classic books

Classic Book Review: North and South

Posted by

0

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

North and South
by Elizabeth Gaskell

5 out of 5 stars

Margaret and her family move from their sunny country village to the bustling town of Milton. The cotton factories blacken the sky with smoke. The people seem unfriendly and rough. Margaret and her parents discover that the culture in this town is very different from the sleepy village life they are used to. Margaret’s father tutors students in the classics, but finds that most people in Milton are too busy working for their bread to worry about their education. His best student is Mr. John Thornton, a local manufacturer who owns a cotton mill. He is not what London society would call a gentleman, but he wants to improve his manners and education, so he begins tutoring with Margaret’s father. During their lessons, Mr. Thornton and Margaret quarrel over their different opinions, but underneath there is a strong respect for each other that could grow into something more.

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Count of Monte Cristo

Posted by

0

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas

5 out of 5 stars

Edmond Dantes is wrongfully imprisoned when he is betrayed by three men. Fernand, his rival for the beautiful Mercedes, denounces Dantes to the government as a Bonapartist spy. Danglar, his rival for the promotion on board their ship, pens the letter to the local police and delivers it with evidence of secret letters in Dantes’ possession. And the judge, Villefort, suppresses the true evidence and denies Dantes a fair trial. Years later, Dantes escapes prison and begins to plot his revenge.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Christian Mythmakers

Posted by

0

Christian Mythmakers by Rolland Hein

Christian Mythmakers: C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Williams, Dante Alighieri, John Bunyan, Walter Wangerin, Robert Siegel, and Hannah Hurnard
by Rolland Hein,

5 out of 5 stars

Through the centuries, there have been Christian writers who have captured the essence of mythology to reveal spiritual truths. Their stories spark a new level of awareness in our imaginations and deeply touch our hearts. Through these Christian myths, we understand ourselves and our relationship with God in a new light.

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: The Way We Live Now

Posted by

0

The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope

The Way We Live Now
by Anthony Trollope

5 of 5 stars

Corruption and vice are rampant among the upper classes in 1870s London, and the lower classes aren’t much better. Lady Carbury schemes to get her son married to the wealthiest heiress in London, Miss Melmotte. It doesn’t seem to matter that her son, Sir Felix, is a selfish rascal with no heart. Mr. Melmotte flaunts his wealth and uses it to manipulate his way into politics, throwing lavish parties and befriending dukes. The only two who have some higher morals are Roger Carbury (Lady Carbury’s cousin) and Hetta Carbury (Lady Carbury’s daughter). They two believe in honesty and chivalry while the rest of society has degenerated into power-hungry, money-mad libertines.

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: Bleak House

Posted by

0

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Bleak House
by Charles Dickens

5 out of 5 stars

Esther Summerson goes to live with her guardian, Mr. Jarndyce, and two other young wards, who are his cousins. The Jarndyce family are involved in a lengthy court case disputing a will that has lagged on for generations, bringing nothing but debt and heartache to all involved. Mr. Jarndyce hopes to repair some of the emotional damage in his family by bringing his young cousins, Ada and Richard, into his own home and providing for them.
Esther herself is completely ignorant of her biological family, and is thrown into the mystery of her parentage, when a certain lawyer begins investigating the death of a man who may have been connected to the secretive Lady Dedlock. Esther must discover the truth about her mother and father before the lawyer can publicly humiliate them all.

This has always been one of my favorite Dickens books, and re-reading it several times just confirms this book as a forever favorite!

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: The Three Hostages

Posted by

0

The Three Hostages by John Buchan

The Three Hostages (Richard Hannay #4)
by John Buchan

4 out of 5 stars

Richard Hannay has retired to the English countryside with his darling wife, Mary, and their son, Peter John. But he gets roped into an adventure once again when he learns that a criminal mastermind has kidnapped three young people, one of them a young boy only 10 years old. The only clue is a mysterious poem with the imagery of a blind woman who spins thread, a curiosity shop run by a man with a dyed beard, and the cryptic phrase “the land of Eden.” Richard must unravel the clues and trust his instincts to rescue the poor captives before it is too late.

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: The Law and the Lady

Posted by

0

The Law and the Lady by Wilkie Collins

The Law and the Lady
by Wilkie Collins, David Skilton (Editor)

4 out of 5 stars

When Valeria marries Eustace, she discovers that some dark secret has made him marry her under a false name. She meets his mother and finds out his true identity. She appeals to his friends to find out what terrible secret he is hiding. He begs her to leave it alone and warns her that it will only drive them both apart, but she persists and finds that he was accused of a terrible crime and never quite proven innocent. Valeria embarks on a desperate search for evidence that will prove her husband’s innocence, and it leads her down a dark path of insanity. In the meantime, her husband, frustrated with her stubbornness, abandons her. She must sift through rumors of suicide, poison, lies, cruelty, and madness to arrive at the truth.

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: Mr. Standfast

Posted by

0

Mr. Standfast by John Buchan

Mr. Standfast (Richard Hannay, #3)
by John Buchan

4 out of 5 stars

Richard Hannay is serving as a general in WWI, when he is called away from the warfront to engage in some counter-espionage back in England. A dangerous group of radicals in a small county village might be hiding an evil mastermind who is the center of a ring of German spies, hiding in plain sight on British soil. Richard meets some old friends who return to be part of the team, and he is introduced to the beautiful Mary, a voice of wisdom in all their plans.

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: Waverley

Posted by

0

Waverley by Walter Scott

Waverley
by Walter Scott

5 out of 5 stars

Edward Waverley goes on a vacation to Scotland, staying with an old friend of his uncle’s. He meets a Highland Chief and is invited to spend a couple of weeks hunting in the highlands. Waverley is inspired by the noble demeanor of the highland clans, and his romantic side gets the better of him. He becomes embroiled in the Jacobite Rebellion, and he falls in love with the Chief’s pretty sister. At first, his adventures seem glamorous and exciting, but he quickly learns that he must deal with reality and give up his childish daydreams of glory.

A beautiful, intriguing tale of valor, love, honor, loyalty, with absurd funny bits and sorrow intermingled. This is my favorite book of Sir Walter Scott’s!

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: A Sicilian Romance

Posted by

0

A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe

A Sicilian Romance
by Ann Radcliffe

4 out of 5 stars

Julia falls in love with the dashing young Hippolitus, but her father insists that she must marry the evil Duke. Julia’s brother tries to help her escape from the clutches of her ruthless father by arranging an elopement, but their plans are betrayed and Julia is caught. Julia goes through every kind of disaster and terrifying mishap, fleeing for her life and weeping along the way.

This is Gothic melodrama at its best! Julia dissolves into tears, is frozen with terror, collapses under the strain of horror, and is prostrate with grief in every single chapter. Several other ladies, not to be outdone, also fainted on several occasions. Everyone is constantly exclaiming some version of “Alas, woe is me!”

Continue reading →