classic literature

Classic Book Review: The Way We Live Now

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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.

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Book Review: Emma

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Emma
by Jane Austen

5 of 5 stars

Emma Woodhouse amuses herself with matchmaking all her friends, but she does it very badly for Harriet Smith. Poor Harriet is influenced to think of Mr. Elton as a possible suitor, with disastrous results. Emma must discover the secrets of her own heart before she can accurately understand the hearts of others.

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Classic Book Review: Bleak House

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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!

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Classic Book Review: The Three Hostages

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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.

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Classic Book Review: The Enchanted Castle

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The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit

The Enchanted Castle
by E. Nesbit

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings are spending their school holidays stuck at school, so they go exploring around the countryside, hoping to find some adventure. They stumble into a beautiful garden estate where they go through a maze, finding what appears to be a young princess in an enchanted sleep. When they awaken her, it proves to be only Mabel, the housekeeper’s daughter. But Mabel assures them that magic enchantment is real, and the children explore the gardens with a magic ring that transforms their holidays into a wild adventure.

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Classic Book Review: The Law and the Lady

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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.

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Classic Book Review: Waverley

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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!

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Classic Book Review: A Sicilian Romance

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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!”

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Classic Book Review: The Red Badge of Courage

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The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

The Red Badge of Courage
by Stephen Crane

3 out of 5 stars

A “youth” enlists in the Union Army during the American Civil War with visions of glory in his mind, but he runs away like a coward in the first skirmish. As he moves as far as he can from the battlefield, he encounters wounded men headed toward the hospital. He hears their stories of courage, noting that they wear a “red badge” of their own blood. He is ashamed but finds ways to excuse his behavior in his own mind. He has an altercation with a fellow soldier, who gives him a minor wound on his head. At last he finds his way back to his own regiment, joining them again, pretending that he got his wound in battle. The next day when the regiment begins to move forward into battle again, the youth wonders if he will have the courage to stand and fight this second time.

I really hated the graphic descriptions of violence and dead bodies and disgusting wounds. It’s very descriptive and made me nauseated.

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Classic Book Review: Olive

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Olive by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Olive
by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

4.5 out of 5 stars
Olive is born with a deformity in her spine. Her parents are devastated to have a humpback child, but try to show Olive compassion. Her childhood is peaceful, but as Olive grows up she begins to realize that she will never be able to live like other people. She is unlikely to ever marry or have a family. Uneducated and without resources, Olive must lean on her faith to help her through the difficulties of her life. She finds solace in nature and art, and in supporting her friends and family with a patient and kind spirit.

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