PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen

THE GIST:

Pride and Prejudice... but with zombies.

THE VERDICT:

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I enjoy reworkings of classic tales, but in this case I felt that the execution was not as good as it could have been. The core of the problem was that, despite there being a zomie infestation to counter, the zombies didn't add any real tension to the plot. I found I was more interested in watching how the relationships between the characters developed than in seeing how they fought the undead. The additions to the story were clever and funny at times, but they didn't impress me the way I hoped they would.

The zombie presence is already an established fact when the story begins. All five of the Bennet girls trained to fight zombies in China and are "skilled in the deadly arts." They have no trouble vanquishing the unmentionables who lurch out of the woods and attack carriages every once in a while. I think the book would have been more interesting if the zombie infestation was new, or if they had to learn the fighting skills on their own or if there were some weaknesses to overcome. Instead, Elizabeth simply cuts down zombies when she sees them, Jane kills zombies, but is as nice as ever, and Kitty and Lydia are just as silly despite their intensive training.

The author does a nice job of maintaining Austen's voice as much as possible. Almost all of the original words are still in the story, and the additions fit in seamlessly. Her story is as compelling as ever, and it is fun to read it with fresh eyes. There's a hilarious set of discussion questions at the end that left me with a better impression of the book as a whole. I appreciated the humor and irreverence, but this is a book that I probably wouldn't bother to read again.

THE LINK:

Seth Grahame-Smith's website

THE COST:

I paid $0.99 for the Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

What is your favorite retelling of a classic (book or movie)?

THE IDIOT by Fyodor Dostoevsky

THE GIST:

A simple man encounters the sophistication and darkness of polite society.

THE VERDICT:

This is the last full-length work by the great Russian writer that I had never read before. My love affair with Dostoevsky is based on his ability to tell a story that is rich with questions and observations about the human condition without blatantly hitting you over the head with a moral. Some writers have to explicitly tell you the point that they are trying to make; Dostoevsky just tells a story and then the depth of the story hits you later. He is a master of the exploration of suffering and redemption.

THE IDIOT follows the relationships between recovering invalid and erstwhile simpleton, Prince Myshkin and an eclectic group of Russian families. Everyone in Myshkin's life agrees that he is a bit of a fool, primarily because he displays a level of innocence, joy, and kindness that is at odds with the rest of their society. He represents pure love and forgiveness and a desire to help children and fallen people. He tries to navigate a world of manipulative, selfish, and violent people, but fails to connect with them.
There is an undertone of madness in the book, and it is not always clear exactly which characters in the book are actually mad and which are only perceived as such, just as it is not clear how much of a simpleton the prince actually is. Much of this story takes place in crowded spaces with a carnival of characters watching every moment of suffering and confusion. Some of the most tense scenes take place in full view of strangers, enhancing the whiff of madness and the tension of situations that have spiralled out of control. Although the themes are less grand in THE IDIOT than in some of Dostoevsky's other works, this story showcases Dostoevsky's ability to create complicated, sad and fascinating characters.

THE LINK:

International Dostoevsky Society

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

Do you think it is possible for a pure, innocent and loving person to fit into our world?

THE TIME MACHINE by H.G. Wells

THE GIST:

A man travels through time in a machine.

THE VERDICT:

Wells' novella explores the brief, but extraordinary journey of an unnamed man more than 800,000 years into the future. Unlike many time travel stories in which travelers encounter future humans with highly advanced technology and social problems, Wells brings his time traveler all the way to a point in time when the human species has split and evolved into new forms.

The Time Traveler expects to find a higher form of man, but he overshoots the mark and finds humankind in decline. He observes the weakness and desolation of civilization in its twilight years. His vision of the future is sobering and mildly disappointing. He tries to deduce the path that man took to reach this point, even as he struggles to preserve his own future.

This was the first time I've read this piece, although I was already familiar with the classic story. Wells' story is brief, but he raises interesting questions about the paths society could take in the coming millennia. Perhaps his most interesting observation is of the weakness that results when people are no longer challenged to survive in their daily lives.

THE LINK:

H.G. Wells society

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition. I recently went on a free books downloading binge, so expect more classics soon.

THE QUESTION:

Do you think Wells' vision of the future is plausible? Do you think humanity has passed its prime already?

TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES by Thomas Hardy

THE GIST:

A young woman falls victim to an unscrupulous man and spends her life suffering the consequences of his sin.

THE VERDICT:

This is a story about double standards, making it very frustrating to read. Tess is an innocent girl who is essentially raped, but she cannot overcome the sense that she has done something wrong. Her angelic new husband, apparently a progressive thinker, cannot see past the loss of her virtue, despite his own indiscretions. Everybody suffers, but no one more than Tess. This is an odd mix of deception and honesty, convention and irreverence that highlights the changing values of Hardy's England.

There are many moments in this story when things almost work out. If only Tess had said something slightly different at any given moment Angel might have relented. If only one circumstance had been slightly different, Tess might not have made the choices she did. If only a tiny scrap of humanity or love had entered one character's mind, another might not have suffered. These little moments make this story tense and fascinating.

The great thing about Hardy's writing style is that he has a way of pulling back and describing broad, panoramic scenes and then zeroing in on tiny details. He shows you the extraordinary curve of an eyelash or a stray shadow, and then seemlessly returns to the sweeping mystery of the countryside. The rich language pulls you into this story of love, betrayal, history and deception and does not let you go.

THE LINK:

Here's the good old Project Gutenberg link
And here's another review of this book from Sarcastic Female Literary Circle

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:


Do you think people can ever fully overcome a checkered past in the eyes of others?

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

THE GIST:

The impossibly clever Holmes solves mysteries, big and small, using his keen eye for detail and his nearly supernatural powers of deduction.

THE VERDICT:

These stories, told from the perspective of Holmes' friend Dr. Watson, are just plain fun. Holmes solves his mysteries in approximately the same way each time, but the cases themselves are actually very different. They come from all sorts of interesting characters and Holmes (almost) always saves the day.

The twelve adventures can each be read independently, although Watson sometimes references earlier cases in the later stories. The good thing about reading them all at once is that you develop a fleshed out picture of Holmes' singular character. He keeps odd hours, goes to violin concerts between cases, and makes it his business to know everything about everyone, without being impressed by anything.

Holmes and Watson are characters that I've known by reputation for a long time, but this is the first time I've read any of their stories. Sometimes beloved characters do not live up to their hype, but in this case I was not disappointed. I was duly impressed by Holmes' abilities and charmed by Watson's voice.

THE LINK:

This is a cool website with everything you ever wanted to know about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition (the complete collection of everything Doyle ever wrote about Holmes is about $1)

THE QUESTION:

When you finally meet a character or read a book that you've known by reputation for a long time do they live up to your expectations? Does anyone have a good example?

A ROOM WITH A VIEW by E. M. Forster

THE GIST:

A young woman travels to Italy with her stuffy companion and meets an angst-ridden but ultimately charming young man.

THE VERDICT:

This classic novel is full of eccentric characters and witty banter. The young women travel with chaperones, the young men read German philosophy, and the Englishmen abroad dine together at one table in their hotel. Forster captures the changing attitudes toward propriety and freedom in England after the turn of the century.

Essentially, this is a story of a young woman’s awakening to the wonders of the world. For the first time she experiences art, culture, philosophy, travel and love. She has to make the classic choice between a mysterious, free-thinking man and a respectable, uninteresting one. She has to look past her prejudices and the expectations of her family and figure out what she really wants.

It was interesting to read this book as a young woman living abroad. The differences in the ways in which women travel between now and 100 years ago are striking. It made me particularly grateful for my independence. I love Forster’s way with words, and this is a thoroughly readable story.

THE LINK:

Here's a Forster site: Only Connect

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

Do you think that people must defy the expectations of their family and/or their social circle in order to attain maturity?

MADAME BOVARY by Gustave Flaubert

THE GIST:

In this classic French novel a passionate young wife falls into debt, adultery and despair in equal measures.

THE VERDICT:

Emma Bovary is a woman who refuses to settle for anything less than fiercely passionate living. She is unwilling to accept the realities of married life in a provincial French town and tries to solve her problems in all the wrong ways. She purchases luxuries she cannot afford and chases men who do not want her as much as she wants the elusive life that they represent.

In this novel Flaubert paints an enticing picture of Emma. She is engaging and seductive, despite the fact that she becomes bored very easily. Several times she tries to fix her mistakes, but she always does too little too late, ultimately succumbing to her desire for more. Her passion and her flaws make her an intensely memorable woman.

Emma, the original desperate housewife, is both frustrating and relatable. Her husband and her lovers never fully understand what drives her actions. She wants to have a life that is bigger and more beautiful than her situation allows, but the consequences of her actions finally catch up with her.

THE COST: 

Free Kindle edition

THE LINK:

Here is more information about the author and links to his works: Gustave Flaubert

THE QUESTION:

Do you think it is possible to live passionately and be content with your life at the same time?

MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot

THE GIST:

The classic story of an English town in the 1830's in which people argue, fall in love, and get married, not necessarily in that order.

THE VERDICT:

Despite my affection for British literature, I've never gotten around to finishing anything by George Eliot before. The great thing about this story is that it feels very real. The people are flawed and nuanced, and everyone gets what they deserve in the end. The foolish but kind-hearted characters learn lessons and become wiser, and the selfish and hypocritical characters end up a bit worse off.

This is a long book, originally published in series, that follows the doings in and around the town of Middlemarch over the course of several years. There are smatterings of politics, religion, history, art, and business, and everything else that real people talk about. It gives an effective portrait of the way gossip spreads and evolves in a small town.

One of the good things about this book is that it doesn't end with the marriages of the various young people (unlike in a Jane Austen novel, for example). Eliot takes an honest look at the expectations and disappointments of marriage, especially at a time when people didn't get to know each other particularly well before getting hitched.

THE LINK:

The author (real name Mary Ann Evans) doesn't have a website of course, but here's some more info about her life and work: George Eliot

THE COST:

Free Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

Were you disappointed by Dorothea's decision at the end of the book?

THE SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne

THE GIST: 

Often required reading in high school English classes, THE SCARLET LETTER tells the story of Hester Prynne’s disgrace following adultery in a Puritan community and the moral anguish of her partner in sin. She wears the famous red letter and does good deeds, while he wastes away under the care of a sinister physician.

THE VERDICT:

This is one of those books that I just haven’t gotten around to reading before now, but I was surprised by the relevance of its themes. The book is really about the young minister and his rapid decline as the weight of his guilt increases. Hester is a bit too perfect, despite the obvious, and the truly reprehensible people are the “good” folks in the town.

A particularly interesting theme is the strong connection between the characters’ moral and physical states. As Hester atones for her actions by helping the poor and generally doing everything right, she appears even more beautiful. As the minister carries around his dark secret while pretending to be a spiritual leader, he becomes even more ill. As the physician carries out his physical and psychological revenge he becomes even more ugly.

The moral themes in the book are fairly straightforward, but the execution of the story is excellent. The sprightly child provides an odd but welcome juxtaposition with the somber mood of colonial Massachusetts. The pressure builds to a satisfying conclusion and prompts an examination of hypocrisy and the debilitating effects of guilt.

THE LINK:

Nathaniel Hawthorne does not have an author website. Try this site for more information: http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/ 

THE COST:

Free e-book from Amazon

THE QUESTION:

Do you think the confession of the minister is inevitable?