classic review

Classic Review: The Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel

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The Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy
The Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel 
by Emmuska Orczy

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Josette is trapped in Paris during the French Revolution, when her employer tries to blackmail prominent men in the government and is murdered. Desperate to protect his widow and child, Josette seeks for help from the Scarlet Pimpernel. Josette and her boyfriend Maurice fall into the clutches of the merciless Chauvelin, and only the clever Scarlet Pimpernel can save them from the guillotine.

Josette is a wonderful main character, full of compassion and faith. She is not clever or wise, but her good heart and her unwavering loyalty pull her through the story. I loved the scenes where she takes action for herself, never flinching in the face of danger.

The plot is fantastic, of course, with many twists and turns. I loved how all the complexities of each situation finally run together to a swift and glorious end. Continue reading →

Non-Fiction Review: Jane Austen

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Jane Austen by Claire Tomalin
Jane Austen: A Life 
by Claire Tomalin

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This biography of Jane Austen does a very thorough job of seizing on every letter, every mention, every tiny detail that can be gleaned about the famous author; unfortunately, that isn’t much. Jane’s sister, Cassandra, destroyed many of her letters after Jane’s death. Jane’s brothers and nephews and nieces didn’t preserve her letters as faithfully as they should have. The result is that there are few original writings left from one of the best-loved authors of all time, and little is known of her day to day life.

However, the author does a wonderful job of piecing together letters from cousins, diary entries of nieces and neighbors, along with the few portraits and tin-type photographs of her family and friends.
Continue reading →

Classic Review: Northanger Abbey

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Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey 
by Jane Austen

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Catherine Morland is on vacation in Bath with family friends, where she is befriended by the scheming Isabella Thorpe. At her very first dance, Catherine falls in love with the charming Henry Tilney and is invited to visit Northanger Abbey to keep his sister company. Catherine’s wild imagination paints the Abbey as a Gothic melodrama waiting to happen, and she sees mystery and murder in every innocent corner.

Rereading this book for the third time, I enjoyed it so much more than the first two readings; probably because I’m older and more sensitive to the wisdom and humor in Austen’s writing.

When I first read Northanger, I remember being so frustrated with Catherine Morland’s character, because she can’t see through the social facade of people like Isabella Thorpe. Of course, Catherine doesn’t have the experience yet to be able to judge people’s character very well. She assumes that other people think and feel just like herself, and she gives them the benefit of the doubt.

But now I recognize that those aspects of Catherine’s character really frustrated me, because I AM like Catherine in many ways. Imaginative, sensitive, trusting, gullible, naive, and prone to flights of fancy instead of being rooted in reality. Continue reading →

Book Review: Percival Keene

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Percival Keene by Frederick Marryat
Percival Keene 
by Frederick Marryat

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Percival Keene is the “natural-born child” of the noble Captain Delmar, who refuses to acknowledge his illegitimate son. Percival joins the Navy as a young midshipman, determined to make his true father proud of him and gain his approval.

This book has adventure, pirates, duels of honor, shipwreck, and battles against the French. I loved the action and the fast-paced writing style. The plot is woven together really well, and every new situation has a fascinating outcome. The characters are all so interesting and brave, and I loved the close, trusting relationships they formed.

Percival is the perfect main character, taking action, carefully calculating his next move, emotional at times, and craving connection to his true family. He is incredibly brave in the face of danger, and very intelligent.  Continue reading →

Myths and Misconceptions about Classics

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Classic Adventure: https://youtu.be/YG_gobWQ8XU
Children’s Classics: https://youtu.be/t5Zat_TDzDw
Classic Poetry: https://youtu.be/TVtK0uIMC3o
Classic Mystery: https://youtu.be/1WkYQLrJD-k
Five Favorite Classics: https://youtu.be/chM4Gc32Zog

Classic Book Review: Love and Freindship

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Love and Friendship and Other Early Works by Jane Austen
Love and Freindship, and Other Early Works 
by Jane Austen

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This hilarious collection of Jane Austen’s early attempts at writing show how witty and sharp she could be even at a young age. It’s such a pity that all the short stories here are unfinished.
I was laughing and chuckling at every page, because of the sketches of ridiculous characters in awkward situations.
“Love and Friendship” follows the life of Laura through her love-at-first-sight encounter with a handsome stranger, her ill-advised marriage, and how she was thrown upon the kindness of friends for financial support. It’s full of fainting women, comical misunderstandings, and a rich old grandfather who shows up at the most convenient times. Full of true Austenian satire. Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: The Iliad

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The Iliad by Gareth Hinds
The Iliad 
by Gareth Hinds 

2 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This graphic novel retelling of Homer’s Iliad was not quite what I expected. It’s much too word-heavy for a graphic novel, and I found myself bogged down in the text. Most of the panels have so much text that there is barely room for the artwork. And the artwork itself is nothing special. I didn’t care for the cartoony look, and it just didn’t grab my attention. It looks somewhat amateur, or hastily drawn.

If you are a big fan of the Iliad, you might like this, but I did not enjoy reading it. Usually I love classical literature, and I have read The Iliad before, so I was happy to be revisiting the story of the Trojan War with all the drama. But this book does not deliver drama. It feels stale and static, like the characters are all made of stone.

Disappointed in this one. Continue reading →

Manga Review: MacBeth

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Manga Classics by Crystal S. Chan
Manga Classics: Macbeth 
by Crystal S. Chan (Adapted by),William Shakespeare, Julien Choy (Illustrations)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Despite its popularity, MacBeth has never been one of my favorite Shakespearean plays. Too bloody and gory and gloomy for my taste. But if you like a dismal adventure with plenty of violence and mayhem, MacBeth has plenty of that! And this manga adaptation rings true with the moods and poetry of the original play. I like that the exact dialogue of the play is used in this manga, and the artwork beautifully illustrates all the action and drama. Continue reading →

Classics Review: Laughing Cavalier

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The Laughing Cavalier 
by Emmuska Orczy

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Diogenes is a carefree swordsman who lives by his wits, known as the Laughing Cavalier in 1600s Holland. He is hired to kidnap the lovely Gilda Beresteyn, because she has overheard a plot to kill the Prince of Orange, and the assassins, one of whom is her own brother, want her out of the city for a few days so she can’t divulge their evil plans. All goes according to plan, until Diogenes begins to fall in love with the beautiful Gilda, won over by her gentle ways.

I love the sword-fighting, political intrigue, betrayal, secret plans, adventure, and mystery. The plot is almost non-stop action, and every situation seems impossible for the heroes to survive, but somehow, amazingly, incredibly, they pull through. Every plot twist is a surprise! I love the agile writing style, because it keeps the reader interested through every page. Continue reading →