Anne With An 'E' // Reading the Classics

Much like The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery is a book that my mom always wanted me to read as a kid. I don't know if it is because she loved the book, or because her middle name was "Anne with an 'E'" as well ... but I never got around to reading it as a kid.

FINALLY in 2014 I read it, and I can honestly say that it was one of the cutest books I've ever read. I loved every page of it.

Anne of Green Gables is about a young orphan girl who is adopted by a middle aged woman named Marilla and her brother Matthew. They were hoping for a young man to help on the farm and with the house, but instead they get Anne. Anne is imaginative, red-headed, and very romantic. She's always coming up with dreamy names for things, and giving everyone and everything some sort of very dramatic backstory. Not quite what Marilla and Matthew had in mind.

Most of the book chronicles Anne's adventures at Green Gables and in Avonlea. Some of which are make believe, and others of which are real. She always seems to be letting her imagination run away with her, often resulting in hi jinx. Much of it is also centered around Anne's friendship with Dianna, another little girl who gets swept away in stories. Then of course there is Gilbert, who mercilessly teases Anne about her hair, calling her "carrots". Let's just say, Anne knows how to hold a grudge.

I felt like I could absolutely relate to Anne as a character. I always felt awkward, gawky, and ugly as a kid, so I too took everything very personally. I also, had an avid imagination, and a flair for the dramatic. I was always inventing some kind of romantic story in my head. I still do this. :) Though, I am decidedly less dramatic than I was at the age of 10. - probably good, right?

I found myself laughing to the point of tears while reading situations in the book where Anne is particularly worked up, because I can 100% imagine the situation and identify with it. It was excellent fun to read.

Again, like with The Secret Garden, I loved all of the flowery descriptions in the books. It probably helps that a lot of the natural elements are personified as if Anne were describing them, they were even more imaginative than the ones in The Secret Garden.

I also have to appreciate a book that leaves you feeling happy, leaves you feeling hopeful about the world and the people in it. It's very wholesome and cheery. Sometimes you just need that, you know?

I can't wait to someday read the rest of the books, I can only imagine that I will love them just as well, and enjoy reading the rest of Anne's story.

It also makes me want to go back to the Maritimes more than ever, and make to to PEI this time.

Have you read Anne of Green Gables? What did you think?

Have you read a book, where you felt you were exactly that character at one time or another?

Happy Reading!

XO,

Alexandra

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary // Reading the Classics

The Secret Garden is probably one of those books that your mother hoped you would read as a kid. And maybe, like me, you preferred devouring the entire American Girls series. Can anyone relate?

I find myself all of a sudden wanting to read those books that are classics for kids. Whether they be old or new. Hey, I finally finished Harry Potter in college! Recently I've been slipping older classics into my reading list, and I am really enjoying them.

Most recently I read A Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett as part of the Literary Ladies Summer Reading Challenge. The story follows Mary Lennox, a young British girl in India, who is found among her household who has died of a cholera outbreak. (pretty grim start for a children's book, huh?)

Mary is described as ugly, mean, and unhappy. She's selfish, rude, and unwilling to help herself. This is entirely a product of her environment. Her parents were also selfish, and ignored her a great deal.

When she is found alive, she is sent to live with her nearest relation, her uncle Archibald Craven, at Misselthwaite Manor in the English countryside. She moves into the house, and quickly learns that it is much different at Misselthwaite than it was in her home in India. She is soon left to her own devices, made to care for herself, made to entertain herself. She makes friends with a maid in the house, Martha, and her brother Dickon as well. That is when Mary takes an interest in the outdoors, and in herself.

She begins to run, to play, to spend time outdoors. She makes friends with a robin, and Dickon. Mary begins the search for the hidden secret garden on the grounds of Misselthwaite. As well as what is behind the terrible noises and screams in the night.

Along the way Mary finds much more than a Secret Garden, she finds purpose and enjoyment in her life.

I had seen the movie many times as a child, and I hadn't remembered the story very well. Reading it was very fun. I liked how Mary's character wasn't loveable at all, but once she decided to care about herself she became pretty, healthy, strong, and filled with purpose. All of a sudden becoming much  more likeable.

I enjoyed the sweetness of childhood. Reading this book certainly brought back memories of playing outdoors in the summers, making believe with my sister, picking flowers in our yard etc. It is fun to remember what it is like to be a little girl. And maybe even more fun to read it as an adult...?

I also really liked all of the description of the moors. I'm a sucker for really good description in a book. It makes me want to see it in real life, and also to read Wuthering Heights. ;)

I would like to go back and watch the movie again now, I think I would have entirely new thoughts on it.

Have you read The Secret Garden? As an adult or a child? What did you think?

What were you favorite parts of being a kid? Did a book ever bring back those memories for you?

Happy Reading!

XO,

Alexandra

Evangeline // Reading the Classics

**spoilers** (in the 6th paragraph) - though I think this story is semi-widely known... ?

Back when we were planning our visit to the Maritimes I was doing some research on the area and happened upon some Canadian history. It was about the expulsion of 11,500 Acadian people (French Colonists living in Canada's Maritime Region) from the Maritimes as a result of not signing oaths with the British. The Acadians feared that signing such an oath would anger the Native Americans living there, and were also not loyal to the British, so they refused to sign it. 1/3 of the expelled Acadians died at sea from disease or drowning. Many families were split up, and many of the people were forced to settle along the Mississippi river.

This was something that I had not learned about at all in school, so I was really surprised by it, and interested in learning more. It turns out Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the American poet wrote an epic poem called Evangeline, about a fictional woman who upon being expelled from Acadia is in search of her lost love Gabriel. This poem is written in a way to mimic Greek and Latin epics.

I suppose critics have all sorts of things to say about it, but here are my thoughts:

It's lovely that Longfellow thought to write on something that was such a tragedy, but also to turn it into a story that many could follow and be engrossed in.

Overall I didn't find the poem too hard to read, while it is written in dactylic hexameter ... I didn't find myself struggling too much to get through it or comprehend it. It is only about 60 pages long in a small sized book as well, so it makes for a quick read.

**spoilers below**

The poem follows Evangeline as she crosses the United States in search of Gabriel. There are times when she is very close to where he is, but does not know it. She spends years looking for him, and in the end she finds him among the sick in a hospital where she works. He dies in her arms.

Even though I knew what was going to happen, the story is a well known tragedy similar to Romeo and Juliet, I found myself engrossed in the journey. Cringing when Evangeline unknowingly passes Gabriel by. Imagining what kind of pain she felt searching without hope for so many years. In the end I cried. For her to try so hard, only to find him in their old age, him dying of sickness in her arms. It's tragic. It's heartbreaking.

But, I'm glad that I got to read about a character that is so selfless. She risks everything, and gives up years of her young life searching for Gabriel. In her old age, she begins helping the sick at a hospital. I'm always impressed by people who manage to rise above their terrible circumstances and give away so much.

I kind of appreciate that the story is similar in nature to Romeo and Juliet, but that these characters are completely different. I don't know about you guys, and as much as it can be romantic.... Romeo and Juliet's characters seemed selfish and rash to me ...  am I the only one? But maybe it just makes it more sad that Gabriel dies, because Evangeline is a good person, and their love was enduring.

This is a lot to read into a 60 page poem, but there you have it.

Also, is it a coincidence that the Acadians lived in the Maritimes and were then expelled to the Mississippi? The Maritimes and New Orleans are only my two favorite places I've visited so far. I find this really crazy!

Also on our honeymoon we went to a restaurant called Les Frères De La Côte (brothers of the coast) where it was a blend of Canadian and Cajun type decor and food. It never made sense until I started researching all of this a few years later.

Lastly, there was this really beautiful copy at the New Brunswick museum when we were in St. John, but it was only in French. The only English copy is the one pictured above. Not a huge deal, but I always love a really pretty book. The image for goodreads seems to be the pretty one but in English, so maybe I can find it yet. :)

Has anyone else read this?

How do you guys feel about these tragic love stories?

Happy Reading! - I hope I didn't just depress every person who read this... : /

XO,

Alexandra

The Lit-Lover // Books for Every Lady on Your List // Holiday Gift Guide // 2014

The Lit Lover

This is the girl who's nose is always in a book. Not just any book, but often times classics and books that you've heard about for their intimidating reputations. She probably has a favorite, whether it's Pride & Prejudice or Frankenstein. - find out what it is! The depth of her love for books goes beyond the book itself, but into the movies, the authors, the time periods, the quotes, the fan fiction... it's a never ending love affair. It's quite possible she has always yearned for a life in the past. She may not be your most social friend, but she is a very good one! She's a wonderful listener, and full of sage advice. Her Instagram (if she's keeping one!) is filled with quotes from her favorite books and authors, snapshots of what she's been reading, and screenshots of destinations she's fallen in love with through books.

1 &2) Childhood Favorites

Many of our favorite childhood novels have been turned into lovely designed new editions. I am enamored with these Rifle Paper Co. designed covers for Anne of Green Gables, Heidi, A Little Princess, and Little Women. I don't know about you guys, but I can never have too many copies of my favorite books! - especially if they are this cute!

3) Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most Beloved Heroines

I have been swooning over this book since it came out in September (of 2013)... It is a beautiful coffee table / artsy book that pairs gorgeous illustrations of heriones in literary fiction with their quotes. It is mostly decorative, but goodness it is beautiful. Being an art lover and a lit lover this is right up my alley!

4) Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes Inspired by the Novels of Jane Austen

What better gift for the Austen lover? This fun book is filled with tips, historical facts, quotes from Austen, and contemporary recipes to match classic culinary situations in Austen's novels. It also includes some of Austen's letters to her sister Cassandra! This is a fun look into the world of Austen, and a romantic little book of ideas for Darcy lover in all of us. (swoon). This would also be great for the Girly Girl or the Hostess if they happen to be Lit Lovers too!

5) The Jane Austen Handbook

This fun little book contains valuable information about life in Jane Austen's time. With advice about things you may never need to know for example, 'How to Throw a Ball... (like the dance, not the sports equipment) to more relate-able advice like 'How to Avoid Dancing With an Undesirable Partner'. There are plenty of pieces to get you laughing, get you thinking, and give you a glimpse into Austen's world.

Beautiful Copies of Favorite Classics like:

6) Tales of the Jazz Age (and other Fitzgerald Novels)

A collection of beautifully patterned versions of Fitzgerald's novels has been released in the past few years. I just love the ornate gold and silver metallic covers, don't you? They certainly remind me of the Jazz Age! -Sadly, Gatsby seems to be hiked up to just under $90! Yikes! but the rest are reasonably priced between and $15 and $20. The Beautiful and Damned, This Side of Paradise, Flappers and Philosophers (Collected Short Stories), The Last Tycoon.

7) Cranford (and other beloved classics)

These lovely brightly patterned editions of classic novels have been around for a while now, but I still can't get over how pretty and fun they are. I specifically like this bright green one. Along with Cranford you can find Vanity Fair, The Odyssey, The Picture of Dorian Gray .. just to name a few! Her favorite book with this bright modern cover would be a lovely addition to her collection!

8) Fashion in the Time of the Great Gatsby

When the Girly Girl and the lit-lover meet there are few books more exciting than the ones that analyze the fashion of a particular character or novel! This beautiful book explores the fashions of the 1920's with gorgeous glossy photos, fun vintage advertisements, and history about the time period. Also great for the Girly Girl!

9) Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters

This book is exactly how it sounds; a book written as text messages from one literary character to another. It is getting good reviews from the critics. It is divided by book and is pretty funny. Who wouldn't want to read imagined texts from Emma and Daisy Miller? This is a fun one!

10) My Ideal Bookshelf

This book is a visual tour of people's favorite books. The ones that have influenced them and shaped who they are. I always enjoy hearing about other people's favorite books, it helps me know them better and expands the horizons of what I am reading. This book is illustrated in water colors, which I pretty clearly love. :) This would be great for someone who is always looking for a new recommendation, and would look lovely on someone's coffee table. A similar option: My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop.

I hope that this list has given you some book ideas for the book lover in your life!

Interested in more?  Check out this post to view my book recommendations for other 'types'.

Happy Gifting!

Alexandra

The One and Only Rebecca

I'm on a reading rampage right now.

I just finished Rebecca and am nearly half way done with Mermaids!

Rebecca is another classic that has been on my list for a while. Once I found this gorgeous vintage $2 copy (above) I was in love. However, I had it for 3 years before I began reading it... so I'm glad to be checking it off!

The book started out with and eerie scene set in the present, but quickly moved to the past. It told the story of an unnamed girl who met a mysterious man in Monaco and fell in love. She married him and moved back to England with him. From there you learn the tortured past of both Mr. de Winter and his home. 

The story is filled with scenes that almost lead you up to another piece of the mysterious puzzle, but then leave you hanging. This style is kind of unusual for modern day readers, where something shocking happens in nearly every chapter of a book or episode of a TV show. At first I found it a little underwhelming, but realized that once I got to the actual action it ended up being more exciting! 

Beyond that I found quite a lot of it depressing. I found the main character very meek and irritating. She NEVER stuck up for herself! She spent nearly the whole book being more of a narrator than anything else. Constantly obsessing about Mr. de Winter's first wife and how she stacked up, I found her pretty hard to relate to. I feel that Du Maurier created her that way intentionally though, as she is never given her own name. She is only ever referred to as Mrs. de Winter, after she is married. It was extremely strange to read a book from the point of view of a character with no name! This became a very interesting thing to think about while dissecting the novel later.

It is interesting to read an older book, this one being from the 30's, that eludes to activities that could not be written about plainly at the time. Like (I'm assuming,) sex, drugs and excessive drinking. I think that for those reasons it would be very interesting to see a movie interpretation of the novel, to see what they thought was being eluded to. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a recent movie version. Please make one BBC!! :)

Also, is it just me, or is Mrs. Danvers almost the creepiest literary figure ever?!? (picture above) I would not want to be near this woman!

The book more-or-less ended the way I expected it to, but I really enjoyed it.

Have you read Rebecca? 

What did you think of it and the main character? 

Have you seen any good movie or mini series interpretations of it?

There is also a "pre-quel" called Rebecca's Tale, which I own and might read. I think it will be a Wide Sargasso Sea to Jane Eyre sort of relationship. Very interesting, but not at the top of my list.

First Check off my Summer Reading List complete!

All for now,

Alexandra

Conquering Anna.

Like most bookworms, I have an extensive list of books to read in my lifetime. I'm guessing that in addition to this we likely each have a few books that are sort of the big kahunas. You know, the ones that are really intimidating, often thick and you've over-seen them being read by people you thought really cool or brainy... well for me one of the biggest was Anna Karenina.

I remember seeing it probably for the first time when I was about 14. I was at a friend's house, in this super cool library type loft that had tons of books, floor pillows, candles, maps.. the whole nine yards. I picked up the book and was mesmerized by the gorgeous cover photo. I had heard of the name before and never realized how huge it was. I told her that I really wanted to read it, and she explained that her older brother would be impressed and probably let me borrow it. Woah, that's a lot for a not-actually-that-literary-reader, not to mention boy-crazy 14 year-old to handle! Needless to say, I put it back on the shelf, quickly brushed it off saying "oh, that's ok. I probably won't have time to read it for a while anyway."

I finally purchased a copy for myself on a walking trip from our (now old) apartment to the nearby bookstore. I bought a used copy and was very excited. Purchasing it was a really big step, I never imagined that I would read it before I turned 40 let alone while within the year I bought it!

I had heard that a movie version was being made that had both Kiera Knightly and Jude Law in it. I was pretty excited about it and took it as a challenge to start reading it in time for the movie. Where we live, we get independent/foreign/non box office-y movies for a very limited period of time and only two at a time. I began the book despite the fact that I was about to finish my senior year as an undergraduate.

Once I picked up the novel, I could barely set it down. I made a goal to read just 2 chapters per day, and when I would get behind I would catch up as much as possible within a day where I wasn't so busy. This strategy kept me interested and also from forgetting what was going on in the plot. As I read, I came to find that this whale-of-a-book was actually quite accessible and much more quickly paced than I had expected.

During my reading, I found myself reflecting on some of the over-arching topics quite a bit. For one, I just felt extremely grateful that my husband and my "Mister" (?), lover, are one-and-the-same. I just feel so terribly for anyone involved in an affair. After that I found myself (surprisingly!) sympathetic for Anna's character. How awful to live in a society where you have very little to no control over your relationships. She had no options when it came her relationships. How awful not to have any options especially not to divorce. In this case I felt that and her husband (in my interpretation) was pretty absent and not meeting her needs. To be fair, it was very possibly completely unknown to him. But his affection for her wasn't really noticeable in the book.

Beyond those those thoughts, I found myself wanting to learn more about the history and culture of that time and period in Russia. I think that it would be extremely interesting, so if any of you history buffs out there have a recommendation.. send it my way! :)

Once I got into the book, it really didn't take too long to finish.. considering how long it is. (817 pgs!) The night that I finished it we went to see the evening showing of the movie. I had not really done any research and didn't realize how theatrical it would be... but I was glad to have seen it. I thought that it was really well done. I love a good artistically shot film! The costumes and sets were so intricate and gorgeous!

However, I had 3 thoughts on what I expected to be different in the film:

1) the depth of Anna's struggle was MUCH more drawn out in the book, even if you rationalize the varying lengths. I was hoping to get a bit more of a look into what drove her to her decision. It almost came across like a girlish whim. Which gives the whole plot and character a very different feel. 

2) Vronsky's mustache (period accurate or not) was not attractive at all. It caused a whole lot of grimacing on my part, especially during one of the love scenes.

3) This kind of goes with 1, but in the end Anna's actions seemed a little overly dramatic considering the quickness of the movie and the lack of explanation of her marital relationship.

KC on the other hand didn't find it that way as a non-reader-viewer. So it could be just me!

Have you read Anna Karenina? What did you think of the book or movie versions? What is one of the "big kahunas" on your reading list?

Currently reading: Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

(a gorgeous 1935 copy that was a $2 steal at a local bookstore!) 
Read my thoughts after reading it, here.

All for now,

Alexandra