Book v. Mini-series





Synopsis
Tess Durbeyfield knows what it is to work hard and expect little. But her life is about to veer from the path trod by her mother and grandmother. When her ne'er-do-well father learns that his family is the last of a long noble line, the d'Urbervilles, he sends Tess on a journey to meet her supposed kin- a journey that will see her victimized by lust, poverty, and hypocrisy. With its sensitive depiction of one of literature's most admirable and tragic heroines and its powerful criticism of social convention, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is one of the most moving and poetic of Thomas Hardy's novels.

( Why is it that every character named Tess has the most horrible life imaginable?: Spoilers )

I finished reading Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. And I loved it.




I didn't think I'd like it because I didn't like the real novel too much. It's strange how I didn't love the original book that much because I absolutely love the movie (Keira Knightley version). It's strange that I love P&P&Z also because it's not like it's drastically different from the original text. It's written in the same style.

Anyway, P&P&Z was ridiculously hysterical. I read the first chapter in the book store and I knew I'd love it.

Some parts were quite naughty. I wonder what Jane Austen would think of this:

She remembered the lead ammunition in her pocket and offered it to him. 'Your balls, Mr. Darcy?' He reached out and closed her hand around them, and offered, 'They belong to you, Miss Bennet.'" -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies pg 205.

So yea, it's a fun read. I don't know if Jane Austen purists would like it, but I would read it again.

I finished the book today. A lot of people complained about it and I think reading the negative reviews prepared me. I started reading it knowing it'd be crazy. I had low expectations and was even a little hesitant to read it. But I pulled through in 3-4 days and I was actually entertained. Even the cheesefest parts that I knew were bound to come up didn't annoy me - though they did make me laugh. How many times was dazzled said? LOL.




( Review here with spoilers )

I finished the book (661 pages) in 5 days. I couldn't put it down.

The book was completely different from the movie. I liked both, but I feel like if I read the book first, I wouldn't have liked the movie.
The book just went into so much more detail and was better at developing characters. George (Mary and Anne's brother) was more of a player in the book. He was more of a flirt and had more ambition. Queen Katherine (Henry's first wife) was used more in the book than the movie. I felt terrible for her because she put up with her husband's shit for 20+ years and then was treated horribly and died in disgrace. The only exception to the character development was Anne & Mary's mother who was used more in the movie, but she was hardly in the book. However, in the movie she was the voice of reason while in the novel she is an ambitious bitch who abandons her daughters.

Unlike the movie, I never felt sorry for Anne. ( SPOILERS )

anyway, it's a great book. I do wonder if the author's other books are just as good.

I'm rereading She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I can't remember when I read it last, but I remember loving it and crying at the end. Reading it again has reminded me why I love it so much - it is depressingly wonderful in a sick way. I feel terrible for the main character. Really, no girl should have to go through the crap she went through. So if anyone ever wants to read a really sad book, choose She's Come Undone




Synopsis
"Mine is a story of craving; an unreliable account of lusts and troubles that began, somehow, in 1956 on the day our free television was delivered." So begins the story of Dolores Price, the unconventional heroine of Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone. Dolores is a class-A emotional basket case, and why shouldn't she be? She's suffered almost every abuse and familial travesty that exists: Her father is a violent, philandering liar; her mother has the mental and emotional consistency of Jell-O; and the men in her life are probably the gender's most loathsome creatures. But Dolores is no quitter; she battles her woes with a sense of self-indulgence and gluttony rivaled only by Henry VIII. Hers is a dysfunctional Wonder Years, where growing up in the golden era was anything but ideal. While most kids her age were dealing with the monumental importance of the latest Beatles single and how college turned an older sibling into a long-haired hippie, Dolores was grappling with such issues as divorce, rape, and mental illness. Whether you're disgusted by her antics or moved by her pathetic ploys, you'll be drawn into Dolores's warped, hilarious, Mallomar-munching world.

( Very Brief Spoilers )

I think when I'm finished with this book I will reread Rebecca by Daphne DuMarier and then if there is time before school starts I will reread Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh.

I finished reading Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer and I am sad now. I have to wait how long for the next book to come out? I read she finished her first draft which to me means it will be forever till the next book is released. Maybe I should reread Twilight.
I can say that Twilight was my favorite in the series, followed by Eclipse and then New Moon. I think I want to reread New Moon to see if I like it better the second time around, now that I know everything that happened.

I started reading Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer again. I'm in Chapter 9 and I like it better than New Moon so far.

My fav chapter is Imprint - where Jacob is explaining imprinting. It's a very romantic notion and now my curiosity is running wild. I wonder who Jacob will imprint on.

Rosalie has such a sad story. If her character is expanded in the movie then I want the EdR rumors of her playing the part to be true because Emilie has certainly played depressing characters (or characters that are in depressing situations) very well before.

Bella and Edward...eh, I liked them in the first book, but not so much anymore. Edward is possessive. Even though he's only trying to keep Bella safe, I really wish Bella would tell him to back off and allow her to be Jacob's friend, but she won't do that because she's just as clingy as Edward.

I still like Edward separately and within the relationship better than Bella, though.

I finally finished the book. I had to take extended breaks from the book not only because of school, but because Bella was pissing me off *LOL*.

Here's my full ( review of New Moon )


Shot at 2007-10-06

It's been taking me forever to finish this book. At first it was moving too slowly and I wanted Bella to find out about the werewolves already. Now I just got past page 250 and it's finally picking up.

( So this is my review of New Moon so far )

My sister bought Twilight by Stephenie Meyer yesterday after we kept discussing how much we both wanted to read it due to the fantastic word of mouth type it got. I finished it after one day and I have to say every praise it received was dead on. The book was fantastic and I loved all the characters. Edward can have an ego, but it's not the type of ego that would force the reader to hate him. He and Bella are so cute together. One of my favorite book couples. I don't want to give too much away because I'm sure some people haven't read the book, but it certainly went in a direction I wasn't expecting towards the end. I'm excited to start reading the second book (hopefully tomorrow) and then the third. I hope Bella will eventually be turned into a vampire so she can spend eternity with Edward. I also hope that the movie version doesn't totally ruin the book series. I can see the movie being turned into something campy :(

On another note, the book totally got me into the mood to finish the fanfic I've been working on for 4+ years.

Definitely read Twilight.