Review: The Outsiders

Title The Outsiders
By S.E Hinton
Genre YA Classic
Format Print
Rating ⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
Ponyboy has only ever known the life of a "Greaser". Keep your head down and stay away from Socs but when a fight between the Greasers and the Socs goes wrong, Ponyboy's life gets turned upside down.

First Sentence
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I only had two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.



There's plenty of classics out there that I haven't read and that, quite frankly,  I probably never will. The Outsiders was one I wasn't particularly interested in but I recently found out how young the author was when she wrote and and I became intrigued.

While I can see why it's considered a classic and had some surprisingly sound writing, I wasn't blown away by it. I only found it somewhat interesting and didn't really connect to any of the characters.

I found some of it a bit unbelievable and the lack of character growth depressing but at least it was a quick read and I can say I've read it now...right?

Review: Ross Poldark

Title Ross Poldark (Poldark #1)
By Winston Graham
Genre Adult Classic
Format Audiobook
Rating ⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
Ross Poldark arrives home to Cornwall from the war to find his father has passed away and the girl he loved married to his cousin. Trying to get his father's house and copper mine back in order he tries to deal with his grief.

First Sentence
It was windy.





Another book club read. I've seen  season one of the TV series and had so much fun ogling Aiden Turner that I was eager to read and compare the book. Sadly, I found the book so similar to the series that I couldn't find a reason to read it. In fact, I struggled so much that I finally just downloaded the audio and listened to it while working.

Listening helped make it go faster. I found it so similar that I could zone out at points and quickly orient myself when I started paying attention again. I know, I know! That's awful of me. I didn't hate the book I just found it a bit boring when compared to the show.

There were some differences, of course, but nothing so monumental that I could justify reading the book. I guess what I'm saying is, just watch the show and ogle Aiden Turner and skip the book.

Review:Alice In Wonderland

Title Alice in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
Genre Classic
Pages 119

First Sentence Alice was getting very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and having nothing do.




Synopsis
Chasing a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat down a rabbit hole is just the beginning of a wild adventure for Alice.





What it has going for it
Um, it's a classic? The writing isn't terrible. The Chershire Cat. That's about all I can think of.

What's Lacking
Seriously...What was Carroll thinking? I guess one might see a touch of symbolism or at least just enjoy the wild imagination of a little girl. Maybe back in the day kids adored this one. It's not a classic with that many re-tellings and movies based off it for nothing but wow. I just thought it was one bad fever dream that, when it wasn't boring the pants off me, was kinda sorta scaring me. I only read it because I wanted the original before I started on the re-telling, Splintered. Let's hope it's better than this!

Favorite moment
I've always been fond of the Cheshire Cat.

Yea or Nay?
Honestly, I can't see any reason why you'd need to read this one. Just skip it.

Review: Agnes Grey

Title Agnes Grey
By Anne Bronte
Genre Adult classic
Pages 272
Recommended by Book Club

First sentence All true histories contain instruction; though, in some the treasure may be hard to find and when found, so trivial in quantity, that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut.

Synopsis
Agnes leaves home to be a governess and learns many lessons from two different families finally finding a happy ending of her own.



What it has going for it
A friend of mine and I have been talking about reading this one forever so when my book club decided to read it I was excited to finally get to it. I hated (LOATHED)  Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights is just ridiculous so I was curious what the other sister had to offer. I was pleasantly surprised. This one is so much more calm and down to earth. Sure, Agnes is rather boring and pretty self righteous but in comparison to Jane and Cathy...Oh, so much better. This one took me a whole month to read. Mind you, I was getting married and honeymooning but, still. I think it reflects how dull the book was. It was fine just not much happened. However, if you read the first sentence of the book again...we are warned. Maybe Anne Bronte just wanted to write something dull because her sisters ridiculous stories drover her as crazy as they drive me. The reason I liked this one, though, despite it's dryness and dull story, was because Agnes' little crush and her ponderings and feelings reminded me of *ahem* someone. *cough cough me cough cough*. I actually laughed out loud at those chapters.

What's lacking
As I mentioned, this one was rather dull. If it wasn't for the romance in it I seriously would have felt like the whole book was a complete waste. Sure, Agnes goes through some crazy families that make the reader think but I never felt like Agnes grew up. I felt like she assumed she was perfect and everyone else outside her family was horrible and has low morals. *shrugs* It wasjust a little demeaning. Thank goodness for the romance. That's all I can say.

Favorite moment
The entire chapter where Agnes muses about hope. I giggled the whole way through it.

Yea or Nay?
There's only a few classic books I'd warn you away from reading but most are usually worth a read. 

Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel

Title The Scarlet Pimpernel
By Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Genre Adult Classic
Pages 204
Recommended by Book club

First sentence A surging, seething, murmuring crowd of beings that are human only in name, for to the eye and ear they seem naught but savage creatures, animated by vile passions and by the lust of vengeance and hate.

Synopsis 
Armed with only his wits and his cunning, one man recklessly defies the French revolutionaries and rescues scores of innocent men, women, and children from the deadly guillotine. His friends and foes know him only as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But the ruthless French agent Chauvelin is sworn to discover his identity and to hunt him down. (From Goodreads)

What it has going for it
You can always tell how much I "liked"  a book when I just copy and paste the Goodreads synopsis on my reviews instead of taking the time to write one out myself...Well, that's now entirely true. Sometimes I just can't put a book's synopsis into words. But with this book, the former is the culprit. While that first LONG sentence may turn you off, this one was actually a very easy read. The plot moved along quickly which made the story...tolerable. 

What's lacking
As I told my book club: The three things wrong with this books were 1) Marguerite. What a useless character! She was used as a plot device. There was all this set up like she might actually be of some help but she never was. So freaking infuriating. Plus, she was just whiny and over emotional. 2) The writing. The above mentioned plot device trick is just plain annoying. Sure the story moved along and there was a lovely passage about the ocean I enjoyed, but it just seemed amateurish for a classic book. 3) The author used the word literally when she did not mean literally...twice. Ugh!  

Favorite moment 
When Percy kissed the ground where Marguerite had been...NOT! Yuck! 

Yea or Nay?
Meh. No, but if you wanted to don't let me deter you. It was an easy read and everyone else at my book club seemed to like it.

Classic Double Challenge...Just In The Nick Of Time

My friend Melissa started this challenge just this year and I decided I really needed to join. I chose to just read one classic and a retelling. It's a dang good thing I didn't try to do more than that because I barely managed to read the two books for it! I decided at some point this last summer to read The Scarlet Letter and the retelling, When She Woke. When She Woke took me like maybe a week to read. The Scarlet Letter took me four freaking months! Argh! Anywho, here we go.

Title The Scarlet Letter
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Genre Classic
Pages 247
Recommended by Me

First Sentence A throng of bearded men, in sad-coloured garments and grey steeple-crowned hats, inter-mixed with women, some wearing hoods, others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooded edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes.

Synopsis
Hester Pryne has been sentenced with the crime of adultery....does anyone NOT know what this one's about? Really???

Title When She Woke
By Hillary Jordan
Genre
Pages 344
Recommended by Kaye

First Sentence When she woke, she was red.


Synopsis
Hannah lives in a world where a person's crime is told by the color of their skin. She has been turned red. Her crime: abortion. Released after time in prison, Hannah must learn to live as she is. Haunted by her choices she begins a journey to discover who she truly is and what she really believes.


What it has going for it 
TSL
Um, well, it's a classic. That's something, right? Everyone and their dog and their neighbor's best friend's dog was forced had the pleasure of reading this one in high school. That has to mean it's an amazing book. I know people say there's all this symbolism and crap but really all I saw and took away from the book was... and shall here for be called "good ol' Puritan guilt". I was so freaking shocked at how guilty everyone felt! For heaven's sake! Quit living in the past, Hester, Reverend Dimmesdale! Sheesh! Your choices were made now deal with it and move on. So, yeah, I at least felt I took a little something away from the book. Let's not all walk around with are hand pressed to our chest feeling so guilty that we actually, physically make ourselves sick and die!

WSW
Sadly I read this one a good four five months ago and I don't remember every little detail. What I did enjoy about this one was Hannah's journey away from all that "good ol' Puritan guilt" to a new life with self acceptance. I also really liked that it slapped you in the face with every single thing in this world that makes people judge and called you out on it. It was eye opening, I tells ya! The world that was created in this one was very well put together and thought out. Nothing was fudged over or didn't make sense. Very important in a dystopian, am I right? Can I get an amen?! Alright it's late, I'm tired just ignore me. ;)

What's lacking
TSL
Oh boy, I'm really not sure why this one is required reading in high school. It's so ridiculously pretentious! The writing, I mean. The whole story could have been told in 25 pages...50 tops. But all that fluffy, snooty writing? So not necessary. I really despised all the characters too. Their guilt being the biggest reason. Reverend Dimmesdale was so freaking annoying! I mean, yeah, we're none of us perfect, but come on! What a pansy! I sure as hell wouldn't have fell for him. Hester would have been fine but her inner feelings about her only child being some devil spawn were awful. If guilt is making you feel that way towards your own kids, it's REALLY time to stop.

WSW
The only real complaint I had with this one was the whole lesbian thing. And not because of THAT reason. I just thought it came out of nowhere and was only thrown in to have one more thing in the story to remind us not to judge. That's fine but it didn't fit...at all.

Favorite moment
TSL
When the good Reverend FINALLY owned up and then died! Huzzah!

WSW
When Hannah finally stormed out of that "women's center". R E S P E C T find out what it means to me! You go girl!

Yea or Nay
TSC    If you weren't tied down to a chair in high school with your eyes taped open and forced to read this one, consider yourself lucky to have escaped THAT misery, and move on.
WSW  I would recommend this one. And just try not to judge anything that the author shoves in your face. I dare you!

Review: Emma

Title Emma
By Jane Austen
Genre Classic
Pages 432
Recommended by Me

First sentence Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

Synopsis
Emma Woodhouse considers herself a matchmaker, but love is complicated and in a small town there's not much room for meddling.


What it has going for it
This is the only Jane Austen that I've yet to read. My book club wasn't going to meet this month but me and another member decided we couldn't go a month without meeting to discuss books. So we decided to read an Austen novel that we hadn't read yet. As it turned out she hadn't read Emma either and so we embarked on our reading adventure. I have to say I have quite the feeling of accomplishment to have finally finished all the Austen books. Emma is an Austen book and as such gets points just for being so. I love Austen's ability to make a seemingly boring conversation intriguing; the ability to make the mundane exciting.

What's lacking
I have to admit this wasn't my favorite Austen. The whole class thing might very well have been how it was but in this book it came off making the main characters seem pretentious and arrogant. That makes it hard to really like a book. If I can't like at least one character I have a hard time getting invested. I also have always loved Mr. Knightly in the movies I've seen but in the book I wanted to punch him. What a hypocritical jerk! Telling Emma how wrong she was to act one way and then acting that way himself. So annoying. He sort of redeems himself in the end when everything is explained but still.

Favorite moment
I loved the conversation about Jane Fairfax going to get the mail everyday. I knew from the movies what was  going on, and that may have helped, but I loved how much was behind such a seemingly boring conversation.

Yea or Nay
Um, yes. Everyone should read all the Jane Austen books at least once. Agreed?

Review: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

Title A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
By Betty Smith
For Book club
Pages 494
Recommended by Suey & Kim and just about everyone else.

First sentence Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York.

Synopsis
A story about a young girl and her family living in the slums of Brooklyn at the turn of the century and spanning to WWI.

General thoughts
Well, for those of you who thought I wouldn't make it, that I'd be too tempted to play my new Wii instead of finish this book I say, HA! It took me all day yesterday but I finished it. I have mixed feelings, though. I loved the book. I loved that in each character you could find something to love and something to hate. That's so incredibly true in reality, and was captured so well here, that I think that became my favorite thing about the book. I also loved the slow reminiscing feel of it. I smiled a lot, had a touch of heart ache and even burst into sobs at one point. My only problem with the book was I kept wondering if it was so close to the author's own life why didn't she just right it as a memoir? After I finished the book I read the forward (backwards, I know) and found out it was originally written as a memoir but upon request of the editor was made into fiction. That made me feel better, but then I started wondering how much was fiction and how much was truth? When she changed it into a fiction did she embellish or just change the names???  It doesn't tell you and that bothered me to no end!!!

Characters
As I said before, I loved that each character had something to love and something to hate about them. I think Johnny and Sissy were my favorites but I don't know if I'm completely sure about that. If I forget the story, and I probably will, I won't forget these characters and how they made me feel.

Would I recommend it? 
Yes, this one should be read. If for nothing else but the perfectly flawed characters and the hundreds of messages to be taken away.

Review: Middlemarch

Title Middlemarch
By George Eliot
For Book Club summer reading project
Source I own it

First sentence Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress.

Synopsis
The tale of several people in the 1800s in the town Middlemarch.


General thoughts
I'm sure in the time I've been plugging through this book I've mentioned that I watched the movie back in the spring and wasn't horribly impressed. Not that I hated it, I just wasn't enthralled. So, when my book club decided to read this one I was a little depressed. I'd intended to read it at some point but, after watching the movie, I wanted a long enough break that I could forget most of the story line. In a way, I think it actually was probably a good thing that I'd just watched the movie. It helped me stick with the book. All that being said, I still didn't LOVE this one. I didn't hate it, but I just didn't really care for it. The political talk bored me to tears. The disgusting gossip efficiently ticked me off. The romance of some of the characters had me rolling my eyes. And Eliot's random musings informing me that I shouldn't judge her characters had me a little upset. Sure, it's a great bit of wisdom to learn not to judge people but I wanted to! I didn't like some of the characters and it's a book, the characters aren't real, if I want to hate some shouldn't I be allowed too?! I did learn two very interesting things from this book. One, it's a becoming, marriageable quality in a woman to have a fondness for Geraniums. (Dang! I knew there was a reason I was 30 and still single, I've never liked Geraniums.) Two, it's equally appealing in a marriageable man to have a trout stream. (Yet, another reason I'm single. Anyone know any single guys who own a trout stream?)

Characters
Holy crap, there's a lot so bear with me.
Dorthea: She started off such a know-it-all snot and was suddenly such a sweet, kind, generous person I had a hard time with her. I admired her going back to Rosamonde after everything that had happened and still offering help but she just wasn't floating my boat.
Mr Casaubon: Here was one of those characters Eliot told me not to judge. This man was determined to be miserable so who the heck cares what became of him or his stupid selfish feelings?!
Celia: I liked her better at the beginning. By the end she was the know-it-all and rather over-the-top silly to me.
James Chettam: I really liked him in the movie so I was horribly disappointed that in the book he was such a control freak! He made me so mad!
Mr Brook: I actually really liked this silly guy. He might have been a bit arrogant and naive but he lets Dorthea do as she likes, and the way he talked had me smiling nearly every time he opened his mouth.
Will Ladislaw: Oh. My. Gosh! Seriously? This guy was so overly bite-his-knuckles dramatic I wanted to slap him. How could anyone like that?! Take a chill pill, dude!
Tertius Lydgate: Ah, here was a somewhat reasonable man with a good heart who falls pray to a pair of pretty eyes and blond hair and for that he deserved what he got. Sorry. No mercy here.
Rosamonde: The epitome of every skinny little blond who connives her way into a man's life just to make it a living hell! Selfish and petty, I bet she likes geraniums!
Farebrother: I've got to like a guy that gives up the woman he loves out of pure selflessness.
Nicholas Bulstrode: I could almost sympathize with him. Sure, he was so obsessed with what people thought about him and money that he lied his way to the top and practically murders Raffles by his own hand, but I can sympathize with that fear of what others think of you. Stupid but true.  
Harriet Bulstrode: She made me cry when she forgave her husband and just accepted him.
Caleb and Susan Garth: Caleb is almost too perfect but I loved him. He and Susan felt the most real of all the characters.
Mary Gath and Fred Vincy: I saved the best for last. I loved that Fred became the man he did, a better man, because of his love for a good, sensible woman! I love their story best of all.

Would I recommend it? 
If you like classics, yes, but be warned, Jane Austen these are not.