it might be nice for some of them to realize what it feels like when we have to be careful about going on blind dates, and where we walk, and being told we shouldn’t be uber drivers because who knows who we’ll pick up? In that way, this book was very satisfying.
But like all human nature, there are always people who go too far. Those are the ones who have, of course, been hurt more terribly by men. The ones who are constantly underestimated, or passed over, or are raped. When does it stop when you hurt others because they hurt you? It will never end if revenge is your main objective. So other objectives and ideas are thrown into the mix. It made for a compelling and highly engaging book.

I also really enjoyed how Alderman started out with the premise that she was reading a script for a book written by a man. I won’t give away the end, but I laughed out loud when I read the last line. It was a stroke of brilliance on Alderman’s part.
The more I think about it, the more I think this could be considered a classic or at the very least required reading for a school room. I see it along the lines of a book like Fahrenheit 451 or Lord of the Flies where we see a story from a different viewpoint and see what happens when this viewpoint is allowed to go too far. We can learn from these books and viewpoints. I have three teenage boys and I think in a few years I will make them read this book and then discuss it with them. In a world where middle class white males are beginning to have less and less of a voice, I’d be curious to see how they’d respond to this kind of world.

If I’ve upset you with my opinions, I don’t mean to. More and more I hesitate to state how I’m really feeling, not wanting to get into a huge political debate that often turns ugly. Everyone has a right to an opinion. And you’ll never make anyone see your side of things by putting them down for what they believe. That being said, I welcome any intelligent, respectful, discussions. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the tv show on Amazon Prime. I’ve seen the first two episodes and am already enjoying it. Although I think leaving out the fact it started as a book manuscript was a mistake. But they might still add that in. Who knows?

]]> 7090913
The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle are the complete adventures of the original and best detective, containing four novels and fifty-six short stories about the most engaging detective of all time, with a foreword by crime writer Ruth Rendell.

The detective Sherlock Holmes - who continues to enthral millions in film and TV adaptations starring actors like Robert Downey Jr and Benedict Cumberbatch - was the creation of Arthur Conan Doyle, whose crime stories have thrilled readers for well over a century.

Sherlock Holmes is not only the most famous character in crime fiction, but arguably the most famous character in all fiction.

In sixty adventures that pit his extraordinary wits and courage against foreign spies, blackmailers, cultists, petty thieves, murderers, swindlers, policemen (both stupid and clever), and his arch-nemesis Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes, together with his faithful sidekick Doctor John H. Watson, proves himself to be not only the quintessential detective but also the most engaging and entertaining company any reader could ask for.

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes allows readers to experience the entire case-history of Holmes and Dr. Watson from start to finish - the stories that have spawned such infamous characters as the devilish Moriarty, the devious Irene Adler and, of course, the legendary hound of the Baskervilles ...

This edition includes a foreword written by crime writer Ruth Rendell.]]> 1122 Arthur Conan Doyle midnightfaerie 5
It's easy to see why this is considered one of the two most redone, prominent influential characters for books and movies. (The other being Dracula) Trying to figure out the mystery with the little cues given to Sherlock is a puzzle and endlessly entertaining. The Watson character which gives Sherlock someone to bounce ideas and plot off of is genius as well.

I think I can safely say that any of the Sherlock Holmes stories are classics and here's why. First, they have longevity, they've been around for awhile and are still a major influence today. The Magic Factor is prominent here, since I find it hard to believe anyone reading these stories and not trying to solve the mystery themselves. Also, Holmes has a huge following and I think he can be considered an expert in his field. Mystery is one of the most popular and well read types of fiction throughout history and there isn't an author who writes mystery or a reader who enjoys mystery that hasn't heard of Sherlock Holmes. I also believe that the way he writes is unique. Certainly there are other writers who write a story from someone else's point of view, but Doyle gives us the perspective of a human who doesn't think like Holmes, therefore, it's as if he's allowing us to be Watson and see the story unfold through our own eyes. A beautiful technique and very well done.

So, I will add this to my classics list. I'd also like to mention my particular affinity for Doyle. Most of my close friends know I have something of a yen for Celtic Folklore, mystical creatures, and in particular, faeries. I have many books on the topic and there is a story that's somewhat famous surrounding his belief in faeries. In any case, especially one involving Holmes, there's sure to be excitement afoot!

Reviews


The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes


The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes


The Return of Sherlock Holmes


His Last Bow (a.k.a. The Reminiscence of Sherlock Holmes)


The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes


The Novels of Sherlock Holmes


A Study in Scarlet


The Sign of Four


The Hound of Baskervilles


The Valley of Fear]]> 4.50 1927
author: Arthur Conan Doyle
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.50
book published: 1927
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/09
date added: 2023/04/09
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
Absolutely love Sherlock Holmes. His deductive reasoning skills tickle me pink and all I have to hear is that a book or tv show or movie is "Holmes-like" and I'm in. I've decided to read them all and will update and add links to my reviews as I read them.

It's easy to see why this is considered one of the two most redone, prominent influential characters for books and movies. (The other being Dracula) Trying to figure out the mystery with the little cues given to Sherlock is a puzzle and endlessly entertaining. The Watson character which gives Sherlock someone to bounce ideas and plot off of is genius as well.

I think I can safely say that any of the Sherlock Holmes stories are classics and here's why. First, they have longevity, they've been around for awhile and are still a major influence today. The Magic Factor is prominent here, since I find it hard to believe anyone reading these stories and not trying to solve the mystery themselves. Also, Holmes has a huge following and I think he can be considered an expert in his field. Mystery is one of the most popular and well read types of fiction throughout history and there isn't an author who writes mystery or a reader who enjoys mystery that hasn't heard of Sherlock Holmes. I also believe that the way he writes is unique. Certainly there are other writers who write a story from someone else's point of view, but Doyle gives us the perspective of a human who doesn't think like Holmes, therefore, it's as if he's allowing us to be Watson and see the story unfold through our own eyes. A beautiful technique and very well done.

So, I will add this to my classics list. I'd also like to mention my particular affinity for Doyle. Most of my close friends know I have something of a yen for Celtic Folklore, mystical creatures, and in particular, faeries. I have many books on the topic and there is a story that's somewhat famous surrounding his belief in faeries. In any case, especially one involving Holmes, there's sure to be excitement afoot!

Reviews


The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes


The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes


The Return of Sherlock Holmes


His Last Bow (a.k.a. The Reminiscence of Sherlock Holmes)


The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes


The Novels of Sherlock Holmes


A Study in Scarlet


The Sign of Four


The Hound of Baskervilles


The Valley of Fear
]]> 39990001 205 Arthur Conan Doyle midnightfaerie 0
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone


The Problem of Thor Bridge


The Adventure of the Creeping Man


The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire


The Adventure of the Three Garridebs


The Adventure of the Illustrious Client


The Adventure of the Three Gables


The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier


The Adventure of the Lion's Mane


The Adventure of the Retired Colourman


The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger


The Adventure of the Shoscombe Old Place



]]> 4.14 1927
author: Arthur Conan Doyle
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1927
rating: 0
read at: 2023/04/09
date added: 2023/04/09
shelves: classics, favorites, literature, mystery
review:

The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone


The Problem of Thor Bridge


The Adventure of the Creeping Man


The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire


The Adventure of the Three Garridebs


The Adventure of the Illustrious Client


The Adventure of the Three Gables


The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier


The Adventure of the Lion's Mane


The Adventure of the Retired Colourman


The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger


The Adventure of the Shoscombe Old Place




]]> 190576
Originally rendered by C.K. Scott Moncrieff from an early and unreliable French edition, Proust’s masterpiece has now been flawlessly translated by Terence Kilmartin in this acclaimed version.]]> 1056 Marcel Proust 0394711823 midnightfaerie 4
So, Proust. I don't even know where to begin. At first it was a bit much for me. The French tend to be very flowery in their writing and I felt all the description was a bit much. But then I began to see the beauty in it. This author takes you right there, that instance, that memory, that feeling, that smell, it's all there, and can be relived through his words, an art form worth digesting. It's funny, but I kind of related him to Stephan King. Not in what he writes, but his ability to describe. So many people refuse to read Stephan King because he has a tendency to go into long descriptions. For me, that's why I've always loved him. I'll never forget the description of the store in Needful Things, and how much I felt I was right there. This is what Proust will do for you, but in a much prettier, French, embellished sort of way. If you're the type of person who gets impatient waiting for the author to get to the point, this book is not for you. But I rather suspect you wouldn't even be reading this review if it wasn't something you were interested in. As far as the classical literature aspect of this, it's definitely a classic. Even if you don't enjoy the writing or the story, you have to admit Proust has talent. The emotions he can stir up in you when describing a chance meeting, a young boy's love of his mother, or a biscuit with a cup of tea, will have you right there in the book beside the characters, experiencing what they do. A beautiful technique for writing that everyone should experience, I absolutely view this as a classic.

As for the story, there are many other reviews that talk about it. And for me, it's not about the story, it's about the technique. It has all the typical underlying themes of love, loss, and growing up. All readers should be able to relate to some part of this story. I especially enjoyed Uncle Adolphe, with his never ending actress friends. I highly recommend this. Especially for anyone who enjoys classical literature, it's a must read. I look forward to the next two volumes.]]> 4.29 1913
author: Marcel Proust
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1913
rating: 4
read at: 2020/07/16
date added: 2023/01/14
shelves: classic-tomes, classics, favorites, literature, rory-gilmore
review:
Wow. Just wow. So, I have this 3-pack of In Search of Lost Things. (A title I like better than Remembrance of Things Past) And as most know this work is made up of 7 books. The first volume that I read has Swann's Way and Within a Budding Grove in it. I have never read Proust before and this has been on my to-read list forever because, as I assume it's the same for others, it's quite a daunting undertaking. But I had started it years ago, and forgot it and was determined to finish it this summer, due to the quarantine and my recent increase in time to read.

So, Proust. I don't even know where to begin. At first it was a bit much for me. The French tend to be very flowery in their writing and I felt all the description was a bit much. But then I began to see the beauty in it. This author takes you right there, that instance, that memory, that feeling, that smell, it's all there, and can be relived through his words, an art form worth digesting. It's funny, but I kind of related him to Stephan King. Not in what he writes, but his ability to describe. So many people refuse to read Stephan King because he has a tendency to go into long descriptions. For me, that's why I've always loved him. I'll never forget the description of the store in Needful Things, and how much I felt I was right there. This is what Proust will do for you, but in a much prettier, French, embellished sort of way. If you're the type of person who gets impatient waiting for the author to get to the point, this book is not for you. But I rather suspect you wouldn't even be reading this review if it wasn't something you were interested in. As far as the classical literature aspect of this, it's definitely a classic. Even if you don't enjoy the writing or the story, you have to admit Proust has talent. The emotions he can stir up in you when describing a chance meeting, a young boy's love of his mother, or a biscuit with a cup of tea, will have you right there in the book beside the characters, experiencing what they do. A beautiful technique for writing that everyone should experience, I absolutely view this as a classic.

As for the story, there are many other reviews that talk about it. And for me, it's not about the story, it's about the technique. It has all the typical underlying themes of love, loss, and growing up. All readers should be able to relate to some part of this story. I especially enjoyed Uncle Adolphe, with his never ending actress friends. I highly recommend this. Especially for anyone who enjoys classical literature, it's a must read. I look forward to the next two volumes.
]]> 1232 487 Carlos Ruiz Zafón midnightfaerie 5
Quotes:

“Welcome to the cemetery of forgotten books. This place is a sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend. Now they have only us.��

“Bea says the art of reading is slowly dying, that it’s an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind, and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day.��

“I leafed through the pages, inhaling the enchanted scent of promise that comes with all new books…��
]]> 4.26 2001
author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2013/10/08
date added: 2023/01/14
shelves: favorites, classics, rory-gilmore
review:
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a compelling mystery, and a delicious read up until the very end. It’s about a boy whose father takes him to a place called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. It’s a place to protect old and rare books. Upon first going there the tradition states that the person picks one book and takes it home and vows to protect it. The boy takes it home to read it and falls in love with the book, then obsessed with finding others by the same author, of which he can not. All he finds is the story of a ghost of a man, who searches the globe for this author’s books and upon finding them, burns them. The story wraps itself around you and doesn’t let go. The pieces seem so many and scattered, then come together quickly and abruptly leaving you with your “aha�� moment and moving onto the next. For those that love to read, for those that would rather spend a day in a dusty second hand book shop pouring thru faded pages with the smell of age rather than sitting on a beach with crystal blue water and a margarita in hand, this book is for you. Daniel, our hero (or subservient, we’re not sure yet) of the book, works at his father’s bookstore. The author makes numerous references throughout the book toward books and the love of reading that I adored and highlighted. It was as if he read my thoughts one of those many times I stepped through the doors of one of my favorite used book shops. My favorites are included here. I recommend this book mostly for these quotes alone. But also, it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book which pulls me into the murky, frightening, atmosphere so completely. In honour of Halloween, I recommend this book and definitely think the writing is unique enough to be considered a classic.

Quotes:

“Welcome to the cemetery of forgotten books. This place is a sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend. Now they have only us.��

“Bea says the art of reading is slowly dying, that it’s an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind, and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day.��

“I leafed through the pages, inhaling the enchanted scent of promise that comes with all new books…��

]]> 37435 The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.]]> 302 Sue Monk Kidd 0142001740 midnightfaerie 4
I picked it up by chance off my shelf a few days ago, when I was in the mood for something to break up some of the heavier tomes I'm reading. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was one of the books off the Rory Gilmore reading list, which I had been loosely trying to work my way through these past few years. Either way, it's an enjoyable and relatively short read.]]> 4.10 2001
author: Sue Monk Kidd
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2020/07/13
date added: 2023/01/14
shelves: classics, drama, favorites, historical, informational, literature, rory-gilmore
review:
This book had so much meat to it, yet was light and enchanting at the same time. A coming of age story about a young girl who accidentally kills her mother with a gun at age 4 and by the time she's 14, ends up with a group of black sister beekeepers. Set during the civil rights movement, this story has you enthralled and angered at the circumstances surrounding the movement as well as personally involved in Lily's story, her relationships with the women around her and her struggle to forgive both her mother and herself as she searches for answers. The brief description on the back of the book doesn't do it justice as there are so many characters and plots to fall in love with. My husband is a beekeeper and so I had a personal attachment to the analogies presented about life. In addition, the informational bee quotes at the beginning of each chapter added joy and depth to each chapter, making you want to breathe it all in and dance with the bees too. The historical references to that particular day and age can be compared to today's political struggles and can be learned from. So much emotion, I turned each page eagerly, drawn deeper and deeper into Lily's story. I wanted to be there. Highly recommended and can absolutely be considered a classic. This will be considered relevant no matter the day and age.

I picked it up by chance off my shelf a few days ago, when I was in the mood for something to break up some of the heavier tomes I'm reading. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was one of the books off the Rory Gilmore reading list, which I had been loosely trying to work my way through these past few years. Either way, it's an enjoyable and relatively short read.
]]> 46199
A hugely influential collection for writers and artists of all kinds, Rilke's profound and lyrical letters to a young friend advise on writing, love, sex, suffering and the nature of advice itself.]]> 80 Rainer Maria Rilke 0486422453 midnightfaerie 5
"I went to my mother who gave me this book called Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. He’s a fabulous writer. A fellow used to write to him and say: I want to be a writer, please read my stuff. And Rilke says to this guy, don’t ask me about being a writer. If when you wake up in the morning you can think of nothing but writing, then you’re a writer. I’m gonna say the same thing to you. If you wake up in the morning and you can’t think of anything but singing first, then you’re supposed to be a singer girl."
]]> 4.32 1929
author: Rainer Maria Rilke
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1929
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: favorites, classics, rory-gilmore
review:
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke was an excellent read and definitely one to put on my classics list. A short book that contains a collection of letters to a young poet, Rainer writes advice on anything from passion to love to life. The way he writes is exceptional, bringing an unusual beauty to his advice and a simplicity to his outlook on life. As you read it, you can't help but think, why this is obvious! Why didn't I think of it in this way before? An excellent read and a must for anything with any sort of indecision on following their passions in life. One part of the book struck a familiar chord with me, knowing I had heard this advice somewhere before and then all of sudden I remembered! I hurriedly researched whether or not I was right and I was! This book is quoted by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie Sister Act 2! It was one of my favorites years ago and I had watched it many times. I think the scene bares mentioning here, to show how this book can be useful in any time. Goldberg is a music teacher at a high school and one of the students (Lauren Hill) is struggling with the desire to sing for a living which her mother is totally against. I'll leave you with the quote from the movie said by Whoopi Goldberg:

"I went to my mother who gave me this book called Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. He’s a fabulous writer. A fellow used to write to him and say: I want to be a writer, please read my stuff. And Rilke says to this guy, don’t ask me about being a writer. If when you wake up in the morning you can think of nothing but writing, then you’re a writer. I’m gonna say the same thing to you. If you wake up in the morning and you can’t think of anything but singing first, then you’re supposed to be a singer girl."

]]> 4671 The only edition of the beloved classic that is authorized by Fitzgerald’s family and from his lifelong publisher.

This edition is the enduring original text, updated with the author’s own revisions, a foreword by his granddaughter, and with a new introduction by National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published by Scribner in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.]]> 180 F. Scott Fitzgerald 0743273567 midnightfaerie 5
"The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men."

I've never known an author to use such different styles of adjectives, from classical to modern vernacular, and have it come off as anything less than choppy. But Fitzgerald pulls it off, over and over again. His writing astounds me and leaves me breathless with new experiences, and for that, I thank him.

The story is told from Nick Carraway's point of view, both a participant in the story and also someone who fades easily into the background to observe. It seems from a surface look at his writing, that he despises these people he associates with, and finds their habits and actions distasteful, yet he can't seem to get away from them. He is fascinated and repelled at the same time.

"There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired."

Living next to Jay Gatsby, he is pulled into the life of the rich socialites. At first he thinks it's because of mere whim but then finds out it's because Gatsby wants an afternoon tea arranged with one Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin, a married woman, and the girl whom Gatsby was once in love with. Nick arranges it against his better judgment and from there, the story never seems to slow down. Whether fast-paced in action, or fascinating conjecture of life's little moments, this book had me hooked from beginning to end.

"Daisy, was too wise ever to carry well-forgotten dreams from age to age."

Fitzgerald has a unique and different style of writing that doesn't come close to anything I've ever read before. He also has an uncanny way of making you not only be able to imagine the 1920's, but feel it, taste it, smell it, and, in this case, sweat it. All of it adding to the list of reasons we should consider him a classical writer. There are many underlying themes here, not the least of which are love, hate, revenge, guilt, self-worth, and infidelity. The Great Gatsby has definitely withstood the test of time, selling more books with each passing year, and along with the magic factor, he also has a huge following. For all these reasons and more, I consider this book a classic.

"It vanished in the trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder."

One last thing I'd like to mention is that I'm really looking forward to the movie coming out in May. And it was in no small part of my decision for reading this book on my list. I also have to say, Leonardo Dicaprio never impressed me much in Titanic, my first movie of him. But then I saw Who's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Gangs of New York, and Catch me If you Can, and Blood Diamond. And even though I never particularly enjoyed watching him, I was greatly impressed with his talent, and grew to enjoy watching him, so that when I heard he was going to play Gatsby, I was satisfied that he would do the character justice. Dicaprio, combined with Toby Maguire, was enough to make me blissfully anticipate the coming of this film. I do believe, ever since Spider-man, the critics don't give Maguire enough credit as an actor. But I will never forget him in The Cider House Rules and especially The Ice Storm. Those alone give him credit as an actor. So, I happily look forward to watching this movie, especially after having just added this book to my favorites.
]]> 3.93 1925
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1925
rating: 5
read at: 2013/04/28
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: classics, favorites, rory-gilmore
review:
This bombastic roaring novel goes from eliciting Bronx Cheers to being the Cat's Meow. A faithful embodiment of what the twenties were like, the book thrusts us into the thick of things with no buildup whatsoever other than the most beautiful of slanged prose.

"The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person, and so it came about that in college I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men."

I've never known an author to use such different styles of adjectives, from classical to modern vernacular, and have it come off as anything less than choppy. But Fitzgerald pulls it off, over and over again. His writing astounds me and leaves me breathless with new experiences, and for that, I thank him.

The story is told from Nick Carraway's point of view, both a participant in the story and also someone who fades easily into the background to observe. It seems from a surface look at his writing, that he despises these people he associates with, and finds their habits and actions distasteful, yet he can't seem to get away from them. He is fascinated and repelled at the same time.

"There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired."

Living next to Jay Gatsby, he is pulled into the life of the rich socialites. At first he thinks it's because of mere whim but then finds out it's because Gatsby wants an afternoon tea arranged with one Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin, a married woman, and the girl whom Gatsby was once in love with. Nick arranges it against his better judgment and from there, the story never seems to slow down. Whether fast-paced in action, or fascinating conjecture of life's little moments, this book had me hooked from beginning to end.

"Daisy, was too wise ever to carry well-forgotten dreams from age to age."

Fitzgerald has a unique and different style of writing that doesn't come close to anything I've ever read before. He also has an uncanny way of making you not only be able to imagine the 1920's, but feel it, taste it, smell it, and, in this case, sweat it. All of it adding to the list of reasons we should consider him a classical writer. There are many underlying themes here, not the least of which are love, hate, revenge, guilt, self-worth, and infidelity. The Great Gatsby has definitely withstood the test of time, selling more books with each passing year, and along with the magic factor, he also has a huge following. For all these reasons and more, I consider this book a classic.

"It vanished in the trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder."

One last thing I'd like to mention is that I'm really looking forward to the movie coming out in May. And it was in no small part of my decision for reading this book on my list. I also have to say, Leonardo Dicaprio never impressed me much in Titanic, my first movie of him. But then I saw Who's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Gangs of New York, and Catch me If you Can, and Blood Diamond. And even though I never particularly enjoyed watching him, I was greatly impressed with his talent, and grew to enjoy watching him, so that when I heard he was going to play Gatsby, I was satisfied that he would do the character justice. Dicaprio, combined with Toby Maguire, was enough to make me blissfully anticipate the coming of this film. I do believe, ever since Spider-man, the critics don't give Maguire enough credit as an actor. But I will never forget him in The Cider House Rules and especially The Ice Storm. Those alone give him credit as an actor. So, I happily look forward to watching this movie, especially after having just added this book to my favorites.

]]> 57947
"Fahrenheit 451" er en klassiker innen science fiction-litteraturen, og en hyllest til ytringsfriheten. Den er en kjærlighetserklæring til det mest fascinerende av alle medier: Boken!]]> 184 Ray Bradbury 0007181701 midnightfaerie 5 Silence.
Serenity. Calm. I have found my peace. My head clears. My mind starts to work. The mush that used to be brain cells I used for computer programming start firing synapses again and I can breathe. All I have is this binding with some paper pages between and suddenly my world goes quiet and I can think again. I finish the chapter and lay the book down smiling. Ready to face what's on the other side of the door again. If I could be any of the hobos following the train tracks of Bradbury's book, which would I be? Leviticus? The Merchant of Venice? Paul Lawrence Dunbar? Ray Bradbury? As long as there are people like me out there, treasuring like the gold the written word, I can only dream the reality of Bradbury's world won't come to fruition. But the words so powerful entrench my soul and saturate my mind with thought and feeling and passion. So, for now, my thirst is quenched.
]]> 3.83 1953
author: Ray Bradbury
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1953
rating: 5
read at: 2012/05/05
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: classics, favorites, rory-gilmore
review:
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was a mind blowing gasoline fire to the brain. While I rarely give out 4 stars on goodreads.com, it's even rarer to give a book a 5, which indicates the book is one of my favorites. This got 5 stars for me. As I sat stood ran in my mind crazy home with kids playing screaming fighting calgon take me away running getting dirty wondering why I didn't drink more often and who was going to pay the bills as I filtered out the blast bang from the weasel dinosaur singing on TV and the ipad tablet going with sounds from angry birds and computer's singing out a tune unlike the mario brothers theme song I began to to wonder if the world ever slowed down or turned off. I realized I did not know a single person or family who didn't immediately turn on the boob tube for comfort relaxation down time after work school driving coming home. The radio was screaming was used to be called music the TV in the bedroom sang about brushing your teeth and the TV in the living room was screaming about the next presidential election when I sat down in front of the computer to check on notifications for goodreads and updates on facebook. This world where kindles are replacing books and flashing images on a screen are replacing self thought I wondered where we were all heading and where was my release escape quiet down time from this all consuming noisy hell? I remembered a time of sitting on the porch at my grandmother's farm watching the sun go down after a hard day's picking strawberries sipping lemonade waiting for the cabbage truck that would bring the farmer next street down and hopefully his three cute farmhands. I remembered playing outside in fields playing house in mud on swing sets hide and seek in corn fields imagination pretend under trees until the sky was pink purple blue midnight blue against black trees and porch lights coming on I was booking it home so as to not get in trouble for being so late lest I wouldn't be able to do it all again tomorrow. I thought about this crazy fast speeding world and listened to the crickets in the back yard and the beaded prisms I made hanging from the trees when I was pregnant on bed rest and forced to quiet times and self contemplation. I look at the flowers painted on the beams of the back porch I did using blues and reds and yellow. The green of the grass and trees and moss calls to me like a song rising about the yelling and noise of the house. But there is no one else, no time no room no place to escape, not now, with noise everywhere and kids yelling and dinners needing cooked and sticky fingers needing washed and diapers and beds needing changed. Instead I look to the computer and do bills and yell and scream Stop it! Don't touch that! I said no! Leave him alone! And I blow air at the escaped tendrils of hair on my forehead trying to get them out of my eyes, no time to run to the bathroom to even fix my messy ponytail. And I yell and scream Come here! Where is it? Do you want a timeout? Brush your teeth! And I pick up dirty laundry and cry inside and the noise gets louder and the kids start running and something crashes and my teeth grind and suddenly I can't stand it any longer and I lock myself in the bathroom and just try to breathe and see my book sitting on the counter and open it to read a few pages and...
Silence.
Serenity. Calm. I have found my peace. My head clears. My mind starts to work. The mush that used to be brain cells I used for computer programming start firing synapses again and I can breathe. All I have is this binding with some paper pages between and suddenly my world goes quiet and I can think again. I finish the chapter and lay the book down smiling. Ready to face what's on the other side of the door again. If I could be any of the hobos following the train tracks of Bradbury's book, which would I be? Leviticus? The Merchant of Venice? Paul Lawrence Dunbar? Ray Bradbury? As long as there are people like me out there, treasuring like the gold the written word, I can only dream the reality of Bradbury's world won't come to fruition. But the words so powerful entrench my soul and saturate my mind with thought and feeling and passion. So, for now, my thirst is quenched.

]]> 17245 You can find an alternative cover edition for this ISBN here and here.

When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes a series of horrific discoveries about his client. Soon afterwards, various bizarre incidents unfold in England: an apparently unmanned ship is wrecked off the coast of Whitby; a young woman discovers strange puncture marks on her neck; and the inmate of a lunatic asylum raves about the 'Master' and his imminent arrival.

In Dracula, Bram Stoker created one of the great masterpieces of the horror genre, brilliantly evoking a nightmare world of vampires and vampire hunters and also illuminating the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire.

This Norton Critical Edition includes a rich selection of background and source materials in three areas: Contexts includes probable inspirations for Dracula in the earlier works of James Malcolm Rymer and Emily Gerard. Also included are a discussion of Stoker's working notes for the novel and "Dracula's Guest," the original opening chapter to Dracula. Reviews and Reactions reprints five early reviews of the novel. "Dramatic and Film Variations" focuses on theater and film adaptations of Dracula, two indications of the novel's unwavering appeal. David J. Skal, Gregory A. Waller, and Nina Auerbach offer their varied perspectives. Checklists of both dramatic and film adaptations are included.

Criticism collects seven theoretical interpretations of Dracula by Phyllis A. Roth, Carol A. Senf, Franco Moretti, Christopher Craft, Bram Dijkstra, Stephen D. Arata, and Talia Schaffer.

A Chronology and a Selected Bibliography are included.]]> 488 Bram Stoker 0393970124 midnightfaerie 5
It also startled me to find so many conflicting opinions on the underlying themes running rampant in this book. I always do a little research on the "classics" I read to find out what people are saying about them. For Dracula, there are debates on just about everything from underlying sexual themes, (is he really talking about rape or emasculation here?) to political themes (the labor movement - the aristocrats feeding off of the working class?) to religious themes (a new take on the Christian view of immortality?). Overall, it was a story that will stay with me for a lifetime. It has longevity, as we have seen, it has already withstood the test of time, it has underlying themes about the human condition, and was positively an original concept, the first to come up with the character Count Dracula. It was also very controversial for its time, even though many argue that Stoker was ignorant of the underlying sexual influence it had. It has expertise - it is one of the first instances of horror that many other horror books are compared to.

It has a huge following - that is obviously seen in today's subculture of real vampires. A side note, for those of you who don't know, it's always been around but in recent years, it has come out a little more, this subculture of vampires. Ever since Don Henry, a real vampyre, guest starred on a reality tv show for alternative life styles, it is much more widely known. These vampires, who are say they were born this way (no judgment here, just facts), feed off of others, much like our Count Dracula does. There are two types, psychic and sanguine. The psychic feed off of others energy, and the sanguine, like Don Henry, feed off of another's blood. Yes, he drinks real human blood, they showed it on the reality show. These new age vampires have a set of etiquette though, if you will, and will not feed off of others, blood or psychically, without that person's permission. They even have specialized underground clubs for feeding, in which you have to gets an AIDS test done before you become a member. It's fascinating really. For more information on this I recommend the author Michelle Belanger, who is a psychic vampire herself. You can find more information on her at:


That being said, that last aspect of this book which also attributes to it being a classic is number 2 on my list, The Magic Factor. This story pulls you in from the beginning and doesn't let go. So, yes, I believe this is a classic, and enjoyed it so much, it is now on my Top Ten list of Favorites.

Now I must mention the two movies I've picked up to watch. The first is Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. Amazing old black and white movie, and the very first to bring Dracula to the big screen. It was fun to watch and see how the old horror flicks were made. And Lugosi was definitely an engaging man. Anyone claiming to be a true Dracula fan needs to read this book and watch this movie.

The other movie I saw was the 1992 Dracula starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and Keanu Reeves. Gory and explicitly sexual, it depicts the storyline a little more accurately, if not mostly true to form. I found my mind wandering though, and perhaps it was the actors that were not captivating enough for me. Anthony Hopkins does an excellent job as usual for Van Helsing, and I even bought Keanu's version of Jonathan Harker. But Ryder does a terrible job of Mina and it was completely unbelievable. Oldman is an exceptional actor and did credit to the Count, however, I couldn't get past is younger versions likeness to Slash, with the round tinted glasses and long, dark, wavy hair. It made me laugh every time I saw it. And his other forms were definitely creepy, but I didn't get the sexual allure to his character I was hoping for, that came naturally from Lugosi in the earlier movie adaptation.

So, in conclusion, I am utterly enthralled by this story. What Twilight and Interview with a vampire couldn't do for me, the actual book by Bram Stoker did instantaneously. It made me an obsessed fan of all things vampire, and an innate curiosity of vampiric lore. I'm hooked, and look forward to reading The Bedside, Bathtub, & Armchair Companion to Dracula by Dawidziak that I just picked up, as well as watch more badly made movies of the classic that I find at the library and on Netflix.

]]> 4.02 1897
author: Bram Stoker
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1897
rating: 5
read at: 2011/12/12
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: favorites, classics, rory-gilmore
review:
Dracula by Bram Stoker was...wow. Amazing. The book that all vampire and even horror stories are judged by, this gem doesn't even come close to touching any other that I've read or seen. Written in 1897, it introduces the epic supernatural creature, the vampyre, for the first time. Dark and vicious, creepy and sexually alluring, this is probably the epitome of all evil characters. I was never much a vampire fan. I passed by the Interview with a vampire with confusion on what all the fuss was about, and when the Twilight phenomena came about, I much agreed with Stephen King when he said, "Harry Potter is about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.�� I do have to admit a kind of infatuation with the movie Lost Boys for awhile in my teens, but that was mostly due to my attraction to the actors and their "big hair bands" type look. For all that's worth, I do believe this book has finally made a vampire lover out of me. I can see the fascination with the un-dead and immortality that I never really saw before. Stoker has a brilliant way of showing us the sexual allure of Count Dracula that I never really saw in the movies. The woman's accounts of him, such as when Mina Harker is telling of her account of meeting him in the book, she says that it was awful, yet, she didn't want him to stop. You see this over and over again in his attacks, especially in women. A mysterious stranger visiting a woman in the night has got to be extremely intoxicating since it's pretty much unheard of in the 1800's. I also got to see another side of Van Helsing that I never really saw before. Every movie I've ever seen, has portrayed him as this young, buff, bad-ass action star type, which is definitely is not. First of all, he's old! White hair old! And he has this very slow and methodical way about him. More like a professor than an avenger. Yes, in the end, he is the hero, but did you know there were actually a group of five men a woman who tracked Dracula down? Jonathan Harker, Quincey Morris, Dr. Seward, Dr. Van Helsing, Lord Godalming, and Mina Harker? And that one of them is killed in the end? I've also noticed, out of the many movie adaptations out there, they are grossly misrepresentative of the book! Yes, I realize, movies can't be exactly like the book, but none are even close! Did you know that Dracula is not only protected by wolves, but he can take the form of a bat or wolf? Or he can command weather? Snow and fog especially. How about that for those that take his blood, he can link through them so that each of them is aware of what the other is doing and where they are? This is the first old book I've read that has been such a page turner for me. I found myself really liking Jonathan Harker the best. Van Helsing became annoying and almost preachy at times, treating everyone like a student and making them come to the answers themselves. And Dr. Seward seemed a conceited prig. I have to admit, my favorite character, by far, was Count Dracula, and I wish I could have seen more of him. It also introduced me to a new form of writing called epistolary, which basically means it was written in a series of letters or diary entries.

It also startled me to find so many conflicting opinions on the underlying themes running rampant in this book. I always do a little research on the "classics" I read to find out what people are saying about them. For Dracula, there are debates on just about everything from underlying sexual themes, (is he really talking about rape or emasculation here?) to political themes (the labor movement - the aristocrats feeding off of the working class?) to religious themes (a new take on the Christian view of immortality?). Overall, it was a story that will stay with me for a lifetime. It has longevity, as we have seen, it has already withstood the test of time, it has underlying themes about the human condition, and was positively an original concept, the first to come up with the character Count Dracula. It was also very controversial for its time, even though many argue that Stoker was ignorant of the underlying sexual influence it had. It has expertise - it is one of the first instances of horror that many other horror books are compared to.

It has a huge following - that is obviously seen in today's subculture of real vampires. A side note, for those of you who don't know, it's always been around but in recent years, it has come out a little more, this subculture of vampires. Ever since Don Henry, a real vampyre, guest starred on a reality tv show for alternative life styles, it is much more widely known. These vampires, who are say they were born this way (no judgment here, just facts), feed off of others, much like our Count Dracula does. There are two types, psychic and sanguine. The psychic feed off of others energy, and the sanguine, like Don Henry, feed off of another's blood. Yes, he drinks real human blood, they showed it on the reality show. These new age vampires have a set of etiquette though, if you will, and will not feed off of others, blood or psychically, without that person's permission. They even have specialized underground clubs for feeding, in which you have to gets an AIDS test done before you become a member. It's fascinating really. For more information on this I recommend the author Michelle Belanger, who is a psychic vampire herself. You can find more information on her at:


That being said, that last aspect of this book which also attributes to it being a classic is number 2 on my list, The Magic Factor. This story pulls you in from the beginning and doesn't let go. So, yes, I believe this is a classic, and enjoyed it so much, it is now on my Top Ten list of Favorites.

Now I must mention the two movies I've picked up to watch. The first is Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. Amazing old black and white movie, and the very first to bring Dracula to the big screen. It was fun to watch and see how the old horror flicks were made. And Lugosi was definitely an engaging man. Anyone claiming to be a true Dracula fan needs to read this book and watch this movie.

The other movie I saw was the 1992 Dracula starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and Keanu Reeves. Gory and explicitly sexual, it depicts the storyline a little more accurately, if not mostly true to form. I found my mind wandering though, and perhaps it was the actors that were not captivating enough for me. Anthony Hopkins does an excellent job as usual for Van Helsing, and I even bought Keanu's version of Jonathan Harker. But Ryder does a terrible job of Mina and it was completely unbelievable. Oldman is an exceptional actor and did credit to the Count, however, I couldn't get past is younger versions likeness to Slash, with the round tinted glasses and long, dark, wavy hair. It made me laugh every time I saw it. And his other forms were definitely creepy, but I didn't get the sexual allure to his character I was hoping for, that came naturally from Lugosi in the earlier movie adaptation.

So, in conclusion, I am utterly enthralled by this story. What Twilight and Interview with a vampire couldn't do for me, the actual book by Bram Stoker did instantaneously. It made me an obsessed fan of all things vampire, and an innate curiosity of vampiric lore. I'm hooked, and look forward to reading The Bedside, Bathtub, & Armchair Companion to Dracula by Dawidziak that I just picked up, as well as watch more badly made movies of the classic that I find at the library and on Netflix.


]]> 5326
Introduction and Afterword by Joe Wheeler
To bitter, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas is just another day. But all that changes when the ghost of his long-dead business partner appears, warning Scrooge to change his ways before it's too late.

Part of the Focus on the Family Great Stories collection, this abridged edition features an in-depth introduction and discussion questions by Joe Wheeler to provide greater understanding for today's reader. "A Christmas Carol" captures the heart of the holidays like no other novel.]]> 184 Charles Dickens 1561797464 midnightfaerie 5

---------Update---------------

I took out "Christmas stories" and this was the first story in it. I was going to skip it, since I've already read it, but I was in a holiday mood and it's my very favorite Dickens...the man who invented Christmas, after all. I enjoyed it so much, I endeavored to read it every year at Christmas time.

"Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs!"]]> 4.06 1843
author: Charles Dickens
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1843
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/03
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: favorites, classics, rory-gilmore
review:
The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was an absolute delight! I was anticipating a dull read but was pleasantly surprised. Because I liked this storyline so much, I could finally fully appreciate Dickens style of writing. And it was superb! I can see now why he is so talked about through the ages. When he described the food scene with the second ghost, I felt like I was there, smelling the sounds, my mouth watering. The delicious descriptive detail that this man can write is astounding and pure talent. If you’ve lived under a rock your whole life, you might have not heard about this story. But the basic premise is a selfish, greedy man is visited by his longtime dead business partner to tell him that he will be visited by three ghosts. These ghosts are of the past, present, and future, and show this man how things truly are and the error of his ways. They also show him the possible future if things don’t change. He wakes up on Christmas day a new man and ready to right his wrongs. Truly a classic tale that is written very well. There are hundreds of movie remakes of this book out there, but I will mention only two here. The first is a Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott. It was the first and best adaptation of the play and deserves to have more recognition. The second is A Muppet’s Christmas Carol. The reason I mention this one is that out of the hundreds of adaptations I have seen (and trust me, being the Christmas freak that I am, I have seen hundreds), this is by far one of the most accurate according to the book. I was amazed and some of the dialogue that came directly from the book and even the creations of the ghosts in relation to how they were described in the book. And of course Michael Caine is one of my favorite actors. It was definitely worth watching. If you like Christmas and are in the mood for something festive, read the actual book. It will absolutely go on my Classics list and comes highly recommended.


---------Update---------------

I took out "Christmas stories" and this was the first story in it. I was going to skip it, since I've already read it, but I was in a holiday mood and it's my very favorite Dickens...the man who invented Christmas, after all. I enjoyed it so much, I endeavored to read it every year at Christmas time.

"Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs!"
]]> 15823480 Anna Karenina provides a vast panorama of contemporary life in Russia and of humanity in general. In it Tolstoy uses his intense imaginative insight to create some of the most memorable characters in all of literature. Anna is a sophisticated woman who abandons her empty existence as the wife of Karenin and turns to Count Vronsky to fulfil her passionate nature - with tragic consequences. Levin is a reflection of Tolstoy himself, often expressing the author's own views and convictions.

Throughout, Tolstoy points no moral, merely inviting us not to judge but to watch. As Rosemary Edmonds comments, 'He leaves the shifting patterns of the kaleidoscope to bring home the meaning of the brooding words following the title, 'Vengeance is mine, and I will repay.]]> 964 Leo Tolstoy 0345803922 midnightfaerie 5
So years ago I read Atlas Shrugged and (putting all politics aside) I loved it. The way Ayn Rand writes put hope in my heart that the Russian authors would be the love of my life. So when I moved onto Tolstoy, I jumped in with War and Peace. Boy, was that a mistake. A convoluted soap opera of self absorbed characters, I was so disappointed. So then, a few years later, a book club convinced me to read The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Tolstoy. Although I didn't hate it, it didn't cause me much warmth in my cockles either. Grudgingly, I admitted it had some merit. Years later, Anna Karenina was still on my list and I dreaded picking it up but knew I had to. It was calling to me. You call yourself a classical reader and can't even bring yourself to read one of the most talked about novels of all time in classical literature? I was sure it was overdone. But one day, out of pure spite not wanting to work and feeling restless, I pulled it off the shelf and vowed to read only one chapter. What a great decision.

At first this book seems similar to War and Peace, with many self absorbed characters flouting societies standards for self enjoyment, or the exact opposite - holding themselves to these standards no matter the cost. But after a awhile I began to see some underlying themes that not only tugged at me, but made me wonder where on this whole spectrum of beliefs Tolstoy lay. And what was he trying to get at in this tome? I'm still not sure. I know his use of parallel stories of Anna and Levin was a brilliant stroke in showing the many sides of love as well as so many other themes. He weaves these themes around these two and makes you examine your own desires and how often you give into them. You also play the "what if" game with your life, wondering what might have been had you taken different paths. Would you still have the love you have? Would you be happy? Is happiness the most important thing in life? And how does one achieve said happiness?

In Anna, at least in the first half of the book, we get the feeling Tolstoy esteems her, showing the strong woman who will not stand for avoiding truth. She must be honest in her love for Vronsky at all costs, in her pursuit of truth of self. But then the second half of the book shows us the downfall, the pitfalls, and ultimately the betrayal of love and self for following those dreams. So what is Tolstoy trying to say? Should we follow our truths at the expense of others to come to this honesty of self? Or are we just making excuses for sin and adultery? Cases can be made for both sides.

In contrast, we have the character Levin, an obvious character representing Tolstoy himself and by far the most likeable of the bunch. A hard worker, a pursuer of dreams, and a character we can root for, we see him follow the path of love that wounds only himself and not others. When he can't achieve said love, he throws himself into hard labor and tries to find happiness in the soil as he delves into agriculture. Eventually none of it truly succeeds as he can only think of the love he lost. Eventually, when he does find love, we don't get a romanticized version of it. No Cinderella happily ever after for him. Instead we see the true trials of what a marriage is and how one has to balance self actualization with becoming one with another. How does one find happiness in this circumstance?

I will not give anything away, but suffice to say, we see these characters rise and fall and affect so many around them with their turmoil. Tolstoy uses all the characters (and there are a great many) to show little off spurts of "what ifs" in their lives. We see the whole spectrum of beliefs from the ones who allow their basest natures to rule every part of their lives, overindulging in everything that they think might make them happy, from food to sex, to the ones, like Karenin, Anna's husband, who hold back all emotion and desire as a weakness, so much so, that eventually they break.

Just when you think Tolstoy is extolling the virtues of one of the sides, he changes the narrative drastically, making you wonder which really is the right side? And this is only one of the themes! He talks about social issues and the person's responsibility for involving themselves in politics, to life and death, to religion. Each theme and how he comes at it could be thesis in and of itself. There is much here to extoll and I for one have found the love of Tolstoy finally. His brilliant writing makes us question the very nature of ourselves and what's right and wrong. And there are no straightforward answers until maybe the end and when we look at the decisions Levin makes about his own happiness. Even that can be argued.

A small example of personal introspection on just one of the many themes is this; at first I really didn't like Anna. I felt her rants of truth were a justification for adultery. Giving into your desires is easy. Working on marriage is hard. But later, as she begins to struggle with herself and with the relationships, it's around this time that we see Dolly enter the picture and wonder what her life could have been like had she had someone to love her true, instead of her cheating husband. She remembers a comment from a peasant about "Children being bondage". And I began to think about what my life would have been like had I married my college sweatheart. Or if I didn't have children. I feel like woman are more closely "bonded" by this type of life than men, and sometimes we wish for something different. In the end of my surmising, I concluded that I would never have changed a thing, but sometimes in our dreams, our consciousness' explores the hidden desires of our hearts. It reminds me of a poem by Sara Teasdale called Thoughts. She talks about when she's alone she should be admired for she can think her own thoughts, here are the first verse and the one that I think applies:

WHEN I am all alone
Envy me most,
Then my thoughts flutter round me
In a glimmering host;

Some bearing violets,
Some bearing bay,
One with a burning rose
Hidden away��

The line "One with a burning rose Hidden away-" gets me every time. All of us have those secret dreams, wishes, and "what if's" that we keep to ourselves. But Anna has chosen to grab the rose by the thorns, so to say.

One more quick theme mention is woman's suffrage. Tolstoy obviously shows Anna pushing the boundaries of woman's rights at the time. We see this in so many small ways, like when she rides a horse which is considered unladylike at the time. But again, even though Tolstoy was aware of this movement and addresses it in his plots, he has also been called a misogynist, because all the women characters seem to have no other function in his novel other than taking care of children or the households. Whether he's just representing the current times or he supports woman's rights, it is unclear. But again, a case can be made for both sides which is one thing that makes Tolstoy such a fantastic writer. He gives us foreshadowing and storylines that parallel the themes, such as the man dying under the train in the beginning, or Vronsky in the horse race as a metaphor for his relationship with Anna. But these do not show what Tolstoy believes either way. That's for you to decide.

Overall, this book has so many themes to expound on, and I love that he doesn't tell us which way to think, at least not obviously. It's like listening to a poem or song. You don't fully appreciate it until you apply it to your own life, thoughts, and beliefs. And even then, you have yourself questioning what is really true. How do we achieve true happiness? Should desire be repressed? How important is love in finding true happiness? Should politics and religion be a part of this process? For me personally, I think Levin had it right at the end with his decision on happiness. And I won't tell you what it was, you'll have to read it yourself.


Note: I saw the movie with Kiera Knightly after reading the book and was disappointed. They do this artsy stage thing where it looks to be a movie about a play where you actually see the set changing. It was interesting, but I think if I hadn't read the book, I wouldn't have had a clue as to what was going on. Also, it doesn't come close to the brilliance of Tolstoy's writing on the different themes throughout the work. It really just can't compare. I might try an older movie version of the book eventually.]]> 4.11 1878
author: Leo Tolstoy
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1878
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/27
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: classic-tomes, classics, historical, literature, favorites, rory-gilmore
review:
Wow. Just wow.

So years ago I read Atlas Shrugged and (putting all politics aside) I loved it. The way Ayn Rand writes put hope in my heart that the Russian authors would be the love of my life. So when I moved onto Tolstoy, I jumped in with War and Peace. Boy, was that a mistake. A convoluted soap opera of self absorbed characters, I was so disappointed. So then, a few years later, a book club convinced me to read The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Tolstoy. Although I didn't hate it, it didn't cause me much warmth in my cockles either. Grudgingly, I admitted it had some merit. Years later, Anna Karenina was still on my list and I dreaded picking it up but knew I had to. It was calling to me. You call yourself a classical reader and can't even bring yourself to read one of the most talked about novels of all time in classical literature? I was sure it was overdone. But one day, out of pure spite not wanting to work and feeling restless, I pulled it off the shelf and vowed to read only one chapter. What a great decision.

At first this book seems similar to War and Peace, with many self absorbed characters flouting societies standards for self enjoyment, or the exact opposite - holding themselves to these standards no matter the cost. But after a awhile I began to see some underlying themes that not only tugged at me, but made me wonder where on this whole spectrum of beliefs Tolstoy lay. And what was he trying to get at in this tome? I'm still not sure. I know his use of parallel stories of Anna and Levin was a brilliant stroke in showing the many sides of love as well as so many other themes. He weaves these themes around these two and makes you examine your own desires and how often you give into them. You also play the "what if" game with your life, wondering what might have been had you taken different paths. Would you still have the love you have? Would you be happy? Is happiness the most important thing in life? And how does one achieve said happiness?

In Anna, at least in the first half of the book, we get the feeling Tolstoy esteems her, showing the strong woman who will not stand for avoiding truth. She must be honest in her love for Vronsky at all costs, in her pursuit of truth of self. But then the second half of the book shows us the downfall, the pitfalls, and ultimately the betrayal of love and self for following those dreams. So what is Tolstoy trying to say? Should we follow our truths at the expense of others to come to this honesty of self? Or are we just making excuses for sin and adultery? Cases can be made for both sides.

In contrast, we have the character Levin, an obvious character representing Tolstoy himself and by far the most likeable of the bunch. A hard worker, a pursuer of dreams, and a character we can root for, we see him follow the path of love that wounds only himself and not others. When he can't achieve said love, he throws himself into hard labor and tries to find happiness in the soil as he delves into agriculture. Eventually none of it truly succeeds as he can only think of the love he lost. Eventually, when he does find love, we don't get a romanticized version of it. No Cinderella happily ever after for him. Instead we see the true trials of what a marriage is and how one has to balance self actualization with becoming one with another. How does one find happiness in this circumstance?

I will not give anything away, but suffice to say, we see these characters rise and fall and affect so many around them with their turmoil. Tolstoy uses all the characters (and there are a great many) to show little off spurts of "what ifs" in their lives. We see the whole spectrum of beliefs from the ones who allow their basest natures to rule every part of their lives, overindulging in everything that they think might make them happy, from food to sex, to the ones, like Karenin, Anna's husband, who hold back all emotion and desire as a weakness, so much so, that eventually they break.

Just when you think Tolstoy is extolling the virtues of one of the sides, he changes the narrative drastically, making you wonder which really is the right side? And this is only one of the themes! He talks about social issues and the person's responsibility for involving themselves in politics, to life and death, to religion. Each theme and how he comes at it could be thesis in and of itself. There is much here to extoll and I for one have found the love of Tolstoy finally. His brilliant writing makes us question the very nature of ourselves and what's right and wrong. And there are no straightforward answers until maybe the end and when we look at the decisions Levin makes about his own happiness. Even that can be argued.

A small example of personal introspection on just one of the many themes is this; at first I really didn't like Anna. I felt her rants of truth were a justification for adultery. Giving into your desires is easy. Working on marriage is hard. But later, as she begins to struggle with herself and with the relationships, it's around this time that we see Dolly enter the picture and wonder what her life could have been like had she had someone to love her true, instead of her cheating husband. She remembers a comment from a peasant about "Children being bondage". And I began to think about what my life would have been like had I married my college sweatheart. Or if I didn't have children. I feel like woman are more closely "bonded" by this type of life than men, and sometimes we wish for something different. In the end of my surmising, I concluded that I would never have changed a thing, but sometimes in our dreams, our consciousness' explores the hidden desires of our hearts. It reminds me of a poem by Sara Teasdale called Thoughts. She talks about when she's alone she should be admired for she can think her own thoughts, here are the first verse and the one that I think applies:

WHEN I am all alone
Envy me most,
Then my thoughts flutter round me
In a glimmering host;

Some bearing violets,
Some bearing bay,
One with a burning rose
Hidden away��

The line "One with a burning rose Hidden away-" gets me every time. All of us have those secret dreams, wishes, and "what if's" that we keep to ourselves. But Anna has chosen to grab the rose by the thorns, so to say.

One more quick theme mention is woman's suffrage. Tolstoy obviously shows Anna pushing the boundaries of woman's rights at the time. We see this in so many small ways, like when she rides a horse which is considered unladylike at the time. But again, even though Tolstoy was aware of this movement and addresses it in his plots, he has also been called a misogynist, because all the women characters seem to have no other function in his novel other than taking care of children or the households. Whether he's just representing the current times or he supports woman's rights, it is unclear. But again, a case can be made for both sides which is one thing that makes Tolstoy such a fantastic writer. He gives us foreshadowing and storylines that parallel the themes, such as the man dying under the train in the beginning, or Vronsky in the horse race as a metaphor for his relationship with Anna. But these do not show what Tolstoy believes either way. That's for you to decide.

Overall, this book has so many themes to expound on, and I love that he doesn't tell us which way to think, at least not obviously. It's like listening to a poem or song. You don't fully appreciate it until you apply it to your own life, thoughts, and beliefs. And even then, you have yourself questioning what is really true. How do we achieve true happiness? Should desire be repressed? How important is love in finding true happiness? Should politics and religion be a part of this process? For me personally, I think Levin had it right at the end with his decision on happiness. And I won't tell you what it was, you'll have to read it yourself.


Note: I saw the movie with Kiera Knightly after reading the book and was disappointed. They do this artsy stage thing where it looks to be a movie about a play where you actually see the set changing. It was interesting, but I think if I hadn't read the book, I wouldn't have had a clue as to what was going on. Also, it doesn't come close to the brilliance of Tolstoy's writing on the different themes throughout the work. It really just can't compare. I might try an older movie version of the book eventually.
]]> 11395597
Jeanette Winterson's novels have established her as a major figure in world literature. She has written some of the most admired books of the past few decades, including her internationally bestselling first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, the story of a young girl adopted by Pentecostal parents that is now often required reading in contemporary fiction.

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is a memoir about a life's work to find happiness. It's a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a religious zealot disguised as a mother who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the dresser, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in an north England industrial town now changed beyond recognition; about the Universe as Cosmic Dustbin.

It is the story of how a painful past that Jeanette thought she'd written over and repainted rose to haunt her, sending her on a journey into madness and out again, in search of her biological mother.]]> 230 Jeanette Winterson 0307401243 midnightfaerie 5
In a time when there were not many women writers considered of value in classical literature, she continues to make her way thru classic literature A-Z at her library discovering her love of writing and the surprising fact that she's a feminist. This is my first Winterson and it sounds like her first book was more popular so I might have to read that as well. But this one had me falling in love with this writer over and over again. A great read.]]> 3.99 2011
author: Jeanette Winterson
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2022/12/16
date added: 2022/12/16
shelves: coming-of-self, drama, literature, memoirs, favorites
review:
An amazing story of a resilient young woman who was adopted by fanatical religious parents and were unable to show love. This is the tale of her coming of age, struggling with loving herself, loving others, and finding what love means to her. As an adult she struggles with depression and suicide and finally starts a long quest to find her birth mother. This book is poignant and touching and reveals the heartache that can happen from an unhappy childhood and a broken family. I could relate in so many ways to what she was going through. Her humor and sarcastic led way to a wit that had me wanting to turn the page and never put this book down. She looks at the world in a different way, with her two selves, as she talks to her other half and learns who she is, she discovers a path she didn't realize was there and in the end, is not exactly happy, but at least content, or at peace with who she's become so she's at peace with the past and content to accept the live she's led. I love the literature references in this as well and added so many books to my "to read" list because of it.

In a time when there were not many women writers considered of value in classical literature, she continues to make her way thru classic literature A-Z at her library discovering her love of writing and the surprising fact that she's a feminist. This is my first Winterson and it sounds like her first book was more popular so I might have to read that as well. But this one had me falling in love with this writer over and over again. A great read.
]]> 55621420 25 Louisa May Alcott 1974916340 midnightfaerie 5 4.12
author: Louisa May Alcott
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/28
date added: 2022/10/28
shelves: classics, favorites, literature
review:
If this is the only story I like in Alcott's entire Christmas collection, the book will still have been well worth the read. Loved this story. My favorite so far. Mrs. Podger has a best friend named Mr. Ruselum, a middle aged man of a kind countenance. They often sit before her fire and visit while Mrs. Podgers pours tea from her teapot, a gift given to her husband by the men in town as a thank you to her dead husband for the money he gave out when they lost their jobs at the local plant. Their marriage wasn't the happiest, as Mr. Podgers was stingy and grumpy and often told her not to marry should he die. But later, when the gift was given and Mrs. Podgers realized that Mr. Podgers wasn't as stingy as she originally thought, she vowed to honor her husband's wishes and not remarry after he passed. Which is why when Mr. Ruselum finally gets enough nerve to tell her he loves her and ask her to marry him, she must say no. He is devastated but understands. Then, in comes a young boy Mr. Ruselum found that practically lives on the streets and is being abused. He helps him out and brings him to Mrs. Podgers, knowing she would want to help and hoping it would do her heart good to spoil the boy, after losing her own boy years ago. Mrs. Podgers is so overcome with kindness and a need to help the boy, she insists on finding the others in the same condition and holding a Christmas party, with all the trimmings. As the story progresses, we see the soft heart Mr. Ruselum has and the kindness the two adults share for the human race as they plan the games and food for the party, along with buying things to stuff the children's stockings. It's a happy and feel good party, with a few surprises in store for everyone. Another reviewer likened this story to Dickens, and I agree. It has a very Dickenesque feel to it, which is probably why I loved it so much, him being one of my favorite authors. It reminded me of the kindness that is still left in the world and all the reasons I love Christmas. A wonderful story and a beautiful addition to Alcott's Christmas story collection.
]]> 58690308 One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens�� life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters�� trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.]]> 377 Emily Henry 0593334833 midnightfaerie 4
Nora, our main character, begins by talking about her love of books and how the quintessential romance novel is often like a hallmark movie - a man takes a trip to a small town to save some sort of business and falls in love with the simple life there, and ultimately a woman to go along with it. In doing so, he leaves behind the high maintenance, workaholic girlfriend who he eventually breaks up with. In this story, Nora is that city girl, constantly being left behind and criticized for who she is and what she wants. Not only did I find this type of romance refreshing, I can not stress enough how much I LOVED the dialogue. Especially between Nora and her love interest, Charlie. They have quick witted barbs going back and forth so fast and so often that I often had to reread the paragraph to get it all. And it was hilarious! I often laughed out loud, and only realized it because my son kept asking me what I was laughing about.

Other than the romance, her relationship with her sister hit me over and over again. I'm the middle child between two sisters and there was so much I could relate to. The wanting to take care of my younger sister, and feeling like I failed. The anger I had at my mother for treating my older sister like a friend and comrade instead of a child, which made her feel like she had to be a mother too and take care of us, causing her to grow up more quickly than she should have. And in the end, both of my sisters moving away and me feeling like I just wasn't enough for them to stay. Emily Henry touches upon all these aspects of a sister relationship and so much more, it really touched me. She wrote it clearly and beautifully, causing me to dive back into feelings I thought I'd left years behind.

Overall, even though this might be labeled as just a light romance, and I can't really put it in the "classics" section, it really made an impact on me that made me realize it needed a better genre. So I created a "coming of self" category that, to me, means a story about a person who works through major events in their life, coming out on the other side, more aware of their self and what they want out of life.

Henry also endearingly talks about typical tropes in literature and either obliterates it in action, or dives into it head first with a character, showing how they are often needed and even enhance the story line, hence the reason for becoming tropes in the first place. Nora, being a literary agent, is perfect for this role and Henry pulls it off well.

I went into this thinking it would only be a fun romance about a girl who loves books, but it was so much more. I was enchanted. Highly recommended.]]> 4.09 2022
author: Emily Henry
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/27
date added: 2022/07/27
shelves: brain-candy, favorites, literature, romance, coming-of-self
review:
4.5 stars I think. I really enjoyed this book. To me, it wasn't just a romance and it wasn't necessarily a coming of age book, but more a coming of self book, in that, as an adult, our main character had to figure out who she wanted to be and what she really wanted out of life instead of living for others. I would say half this book is about that, and the other half is her relationship with her sister, which I adored.

Nora, our main character, begins by talking about her love of books and how the quintessential romance novel is often like a hallmark movie - a man takes a trip to a small town to save some sort of business and falls in love with the simple life there, and ultimately a woman to go along with it. In doing so, he leaves behind the high maintenance, workaholic girlfriend who he eventually breaks up with. In this story, Nora is that city girl, constantly being left behind and criticized for who she is and what she wants. Not only did I find this type of romance refreshing, I can not stress enough how much I LOVED the dialogue. Especially between Nora and her love interest, Charlie. They have quick witted barbs going back and forth so fast and so often that I often had to reread the paragraph to get it all. And it was hilarious! I often laughed out loud, and only realized it because my son kept asking me what I was laughing about.

Other than the romance, her relationship with her sister hit me over and over again. I'm the middle child between two sisters and there was so much I could relate to. The wanting to take care of my younger sister, and feeling like I failed. The anger I had at my mother for treating my older sister like a friend and comrade instead of a child, which made her feel like she had to be a mother too and take care of us, causing her to grow up more quickly than she should have. And in the end, both of my sisters moving away and me feeling like I just wasn't enough for them to stay. Emily Henry touches upon all these aspects of a sister relationship and so much more, it really touched me. She wrote it clearly and beautifully, causing me to dive back into feelings I thought I'd left years behind.

Overall, even though this might be labeled as just a light romance, and I can't really put it in the "classics" section, it really made an impact on me that made me realize it needed a better genre. So I created a "coming of self" category that, to me, means a story about a person who works through major events in their life, coming out on the other side, more aware of their self and what they want out of life.

Henry also endearingly talks about typical tropes in literature and either obliterates it in action, or dives into it head first with a character, showing how they are often needed and even enhance the story line, hence the reason for becoming tropes in the first place. Nora, being a literary agent, is perfect for this role and Henry pulls it off well.

I went into this thinking it would only be a fun romance about a girl who loves books, but it was so much more. I was enchanted. Highly recommended.
]]> 49354511 Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.

Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the ‘Scriptorium��, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word ‘bondmaid�� flutters to the floor. Esme rescues the slip and stashes it in an old wooden case that belongs to her friend, Lizzie, a young servant in the big house. Esme begins to collect other words from the Scriptorium that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men. They help her make sense of the world.

Over time, Esme realises that some words are considered more important than others, and that words and meanings relating to women’s experiences often go unrecorded. While she dedicates her life to the Oxford English Dictionary, secretly, she begins to collect words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words.

Set when the women’s suffrage movement was at its height and the Great War loomed, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. It’s a delightful, lyrical and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words, and the power of language to shape the world and our experience of it.]]> 384 Pip Williams 1925972593 midnightfaerie 5
A beautiful story about someone with a love for words, who uses them to gain understanding of her ever changing world, through the woman's suffrage movement all the way through WWII and her father's death. A must read for any lover of words and great stories of love and loss. I loved this book.]]> 3.97 2020
author: Pip Williams
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/06/08
date added: 2022/06/08
shelves: classics, literature, favorites
review:
Not sure if this is classical literature, but after a few more years and readers, it just might be. A young girl gets her love for words by picking them up off the floor after her father and colleagues drop them. Having discarded the words deemed "not important enough" to go into the dictionary they're creating, said girl begins to collect the words. Oddly enough, many have to do with women, and this gets her thinking about her place in the world. We see her life develop through a series of events that eventually lead her back to the beginning and her lost words. Through life, loss, and perseverance, Esme takes these words and holds onto them, making them her own and fortifying the strength that gets her through every day, including the bad ones.

A beautiful story about someone with a love for words, who uses them to gain understanding of her ever changing world, through the woman's suffrage movement all the way through WWII and her father's death. A must read for any lover of words and great stories of love and loss. I loved this book.
]]> 1166599
Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

The final volume of the Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light, was partially written by Robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, and now Stormlight Archive, among others, was chosen by Jordan's editor--his wife, Harriet McDougal--to complete the final volume, later expanded to three books.

In this epic novel, Robert Jordan's international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward--wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders--his allies watch in terror the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.

Egwene al'Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower--and possibly the world itself.]]> 824 Robert Jordan 0765302306 midnightfaerie 5 classics, fantasy, favorites 4.41 2009
author: Robert Jordan
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/24
date added: 2021/12/24
shelves: classics, fantasy, favorites
review:
Wow. Just wow. Loved this book. Loving Egwene's storyline and am finally seeing the fruition of all of Jordan's work and posturing. The sludge was definitely worth getting through. Started book 13 immediately thereafter and can't wait to finish this series. This has tons of action and lot's of plot lines coming together. I am beginning to see Jordan's end goal with this story and characters and he did a fantastic job of it. I still think some of his characters are a little flat and his woman need a little work, but by this book, I really started to fill in the blanks with some depth for the characters. I don't know if this is Jordan's writing or my own imagination, but I'm finally starting to be invested in these characters, much more than I was in the beginning. Loved the assault on the White Tower and everything leading up to it, and what happened because of it. We're also starting to see Mat and Perrin and Rand come together, albeit slowly. Definitely one of my favorite books of the series. Enjoying the tv show as well, but some of the changes from the book are taking me a little to get used to. Overall, the tv show is doing an excellent job of showing the strengths and weaknesses of each of the characters as well as developing a plotline worthy of the story.
]]> 23278537 “There are books that are suitable for a million people, others for only a hundred. There are even remedies—I mean books—that were written for one person only…A book is both medic and medicine at once. It makes a diagnosis as well as offering therapy. Putting the right novels to the appropriate ailments: that’s how I sell books.��

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people's lives.]]> 392 Nina George 0553418777 midnightfaerie 5 brain-candy, favorites 3.46 2013
author: Nina George
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2021/06/11
date added: 2021/06/11
shelves: brain-candy, favorites
review:
I'm really not sure how to classify this book. One of those artsy, finding oneself type of things that centers around the main characters love of books is the best I can do. I really enjoyed this. I found myself marking many pages and underlining thoughts and words that really spoke to me. I understand grief, loss, and death. I understand love and the quest to find peace and oneself again. Perhaps this is why this book spoke to me. I loved how George spoke through the books. I love how the relationships came together and even those that should have been the most hopeless of personalities ended up being the ones you yearned to emulate. I long to paint naked in the garden but don't have the abandon to do so. I loved the different types of love in this book and the discovery each person, each town, and especially each food had on the overall impact of the theme. I loved the recipes at the end of the book and how food was interwoven into every memory and event. This book spoke to me in a way I haven't been since Elizabeth's Berg "Pull of the Moon". Nina George, I commend you for this gem amidst forgeries. I can't wait to read it again in 20 years. Thank you.
]]> 43692644 Plato midnightfaerie 5 4.21 -399
author: Plato
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.21
book published: -399
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/01
date added: 2021/06/07
shelves: classics, historical, informational, literature, memoirs, favorites
review:
I read this back in college for a World Civ class and had completely forgotten about it until it showed up in one of my short story collections. Reading it again as an adult has floored me with the craftiness and wit and arrogance that Socrates had. I've never been a huge fan of philosophy but man, can Socrates debate! There are a few intellectual debaters out there that I highly admire and would loved to have seen them debate with each other, time period in history notwithstanding. Someone like Socrates with maybe someone like C.S. Lewis for example. People just don't appreciate and good intellectual debate anymore. And with our cancel culture and politically correct groups getting offended easily, I just can't see that this would ever happen in today's day and age. However, I can still hope, and occasionally enjoy the truly advanced brains of the past.
]]> 49090511 New York Times bestselling series continues!

Snowfall didn't expect to be queen of the IceWings at such a young age, but now that she is, she's going to be the best queen ever. All she has to do is keep her tribe within IceWing territory, where it's safe -- while keeping every other tribe out, where they belong.

It's a perfect and simple plan, backed up by all the IceWing magic Snowfall can find. That is, until a storm of unidentified dragons arrives on her shore, looking for asylum.

The foreigners are completely strange and, Snowfall is certain, utterly untrustworthy. But as she escorts the miserable new tribes out of her kingdom, Snowfall is forced to reconsider her plan. Maybe she can only keep her tribe safe . . . if she's willing to risk everything.]]> 316 Tui T. Sutherland 1338214543 midnightfaerie 5 childrens, fantasy, favorites 4.38 2021
author: Tui T. Sutherland
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/10
date added: 2021/03/10
shelves: childrens, fantasy, favorites
review:
Wow, just wow. Seriously loved this one and have no idea how to talk about it without giving anything away, so this will be short and sweet. Snowfall is like TOTALLY annoying in her OBSESSIVE thinking that everyone is out to get her. She's like a fuzzy penguin on crack. Once the dragons from the other continent start arriving she gets worse. I was into chapter four and thinking I was going to hate this book when little by little she starting learning and changing and growing and by the end of the book she is ABSOLUTELY one of my MOST FAVORITE dragons. I did NOT think she would mature/grow enough to do what she did at the end but she did and it was AWESOME! I also absolutely LOVE the way she thinks about other dragons especially as she's learning to see the world through their eyes. I have to admit some of the names she called the other dragons made me laugh out loud and COMPLETELY annoyed my one 10 yr old twin who was in line to read the book next. Sutherland does another incredible job of making us fall for her protagonist all the while giving us new twists and turns we didn't see coming. Book #6 WAS my favorite but now I think this one is. All I have to say is if you hate Snowfall at first, give her time, because it's totally worth it. I love reading these with my kids and feel like it's one of the best Middle School type aged series I've read in a long while. 5 stars!
]]> 168338 Dear Martin, I'm sorry the note I left you was so abrupt. I just wanted you to know I was safe...I won't be back for a while. I'm on a trip. I needed all of a sudden to go, without saying where, because I don't know where. I know this is not like me. I know that. But please believe me, I am safe and I am not crazy. I felt as though if I didn't do this I wouldn't be safe and I would be crazy...And can you believe this? I love you. - Nan.

Sometimes you have to leave your life behind for a while to see it and really live freshly again. In this luminous, exquisitely written novel, a woman follows the pull of the moon to find her way home. Sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, always honest, The Pull of the Moon is a novel about the journey of one woman - and about the issues of the heart that transforms the lives of all women.]]> 224 Elizabeth Berg 0099451743 midnightfaerie 5 favorites
So when she sent this book to me, and told me she had read it several times and it was one of her favorites, I had to give it a try. Labeled Chick Lit(I hate that name, it makes it sound sappy), my stack of Elizabeth Berg books was ever growing, but still unread. I knew she had to have some merit, no one writes that many books and doesn't have some sort of impact, but again, they looked like typical woman's literature, and I hesitated. So my Aunt sending me one, finally made me pick one up.

Now my Aunt belongs to my Dad's family, the side that grew up on my Grandfather's farm. Stoic, hardworking, and not very open about their thoughts or feelings, sometimes it's hard to get a read on them. This book opened up a whole new world of wonder about my Aunt, and as I sat underlining or highlighting every other word, I hoped that someday my thoughts written in this dusty little paperwork, would open up a whole new world of insight to my children who might read it.

I had a boss once who was talking about why he chose a particular book as his favorite. He said it wasn't the deepest book out there, but it spoke to him, and described very well the thoughts he sometimes had. That's how I feel about Pull of the Moon. Berg has a simple way to describe what this woman, Nan, is feeling as she takes off from her everyday life, for a road trip and to "find" herself. A monotonous marriage and the fear of getting older is what drives her, but she learns so much more about herself than she knew. From meeting new people, and attempting new experiences, to trying to get over her fear of the dark by sleeping in the forest alone at night, she pushes the boundaries of the rules she's lived the last 50 years by. About her marriage...

"...you'll see the small lines starting in each other's faces, and though your hands may be in your laps they will also be reaching out to touch those lines with a tenderness you weren't sure was in you. You'll think, Oh well, all right. You'll have come to a certain kind of appreciation that moves beyond all the definitions of love you've ever had."

And in writing a letter to her husband...

"I try to cast my thoughts out, meaning to share all of them with you, Martin, and then slowly pull the line back in, your not having seen much at all. You stop listening so I seize up, or I seize up so you stop listening, I'm not sure..."

Before I got married, we were required to go to a sort of marriage counseling with the pastor who would be doing our ceremony. I remember him and his wife sitting there, talking to us and saying, as he smiled gently at his wife, "I kind of see marriage as two rocks with a lot of rough edges. You bang against each other over and over and eventually the edges are smoothed out." I think the above two passages of Berg's describes this perfectly. I feel like I'm fluctuating between the "Why won't you listen to me more?" and the "Oh well, all right."

Berg also touches upon the sweet bitterness of getting older, the body that doesn't seem her own anymore, and the woman who doesn't care so much anymore what people think so she can get away with more. On life's regrets she writes...

"I am so often struck by what we do not do..."

And when talking about her feelings and running away from them...

"Today I woke up and felt the old pull of sadness back. It's like a robe that is too heavy, weighing down my shoulders, dragging up dirt as it follows along behind me. This was disappointing. I thought I'd escaped something."

Berg creates a feeling and atmosphere in her book that is both concise and general at the same time. The epistolary format was a brilliant move, because it makes us feel like Nan is our friend, just another woman trying to understand her life. There is something in this book for all women. I can't imagine there's a woman out there that can't relate to at least a little of what Nan is experiencing.

I loved this book. Perhaps it's because I'm coming up on 40 and am starting to feel it or maybe it's because this September I celebrate my ten year anniversary with my husband, I'm not sure. But this book really touched me and for now, it's become one of my favorites. Not a classic by any means, but an enjoyable read, especially for a women who feels alone, to know there are many other women out there that have the same thoughts.
]]> 3.79 1996
author: Elizabeth Berg
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at: 2013/06/07
date added: 2021/02/26
shelves: favorites
review:
My aunt is a renowned doctor living in Memphis. She was one of the first women breast surgeons and her and her husband founded the Mroz-Baier clinic for breast cancer in Memphis. They are innovators and have made great strides towards the cure of breast cancer. I have a box full of newspaper clippings and pictures of them with prominent people like President Clinton and Barbara Bush. My Aunt is someone who I look up to and admire greatly.

So when she sent this book to me, and told me she had read it several times and it was one of her favorites, I had to give it a try. Labeled Chick Lit(I hate that name, it makes it sound sappy), my stack of Elizabeth Berg books was ever growing, but still unread. I knew she had to have some merit, no one writes that many books and doesn't have some sort of impact, but again, they looked like typical woman's literature, and I hesitated. So my Aunt sending me one, finally made me pick one up.

Now my Aunt belongs to my Dad's family, the side that grew up on my Grandfather's farm. Stoic, hardworking, and not very open about their thoughts or feelings, sometimes it's hard to get a read on them. This book opened up a whole new world of wonder about my Aunt, and as I sat underlining or highlighting every other word, I hoped that someday my thoughts written in this dusty little paperwork, would open up a whole new world of insight to my children who might read it.

I had a boss once who was talking about why he chose a particular book as his favorite. He said it wasn't the deepest book out there, but it spoke to him, and described very well the thoughts he sometimes had. That's how I feel about Pull of the Moon. Berg has a simple way to describe what this woman, Nan, is feeling as she takes off from her everyday life, for a road trip and to "find" herself. A monotonous marriage and the fear of getting older is what drives her, but she learns so much more about herself than she knew. From meeting new people, and attempting new experiences, to trying to get over her fear of the dark by sleeping in the forest alone at night, she pushes the boundaries of the rules she's lived the last 50 years by. About her marriage...

"...you'll see the small lines starting in each other's faces, and though your hands may be in your laps they will also be reaching out to touch those lines with a tenderness you weren't sure was in you. You'll think, Oh well, all right. You'll have come to a certain kind of appreciation that moves beyond all the definitions of love you've ever had."

And in writing a letter to her husband...

"I try to cast my thoughts out, meaning to share all of them with you, Martin, and then slowly pull the line back in, your not having seen much at all. You stop listening so I seize up, or I seize up so you stop listening, I'm not sure..."

Before I got married, we were required to go to a sort of marriage counseling with the pastor who would be doing our ceremony. I remember him and his wife sitting there, talking to us and saying, as he smiled gently at his wife, "I kind of see marriage as two rocks with a lot of rough edges. You bang against each other over and over and eventually the edges are smoothed out." I think the above two passages of Berg's describes this perfectly. I feel like I'm fluctuating between the "Why won't you listen to me more?" and the "Oh well, all right."

Berg also touches upon the sweet bitterness of getting older, the body that doesn't seem her own anymore, and the woman who doesn't care so much anymore what people think so she can get away with more. On life's regrets she writes...

"I am so often struck by what we do not do..."

And when talking about her feelings and running away from them...

"Today I woke up and felt the old pull of sadness back. It's like a robe that is too heavy, weighing down my shoulders, dragging up dirt as it follows along behind me. This was disappointing. I thought I'd escaped something."

Berg creates a feeling and atmosphere in her book that is both concise and general at the same time. The epistolary format was a brilliant move, because it makes us feel like Nan is our friend, just another woman trying to understand her life. There is something in this book for all women. I can't imagine there's a woman out there that can't relate to at least a little of what Nan is experiencing.

I loved this book. Perhaps it's because I'm coming up on 40 and am starting to feel it or maybe it's because this September I celebrate my ten year anniversary with my husband, I'm not sure. But this book really touched me and for now, it's become one of my favorites. Not a classic by any means, but an enjoyable read, especially for a women who feels alone, to know there are many other women out there that have the same thoughts.

]]> 34897 The Dragon Reborn—the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him—is on the run from his destiny.

Able to touch the One Power, but unable to control it, and with no one to teach him how—for no man has done it in three thousand years—Rand al'Thor knows only that he must face the Dark One. But how?

Winter has stopped the war—almost—yet men are dying, calling out for the Dragon. But where is he?

Perrin Aybara is in pursuit with Moiraine Sedai, her Warder Lan, and Loial the Ogier. Bedeviled by dreams, Perrin is grappling with another deadly problem—how is he to escape the loss of his own humanity?

Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve are approaching Tar Valon, where Mat will be healed—if he lives until they arrive. But who will tell the Amyrlin their news—that the Black Ajah, long thought only a hideous rumor, is all too real? They cannot know that in Tar Valon far worse awaits...

Ahead, for all of them, in the Heart of the Stone, lies the next great test of the Dragon reborn....
]]> 624 Robert Jordan 0765305119 midnightfaerie 4 4.27 1991
author: Robert Jordan
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1991
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/01
date added: 2021/02/01
shelves: classics, fantasy, favorites, literature
review:
Lots of fun and a great continuation of the storyline. Without giving too much away, Rand is now struggling with being the Dragon Reborn. Morianne tells him he is and lets her pronounce it to the world, but self doubt is prevalent in Rand's mind and his friends aren't the biggest help in helping him out with this, one of my biggest problems with this story line. The one power calls to him and the more he embraces it, the more he feels himself growing mad. Crazy and weird events happen wherever he goes, and he begins to have dreams about the sword of Callendor. Legend states that only the Dragon Reborn can wield it, and so he abandon's his group and sets off on his own for Tear. Perrin, Morianne, and Lan, along with their group of supporters go after him, knowing they have no other choice. Meanwhile, Mat is being healed in Tar Valon, with the 3 girls are being punished for running off. But a bigger, sinister, plot is underway and we are still only sure of a few of the characters. All the others, well, they could all be Dark Friends, and who's really to tell? As each storyline grows ever more suspenseful, they all begin to lead into the same direction - Tear, with this book once again ending in a huge battle, lots of reveals, and a fun cliffhanger, which will once again gets you clamoring to read the next one. From what I understand, Jordan intended originally for their to be only 4 books, so I'm curious to see how this story will progress. I'd be labeling this one brain candy, if it weren't for all the new characters constantly being added, and their fun fantasy type names I have to try and remember. The only thing that I don't like besides Rand's friends not being more supportive is the secrecy. EVERYONE complains about how secretive and manipulative the Aes Sedai are, yet everyone is being the same way! I was hoping that at least Perrin, Mat, and Rand would have the sense to confide in each other and help each other along! Other than that, another beautiful installment in this series that does not disappoint.
]]> 62022 258 Walter Tevis 1400030609 midnightfaerie 4
Beth is quiet and reserved, often seen as cold by others, but inside she's got the intelligence of a grand master and lives her life struggling between finding peace with chess, or with drugs and alcohol. Besides the intricate detailing of the chess game, I also loved the girl power aspect of the game. I'm not a huge feminist, but you could say I'm a fan of girl kicking butt stories. I've always loved using my mind, being a programmer for many years, and deep into my past time of board games such as eurogames and chess, I find that doing things that stimulate my mind relaxes me, whereas most people, like my husband, often say no to playing a game because he doesn't "feel like thinking". Because of this, I find myself often surrounded more by men (except my husband of course) than women, in the workplace and in my hobbies, although this is finally changing as we start to see more women in both arenas. However, I can completely relate to Beth in how she sees men, how it affects her environment, and how she is treated because she is involved in a game that is mostly dominated by men. I love her intense concentration and her almost dismissiveness of everything outside the realm of the game she is playing.

This book came close to being put on my favorites list and I still might change my mind on that. The only thing that stops me is how some story lines fade into a quick and unsatisfying ending, almost as if the author felt it had to be in the book, but just wanted to hurry up and get it over with and back to the chess game. I'd rather Tevis just didn't put it in to begin with. For example, her relationship with Benny. To me, how it was described, was just a fling, or even a matter of convenience that ends abruptly with both sides not really caring. But when Beth talks to him again later in the story, she almost sounds as if she's crying she misses him so much. But maybe it's just because she's relieved she has someone to talk to about the game she's playing? I'm not sure. She has several relationships and they all end abruptly or fall flat with no real feeling on her part. And I kept expecting her to see the boy she found attractive back in the beginning of the book but he never showed up again. I wonder too if it's because Tevis is writing more from a man's point of view. I find that sometimes when men try and write relationships they focus more on the sex and less on the feeling and then I feel surprised when there turns out to be feeling there later on, especially on the woman's part because it wasn't really indicated early on. The relationships feel like flings and are over quickly. Why even write about them? It seemed like when she had her big binge she was lonely, but whenever she's around people she tries to get away from them as fast as possible and seems relieved when she's alone again. But getting back to the storylines, another non relationship example would be when Mr. Shaibel, the janitor who taught her chess, sends her money and she promises to send it back to him plus more if she wins a tournament. I kept waiting for her to write the letter or maybe go see him and thank him or something. Finally, almost at the end of the book, at his funeral, there's a line or two that mentions her remembering that she never sent it and should have. But why didn't she? Is it just assumed she forgot? But with her razor sharp mind, every time his name came up, she wouldn't have remembered? It was almost as if Tevis remembered that hanging thread of a story line and quickly threw in a line or two to make sure it was resolved. I saw this all over the place and I'm not sure if it's laziness, or just his writing style. Either way, I wanted a little more.

Overall, the book is amazing and well worth the read. Beth's adversity in life comes through in how she deals with the chess games and the other players. It's intriguing and fascinating at the same time. It's also got me itching to bring out my board and finish some of the books with formations and exercises in them. I look forward to watching the series on Netflix. Highly recommended.]]> 4.14 1983
author: Walter Tevis
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1983
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/11
date added: 2020/12/11
shelves: literature, favorites, informational
review:
This was an excellent book. I absolutely loved the chess aspect and it was like watching a suspenseful movie for me, I was riveted. You don't need to know chess to read this, however, I believe it would be much more enjoyable for you if you had at least a basic knowledge of the game. The more you know, the more you can really visualize the action of the game as the tournaments are being played out. Beth Harmon is our leading lady and has as much adversity in her life as in her games. When she ends up in an orphanage at a young age, her life isn't easy, and chess is the only thing that gets her through it. Tranquilizers are given to the orphans to help the establishment better control them everyday up until the government finally lays down the law and says they can't do it anymore. So an 8-yr-old Beth is cut off from the one thing that helps her calm down and sleep. So begins her life of addiction. Throughout this struggle the only way she can get to sleep each night is running through chess games in her head, a game she learned from the janitor of the school, who grudgingly teachers her after she won't leave him alone.

Beth is quiet and reserved, often seen as cold by others, but inside she's got the intelligence of a grand master and lives her life struggling between finding peace with chess, or with drugs and alcohol. Besides the intricate detailing of the chess game, I also loved the girl power aspect of the game. I'm not a huge feminist, but you could say I'm a fan of girl kicking butt stories. I've always loved using my mind, being a programmer for many years, and deep into my past time of board games such as eurogames and chess, I find that doing things that stimulate my mind relaxes me, whereas most people, like my husband, often say no to playing a game because he doesn't "feel like thinking". Because of this, I find myself often surrounded more by men (except my husband of course) than women, in the workplace and in my hobbies, although this is finally changing as we start to see more women in both arenas. However, I can completely relate to Beth in how she sees men, how it affects her environment, and how she is treated because she is involved in a game that is mostly dominated by men. I love her intense concentration and her almost dismissiveness of everything outside the realm of the game she is playing.

This book came close to being put on my favorites list and I still might change my mind on that. The only thing that stops me is how some story lines fade into a quick and unsatisfying ending, almost as if the author felt it had to be in the book, but just wanted to hurry up and get it over with and back to the chess game. I'd rather Tevis just didn't put it in to begin with. For example, her relationship with Benny. To me, how it was described, was just a fling, or even a matter of convenience that ends abruptly with both sides not really caring. But when Beth talks to him again later in the story, she almost sounds as if she's crying she misses him so much. But maybe it's just because she's relieved she has someone to talk to about the game she's playing? I'm not sure. She has several relationships and they all end abruptly or fall flat with no real feeling on her part. And I kept expecting her to see the boy she found attractive back in the beginning of the book but he never showed up again. I wonder too if it's because Tevis is writing more from a man's point of view. I find that sometimes when men try and write relationships they focus more on the sex and less on the feeling and then I feel surprised when there turns out to be feeling there later on, especially on the woman's part because it wasn't really indicated early on. The relationships feel like flings and are over quickly. Why even write about them? It seemed like when she had her big binge she was lonely, but whenever she's around people she tries to get away from them as fast as possible and seems relieved when she's alone again. But getting back to the storylines, another non relationship example would be when Mr. Shaibel, the janitor who taught her chess, sends her money and she promises to send it back to him plus more if she wins a tournament. I kept waiting for her to write the letter or maybe go see him and thank him or something. Finally, almost at the end of the book, at his funeral, there's a line or two that mentions her remembering that she never sent it and should have. But why didn't she? Is it just assumed she forgot? But with her razor sharp mind, every time his name came up, she wouldn't have remembered? It was almost as if Tevis remembered that hanging thread of a story line and quickly threw in a line or two to make sure it was resolved. I saw this all over the place and I'm not sure if it's laziness, or just his writing style. Either way, I wanted a little more.

Overall, the book is amazing and well worth the read. Beth's adversity in life comes through in how she deals with the chess games and the other players. It's intriguing and fascinating at the same time. It's also got me itching to bring out my board and finish some of the books with formations and exercises in them. I look forward to watching the series on Netflix. Highly recommended.
]]> 21535271
Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a brief, bittersweet glimpse of Auri’s life, a small adventure all her own. At once joyous and haunting, this story offers a chance to see the world through Auri’s eyes. And it gives the reader a chance to learn things that only Auri knows...

In this book, Patrick Rothfuss brings us into the world of one of The Kingkiller Chronicle’s most enigmatic characters. Full of secrets and mysteries, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the story of a broken girl trying to live in a broken world.


AUTHOR’S FOREWORD

You might not want to buy this book.

I know, that’s not the sort of thing an author is supposed to say. The marketing people aren’t going to like this. My editor is going to have a fit. But I’d rather be honest with you right out of the gate.

First, if you haven’t read my other books, you don’t want to start here.

My first two books are The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear. If you’re curious to try my writing, start there. They’re the best introduction to my world. This book deals with Auri, one of the characters from that series. Without the context of those books, you’re probably going to feel pretty lost.

Second, even if you have read my other books, I think it’s only fair to warn you that this is a bit of a strange story. I don’t go in for spoilers, but suffice to say that this one is ... different. It doesn’t do a lot of the things a classic story is supposed to do. And if you’re looking for a continuation of Kvothe’s storyline, you’re not going to find it here.

On the other hand, if you’d like to learn more about Auri, this story has a lot to offer. If you love words and mysteries and secrets. If you’re curious about the Underthing and alchemy. If you want to know more about the hidden turnings of my world...

Well, then this book might be for you.

]]> 159 Patrick Rothfuss 0756410436 midnightfaerie 5
"I felt more of an emotional connection to the inanimate objects in this story than I usually feel toward entire characters in other books," Vi says.

But I wasn't having any of it. "Readers expect certain things. People are going to read this and be disappointed. It doesn't do what a normal story is supposed to do."

Then Vi said something I will always remember. "Fuck those people," she said. "Those people have stories written for them all the time. What about me? Where's the story for people like me?"


I could not have said it more eloquently myself. Rothfuss goes on later to say that many people tell him that they don't know what other people with think and they probably won't like it, but I did. That's exactly how I felt after reading this. Not only the brokenness and how Auri dealt with the world, but even how she thought was something I could explicitly relate to. I often say things like she does and have others not understand me or think I'm being silly. Of course my adjectives flow more to the food spectrum. The name of the last Minecraft world I created was Peanut Butter Rain. Her thoughts, her emotions, and how she dealt with unexpected events were all things that touched my heart. After reading it, I told my husband he wouldn't like it. I know it's not fair really, but I just know him. I also felt I learned a lot more about Auri through this book. In the last book, I really just felt her mind had shattered. But now I realize there is so much more to her and she's probably more put together and more knowledgeable than most people in all the stories. She also might be more powerful.

I also felt like there was a little bit of foreshadowing at the end. Perhaps a certain way the author is leaning in certain events? In any case, I don't feel like I can give a good review on this. I don't know if you'd like it or how to explain it to the average reader. All I can say is if you're not sure after reading several reviews, give it a try anyway, because it's really short. Also, I'd like to note that I read a blurb on the next book and it will/is supposed to be the last one. That makes me entirely too sad. It could have been 5 or 6 books or even 10 without it being too much.
]]> 3.88 2014
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/01
date added: 2020/04/14
shelves: brain-candy, fantasy, favorites, literature
review:
I now wish I had rated the first two books a 4 just so that I could rate this one a 5. It was amazing. I can not say how much I loved this book. At the end, Rothfuss talks about a conversation he had about the book with a friend named Vi that goes something like this:

"I felt more of an emotional connection to the inanimate objects in this story than I usually feel toward entire characters in other books," Vi says.

But I wasn't having any of it. "Readers expect certain things. People are going to read this and be disappointed. It doesn't do what a normal story is supposed to do."

Then Vi said something I will always remember. "Fuck those people," she said. "Those people have stories written for them all the time. What about me? Where's the story for people like me?"


I could not have said it more eloquently myself. Rothfuss goes on later to say that many people tell him that they don't know what other people with think and they probably won't like it, but I did. That's exactly how I felt after reading this. Not only the brokenness and how Auri dealt with the world, but even how she thought was something I could explicitly relate to. I often say things like she does and have others not understand me or think I'm being silly. Of course my adjectives flow more to the food spectrum. The name of the last Minecraft world I created was Peanut Butter Rain. Her thoughts, her emotions, and how she dealt with unexpected events were all things that touched my heart. After reading it, I told my husband he wouldn't like it. I know it's not fair really, but I just know him. I also felt I learned a lot more about Auri through this book. In the last book, I really just felt her mind had shattered. But now I realize there is so much more to her and she's probably more put together and more knowledgeable than most people in all the stories. She also might be more powerful.

I also felt like there was a little bit of foreshadowing at the end. Perhaps a certain way the author is leaning in certain events? In any case, I don't feel like I can give a good review on this. I don't know if you'd like it or how to explain it to the average reader. All I can say is if you're not sure after reading several reviews, give it a try anyway, because it's really short. Also, I'd like to note that I read a blurb on the next book and it will/is supposed to be the last one. That makes me entirely too sad. It could have been 5 or 6 books or even 10 without it being too much.

]]> 887201 200 Brian Froud midnightfaerie 5
Faeries are my favorite. To me, all things magical come from the world of Fae. So goblins, ents, leprechauns, and thestrals are from the land of Fae, or might be considered "Fae". When I was a child I often imagined faeries coming to me by mode of sunbeam and alighting on the dewdrops of the flowers next to me. I would also like to point out that if you were to visit Ireland or Scotland, the faerie world is very much ingrained in the culture and it's quite common to believe in and refere to "the little people". It's a fun world and nothing to take too seriously.

Due to previous comments, I wished to make myself clear. Thank you.

****

Now for the book Faeries. Brian Froud is by far my favorite faerie guru. His books are full of information and the most beautiful and haunting images. He is extremely talented and I love his art. In the Fae world, he is considered an expert and I highly recommend this book, or his "Good Faeries, Bad Faeries" book. This is not a book for children, as there are naked and dark pictures of faerie in here. However, with a parent or guardian's loving tutelage, children can learn to appreciate this art. This is one of his first books and must have for any faerie collection.]]> 3.90 1978
author: Brian Froud
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1978
rating: 5
read at: 2020/02/28
date added: 2020/02/28
shelves: celtic-folklore, classics, fantasy, favorites, art
review:
Faerie Disclaimer: I believe in faeries. I believe in Santa Claus. I am an adult with a child's heart that still believes in magic. I am also a Christian. I am not Wiccan or in a cult. I don't brew potions or pick herbs for my tea at midnight on the summer solstice because they're supposed to be more potent. If you do, that's fine. I will, however, sometimes point out a group of mushrooms to my children and tell them it's a faerie ring. I hold nothing against anyone and despite race, ethnicity, beliefs, religion, or stupidity I will do my best to love you. Feel free to try to change my opinion on anything, albeit in a kind way.

Faeries are my favorite. To me, all things magical come from the world of Fae. So goblins, ents, leprechauns, and thestrals are from the land of Fae, or might be considered "Fae". When I was a child I often imagined faeries coming to me by mode of sunbeam and alighting on the dewdrops of the flowers next to me. I would also like to point out that if you were to visit Ireland or Scotland, the faerie world is very much ingrained in the culture and it's quite common to believe in and refere to "the little people". It's a fun world and nothing to take too seriously.

Due to previous comments, I wished to make myself clear. Thank you.

****

Now for the book Faeries. Brian Froud is by far my favorite faerie guru. His books are full of information and the most beautiful and haunting images. He is extremely talented and I love his art. In the Fae world, he is considered an expert and I highly recommend this book, or his "Good Faeries, Bad Faeries" book. This is not a book for children, as there are naked and dark pictures of faerie in here. However, with a parent or guardian's loving tutelage, children can learn to appreciate this art. This is one of his first books and must have for any faerie collection.
]]> 120253
As it turns out, faeries aren't all sweetness and light. In addition to such good faeries as Dream Weavers and Faery Godmothers, Brian introduces us to a host of less well behaved creatures-- traditional bad faeries like Morgana le Fay, but also the Soul Shrinker and the Gloominous Doom. The faery kingdom, we find, is as subject to good and evil as the human realm. Brilliantly documenting both the dark and the light, "Good Faeries/Bad Faeries" presents a world of enchantment and magic that deeply compels the imagination.]]> 192 Brian Froud 0684847817 midnightfaerie 5 favorites, celtic-folklore
Click here for Faerie Disclaimer

Good Faeries/Bad Faeries by Brian Froud is the faerie bible for any faeriephile. This is not just a catch phrase I'm throwing around. I have read and own hundreds of books on faeries, folklore, Celtic tradition, and the history of faeries throughout the world. Within the faerie lover's community it is widely known that this is the book of basic faerie lore with the most comprehensive selection of fae and the most accurately illustrated of all books on the subject.

To those of you, who can understand the perpetuation of the myth we call Santa Claus to alight the sparkle in a child's eye, I speak to you.

Brian Froud is widely known as one of the best artists of all things magical, but he is probably best known for his work with Jim Henson in creating the puppets for the movies Dark Crystal and the Labyrinth. His wife had help in designing Yoda from Star Wars and they both have many other books and works under their belt. But this book, by far, in my humble but accurate opinion, is the best. The art alone is worth the purchase price. Not cutesy or childish, the images are seductive, alluring, and sometimes dark and sinister. This is no child's book. He details the main species in the world of Fae, which are not, as many believe, just fairy's. Fae refers to all magical creatures from sprites to elves to goblins to trolls. It is informative and beautiful. It also has an unusual aspect not seen in many books, which is that the first half of the book, Good Faeries, takes up half the book, then, you must flip the book over and backwards, to read the second half, Bad Faeries. The picture in the middle of the book dividing the two is multi-faceted in that it has no top or bottom of the page. That is, the picture looks the same right side up or upside down.

There are many hidden gems in this book, both written and illustrated. And because it contains four of the characteristics of a classic (a source of the highest expertise of its field, unique, the magic factor, and a huge following) I will define it as such.]]> 3.97 1998
author: Brian Froud
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/02/28
shelves: favorites, celtic-folklore
review:

Click here for Faerie Disclaimer

Good Faeries/Bad Faeries by Brian Froud is the faerie bible for any faeriephile. This is not just a catch phrase I'm throwing around. I have read and own hundreds of books on faeries, folklore, Celtic tradition, and the history of faeries throughout the world. Within the faerie lover's community it is widely known that this is the book of basic faerie lore with the most comprehensive selection of fae and the most accurately illustrated of all books on the subject.

To those of you, who can understand the perpetuation of the myth we call Santa Claus to alight the sparkle in a child's eye, I speak to you.

Brian Froud is widely known as one of the best artists of all things magical, but he is probably best known for his work with Jim Henson in creating the puppets for the movies Dark Crystal and the Labyrinth. His wife had help in designing Yoda from Star Wars and they both have many other books and works under their belt. But this book, by far, in my humble but accurate opinion, is the best. The art alone is worth the purchase price. Not cutesy or childish, the images are seductive, alluring, and sometimes dark and sinister. This is no child's book. He details the main species in the world of Fae, which are not, as many believe, just fairy's. Fae refers to all magical creatures from sprites to elves to goblins to trolls. It is informative and beautiful. It also has an unusual aspect not seen in many books, which is that the first half of the book, Good Faeries, takes up half the book, then, you must flip the book over and backwards, to read the second half, Bad Faeries. The picture in the middle of the book dividing the two is multi-faceted in that it has no top or bottom of the page. That is, the picture looks the same right side up or upside down.

There are many hidden gems in this book, both written and illustrated. And because it contains four of the characteristics of a classic (a source of the highest expertise of its field, unique, the magic factor, and a huge following) I will define it as such.
]]> 12957 Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare includes two quite different stories of romantic love. Hero and Claudio fall in love almost at first sight, but an outsider, Don John, strikes out at their happiness. Beatrice and Benedick are kept apart by pride and mutual antagonism until others decide to play Cupid.]]> 249 William Shakespeare midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare is absolutely fantastic. I've only read a few Shakespeare so far, but I have a feeling it will be my favorite. I love the characters, the plot, the dialogue and the interaction between the characters. Every other Shakespeare will have to surpass this. Like the typical Shakespeare, it's difficult to give highlights of the plot because there is so much going on, but basically it's one of his comedies about Leonato, a nobleman who lives in the idyllic Italian town of Messina. Leonato shares his house with his lovely young daughter, Hero, his playful, clever niece, Beatrice, and his elderly brother, Antonio (who is Beatrice's father). As the play begins, Leonato prepares to welcome some friends home from a war. The friends include Don Pedro, a prince who is a close friend of Leonato, and two fellow soldiers: Claudio, a well-respected young nobleman, and Benedick, a clever man who constantly makes witty jokes, often at the expense of his friends. Don John, Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, is part of the crowd as well. Don John is sullen and bitter, and makes trouble for the others. When the soldiers arrive at Leonato’s home, Claudio quickly falls in love with Hero. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice resume the war of witty insults that they have carried on with each other in the past. Claudio and Hero pledge their love to one another and decide to be married. To pass the time in the week before the wedding, the lovers and their friends decide to play a game. They want to get Beatrice and Benedick, who are clearly meant for each other, to stop arguing and fall in love. Their tricks prove successful, and Beatrice and Benedick soon fall secretly in love with each other. But Don John has decided to disrupt everyone’s happiness.

Once Don John starts to cause mischief, the group is torn apart and characters begin to choose which side they're on. At one point, Benedick even challenges Claudio to a duel on behalf of Beatrice. Much chaos ensues.

It's a delightfully entertaining story, with much wit between Beatrice and Benedick, my favorite characters. As they are being tricked into believing the other one is in love with them, they are still trying desperately to cling to dignity, and the wit and jibes at each other escalate. Their banter and play with words is one of the highlights of the play and only gets better and better as they each try and outdo each other.

When reading reviews and plot summaries of this play online, I've sadly come to notice that one of the absolute best characters often gets underplayed, or not even mentioned at all. Dogberry, our chief policeman, is the one who uncovers Don John's evil plot and brings it to Leonato. He is the only middle-class character and often tries desperately to use big words to impress the nobles, and often fails. This is cause for much of the humor of the play as we can't help but love him. He misuses words or uses the wrong word completely when trying to explain things. And then, when one of the plaintiff's (he means defendant's) calls him an ass, he wants to make sure it goes on record because he's so offended. So he goes around saying, "Let it be known, that I am an ass!" Too funny! He's a fantastic character and doesn't get enough recognition in my opinion. I absolutely loved this play.

The movie I chose to watch was one I watched years ago back in college and revisited again after reading the play. It has many stars in it and I think they all do an excellent job except for Robert Sean Leonard. You might remember him as the kid who killed himself in Dead Poet's society. My college professor went on and on about how terrible Keanu Reeves was as Don John, but I myself think he actually did him justice. Leonard, however, especially when realizing he has wronged Hero, does an abysmal job of carrying on about it. Emma Thompson as Beatrice and Kenneth Branagh as Benedict were a brilliant move, as they did an outstanding job. I can't say often enough just how much I love the dialogue between these two characters! And even more of a brilliant move, casting Michael Keaton as Dogberry! If you never see but one of Shakespeare's plays made into a movie, see this one if not for Keaton alone. He's fantastic and hilarious! He brings a new kind of comedy and abasement to Dogberry that no one else could do. Completely wonderful! I can't recommend this play or movie enough! Five stars to both!
]]> 4.06 1598
author: William Shakespeare
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1598
rating: 5
read at: 2012/04/03
date added: 2020/02/28
shelves: classics, favorites
review:


Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare is absolutely fantastic. I've only read a few Shakespeare so far, but I have a feeling it will be my favorite. I love the characters, the plot, the dialogue and the interaction between the characters. Every other Shakespeare will have to surpass this. Like the typical Shakespeare, it's difficult to give highlights of the plot because there is so much going on, but basically it's one of his comedies about Leonato, a nobleman who lives in the idyllic Italian town of Messina. Leonato shares his house with his lovely young daughter, Hero, his playful, clever niece, Beatrice, and his elderly brother, Antonio (who is Beatrice's father). As the play begins, Leonato prepares to welcome some friends home from a war. The friends include Don Pedro, a prince who is a close friend of Leonato, and two fellow soldiers: Claudio, a well-respected young nobleman, and Benedick, a clever man who constantly makes witty jokes, often at the expense of his friends. Don John, Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, is part of the crowd as well. Don John is sullen and bitter, and makes trouble for the others. When the soldiers arrive at Leonato’s home, Claudio quickly falls in love with Hero. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice resume the war of witty insults that they have carried on with each other in the past. Claudio and Hero pledge their love to one another and decide to be married. To pass the time in the week before the wedding, the lovers and their friends decide to play a game. They want to get Beatrice and Benedick, who are clearly meant for each other, to stop arguing and fall in love. Their tricks prove successful, and Beatrice and Benedick soon fall secretly in love with each other. But Don John has decided to disrupt everyone’s happiness.

Once Don John starts to cause mischief, the group is torn apart and characters begin to choose which side they're on. At one point, Benedick even challenges Claudio to a duel on behalf of Beatrice. Much chaos ensues.

It's a delightfully entertaining story, with much wit between Beatrice and Benedick, my favorite characters. As they are being tricked into believing the other one is in love with them, they are still trying desperately to cling to dignity, and the wit and jibes at each other escalate. Their banter and play with words is one of the highlights of the play and only gets better and better as they each try and outdo each other.

When reading reviews and plot summaries of this play online, I've sadly come to notice that one of the absolute best characters often gets underplayed, or not even mentioned at all. Dogberry, our chief policeman, is the one who uncovers Don John's evil plot and brings it to Leonato. He is the only middle-class character and often tries desperately to use big words to impress the nobles, and often fails. This is cause for much of the humor of the play as we can't help but love him. He misuses words or uses the wrong word completely when trying to explain things. And then, when one of the plaintiff's (he means defendant's) calls him an ass, he wants to make sure it goes on record because he's so offended. So he goes around saying, "Let it be known, that I am an ass!" Too funny! He's a fantastic character and doesn't get enough recognition in my opinion. I absolutely loved this play.

The movie I chose to watch was one I watched years ago back in college and revisited again after reading the play. It has many stars in it and I think they all do an excellent job except for Robert Sean Leonard. You might remember him as the kid who killed himself in Dead Poet's society. My college professor went on and on about how terrible Keanu Reeves was as Don John, but I myself think he actually did him justice. Leonard, however, especially when realizing he has wronged Hero, does an abysmal job of carrying on about it. Emma Thompson as Beatrice and Kenneth Branagh as Benedict were a brilliant move, as they did an outstanding job. I can't say often enough just how much I love the dialogue between these two characters! And even more of a brilliant move, casting Michael Keaton as Dogberry! If you never see but one of Shakespeare's plays made into a movie, see this one if not for Keaton alone. He's fantastic and hilarious! He brings a new kind of comedy and abasement to Dogberry that no one else could do. Completely wonderful! I can't recommend this play or movie enough! Five stars to both!

]]> 12067
People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons �� well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel �� would quite like the Rapture not to happen.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…]]> 491 Terry Pratchett midnightfaerie 5 4.27 1990
author: Terry Pratchett
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1990
rating: 5
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/08/27
shelves: brain-candy, fantasy, drama, favorites
review:
What an amazing book! This novel is a perfect and delightful combination of both Pratchett and Gaiman at their best. This book has been on my to-read list for a long time, but I was finally prompted into reading it when I saw the Amazon Prime special they made into a show. I refused to watch it until I read the book. What a joy! Gaiman's masterful storytelling combined with Pratchett's propensity for dispelling obvious beliefs with a draught of good humor go hand in hand into making this a must read. The friendship between the angel and demon as the end of the world draws near, is the heart of this story, as many other amusing characters bump into each other's storylines along the way. Much hilarity ensues, as the Anti-Christ is mixed up with another baby by our Sister Loquacious, a verbose, hair-brained nun, who refers to the Anti-Christ's appendages as his "toesy-wosey's". Pratchett's dry humor and often sardonic views of religion poke through to make fun of a myriad of different beliefs. So many that you can't take it seriously but find it funny instead of offensive. It reminded me a bit of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I truly hope these two do more collaborations in the future.
]]> 13448343 There is NOTHING boring about being a kid, but one little girl is going to have to prove it in this anything-but-boring picture book from comedian Michael Ian Black.

Just when a little girl thinks she couldn’t possibly be more bored, she stumbles upon a potato who turns the tables on her by declaring that children are boring. But this girl isn’t going to let a vegetable tell her what’s what, so she sets out to show the unimpressed potato all the amazing things kids can do. Too bad the potato is anything but interested��.

This tongue-in-cheek twist on a familiar topic is sure to entertain anyone who’s ever been bored—or had to hear about someone else being bored—and is filled with comedian Michael Ian Black’s trademark dry wit, accompanied by charismatic illustrations from newcomer Debbie Ridpath Ohi.]]> 40 Michael Ian Black 1442414030 midnightfaerie 5 childrens, favorites 4.16 2012
author: Michael Ian Black
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2013/05/01
date added: 2013/05/01
shelves: childrens, favorites
review:
I had to add this to my favorites, my 5 yr old son and I enjoyed it so much! Reserved it at the library after reading a review here on ŷ������. So glad I did! It's about a little girl who's bored but then meets a potato who is bored as well. When she asks it why it's bored, he says it's because he has to hang out with her, a kid, which is boring. She then proceeds to list all the reasons why kids aren't boring. (You can see where this is going) You think I would have seen the end coming but I didn't. I won't give it away. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended! I loved the illustrations as well. I can't imagine any child not enjoying this.
]]> 19063 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

(Note: this title was not published as YA fiction)]]> 592 Markus Zusak midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites
One of the first things I thought of upon completing this book is that I didn't feel crucified as person with German history like I usually do when I read these kinds of stories. Let me explain. My mother is German, born and raised there. I grew up listening to my mother speak German, and went on several trips with her to Germany. My grandfather from my Dad's side was in WWII, and my mother's father was a Nazi. That word comes with such negative connotations these days, with people not really understanding the history behind the war. The people that fought in the war, like my grandparents, are dying off, and are replaced with an ignorant younger generation that is only taught Nazi's = evil. I don't believe it's as simple as that. Without getting too philosophical, Nazi's are people, and while you can argue that people are inherently evil, I don't believe this to be true. I believe we make choices, which are good and bad. Both of my grandfathers understood this, as they grew to respect each other over the years.

I recently thought about this in depth when my 5-yr-old son asked me why, when asked which were my favorite characters from his shows, I usually ended up choosing the bad guys. "They're bad guys, Mom, how can you like them?" I said it was not that easy to define someone as bad and ended up in a discussion with him using examples of when he's bad and how that doesn't necessarily make him all bad. He got it, but much like this generation I was mentioning earlier, he didn't like it. It's much easier when everything is black and white.

Germany had hit an economic all time low and were struggling in numerous areas, including job employment and an economy on a downward spiral when Hitler hit the scene. He was a good speaker, and gave Germans hope, promising a new life and a better Germany. A friend of my mother's, yes, another Nazi, which really just means, a person who was in the war on the German side, talked to me once when I was around ten year's old about Hitler. He had met him once. I was fascinated and asked what he was like. My mother's friend replied, "The best way to describe him was that he was very charismatic. He was very likable. You couldn't help not to like him when you met him." So people followed him, and he made promises about their country to them.
Well, nothing helps an economy better than war.

By the time people started realizing he might not be all he seemed cracked up to be, he had gained a prolific amount of power and was well on his way to controlling those people who didn't agree with him. It was either follow him or suffer the consequences. The country was divided. But like this book shows, there were many different kinds of people that you might label "Nazi". I loved this book because it showed more sides to the story than most of these stories do. We had Hans, the sad painter and accordion player who tried to help a struggling Jew, in repayment of a kindness shown to him from the Jew's father. We have Rosa, the wife of Hans, who seems to have a vocabulary of little more than swear words and even less words of kindness for anyone, yet does everything she can to help the Jew. We have Rudy, Leisel's friend, who is constantly challenging authority and quits the Hitler youth group. Then we have Rudy's father, who refuses Rudy to the Nazi's, and suffers the consequences when he instead is taken away from his family, and then in a turn of events that no one foresaw, has Rudy a part of the war anyway, only in a way that wasn't expected. Then we have Hans' son, the blond, bright-eyed boy who is filled with pride for Germany and goes off to war proudly. These are just a few of the wonderfully diverse characters Zusak brings to life to represent the different viewpoints of Nazi Germany.

My German grandfather was enlisted because he had to, even though he was, by nature, a very gentle non-confrontational sort of man. But even though he was enlisted as a Nazi, my Lutheran grandmother, who had a slightly larger than average nose, was often stopped, checked for papers, and harassed, because Nazi's thought she could have been a Jew. She learned to keep her head down and her, nose clean, so to speak. (Yes, bad pun, but I wanted to see if you were still with me.)

Another thing that occurred to me, (and as there are many, I'll leave this as the last one), is that the Allies always seem to get off squeaky clean in their behavior. I just saw the movie School Ties, and thought about the Jewish social persecution. I did a little digging and it turns out, America as a whole did quite a lot of Jewish persecution in recent years. What's the deal with this? Why were they so terrible? And if we hated them so much, why did we care that Hitler was killing them? And is social persecution so much better than killing Jews? Social persecution in any form can have many long lasting effects. I'm no so sure it was worse then just killing them. And the big question, if we felt the same way as the Nazi's toward Jews, were we really any better than them?

I realize there are many underlying theories on each of the questions above, and no answer is a simple one. But the point I'm trying to make is, We shouldn't use the term Nazi like it's used when referring to villians like Lex Luther or Ming the Merciless. (Yes, I realize that might have dated me.) It's not so black and white. Perhaps I just like playing devil's advocate. Or maybe I just like me a good bad boy.

Zusak, shows the realistic picture of a pre-war Germany and it's countrymen. He shows all sides of the picture. He shows that Hitler's rise to power could only end in distress and dispair and how many were forced to follow him. Yet, amidst all of it, there were stories of value. Personalities, people with character, that either rose above the conditions, or persevered despite them. He weaves a tale of many different lives interwoven into the war and its consequences. With bittersweet antics of a girl to heart wrenching despair of a woman, who meets this Angel of Death on her own terms in her own time, he tells a story that you can't help but fall into from the very first page.

If you can read this book with an open mind it will fill your heart with a story that will stay with you for a long time. I don't think this has enough meat under its belt to be considered a classic just yet, but it has possibility. Once years have established its fate, I think the underlying themes of human nature and unique style of writing, from the first person viewpoint of the Angel of Death to the intermittent bullet points of the Angel's thoughts strewn throughout the book, will make this a classic. I believe this is different enough and unusual enough that it should be given consideration as a classic, therefore I will add it to my list as a possible classic. I also think this story has something for everyone, no matter who the reader is, and it's different enough, that I'm unable to relate the style of writing to anything I've ever written before. I highly recommend this book.


Please Note: I apologize for my soapbox, if it sounded like one. I usually stay away from reading and reviewing my thoughts on anything related to WWI because of my heritage. Perhaps, I will someday write a piece on my history and why I feel this way, that way, when I read and review these books in the future, I can just reference that history for people who want to understand where I'm coming from. And I implore you to remember that we are all prejudice in our own ways. I heard a quote I liked once from an anonymous source which said...

"Show me a man who isn't prejudice, and I'll show you a really good liar."


]]> 4.38 2005
author: Markus Zusak
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2013/03/20
date added: 2013/03/20
shelves: classics, favorites
review:
The Angel of Death, a war that shouldn't have happened, and a young girl, armed with the knowledge that only words could save her, is what this incredible novel is about. A thankless job and a timeless journey of collecting souls, has the Angel of Death infatuated with humans. And one day, he comes across this strong-willed and resilient girl who looks death in the eye over and over again, and he is enchanted. Thus begins the story of Leisel, our little German girl who has a penchant for stealing books.

One of the first things I thought of upon completing this book is that I didn't feel crucified as person with German history like I usually do when I read these kinds of stories. Let me explain. My mother is German, born and raised there. I grew up listening to my mother speak German, and went on several trips with her to Germany. My grandfather from my Dad's side was in WWII, and my mother's father was a Nazi. That word comes with such negative connotations these days, with people not really understanding the history behind the war. The people that fought in the war, like my grandparents, are dying off, and are replaced with an ignorant younger generation that is only taught Nazi's = evil. I don't believe it's as simple as that. Without getting too philosophical, Nazi's are people, and while you can argue that people are inherently evil, I don't believe this to be true. I believe we make choices, which are good and bad. Both of my grandfathers understood this, as they grew to respect each other over the years.

I recently thought about this in depth when my 5-yr-old son asked me why, when asked which were my favorite characters from his shows, I usually ended up choosing the bad guys. "They're bad guys, Mom, how can you like them?" I said it was not that easy to define someone as bad and ended up in a discussion with him using examples of when he's bad and how that doesn't necessarily make him all bad. He got it, but much like this generation I was mentioning earlier, he didn't like it. It's much easier when everything is black and white.

Germany had hit an economic all time low and were struggling in numerous areas, including job employment and an economy on a downward spiral when Hitler hit the scene. He was a good speaker, and gave Germans hope, promising a new life and a better Germany. A friend of my mother's, yes, another Nazi, which really just means, a person who was in the war on the German side, talked to me once when I was around ten year's old about Hitler. He had met him once. I was fascinated and asked what he was like. My mother's friend replied, "The best way to describe him was that he was very charismatic. He was very likable. You couldn't help not to like him when you met him." So people followed him, and he made promises about their country to them.
Well, nothing helps an economy better than war.

By the time people started realizing he might not be all he seemed cracked up to be, he had gained a prolific amount of power and was well on his way to controlling those people who didn't agree with him. It was either follow him or suffer the consequences. The country was divided. But like this book shows, there were many different kinds of people that you might label "Nazi". I loved this book because it showed more sides to the story than most of these stories do. We had Hans, the sad painter and accordion player who tried to help a struggling Jew, in repayment of a kindness shown to him from the Jew's father. We have Rosa, the wife of Hans, who seems to have a vocabulary of little more than swear words and even less words of kindness for anyone, yet does everything she can to help the Jew. We have Rudy, Leisel's friend, who is constantly challenging authority and quits the Hitler youth group. Then we have Rudy's father, who refuses Rudy to the Nazi's, and suffers the consequences when he instead is taken away from his family, and then in a turn of events that no one foresaw, has Rudy a part of the war anyway, only in a way that wasn't expected. Then we have Hans' son, the blond, bright-eyed boy who is filled with pride for Germany and goes off to war proudly. These are just a few of the wonderfully diverse characters Zusak brings to life to represent the different viewpoints of Nazi Germany.

My German grandfather was enlisted because he had to, even though he was, by nature, a very gentle non-confrontational sort of man. But even though he was enlisted as a Nazi, my Lutheran grandmother, who had a slightly larger than average nose, was often stopped, checked for papers, and harassed, because Nazi's thought she could have been a Jew. She learned to keep her head down and her, nose clean, so to speak. (Yes, bad pun, but I wanted to see if you were still with me.)

Another thing that occurred to me, (and as there are many, I'll leave this as the last one), is that the Allies always seem to get off squeaky clean in their behavior. I just saw the movie School Ties, and thought about the Jewish social persecution. I did a little digging and it turns out, America as a whole did quite a lot of Jewish persecution in recent years. What's the deal with this? Why were they so terrible? And if we hated them so much, why did we care that Hitler was killing them? And is social persecution so much better than killing Jews? Social persecution in any form can have many long lasting effects. I'm no so sure it was worse then just killing them. And the big question, if we felt the same way as the Nazi's toward Jews, were we really any better than them?

I realize there are many underlying theories on each of the questions above, and no answer is a simple one. But the point I'm trying to make is, We shouldn't use the term Nazi like it's used when referring to villians like Lex Luther or Ming the Merciless. (Yes, I realize that might have dated me.) It's not so black and white. Perhaps I just like playing devil's advocate. Or maybe I just like me a good bad boy.

Zusak, shows the realistic picture of a pre-war Germany and it's countrymen. He shows all sides of the picture. He shows that Hitler's rise to power could only end in distress and dispair and how many were forced to follow him. Yet, amidst all of it, there were stories of value. Personalities, people with character, that either rose above the conditions, or persevered despite them. He weaves a tale of many different lives interwoven into the war and its consequences. With bittersweet antics of a girl to heart wrenching despair of a woman, who meets this Angel of Death on her own terms in her own time, he tells a story that you can't help but fall into from the very first page.

If you can read this book with an open mind it will fill your heart with a story that will stay with you for a long time. I don't think this has enough meat under its belt to be considered a classic just yet, but it has possibility. Once years have established its fate, I think the underlying themes of human nature and unique style of writing, from the first person viewpoint of the Angel of Death to the intermittent bullet points of the Angel's thoughts strewn throughout the book, will make this a classic. I believe this is different enough and unusual enough that it should be given consideration as a classic, therefore I will add it to my list as a possible classic. I also think this story has something for everyone, no matter who the reader is, and it's different enough, that I'm unable to relate the style of writing to anything I've ever written before. I highly recommend this book.


Please Note: I apologize for my soapbox, if it sounded like one. I usually stay away from reading and reviewing my thoughts on anything related to WWI because of my heritage. Perhaps, I will someday write a piece on my history and why I feel this way, that way, when I read and review these books in the future, I can just reference that history for people who want to understand where I'm coming from. And I implore you to remember that we are all prejudice in our own ways. I heard a quote I liked once from an anonymous source which said...

"Show me a man who isn't prejudice, and I'll show you a really good liar."



]]> 930
In "Memoirs of a Geisha," we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable.]]> 434 Arthur Golden 0739326228 midnightfaerie 4 classics, favorites
As for the movie, I have mixed opinions. When I first saw it years ago before reading the book, I thought it was lovely and moving. Since I just finished the book I decided to watch it again. Once again, I feel like a movie pales in comparison to the book, lacking in definition and finesse. Yes, it's good for what it is, and the actors they choose to play the parts did exceedingly well, but I found myself dictating constantly to my husband who was watching with me, parts that were never explained. Things like why they spark a flint at a geisha's back before they leave the okiya or why the girls had they hands frozen numb while they practiced the shamisen. To me this was imperative in experiencing the richness that all the culture had to offer. But alas, it's the downfall of a movie representing a book. They can't put everything in so you just have to enjoy it for what it is. That being the case, it was an adequate representation of the book, with talented actors playing the parts well.

]]> 4.07 1997
author: Arthur Golden
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2012/01/10
date added: 2013/01/12
shelves: classics, favorites
review:
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden was phenomenal. One of my book clubs picked it this month and I just saw the selection and realized I owned it and it was already on my list but didn't think I'd have time to read it in the next two weeks. But just for the heck of it, I picked it up and decided to just read the first chapter to see how I liked it. It took me less than three days to finish it. I absolutely loved this book. It was well written and gave an eloquent and sometime graphic portrayal of the lifestyle of a geisha. It was fascinating to learn about the culture through the eyes of this young girl. The way Golden describes the Japanese world is easy to picture and completely draws you in. You find yourself rooting for this girl as her life hits one roadblock after another. His beautiful descriptions of the setting and clothes is enough of a reason to read this book, but it offers so much more as well. I do think this is classic material. Although published not too long ago I think it has the potential to be around for awhile, therefore falling under the longevity category. I also think it's an original concept. Many books touch upon the culture and classes of the Japanese, but I'm unaware of one that writes about the taboo intimacies of a geisha. If there are, I'd have to read them, but I think this book is original enough to be the leader of that group. I also think it has the magic factor. The descriptions of the era, the dress, and especially the differences in facial features of the characters pull you into the story effortlessly. I highly recommend it and believe it's a classic, if not now, then one in the making.

As for the movie, I have mixed opinions. When I first saw it years ago before reading the book, I thought it was lovely and moving. Since I just finished the book I decided to watch it again. Once again, I feel like a movie pales in comparison to the book, lacking in definition and finesse. Yes, it's good for what it is, and the actors they choose to play the parts did exceedingly well, but I found myself dictating constantly to my husband who was watching with me, parts that were never explained. Things like why they spark a flint at a geisha's back before they leave the okiya or why the girls had they hands frozen numb while they practiced the shamisen. To me this was imperative in experiencing the richness that all the culture had to offer. But alas, it's the downfall of a movie representing a book. They can't put everything in so you just have to enjoy it for what it is. That being the case, it was an adequate representation of the book, with talented actors playing the parts well.


]]> 4407
Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

This is the author's preferred text, never before published in the UK, and is about 12,000 words longer than the previous UK edition.

]]> 635 Neil Gaiman midnightfaerie 5 classics, favorites
Even though many have given summaries on the plot, I don't think that I can really describe accurately what this book is about. Part of me still isn't sure, and I feel I'll need to read it a few more times before I can begin to grasp it. But as far as the book jacket goes, it's about a man named, Shadow, who gets put in jail for three years over something stupid. Upon getting out he's excited to go home to his wife Laura, when he finds out she's been killed in an auto accident. On his way home to the funeral, he meets up with a special elusive character, who offers him a job as a driver/body guard/errand boy. Although it doesn't completely sit well with him, he has nothing better to do, so he takes it. And that is just the first chapter. This book goes all over America. It explores our history, our religions, our ancestry. It covers the things we do that makes us alive, love, mystery, action, murder, revenge and so much more. The book is about all of these things, and then none of these things, and it was beautiful. Gaiman's writing is exquisite. It makes you gulp in awe, reach out and touch the lightning because it's right in front of you, and it makes you repulsed from character acts that are revolting. Any horror or fantastical thing the mind can think of, this book has covered an aspect of it. I adored this book.

I've always wanted to read a Gaiman, ever since I discovered that one of my favorite singers, Tori Amos, was a good friend of his. She mentions "Neil" in at least one song on every album. I had picked up a few copies of Sandman, his graphic novel years ago, because I knew one of his characters was based on Tori, but never really read the whole story. This was my first Gaiman. I've heard mixed reviews on it, long-time Gaimen fans either love it or hate it, and it has gotten lots of acclaim, sometimes more than any of his others. I'm glad it was my first. It gave me insight into this author who has been so controversial in my reading circles.

As for being a classic, this has so much potential. So many unique ideas, and so superb in its style of writing, I think it definitely has potential. It's only been out a little over ten years and doesn't have as many followers yet, so it might just take time. I can't, for the life of me, label this style of writing, or tell you what the original concept is. I know it has underlying themes and substantial influence it the fantasy genre, but I'm not sure it's enough to put it in those categories. It's probably not well known enough to consider it a knowledge base of its field, but I believe it's a good representation of the fantasy genre, or at least what is possible in fantasy when we strive for such creativity and imagination in this field. And even though it's not a collection of authors, I still think this can be classified as an anthology of sorts, since the history of its topic is so diverse. Because of all of these reasons, I am putting it on my classics list. It might take fifty years, but I believe this book read far from now, will have just as much impact on its reader. It's been a long time since I've been so touched by an author. I am in love again.

]]> 4.10 2001
author: Neil Gaiman
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2012/08/30
date added: 2013/01/12
shelves: classics, favorites
review:
American Gods by Neil Gaiman was wow. Just wow. I haven't read a book that's touched me this deeply in awhile. Let me start off by discussing the two biggest things I enjoyed about this book. First of all, those who know me, know that I'll read anything. I've even been dared to read things. From Satanic ritualistic books, to obscure Foreign history books, to books about math, politics, or even how a fish changed the world, I read it all. So when a novel comes along that stands out as different than anything I've ever read, I sit up and take notice. The second reason I loved it was because I was constantly surprised. With or without foreshadowing, I usually can guess where a story is going or how it will end. With American Gods, I was confounded at every turn. I laughed out loud often at the plot, at the bewilderment, and at myself for my assumptions with where the book was headed.

Even though many have given summaries on the plot, I don't think that I can really describe accurately what this book is about. Part of me still isn't sure, and I feel I'll need to read it a few more times before I can begin to grasp it. But as far as the book jacket goes, it's about a man named, Shadow, who gets put in jail for three years over something stupid. Upon getting out he's excited to go home to his wife Laura, when he finds out she's been killed in an auto accident. On his way home to the funeral, he meets up with a special elusive character, who offers him a job as a driver/body guard/errand boy. Although it doesn't completely sit well with him, he has nothing better to do, so he takes it. And that is just the first chapter. This book goes all over America. It explores our history, our religions, our ancestry. It covers the things we do that makes us alive, love, mystery, action, murder, revenge and so much more. The book is about all of these things, and then none of these things, and it was beautiful. Gaiman's writing is exquisite. It makes you gulp in awe, reach out and touch the lightning because it's right in front of you, and it makes you repulsed from character acts that are revolting. Any horror or fantastical thing the mind can think of, this book has covered an aspect of it. I adored this book.

I've always wanted to read a Gaiman, ever since I discovered that one of my favorite singers, Tori Amos, was a good friend of his. She mentions "Neil" in at least one song on every album. I had picked up a few copies of Sandman, his graphic novel years ago, because I knew one of his characters was based on Tori, but never really read the whole story. This was my first Gaiman. I've heard mixed reviews on it, long-time Gaimen fans either love it or hate it, and it has gotten lots of acclaim, sometimes more than any of his others. I'm glad it was my first. It gave me insight into this author who has been so controversial in my reading circles.

As for being a classic, this has so much potential. So many unique ideas, and so superb in its style of writing, I think it definitely has potential. It's only been out a little over ten years and doesn't have as many followers yet, so it might just take time. I can't, for the life of me, label this style of writing, or tell you what the original concept is. I know it has underlying themes and substantial influence it the fantasy genre, but I'm not sure it's enough to put it in those categories. It's probably not well known enough to consider it a knowledge base of its field, but I believe it's a good representation of the fantasy genre, or at least what is possible in fantasy when we strive for such creativity and imagination in this field. And even though it's not a collection of authors, I still think this can be classified as an anthology of sorts, since the history of its topic is so diverse. Because of all of these reasons, I am putting it on my classics list. It might take fifty years, but I believe this book read far from now, will have just as much impact on its reader. It's been a long time since I've been so touched by an author. I am in love again.


]]> 9969571 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

IN THE YEAR 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.]]> 480 Ernest Cline 030788743X midnightfaerie 5 favorites 4.21 2011
author: Ernest Cline
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2012/06/07
date added: 2012/06/07
shelves: favorites
review:

]]> 862041
All seven eBooks in the multi-award winning, internationally bestselling Harry Potter series, available as one download with stunning cover art by Olly Moss. Enjoy the stories that have captured the imagination of millions worldwide.]]> 4100 J.K. Rowling 0545044251 midnightfaerie 5 favorites, young-adult 4.72 2007
author: J.K. Rowling
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.72
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/05/10
shelves: favorites, young-adult
review:

]]> 11004 0 Jean M. Auel 055332134X midnightfaerie 5 favorites, classics 4.25 1980
author: Jean M. Auel
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1980
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/05/09
shelves: favorites, classics
review:

]]> 11138 191 C.S. Lewis 0684823780 midnightfaerie 5 4.32 1952
author: C.S. Lewis
name: midnightfaerie
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1952
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/02/07
shelves: classics, religious, informational, favorites
review:

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