darkreinfly (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
darkreinfly) wrote2011-09-21 10:03 pm
darkreinfly) wrote2011-09-21 10:03 pm
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Adding new icons to the To-Do list
Moving right along with these book reviews - they won't necessarily be in the order that I read them, by the way. Excuse unoriginal adjective usage.
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah (BT02-B) is a book for which I have mixed feelings. It's very easy to read, language-wise, even as the content may be hard to swallow. But while I may have liked it when I first read it about a decade ago, I don't much enjoy it now. Perhaps it's something in the tone of the writing? I'm not sure. Somewhat culturally relatable. ★★
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) (BT02-A) is similarly depressing in its depiction of people and the things they'll set their minds to believing, the strange and unfair standards they'll hold dependents to in their societies. This second novel, however, held me more captivated than CC. Perhaps because it had a surrealist quality to it that lent itself toward a better sense of narrative, whereas CC read much more like a youth's recount of past days. In any case, 1984 is one of those novels like Khalid Hosseini's (The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns) where you can't help but be both appalled at what the characters have to live through, and amazed at how it's all written out. I don't think I could ever read these stories again (it almost feels painful to do so), but I still might because of the writing itself. 1984 was... wonderfully oppressive. ★★★★
Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre (BT01) was not what I expected it to be at first. And then I realised I mixed the name up with Jane Austen haha. Whatever. I totally rooted for the main couple, and wished that someone in that household had the wherewithal (and perhaps a displaced sense of morals) to put the scary person out of their misery. Very bittersweet. ★★★
I own a compilation of stories by the Bronte sisters, so along with Jane Eyre I got a chance to read Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (BT01). It's...grargh. It was both infuriating and sad, somewhat, to see everyone hurting each other and themselves. Was I supposed to hate Mrs. Dean as much as I did? I felt as if a lot of the problems could be blamed on her interference, or lack thereof, as the case may be, her own prejudices adding to a whole boiling pot of horrible even as she held the trust/confidences of all the others. I'm not sure what else I can say about the story - time's dulled any of my first impressions. As unlikable as they all were, my favourites were probably Heathcliff and Hareton. Misery loves company. ★★
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders by John Mortimer (BT04) was a nice read but not particularly memorable. Perhaps because it's but one of his adventures? One of those likeable, plucky protagonists with their own faults but still some quality to their person that makes them stand out and solve the case where no one else would put forth the effort. Light reading. ★★★
Hm, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (BT03) was an enjoyable read. It's been a long, long time since I've seen the animated film so I cannot compare how the characters are depicted in the different media. Mowgli seems very pragmatic and capable and lively in the book. Fun in the jungle. ★★★
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a book I've re-read often in my younger years. I adored Jo because I was a bit of a tomboy and felt awkward about girl-issues haha. She gave me the hope that one day I would mellow out and feel more comfortable being this gender. And as much as I felt like I understood the reasons, why? Why couldn't Jo & Teddy still find some way of having their happily ever after - together? They may have been too alike, but surely the 'opposites attract' rule needn't always apply? haha TL + JM forever! ★★★★
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah (BT02-B) is a book for which I have mixed feelings. It's very easy to read, language-wise, even as the content may be hard to swallow. But while I may have liked it when I first read it about a decade ago, I don't much enjoy it now. Perhaps it's something in the tone of the writing? I'm not sure. Somewhat culturally relatable. ★★
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) (BT02-A) is similarly depressing in its depiction of people and the things they'll set their minds to believing, the strange and unfair standards they'll hold dependents to in their societies. This second novel, however, held me more captivated than CC. Perhaps because it had a surrealist quality to it that lent itself toward a better sense of narrative, whereas CC read much more like a youth's recount of past days. In any case, 1984 is one of those novels like Khalid Hosseini's (The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns) where you can't help but be both appalled at what the characters have to live through, and amazed at how it's all written out. I don't think I could ever read these stories again (it almost feels painful to do so), but I still might because of the writing itself. 1984 was... wonderfully oppressive. ★★★★
Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre (BT01) was not what I expected it to be at first. And then I realised I mixed the name up with Jane Austen haha. Whatever. I totally rooted for the main couple, and wished that someone in that household had the wherewithal (and perhaps a displaced sense of morals) to put the scary person out of their misery. Very bittersweet. ★★★
I own a compilation of stories by the Bronte sisters, so along with Jane Eyre I got a chance to read Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (BT01). It's...grargh. It was both infuriating and sad, somewhat, to see everyone hurting each other and themselves. Was I supposed to hate Mrs. Dean as much as I did? I felt as if a lot of the problems could be blamed on her interference, or lack thereof, as the case may be, her own prejudices adding to a whole boiling pot of horrible even as she held the trust/confidences of all the others. I'm not sure what else I can say about the story - time's dulled any of my first impressions. As unlikable as they all were, my favourites were probably Heathcliff and Hareton. Misery loves company. ★★
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders by John Mortimer (BT04) was a nice read but not particularly memorable. Perhaps because it's but one of his adventures? One of those likeable, plucky protagonists with their own faults but still some quality to their person that makes them stand out and solve the case where no one else would put forth the effort. Light reading. ★★★
Hm, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (BT03) was an enjoyable read. It's been a long, long time since I've seen the animated film so I cannot compare how the characters are depicted in the different media. Mowgli seems very pragmatic and capable and lively in the book. Fun in the jungle. ★★★
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a book I've re-read often in my younger years. I adored Jo because I was a bit of a tomboy and felt awkward about girl-issues haha. She gave me the hope that one day I would mellow out and feel more comfortable being this gender. And as much as I felt like I understood the reasons, why? Why couldn't Jo & Teddy still find some way of having their happily ever after - together? They may have been too alike, but surely the 'opposites attract' rule needn't always apply? haha TL + JM forever! ★★★★