classic

Classic Book Review: Moll Flanders

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Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
Moll Flanders 
by Daniel Defoe

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Moll Flanders tells the story of her life, from her infancy in Newgate Prison where her mother was convicted as a thief, to her young maidenhood and adulthood as a whore, conwoman, honest wife, mistress, mother, thief, and the worst kind of liar.

I just hated this book from start to finish. I hated the main character, Moll Flanders, for all her sneaky, conniving, selfish, evil ways. She is entirely self-centered. She is disgustingly promiscuous. She has several children by different men, and abandons them all. She lies to everyone about everything. She has no morals whatsoever, and shows no remorse for her heinous crimes. She schemes how she can trick people out of their money, and steals from innocent children. She is revolting in every particular.

I did not like the writing style either.

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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 →

Picture Book Review: Wind in the Willows Jigsaw Puzzles

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Wind in the Willows Jigsaw Book by Kenneth Grahame
Wind in the Willows Jigsaw Book 
by Kenneth Grahame, Ernest H. Shepard (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


A beautiful board book with jigsaw puzzles on the pages. I will NEVER take those puzzle pieces out. They are too perfect! I adore Shepard’s whimsical illustrations, and enjoyed reading the little excerpts from the Wind in the Willows book that accompany each puzzle.
So cute!

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 →

Book Review: Little Dorrit

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Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
Little Dorrit
by Charles Dickens

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

 

Amy Dorrit was born in debtor’s prison, where her father has been incarcerated for so long that he is called the Father of the Marshalsea prison. Arthur Clenham has just returned to England after spending most of his adult life abroad. He investigates a family mystery, believing that his parents have somehow wronged the Dorrit family, but unsure how to make restitution. He befriends Amy, nicknaming her “Little Dorrit”, since she is the youngest of her family.

Typical of Dickens, there are numerous subplots, a complex tapestry of connections between characters, and various plot-lines that intersect and combine. I love the complexity and depth of his plots! There is a lot of wonderful family drama, blackmail, financial ruin and sudden financial gain, romance and despair, and of course, that inimitable Dickens’ charm.
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