Category Archives: Novels

Wuthering Heights Chapters XVIII-XXVI

Posted in Events & Read-Alongs, Novels, The Classics Club, Wuthering Heights by

wutheringheightsWeekly Schedule
Chapters I-IX
Chapters X-XVII

[Spoilers for Chapters 18-26 of Wuthering Heights]

Today was gloomy and drizzly, perfect Wuthering Heights weather, and I spent a few hours this afternoon powering through this week’s chapters. Even though there was significantly less drama, we were introduced to two “new” characters, one of which I actually like! Even though Mr. Lockwood meets Cathy Linton when he first visits Wuthering Heights, we don’t immediately find out much about her, except that she’s Heathcliff’s daughter-in-law. Our section this week picks up 12 years after the deaths of Catherine Earnshaw-Linton and Hindley Earnshaw. Nelly right away describes that those were the happiest 12 years of her life, and why would that be? Because Heathcliff is absent! It was nice for me as well, I must say. But besides that, Nelly is also the nanny to little Cathy Linton, whom I really like, despite the fact that she doesn’t listen to Nelly or her Father when they tell her to stay away from Wuthering Heights (but who can blame her, honestly, when she’s forbidden from visiting without really knowing why?). She’s still a good-natured and good-tempered girl (at least compared to her mother).

Nelly narrates the happenings of the next 5 years, up until Cathy is 17 years old (which we learn was a little more than a year before Mr. Lockwood’s arrival). For the most part, Cathy’s life is rather uneventful, that is until her Aunt Isabella dies and Edgar brings home his nephew Linton Heathcliff to stay with them. Cathy is right away enraptured–she immediately loves her cousin and can hardly wait to become best friends with him. Unfortunately, nothing good lasts in this story, and Heathcliff sends Joseph (ugh) to–and I’m basically paraphrasing it here–fetch back his property to Wuthering Heights. Now, young Linton is a sickly boy with a fair complexion and a rather weak-spirit. He resembles his father in no way whatsoever, so right away we know that things are not going to end well for Linton.

Cathy, of course, is heartbroken, but she continues on her life until a few years later when her and Nelly run into Heathcliff not far from Wuthering Heights, and he tricks persuades Cathy to come visit. Nelly, essentially powerless at this point, tries desperately to dissuade Cathy, because she knows that Heathcliff is up to no good. But once Cathy is reunited with Linton the damage is done, and unfortunately for everyone involved (including us readers), Heathcliff now has power over Cathy as well, and his vengeful plan is now all set to snowball into an avalanche and ruin everyone’s lives–*breathes*–ok, it’s clearly obvious I hate Heathcliff.

Heathcliff effortlessly persuades Cathy and Linton into falling in love, but I’m guessing that, based on all of the other romantic relationships here, it is NOT going to end happily-ever-after. My guess is that Linton is going to succumb to his illness in a matter of pages and Cathy (who may actually love him, who knows? At least she’s nice to him) will turn into the apathetic Cathy we met at the beginning of the novel.

My favorite part of this section was finally seeing a child actually being loved and cared for. Edgar, despite his cruelty towards Heathcliff during their adolescence, is actually a doting father who loves and admires his spirited daughter. Nelly is also a loving and practical nurse who does not treat Cathy wrongly, but who really wishes her to be safe and happy. Cathy turns out to be a thoughtful and agreeable young lady, her only faults being that she’s overly curious and likes to run off to tend to her sick cousin and then lie about where she’s been. In her we can see a kind heart.

I have completely forgotten how this novel ends, but right now I’m earnestly hoping that Cathy gets some type of happy ending. I think it’ll be the only thing that can redeem this novel for me.

For those reading along with me: how do you feel about Cathy Linton and Linton Heathcliff, both as individual characters and as a romantic pair? Do you agree with Cathy’s statement that her and Linton would never quarrel after they were married and used to each other (Ch. 23)?

Post your thoughts in the comments, or share the link to your own blog post :)

Wuthering Heights Chapters X-XVII

Posted in Events & Read-Alongs, Novels, The Classics Club, Wuthering Heights by

wutheringheightsI apologize for not posting this much earlier in the week. The past five days have been rather taxing on me, both mentally and emotionally, and I have been trying to keep up with all of my responsibilities as best as I can. Heureusement (as the French say), the only thing I didn’t manage to complete this week was my Wuthering Heights post, but here it is now!

[Spoilers for the first half of Wuthering Heights]

I was really immersed in this week’s chapters for some reason, and I even stayed up rather late on Saturday reading through the end of Chapter 17. For those of you who are reading along with me, or if you are very familiar with Wuthering Heights, you may be asking, “What did you find so enjoyable about all of that?” And I will borrow the words of Cleo at Classical Carousel and say that the drama in this novel is very much like a car wreck you cannot look away from.

Nelly Dean’s story continues with Heathcliff’s return. She discloses that she does not know how he spent those three years away, nor how he made his wealth, but one thing is for sure: Heathcliff and Catherine are still infatuated with each other, and they seem to take some type of sadistic pleasure in how their outwardly affections distress Catherine’s husband, Edgar.

Heathcliff, who seems to have become a gentleman in his absence, begins spending a good amount of time with Catherine and her sister-in-law, Isabella Linton. Isabella–poor, naive Isabella. Don’t we all just pity her? Blindly, she “falls in love” with Heathcliff, and is then harshly teased about it by Catherine and even Heathcliff himself (but does this change Isabella’s heart? Nope. She runs off and marries Heathcliff later on…). That teasing scene is probably my least favorite involving Catherine Linton. The only thing more cruelly selfish than exposing Isabella like that is when she maliciously decides to break her own heart in order to break Edgar and Heathcliff’s hearts. Honestly, what does Edgar see in her? Heathcliff’s obsession with her is more understandable, but why, Edgar? Why? This comic from Hark! A Vagrant sums it up perfectly:

Catherine

And Heathcliff is just as violent as Catherine, although he has the “tortured Byronic hero” thing going for him (but I have yet to discover any redeeming qualities about him–are there any?). It is clear during this entire section of the novel that Heathcliff has developed a consuming desire for revenge. All of his actions are governed by the same thought: “How can this hurt those who have hurt me?” And he doesn’t just want to hurt his former oppressors once; no, he wants to control everything about them, basically putting them in the place that adolescent Heathcliff was forced in by Hindley. This is why he marries Isabella, so he can become Edgar’s heir, and it’s clearly why he wants guardianship of Hareton. He says so himself at the end of Chapter 17, when Nelly comes to collect Hareton back to Thrushcross Grange:

“Now, my bonny lad, you are mine! And we’ll see if one tree won’t grow as crooked as another, with the same wind to twist it!” (172)

Heathcliff

Nelly, who views Heathcliff as a nightmare, described his presence perfectly back in Chapter 10:

“His visits were a continual nightmare to me; and, I suspected, to my master also. His abode at the Heights was an oppression past explaining. I felt that God had forsaken the stray sheep there to its own wicked wanderings, and an evil beast prowled between it and the fold, waiting his time to spring and destroy” (98)

‘Evil Beast’ and ‘Heathcliff’ are names I should use interchangeably from now on.

So, by the end of Chapter 17 Heathcliff has returned for a year, and in that time he ran off and eloped with Isabella, whom he then tormented until she finally flees, he fights with Edgar, which causes Catherine to became ill and later die during childbirth, and if that’s not enough, it also appears that Heathcliff is responsible for Hindley finally drinking himself to death sooner rather than later.

But this section isn’t all bad. Heathcliff speaks some of those heart-wrenching romantic lines I enjoy for some reason, like when he discloses to Nelly that he would never have harmed Edgar or “touched a single hair of his head” (136) because it would cause Catherine to suffer. Although Heathcliff would have killed Edgar the moment Catherine stopped caring for him, the fact is that Edgar physically assaulted Heathcliff, and not the other way around. Maybe this is supposed to convince us that Heathcliff genuinely and selflessly loves Catherine? I’m not going to agree with that until I finish this novel–nothing is for certain at this point except that Heathcliff is still seeking revenge!

What do you think of Heathcliff’s revenge thus far? Do you sympathize with him or do you want to chuck your book at his head? And whose story is the saddest so far: Hindley’s, Isabella’s, Edgar’s, or Catherine & Heathcliff’s?

[Also, if your edition does not include a translation for Joseph’s speeches (which I’ve stopped trying to decipher on my own), this is a great site to refer to: http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/josephs-speech.php It also has a lot of other interesting resources to check out.]

Wuthering Heights Read Along: Chapters I-IX

Posted in Events & Read-Alongs, Novels, The Classics Club, Wuthering Heights by

wutheringheightsI was somewhat doubtful at my ability to get this post up tonight, but fortunately I got really immersed into the last few chapters of this week’s reading and was able to speed through it on my way home from Philadelphia tonight! I was in Philly today visiting my uncle and his family (whom I haven’t seen since my wedding two years ago!), and the frigid, dreary weather set the perfect atmosphere for Wuthering Heights. January’s are known to be wet and cold, and that is why I chose this month to schedule a read-along; I love seasonal reading! So, let’s get down to discussing all of the perturbing details of Wuthering Heights! [Spoiler Alert for Chapters 1-9 of Wuthering Heights]

I did not look at where Chapter 9 would leave us plot wise before I set the weekly chapter numbers; I just divided the book up equally between four weeks. But after finishing Chapter 9 I realized this was a perfect resting place. But let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? I mentioned in an earlier post that the first and last time I read Wuthering Heights was ten and a half years ago, and even though I liked the novel at the time, I could not make myself relate to, sympathize with, or even like our two tragically selfish characters, Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Delving into this reread, I’ve realized that, even though the characters are still unlikable for me (especially Cathy), I am actually very into the novel so far!

We follow the diary entries of a Mr. Lockwood, who just became the tenant of Heathcliff, our Byronic hero. Right away we get to meet Heathcliff and the rest of his household, and Emily Brontë immediately introduces this motif of chaos, specifically with character confusion. If you don’t pay close attention, it can be tricky figuring out who is who as well as how everyone is related to each other. If my memory serves me correctly, it will get harder later on when we have two Catherines and two Heathcliffs, on top of all the Lintons and Earnshaws that are involved. If you are already familiar with this novel, or if you don’t mind some spoiling, you can check out this character map to aid any confusion you may have :)

We take on the point of view of Mr. Lockwood as we become acquainted with Heathcliff, his daughter-in-law Catherine Heathcliff, Hareton Earnshaw (later revealed to be Catherine H.’s cousin), and the…interesting…servants. Between the hostile dogs and the eerie ghost dreams, I found myself wanting to flee Wuthering Heights nearly as much as Mr. Lockwood did.

I was much more into the next several chapters, when Ellen ‘Nelly’ Dean begins her narration of Heathcliff’s upbringing. This is the part that helps me sympathize with Heathcliff. It helps me reconcile the harsh and unfeeling land lord with the abused and ridiculed orphan boy who needs a hug at one moment and a slap the next. The only person who seems to understand or connect with him is Cathy Earnshaw, but their relationship is no picnic. It is tortured and strongly corrupted by the pitfalls of human nature. One thing I do appreciate about their relationship, however, is that it seems to be sadly realistic–something that could happen to some unfortunate couple. This is no fairy tale.

The most fundamental section of this week’s reading for me was Chapter 9, when Cathy E. reveals to Nelly her recent engagement to Edgar Linton before bluntly confessing her love for Heathcliff. Here we see an honest part of Cathy. She is a complex character: at home she acts in a mischievous and immature manner which she quickly covers up with a charming and attractive façade whenever in company with the Lintons. During this confession scene, we get to see an honest part of Cathy’s character. Unfortunately, due to her harsh delivery of words and the fact that she is unaware that Heathcliff is within earshot, she declares that it would degrade her to marry Heathcliff. At this insult, Heathcliff flees Wuthering Heights, and the most tragic part is that it is just before Cathy makes this beautifully heartfelt speech, which I will quote bits and pieces of here:

“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire…My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff’s miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.—My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.”

I know that’s a long passage, but how beautiful and moving it is! And just after it we find that Heathcliff has disappeared and Cathy immediately goes into despair. Three years pass, Cathy marries Edgar, and Nelly’s narration comes to a pause as Chapter 9 draws to a close. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?? I honestly can’t remember, and I really want to know!

So, to wrap up this long post, let me ask you all some questions:

  • What do you think about Cathy’s engagement to Edgar? Do you think her reasons for marrying him are naive, immature/shallow, or unselfish?
  • I talked about how confusing this novel can be at times. Are there any areas that have confused you thus far?
  • What are your feelings regarding our seemingly doomed lovers, Cathy and Heathcliff?

If you are reading along with us or if you have already read Wuthering Heights, post your thoughts/blog link in the comments below! And check back in a week for my thoughts on Chapters 10-17 :)

Back to the Classics 2014 Reading Challenge

Posted in Back to the Classics, Events & Read-Alongs, Novels by

(updates in blue)

I looooove challenges…they make things so much more fun! Even reading, which I already find such a thrill in :) I’m already participating in The Classics Club reading challenge, but I’ve found another challenge that I can combine with it to knock off some more novels. So, here is my tentative list for the Back to the Classics 2014 reading challenge, hosted by Books and Chocolate:

  • A 20th Century Classic – Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (1904/1911) (finished 10/19/14 – review here)
  • A 19th Century Classic – Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847). My read along for this novel starts Sunday!! (finished 1/22/14 – review here)
  • A Classic by a Woman Author – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) (finished 4/9/14 – review here)
  • A Classic in Translation – Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (1862), which I plan on trying my hardest to read in French! Maybe I should get started on that novel right away… Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne (1864). Les Mis was too long and I started reading this Verne classic instead, and in French too! (finished 12/28/14 – review here)
  • A Classic About War – War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (1898) (finished 11/21/14 – review here)
  • A Classic by an Author Who Is New To You – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868), which I can’t believe I have never read before. (finished 5/24/14 – review here)

Optional Categories:

  • An American Classic – For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (1940), better get one of my dreaded Hemingway novels out of the way…perhaps I’ll enjoy it this time? I tried!! I decided to go with A Separate Peace by John Knowles (1959) instead (finished 12/19/14 – review here)
  • A Classic Mystery, Suspense or Thriller – Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (1817), the only Austen novel I have yet to read! (finished 2/25/14 – review here)
  • A Historical Fiction Classic – The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (1844) The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle (1883) (finished 11/3/14 – review here)
  • A Classic That’s Been Adapted Into a Movie or TV Series – North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (1855) (finished 12/14/14 – review here), I’m really excited about this one because it’ll give me an excuse to watch the mini-series for the…
  • Extra Fun Category:  Write a Review of the Movie or TV Series adapted from Optional Category #4 – North and South, obviously :) (finished 12/14/14 – review here)

This is just a tentative list…I may just change the novels I read, or I might not even complete the optional categories. We shall see :)

2013 Wrap Up Post: Most Interesting Search Engine Terms

Posted in Disney, France, Holidays, Novels, Work by

Greetings from Florida! This post is coming from the good ‘ol Sunshine State, where I will be until tomorrow. Our trip to the States has been wonderful thus far, and I am quite sad that we will be headed back to la France in a week, but it will be nice to see our puppy again after so long.

This post is also coming from our brand new iPad that my parents surprised us with for Christmas! It is convenient writing from here :)

iPad

I was genuinely shocked!

Check back later next week for my “Visit to the States Bucket List” (yes I made one before flying over here–I know all you expats can relate), but for now enjoy this fun little piece all about the most interesting search terms that have brought readers to my blog. I can’t take credit for this idea, but hopefully it will bring you some smiles all the same :)

  • work is not very hard – I don’t know anyone who can agree with this one, especially not any of the teachers I work with!
  • interesting facts about parcheesi – umm…what?
  • what is the best portrayal of mr rochester in a jane eyre movie – ahh! I like this question, and I think I answered it in this post, but out of the four adaptations I watched, I would have to say Toby Stephens in the 2006 BBC adaptation was my favorite portrayal. BBC always does well :)
  • maleficent stained glass disneyland paris – don’t mind if I do:

    Maleficent

    Inside Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland Paris

  • an american in france novel – maybe one day I’ll get around to writing one…but today is not that day.
  • jimmy durante song in who’s got mail – those songs are awesome, right?? Here are the links to As Time Goes By and Make Someone Happy
  • 5 month australian shepherd – well, if you insist :)
This is how he still likes to wake us up each morning :)

This is how he still likes to wake us up each morning :)

And there you have it! Maybe next year will turn up some funnier searches :) Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season! I myself hope to get back into blogging more often in the new year; right now I’m too engrossed in library books!

Announcing: Wuthering Heights Read-Along

Posted in Events & Read-Alongs, Novels, The Classics Club, Wuthering Heights by

WutheringHeightsA few months ago I participated in a Jane Eyre read-along hosted by the lovely Kerry at Entomology of a Bookworm. It was my first time reading Charlotte Brontë’s beloved novel, and I came to adore it so much that I decided to give her sister Emily’s novel, Wuthering Heights, a second chance. The first and only time I read Wuthering Heights was in 2003, back when I was just a freshman in high school. At that time I enjoyed reading it, despite my dislike for the main characters. But as the years passed, I came to really despise them and I put off any desire of ever reading the novel again.

Fortunately, thanks to the skill and beauty of Charlotte Brontë’s writing, I have decided to give Wuthering Heights a well-deserved second chance. I know that Emily Brontë writes beautifully as well, and at least now that I know what to expect from the main characters, I will not be disappointed. Also, what is the new year for if not to start over fresh? ;) Now I am actually quite excited to revisit this tortured love story!

And to make it even more exciting, thanks to the encouragement of my good friend Jorie at Jorie Loves a Story, I have decided to turn this into a group read along! Whether you are like me and you want to give Wuthering Heights a second chance, or if you’ve never read it, OR (and especially) if this is your favorite novel of all time, I’d love for you to join in with me!

Here is the tentative schedule (I say tentative because we all know how hectic the holiday season can get!)

Week 1 (January 5-January 11): Chapters I-IX
Week 2 (January 12-January 18): Chapters X-XVII
Week 3 (January 19-January 25): Chapters XVIII-XXVI
Week 4 (January 26-February 1): Chapters XXVII-XXXIV (End)

Let me know in the comments if you would like to join in! I think January is going to be a wonderful time to read this novel :)

Favorite Fictional Families

Posted in Disney, Holidays, Novels by

Ahh November :) I might say that this is my favorite month in the whole year, but then October and March are all like, “What about us?” and then I get confused and forget about what I was supposed to be writing about…oh yes! November:  one of my favorite months out of the year. And what do I love most about this month? Family time! There are plenty of opportunities to spend time with family. Combine Thanksgiving family time with all of the book reading I’ve been up to this autumn, and I started to think about some of my favorite fictional families, especially the ones I’d love to be apart of (for a day or so)!

So without further ado, here are my Four Favorite Fictional Families (yes, I love alliteration!):

The_Weasley_Family_at_EgyptThe Weasleys (Harry Potter) – Who doesn’t love the Weasley family? (Except maybe those who haven’t read or seen any of the books or movies.) There’s so many of them that you’re practically guaranteed to like at least one of them ;)

Ginny was always my favorite. I loved being able to see her quietly mature throughout the series. In the beginning you hardly know she’s there but by the last couple of books she’s become a pretty active character, one who is no longer overshadowed by her older brothers.

Morning

Probably my favorite scene from all the films.

And then of course there are the twins. Classic pranksters through and through, but when someone they love needs help, they’re as reliable as anyone else. But of course, don’t expect them not to crack a few jokes here and there…

Then there’s Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the most lovable adoptive parents Harry could have ever dreamed of. They’re quirky (Arthur) and emotional (Molly) but I love them all the more for that!

And, oh…they all have red hair. Awesome points :)

AnneThe Blythes (Anne of Green Gables) – Out of all the families on my list, this is the one I would like to resemble the most. The Blythes are very entertaining and insightful, and they all love each other so dearly.

I really enjoyed the later sequels in the series, when Anne became more and more of a secondary character and we were able to read about all of the adventures her children had, and anyone who is familiar with Anne knows that any child of hers is bound to have some wild adventures…and talk a lot:

Jem always thought Mother had such a beautiful, joyous laugh . . . answering innumerable questions. “Mummy, how far is it from here to the sunset? …Mummy, why can’t we gather up the spilled moonlight? …Mummy, do the souls of dead people REALLY come back on Hallowe’en? …Mummy, what causes the cause? …Mummy, wouldn’t you rather be killed by a rattlesnake than a tiger, because the tiger would mess you up and eat you? …Mummy, what is a cubby? …Mummy, is a widow really a woman whose dreams have come true? Wally Taylor said she was…Mummy, what do little birds do when it rains HARD? …Mummy, are we REALLY a too romantic family?“

[Somewhat unrelated, but check out this genius blog–it’s Anne of Green Gables as told through Lego illustrations!]

AOGG

Eric MatthewsThe Matthews (Boy Meets World) – My favorite television show growing up; I wish they still made shows like this! And I hope the new spin-off is just as good :)

I remember staying up late with my sister to watch reruns on the Disney Channel when we were younger. And even now I’ll watch an occasional episode on YouTube (or spend well over an hour looking through Tumblr pictures to use for this post).

Eric was definitely my favorite Matthews family member. He’s so goofy it’s hard not to love him. “Good Lookin’ Guy” will always be the best personal theme song, and of course…who can forget about “Plays with Squirrels”?

And then there’s Cory, the character I probably relate the most to. He deals with real problems that every teenager can relate to, and his family is there to help him, support him, call him out on things. That’s what I love about them–they have real problems and they deal with them in realistic ways. And yes, this is a sitcom, but each of the characters are well-developed and serious when need be, including the parents; they aren’t absent or unimportant, and they help Cory make it through some tough issues.

Meet the RobinsonsThe Robinsons (Meet the Robinsons) – In my opinion, this is the most underrated Disney movie out there. There isn’t anything I don’t like about this movie: it’s geeky, quirky, very original, there’s a dinosaur, jazz frogs, and at the center of it all, there’s a crazy family that loves each other.

My favorite thing about this dorky family is that they embrace failures, because it means that they tried. Man, I just love that philosophy. And their familial motto (penned by Walt Disney himself), is “Keep Moving Forward.”

meet-the-robinsons-disney-quote

Oh, and I also adore the soundtrack :)

Who are your favorite fictional families?

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 12

Posted in France, Holidays, Novels by

thankfulnessToday I am thankful for books!

For anyone who follows or regularly reads my blog, you can tell that I post more about the books I read than I do about France (but I do try to keep my blog balanced!).

I am thankful that I live in a country–and that I come from a country–where reading is encouraged and books are made widely available. I am also thankful that I know how to read.

For those of you who LOVE to read, is there one book you are the most thankful for?

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Assigned Reads

Posted in Novels by

toptentuesdayThe actual topic for today is “Top Ten Covers I Wish I Could Redesign” but I wanted to answer this one instead:

Top Ten Books I Was “Forced” to Read

Here is a quick list of the books I was assigned to read (from 6th grade through college) that have stuck with me ever since. A lot of these I still consider some of my favorite reads. These are listed in chronological order (not as in date published but as in the date I first read them).

forcedreading1

  • The Giver by Lois Lowry – This is the novel that first got me into dystopic young adult reading. It is a page turner for all ages, and I even heard that they are planning to make a movie soon.
  • Our Town by Thornton Wilder – This may have been the first play I ever read. My 7th grade Language Arts class read it together and although I have not reread it since, the themes and motifs surrounding life and death still hang on to me.
  • Hamlet by William Shakespeare – Ahh, my first ever Shakespeare read. This is still by far my favorite Shakespearean play, and it too is responsible for my deep love of all things Shakespeare. I have reread this play plenty of times (although I don’t think I’ve ever seen it performed!!). Once during a 4 hour drive from Tallahassee, FL to Walt Disney World, Matt (who was not yet my husband) and I read Hamlet aloud to pass the time. He fell in love with it too ;)

forcedreading2

  • The Lord of the Flies by William Golding – My 9th grade English teacher assigned us so many good reads (including this book and the following one). I wish I appreciated having that class then as much as I do now. Lord of the Flies is a classic. I haven’t met many people who have not read it, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone.
  • Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand – Whether you like French literature or not (I guess it isn’t for everyone), you will enjoy this comedic play. I loved it when I read it in 9th grade, and I still loved it when I watched the Gérard Depardieu film version a few years back.
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – Another novel I believe pretty much everyone has read. In one of my American Lit classes in college, we were asked to give the name of one novel that best describes America. Most of the class picked The Great Gatsby. Any one disagree?

forcedreading3

  • 1984 by George Orwell – Another dystopian classic I still love to this day. In my mind I paired it with this following novel…
  • Anthem by Ayn Rand – To me, this novel is very similar to 1984. Although I read it after reading 1984, it is actually roughly a decade older. If you are into dystopian novels, I recommend both this one and 1984 (as well as The Giver, which I listed earlier).
  • Moby Dick by Herman Melville – Never in my life would I have read this novel if it was not assigned to me in an American Lit course I took in college. For starters, it’s massively long. And I feel that nearly half of the chapters are solely about the whaling industry. But nevertheless, this is a masterpiece that I feel absolutely deserves its title as an American Canon. I believe many of us can identify with Captain Ahab…
  • Passing by Nella Larsen – For anyone interested in African-American Lit, this was a beautiful novel. I don’t think I was able to put it down. Heartbreaking and eye-opening, to say the least. (If you are unaware of what the term “passing” means, it was used to describe mixed-raced people whose skin was light enough for them to pass as white.)

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Character Names

Posted in Novels by

toptentuesdayThe actual topic for today is “10 Sequels You Can’t Wait to Get Your Hands On” but I honestly don’t think I know enough ongoing series to make a complete list…and I also wanted to do this one that was a topic in October:

Top Ten Character Names That I Love

I love character names. Sometimes having an awesome name makes me enjoy a character and the book he/she is in even more. And also, whenever I’m writing something (which is not too often…) I put a ton of meaning into the character names; to me it’s a subtle way of reinforcing a theme I want the story to have.

So here is my list of favorite character names (not in any particular order):

  1. James Matthew “Jem” Blythe (Anne of Green Gables series): this one is in a particular order. It’s my favorite. I have always adored Jem’s name, ever since I was a little girl reading this series for the first time.
  2. Peeta Mellark (Hunger Games series): besides the fact that I love Peeta, I like his name because of its originality…and ok, it sounds like “pita,” which fits our beloved baker perfectly ;)
  3. Captain Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion): Wentworth is such a lovely name…I think one of the characters said it best when she said, “‘Lady Wentworth’ sounds very well. That would be a noble thing, indeed…”
  4. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice): continuing with Jane Austen heroes, who doesn’t love ‘Darcy’ as a name? To me, it’s one of those names that speaks for itself, as if I could easily tell someone with that name, “Oh yes, you look like a Darcy.” (side note: I also believe that I look like a Maggie)
  5. Phineas (A Separate Peace): this is one of those names that I love so much, I would want to give it to my future son. Alas, my husband does not agree, so maybe I will just have to be content naming Sims Phineas or Finn ;)
  6. Robin Hood: not only do I love Robin Hood, I also love his name. Robin by itself is ok…but Robin Hood just makes it sound so much more legendary.
  7. Sirius Black (Harry Potter series): now I’m starting to wonder if this list is about character names that I love or just characters that I love who also have amazing names. Anyway, Sirius is a perfect name for this character (who happens to be my favorite HP character, along with Ginny Weasley).
  8. Madeline (from the Madeline books): I honestly don’t know why I love this name so much, but I was so upset for the longest time when I found out my husband does not like it (therefore our future daughter could never be named that)! I also love lots of variations of this name (like Madelynn, which is what I named my Stegosaurus Build-a-Bear).
  9. Bagheera (The Jungle Book): I just love saying this name…or, I should say that I love shouting this name, because you can’t just whisper it, you have to shout it like Baloo does in the Disney movie: “Baaaagheeeeeeeeerrrraaaaaaaa!” That’s me, every time.
  10. John Keats (the poet): this is not a character name, but I have always adored the name “Keats”. I wish I knew someone with that name in real life :)

If I could have made this list longer, there would definitely have been some Shakespearean and Dickensian character names in there. What are some of your favorite character names?