Spring Snow - Yukio Mishima

It's 1914 and Kioyaki Matsugae is the privileged son of a family who are descended from Samurai. They have advanced from that position and are making their way up the ladder of aristocracy. As a result Kioyaki has more privelege than most of his school chums. He is granted an automatic place amongst the aristocracy regardless of how he does at school. Which is just as well because he spends his time contemplating his life and then chasing his old friend Satoko Ayakura. Satoko is the daughter of a family who has a long history among the aristocracy but have fallen on tough times. They rely heavily on the Matsugae family and as a thank you they teach Kioyaki the artistocratic way. Kiyoaki has therefore spent a lot of time with Satoko and doesn't realise until it's too late that she is deeply in love with him.

If this sounds like the story of a spoiled brat who doesn't realise what he wants until it's too late you would be correct. Kiyoaki is not only privileged he is beautiful too and an enigma to his own family. He is spoiled and hard to like. Only his best friend Honda seems to like him and even he loses his patience with him at times. He is vain and fickle and little realises or appreciates the hard work his family have put in to get where they are. Then there is his views on Satoko. She is an irritant to him as her behaviour and words confuse him. He doesn't realise all her words are to show how much she cares for him but instead believes she is trying to be difficult. It's only when he can no longer have her that the little light in his mind clicks. He realises he loves her too and like the spoiled child he is goes after what he can't have.

I have little doubt that I am not endearing you to the story. Every word of this is true and yet you will want to read on. If only because of the beautiful writing. Japanese writers seem to have a talent just to make their words flow and Mishima is no exception. It makes the book a delight to read and you don't really mind too much that Kioyaki is a spoiled brat. His friend Honda who gets a voice in the book more than makes up for it. If anything he is everything Kioyaki should be. His family isn't quite as privileged and he knows hard they work. He works hard too and is determined to get everything he can out of his education. He knows his friends faults and watches him as though he is a study on human nature. Yet he still loves his friend and helps him when Kiyoaki finally opens up to him about Satoko.

The Siam Princes are also a pleasant contrast to Kiyoaki. They truly come across as innocents as they are visiting Japan and have no choice but to see Japan through the eyes of Kiyoaki. At least what Kiyoaki chooses to reveal to them. They cling to him even when the have to move to the school dormitories. It's their openness as well as their innocence that makes them such a contrast because really for much of the story Kiyoaki is an innocent too. A young boy who doesn't know he is in love.

If I say more about the story I will probably spoil it. It's the first book in a series of four and I know a little how each of them are connected thanks to my classic loving friend. It was that interesting premise alone that got me reading it and I definitely want to read the others. I am not exagerating when I say that Mishima writes beautifully.

Plus once again, how lovely is the vintage cover? Even if my friend hadn't sold me on it. Had I seen this cover I would have immediately picked it up.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Victor Hugo

It's 1482 in Paris and a young Gypsy girl has stolen the hearts of most of it's citizens. She entertains the crowd with her dancing and her pet goat. Several men in particular are enthralled. One has stolen Esmeralda's heart. The second is torn by his love and loathes both himself and Esmeralda because of it. The third is the famous Quasimodo, bell ringer of Notre-Dame. He is devoted to the beautiful gypsy after she shows him more kindness than anyone else has. As a result he is devoted to her. When Esmeralsa's love is found dead she herself is blamed. Only Quasimodo saves her from a hanging as he hides her away in his beloved towers.

I am sure I picked this up before and didn't get very far. Determined this time I forced myself through the first 50 pages which seemed to have nothing to do with the main story whatsoever. It took time for any of the main characters to turn up. However, it does make sense eventually and it's worth sticking to. Even as I was annoyed at what seemed to be unimportant description I was impressed by the beautiful writing.

The story is actually slow paced. It spands over 500 pages and nothing much happens in most of it. Instead we are given back ground information to some to the characters. We are also seemingly given unimportant detail of other people but it all connects up and even if it hadn't I was too mesmerised by the writing to care.

I loved each of the characters. Esmeralda's story was just as sad as that of Quasimodo's (well, almost). I even felt sorry for the villan of the book who was so torn by his own beliefs. I'm speaking of course of the Archdeacon who had lived a celibate life and belonged to the church. Esmeralda was everything he couldn't have and yet everything he wanted. The only character I had little sympathy with was that of Esmeralda's love, Captain Phoebus. He seems typical of a lot of classic books. The vain and lazy military man who has no money and so has to marry well. Wants his bit on the side too. I am sure there is one of him in a lot of classic literature.

Over all I loved the book and it was a good last choice for the classics challenge. Since the December prompt for this one is a wrap up I am going to do that separate from this review. If you want to see what others did you can see it here on Katherine's blog, November Autumn.

His Last Bow & The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

More short stories featuring the famous Sherlock Holmes. In this case the stories are two volumes brought together. Once again Watson has been diligently recording his friends most famous cases, including some that had previously been banned by Holmes from public viewing. We hear of Holmes' last case and what he does after he leaves London for the country. As it is approaching WWI when Watson publishes these there are a few that involved Holmes' protecting State secrets. He even heads into the world of the supernatural and uncovers the truth about a vampire. Lastly, after years of berating Watson, Holmes has a go at writing up one of his cases himself.

I am actually quite sad that I have now finished all these tales. True there is a new one out written by Anthony Horrowitz but somehow it won't be the same (that's not to say I won't try it). I feel like I am saying goodbye to am old friend here and yet I read the vast majority of these books this year.

I am more pleased with the way Holmes left his career this time than I would have been had Final Solution been the last story. Better to have Holmes still out there somewhere. In this case he is in the country bee-keeping. In fact there is one story in there after his so called retirement. Holmes has to write this one out himself since Watson isn't on hand to do it for him.

I think I enjoyed these short stories slightly more than all the others. Possibly because I knew they were the last and so prized them more. However, I think it's also because they were slightly darker. The tales always did have a dark edge to them but with the approaching war Doyle was able to move away from trivial problems to ones that put the country in danger. Only Holmes stood between Britain and disaster. I quite liked that edge to them.

Now that I have finished them all I can go on to the films and tv adaptations. I have been looking forward to those but wanted to hold off. It will be interesting to see how they compare. If you haven't read any of these books I recommend that you do. Especially, the short stories. Don't be put off if you aren't a fan of classics or crime. I think most readers would get something out of them. I dare you not to pick it up and fall in love with Holmes.

The Valley of Fear - Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock is at home when he receives a letter from someone who works for Professor Moriarty. The letter is in code but it's not long before Sherlock has it all worked out. It's a warning that a Mr John Douglas is about to be murdered. He then receives a visit from Scotland Yard who come to deliver the news of John Douglas's death and ask him to come and unfold the mystery surrounding it. Holmes quickly agrees and travels to the Douglas home along with his good friend Watson. There they hear the stories of the dead mans wife, servant and friend. All the stories are the same and yet something doesn't quite add up. Of course it doesn't take Sherlock long to work out what exactly has gone on.

Supposedly not the best of the Holmes books. It's the last one that takes the form of a novella. However, it is criticised because Holmes is only in the first half of the book. Like the first two novella's Holmes uncovers the truth and then we get the back ground story of the individuals involved. In this case was travel back to America and a small town which is held in fear by a group belonging to the order, The Freemen (a play on the Freemasons).

Like in the previous two books I liked this division. It had a different style to it as we learn of John Douglas and how he became a hunted man. It was almost like reading a different book but at the same time you are constantly aware that it's about to reveal more of Holmes's initial mystery. I can agree that there wasn't enough of Holmes but at the same time I think the story would have lost something if this second section had been cut. It was very much part of the intrigue.

The parts of the book that did annoy me (very mildly) was when Moriarty was mentioned. The mystery must have been set before The Final Problem as the stand off between Moriarty and Holmes wasn't mentioned. Plus, according to Watson, this is the first he himself has heard of Moriarty. Yet, Watson was also first introduced to Moriarty in that short story. It was something I could live with and maybe my memory isn't as good and Watson had heard of Moriarty before the final stand off.

I still prefer the short stories but the novellas are still worth reading. It's an opportunity to see what else the author could do.

A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain

A man mysteriously talks about King Arthur's court as though he has been there. He then leaves some papers with a stranger and encourages him to read. The papers are an account of this man's time in court. How he tried to change the way those people worked and how he was sent on his own crusade by King Arthur himself.

When I picked this up I was hoping for/expecting something light and extremely funny. Sadly that's not actually what I got. Whilst there was plenty tongue in cheek the book took itself a little too seriously, I thought. First the humour was really a ridicule of the King Arthur legends. It strips away the romantic view everyone has of King Arthur and his court. The men and women are slobs. The men make up or exaggerate their tales of adventure before King Arthur. Everyone realises this but it's all part of the ritual. The ladies are crude, laughing and making jokes that would make a women of Hogan (the time traveler  era blush.They are also none too bright.

Once Hogan manages to save his own neck he believes that he can change the way the world works with him as the leader. This is where the serious part comes in. He spends much of his time trying to remove power from the church and put it in the hands of the man. He sets up a school to educate the masses. When he is sent (against his will) on his own quest he rescues prisoners and sends them to his schools. He brings about commercialism and advertising.

Had I known that much of this was going to be an essay on the power of the state and the church I probably would have left it to another time because it's not what I was in the mood for. That's not to say it wasn't a good book./ It was, it just wasn't what I wanted at that time and as a result I didn't enjoy it quite as much. I also found the narrator, Hogan, to be quite irritating. He was quite pompous and so sure that he was right. Quite a lot of the time he made a bit of a fool of himself but he was also Twain's mouthpiece. On the plus side I was amused at recognising some of the stories thanks to John Steinbeck.

I read this as part of the classics challenge hosted by Katherine of November's Autumn. This months prompt is about the last chapter read. As I tend to wait until I finish the book before doing these prompts I am going to go for most memorable. For me that would be the first chapter. The one in which the story is set up. The person who comes to read Hogan's story is admiring a portrait of King Arthur's court. As he does he notices that one of the figures in the painting has been damaged so you can't see the features. It's then that Hogan approaches him and claims to have known Arthur. We can guess that Hogan had deliberately damaged the painting so that he wouldn't be recognised. This set up makes the book sound more promising and more like what I was expecting.

The Sound and The Fury - William Faulkner

The Compson family were once  an aristocratic southern family. Times are tough for them and it's hard for them to come to terms with the fact that their place in society has changed. The mother tries to cling on to the past which makes her ill and effects each of her four children in different ways. In their own right each of the Compson children have their own daemons to fight. Benjy fights to be recognised, Quentin fights his depression and his fathers expectations, Caddy fights for her independence and for Benjy, Jason fights to improve their standing and his economic status.

I found this quite difficult to get into at first. The book is split into four sections and each section is from the point of view of different members of the family. The first section is from the point of view of Benjy. Benjy has learning difficulties and his only way of communicating with his family is through crying. He also gets his information from them through his sense of smell. This whole section is disjointed and a little all over the place. Chronology is mixed up as we see the world as Benjy see's it. It makes for one very difficult read or at least it did for me.

The second section is only slightly better but that's when I finally got into the story. This time it's from Quentin's point of view. Again the chronology is slightly disjointed but not to the extreme of the first. Once I got into the flow of it it became easier to follow. The disjointed flow and the lack of punctuation is meant to convey Quentin's deteriorating mind. The third section is very easy to follow. This is from the point of view of Jason and it's a little hard to take in that Jason isn't exactly a nice character. He's angry all the time and feels that the world owes him something. Everything he does is for his own gain. He's a bully and seems to enjoy exerting power over his family since he has none in his professional career.

The last section was my favourite. This one was mainly from the point of view of the house maid. It's written slightly different from all the others. The others were written as a stream of consciousness. I have to say that it is not a style I took to easily. For me personally it made it more difficult to just enjoy the story. It was harder to follow and a little limiting too. You only get a vague notion of what's going on and it isn't until others add their voices to that stream that you get the bigger picture. For that reason I can also admire it. All these fragments coming together to show a history of one family.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

Once again Watson brings together some of his friends famous cases. Much like the last collection each shows Sherlock at his investigative best. Many of these tales are from before Watson's time including Sherlock's first case back in his Oxford days.

These tales run much in the same way as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Not that I was bored with them at all. It was nice coming to this books and a much beloved character after the last book I read. I don't think I will ever grow tired of reading his tales and I have three more books sitting there.

Last time I think I was amused by Sherlock and some of his deductions (notable the hat size indicating intelligence). This time I was amused by Watson. It doesn't matter how many times his friend is able to deduce from the smallest detail it still surprises him. Holmes uses his powers on Watson many times here and still Watson is surprised and occasionally disbelieving until it's explained to him. When will Watson learn to not doubt good old Holmes.

If you notice I attached the League of Extraordinary Gentleman challenge badge on at the start of the post. I know I said that it would be a few books until I got to the Moriarty story but it turns out I was wrong. It appeared at the end of this collection. The story is of course, The Final Solution, and Sherlock comes up against someone who is just as clever as he is. His ultimate nemesis. I've heard so much about Moriarty and how only he could defeat Sherlock that I was actually expecting a larger story. Not to say that it wasn't good. It was but because of it's notoriety I was expecting more.

In terms of the character and a comparison to that of Moriarty in the League of Extraordinary Gentleman I don't think I can compare. The truth is I think he is the character I remember least of all. The truth is that when I picture Moriarty my sci fi geekiness comes out once again.

This is the guy I always picture. If you are not a sci fi fan. This Moriarty was accidentally created to be able to defeat Data (an android). Anyway, I remember him rather than the one I am supposed to be comparing him to. Regardless, I liked the original version of Moriarty and I just wished that there were more of him.

This means of course that I have finished this challenge and have already moved to badge on my sidebar to finished challenges. I'll do a wee blurb about it at some point next week. Overall I have enjoyed the challenge which was hosted by Hanna of Booking In Heels. You can see how far along others are getting (or what they think of various characters) here.

The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch

Charles Arrowby has retired from his life in the theater. Once an actor, director and writer he has decided to get away from London and his friends. Now living in a cottage by the sea he begins writing his memoirs. The memoirs are really a reflection of all the people who have been important to him in his life. His mind keeps going back to his first love and so it comes as surprise to him when he discovers that the one who got away is now an old married woman living in the village. He sees this as a sign that they must be together and that he must save her from a marriage she can only regret.

I only just realised that this won the Man Booker Prize back in 1978. Prize winner or not I struggled with this book. Charles Arrowby is a horrible, self-centred, self-absorbed, delusional man. I mean it. He has no good points to him whatsoever. To be honest, I wasn't particularly keen on any of the characters but I especially disliked him. Which of course makes it difficult since the book is meant to be his memoirs after all.

So why did I persevere with it? Well, something would happen after long descriptions of the sea, his disgusting culinary expertise (turned my stomach) and his self-congratulations for being so wonderful. I then had to read on to see what happened next. It was a vicious circle. I would get annoyed eventually, put it down, pick it up again and sucked back in. Once I was 2/3 of the way through any intention to give up on it was gone and I had to see it through. Despite the fact that I disliked most of the book I did like the ending. It had a sad feel to it. Not sure if Arrowby learned from his reality check but I liked the fact that it was there.

I lied when I said there were no characters I liked in the book. Arrowby's cousin James was a fairly likeable character. He was the only one in Arrowby's life who had any common sense or lived in anything like the real world. He was the only one who wasn't so self-absorbed. He tried his best to make his cousin see sense and seemed to genuinely care for him (not that he deserved it).

Arrowby's first love and her family were also more normal than his friends, or more average anyway. They still managed to irritate me mind you and I wished that Arrowby would come to his senses and leave them alone. Of course she didn't help matters but mostly it was Arrowby doing all the pestering. Mind you, without that there would really have been no story at all.

I am glad that I read The Bell first because I very much enjoyed that. Had I read this one it would probably have put me off reading another of her books. I should point out that despite all my complaints about the book it was still very well written. Still, it was a relief to finally finish it. Not sure if this one will be staying in my book collection despite its pretty cover.

The Crucible - Arthur Miller

Reverend Samuel Parris is shocked when he sees his daughter, niece and some of the other village girls dancing around with his servant in the middle of it all chanting. His daughter collapses as soon as she is discovered and whilst he tries to find a scientific reason for her collapse the rest of the village are murmuring witchcraft. The Reverend John Hale is sent for to investigate the possibility and the girls are soon pointing the finger at the servant who forced them to dance. The finger pointing doesn't stop there and very shortly no one is safe from the accusations of the young girls.

I have read very few plays outside school. In fact apart from the Shakespeare plays I read back in January I can't remember the last time I picked one up. It seems I am missing out however. I read this in one night. It's not a large play but even if it had been I doubt I would have had the power to put it down. I hadn't even intended on reading it since I was in the middle of another book. I was originally just having a quick flick through it since it was going to be my next read. That flick was fatal because of course I was instantly transported into the play.

The detail in it was amazing considering it is limited in comparison to the novel. I actually quickly forgot it was a play I was reading. Of course I new the plot of the story. It's fairly well known and despite not having read it or seen it dramatised or the film I knew most of it. A group of girls are about to be caught having performed witchcraft with one girl as their leader. She then points the finger to save herself and of course finds it a convenient way to rid the village of all the people who may have crossed her at some point. What I wasn't expecting was that it is seen mainly from the point of view of some of their victims rather than the girls themselves. If anything it gave more drama to the play as you sense the fear of the characters and then their resolution.

It was very well paced and as the book proceeded the more out of control the girls got, the more the fear increased and the pace quickened again. Reading the blurb at the back the play wasn't meant to be just about the Salam witch trials. It was a reflection of the era. Particularly the McCarthy era. I actually know a little about it thanks to another favourite book of mine, The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. When the cold war and fear of communism caused lots of finger pointing.

I read this for the poetry/drama category of the Mixing It Up Challenge hosted by Ellie of Musings of a Bookshop Girl. I am not the clued up on poetry and to be honest can take it or leave it. I was more excited about trying some drama which I also have little experience of. I am sure I would have read The Crucible anyway but it's thanks to this challenge that it was sooner rather than later. Possibly one of my favourites of the challenge so far and another fantastic classic to add to my list. If you are interesting on seeing how I am getting on with this challenge you can find my edited original post here (only two more categories to go).

Villette - Charlotte Bronte

Lucy Snowe has spent much of her childhood with her God Mother. A kind lady who dotes on her son. Her last summer with them is the most memorable as they also have the company of a strange little girl, Paulina. When Lucy leaves them she puts the past behind her as she faces a future of loneliness and difficulty. After working as a companion to on old lady she heads Europe hoping for a teaching post. Once she reaches Villette she begins teaching at a school for young ladies. There she finds some new friends and strange characters. More importantly she finds some old friends she never thought she would see again.

Not quite as good as Jane Eyre but this book just reminds me of how much I love the Bronte sisters. I quite happily got lost in the pages of this book. Seriously didn't want to leave it. The language is simple and flows very easily. Or maybe it isn't as simple as it seems but is just so well written that it feels that way. Either way I enjoyed the writing as much as I enjoyed the story.

Lucy is rather an odd character even for the Bronte's. Odd as a main character that is. Not once do we get a full picture of who she is. We learn almost nothing about her family and her early childhood. We know that she has had to take on work beneath her station because she alone in the world. That's pretty much about it. Even as the book continues it is hard to pin down her character. She is different to each of the characters in the book. She is sweetness to her God Mother, charming to her God Brother and a little short tempered with her friend Ginevra. Her friends themselves are rather peculiar. M. Paul Emanuel is short tempered all the time and this temper comes out when seeing the littlest fault (in his eyes) in Lucy. I actually found him difficult to like until near the end and we got to hear more of his back story. Paulina was very odd. She didn't read like any normal 6 year old and was more likeable when we meet her again later on. Basically, what I thought of one character was subject to change.

I liked the story itself too. I liked the odd school which Lucy came to work for and I liked the ambition she held for herself and the determination to do well. I liked the fact that she continued her own studies just so that she wouldn't fail. Then of course there is the ghost haunting the school. I would have been disappointed if there hadn't been one and I was amused by the outcome of that.

Overall a lovely book which has reminded me that I need to one day read the rest of the books by these fantastic sisters.

I read this book as part of the classics challenge by Katherine of November's Autumn. This months (yep I have caught up with my reviews and am onto Septembers reads) prompt is about music and what fits the book. I do love music but I am hopeless when it comes to placing music with things. I would be a rubbish film maker. So I'm afraid I can't pick out a piece of music that would fit the book. Then Lucy is a closed off character I think it would be hard to find something that would fit her. If I had to it would probably be something light and classical. Just don't ask me what. It doesn't help that I don't listen to music while I read. I like both too much and usually want to concentrate on them. I can't concentrate on both at the same time so I tend to keep them separate.

Does anyone else pick out music to listen to whilst they are reading? Oh, and yes this book is another one of those vintage covers.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

Although now married and moved out from 221b Baker Street Watson still keeps in touch with his old friend Sherlock. In fact many a time he still accompanies his good friend on a case. As before he takes note of these cases for Holmes and so brings together a collection of some of Sherlock's stranger cases. The result is a book of short stories where Sherlock works out the seemingly most impossible of mysteries. He helps a King recover potentially embarrassing pictures. In another he discovers the owner of a hat and a goose that have been left after a struggle. In all Watson wonders how on earth he can possibly solve these riddles but Holmes never fails.

I honestly didn't think it was possible to love Holmes more. Then I read these short stories and I was smitten all over again. Doyle has a talent for short stories. In each he manages to put the detail and characterisations that he put into his longer novels. The only difference being is that the back story is shorter and less intricate. However, not for a second do you feel that you are hard done by. Instead you are left with so many wonderful tales rather than one.

I have to admit that I wondered how poor Watson would continue to manage to accompany Holmes. It's hard to imagine Holmes too without Watson who is after all his only friend. I needn't have worried though as it would seem that Watson's wife is more than happy to be rid of him when Holmes needs him. His profession is dull enough that he quite happily abandons it at every opportunity.

Each of the stories are quite different even if Holmes' deducting is the same. There isn't always a bad guy involved. Just a mystery to be solved which keeps Holmes' away from his drug addiction (although I was amused to find that Opium users disgusted him). I enjoyed every single one of them and was sorry by the time I got to the end of the book. I'm afraid I don't have a favourite to pass on but I was amused by one. The one with the hat which I mentioned in the blurb. From the hat Sherlock is able to deduce the history of the owner without ever having met him. The details are all in the hat. What amused me was that he decided that the hat must belong to a man of great intellect. For it is a large hat to fit a large head. Large head of course are formed because they cover large brains. A product of it's times but it still gave me a chuckle.

If you haven't read any Holmes yet I highly recommend that you do. They make for very entertaining reads.

The Invisible Man - H. G. Wells

A small village in England is host to a rather strange man. A scientist who spends his days locked up with his experiments. No one really knows what he looks like because of his strange get up. However, they do know that he dislikes company, their curiosity and has a bit of a temper if things don't seem to go his way. This they put up with as he has the money to pay his way and doesn't barter over expenses. A rarity in those times. However, when the money runs out so does their patience and the confront the man. The result is that he loses his temper and begins terrorising the village as his secret is revealed. He is invisible and how do you fight an invisible man?

In all honesty H. G. Wells is hit or miss with me. I have read some of his books I have liked and some I have found extremely boring. Thankfully I loved this one. It is now one of my favourites by Wells which surprised me a little. I really didn't expect it to surpass The War Of The Worlds but it did.

It reminded me a little of Jekyll and Hyde. An experiment gone wrong and a mans determination to change back. Then of course he begins to terrorise the villagers. However, this one is far more exciting as it leads to a grand chase through out the country side and the story builds up pace right to the end. The story also differs in that I had absolutely no sympathy for this man. When you hear his back story near the end of the book I don't think he was every likeable at all. His ego pushed him to these experiments and then he wanted to use the results for evil deeds.

It has it's moments of humour too. Particularly in the shape of the tramp who is minding his own business when the Invisible Man convinces him to help. I loved this character and he certainly gave more depth to the story.

I read this book as part of the League of Extraordinary Gentleman challenge hosted by Hanna of Booking In Heels. As Hanna mentioned in her set up post for this challenge the film couldn't get the right to use the real Invisible Man so instead the character had stolen the potion from the original. I don't remember much about him other than I think he was one of the good guys. Unlike the orignal this one was a bit of a jack the lad. The difference is great but forgivable since they aren't meant to be the same people.

I only have one more book in this challenge to read which is the last Sherlock Holmes featuring Moriarty (Moriarty being the character featured in the film). I want to read all of these books in order so my next and last post for this challenge will be a few months in coming but it will be here before the year is out. If you want to see what others have said about this challenge and it's characters you can do so here.

The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hester Prynne has been found guilty of adultery. The evidence is her little Pearl who was born despite Hester's husband being missing two years. The fact that her husband has been missing means a more lenient punishment. Instead of facing death she has to forever wear a large red letter A embroidered by her own hands. Her refusal to tell who the father is as well as the red letter has her shunned from society. Only when her embroidery skills are needed is she reluctantly approached by the women of the village.

The truth behind my prolonged absence and my pile up of awaiting reviews is that this was the next one and I had (have) a mental block. Nothing I say can do it justice. Quite a bit of what I want to say will result in major spoilers. As in you would know the entirety of the story before you read it. So I apologise if this review is far from my best.

What attracted me to this book is the fact that it is set during the famous witch trials although that is not what the book is about. There is some mention of them however. In fact one of the minor characters of the book believes herself to be a witch and believes that little Pearl has the same master. It turns out that an ancestor of Hawthorne himself had a role to play in the witch trials which possibly explains the setting of the book.

I loved the character of Hester Prynne. A beautiful lady of society from London who is unhappy in her marriage. That's not to say this is why she committed adultry but we get a good view of her before from flashes she has of herself in the past. Now she just wants to quietly live with as much dignity as she can muster considering her circumstances. Of course Pearl herself takes some of that dignity away at times and is a trying child. In the book it is hinted that her nature could readily turn to evil if she chose but today we can easily see that she can't help but notice her isolation along with her mothers. Any child would react to that. Despite this Hester has a lot of patience and love for Pearl. She also stands strong in her refusal to voice out who the father is. You can't help but admire her for that although you don't find out her reasons until later on. Call me selfish but I would have been shouting out his name and pointing fingers since he was too coward to stand beside her in the first place.

I really don't know what else to say about the book out of fear of spoiling it. It was one of those books which you felt tied to emotionally from page one. You couldn't help but feel Hester's stubbornness and frustrations at being so isolated. Her worries for her daughter. Plus her terror on behalf of Pearl's father. It's one of those books that will stay with you a long time.

The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux

Underneath the cellars of the famous Opera house there lives a ghost. A ghost which has the new managers at their wits end. A ghost that is also perceived as the Angel of Music by young singer Christine Daae. Her father told her he would send her an Angel to teach her to sing as he did. As it would turn out this ghost is no Angel but a monster who is determined that Christine Daae will belong to him and no one else. This puts the Viscount of Chagny in danger. A childhood friend of Daae he finds her again as she takes the stage and wows the audience with a voice no one ever suspected her of having. The Viscount's attentions are met with great jealousy from the ghost and he threatens everyone if Daae does not promise herself to him.

I have memories of being bored by this book the first time I read it. This is why I became so reluctant to finish this challenge. It would be the second re-read that I didn't enjoy the first time. I had hoped with Dorian Gray that I would find that I enjoyed it the second time but this didn't happen. So I didn't see it happening with this one. I don't know what I was thinking the first time I read this book because this time I loved the book.

I loved the whole mystery behind the ghost. I still remember the details of the story from my first reading (I have seen the film but I am sure it doesn't have everything from the book). However, I was seeing it with the new eyes I had hoped I would see Dorian Gray with.

I loved this monster who lived beneath the Opera House. How can you not feel sympathy for someone who was shunned and hidden by his own parents who couldn't stand to look at him? Of course that doesn't excuse him for some of the deplorable things he did and from his past. In the end though he only wanted to be loved or accepted. Each time he was accepted he was threatened or chased away. It's quite sad really. I guess he saw in Daae a quiet, sweet soul who might actually see him for more than a scarred face.

I actually liked him more than his rival, Raoul Chagny as he was just a little bit whiny and demanding. Very much like a spoiled child and the one time Daae stood up to him I wanted to applaud. I would have quite happily have lived without him in the book but then there wouldn't have been much of a story really.

The book was a great mystery and I wish I had loved it as much the first time round. I liked the fact that it wasn't just about this singer and her Angel of Music. I especially liked the details of the Opera ghost getting one over on the new management. Yes, I am rooting for the bad guy here and I'm okay with that.

As I said I read this for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen challenge. Funnily enough the character to focus on is the Phantom himself. I am sure he was a bad guy in the film too. Not that this surprises me. He always did seem to fall in with a bad crowd. If I remember his character in the film though his original version is much more eloquent. I think I prefer him in the book. Just two more books in this challenge to go. Both unread before and I am looking forward to them. This challenge is hosted by Hanna of Booking In Heels and you can see others reviews of the various the challenge focuses on here.

Classics Challenge July Prompt

Ta da! An actual response to one of the classics challenge prompts. I only missed out two months mind you but it feels like longer.

So this months prompt we could choose any book that we have read for the challenge so far. The prompt is to write about a part of the book (whether it is a moment, quote or character) which will stay with you for a long time even after the details of the book itself has left. I could have chosen any of the books I have read so far. For example I would have chosen A Tale of Two Cities for its ending. Or any number for their character (Jean Brodie, Huckleberry Finn, D'Artagnan and Dora Greenfield to name but a few). However, I have decided to go with this months read. It seems only fair.

I don't do quotes and the characters aren't particularly memorable to be honest. Not even the grand old Prince of Salina. What will stay with me is the atmosphere of the book itself. The golden years of the Prince and his family is told at the height of summer and it steadily declines as change takes place through out the winter. Despite the years that pass the summer described at the start of the book never seems to return. It gives it a feeling of sadness. I can almost imagine the garden at the start of the book filled with flowers and bees. I think this is what I will remember most as it sets up the book well.

This is a challenge organised by Katherine of November's Autumn. You can see what others have chosen for the prompt here. You can also see my review of this book here.

The Leopard - Tomasi Di Lampedusa

The Prince of Salina in Sicily loves his family and his home. He is loved by both his family and his people. There he isn't just a prince but a King. His way of life is threatened though by the invasion of the red shirts. Sicily must become part of Italy. As he tries to accept it and go with the times he is aware that to do so means that what he loves very well may be lost.

Again it was my classics loving friend who recommended this one. It's set in the 1860's and was published after the death of the author. I do believe that Di Lampedusa could almost have been telling the tale of his own family.

The book is well written. It starts with the Prince during his golden age. His family may irritate him at times but he loves them and they listen to him. His people also look up to him. It then follows on with Garibaldi landing on Sicily and his way of life begins to change. It means the end for the line of the Prince of Salina. The book is able to portray this through the decline of the Prince himself. As he accepts it and doesn't fight it he watches slowly as the things he loves ebbs away. Things begin to happen that would never have happened before. Such as the marriage of his beloved nephew to a beautiful but common girl. As these two are courting and play games round the grounds and home of the Salina we also see the decline of the times. Many of these rooms are much forgotten and lost to time.

As a result of this the book has an air of sadness almost from the start. These are people of privilege residing over villages of commoners. Despite that you can't help but feel for the Prince. The change is inevitable and the Prince accepts that without a fight so there isn't that edge of action. Had there been that it would have changed the entire tone of the book. I think this is one that will stay with me for a long time.

Another Vintage cover but not my favourite this time although it does fit with the book. The symbol of the house of Salina is the Leopard. It's found throughout the book. The Prince often compares himself to the leopard even in his decline.

I read this as part of the classics challenge hosted by Katherine of November's Autumn. I've still to do the prompt for it and I will actually do it this month. No excuses this time. I quite like the sound of this months prompt so it will be a shame if I don't take part.

The Sign of Four - Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes is bored for lack of a case and poor Watson is worried about him and his drug use. However, just when Watson is confronting him about it a case worthy of his attention lands on his lap. A young lady has been receiving pearls annually since the death of her poor father. A note then arrives at her door to say that if she were to meet the stranger he would tell her of the injustice done by her. Sherlock and Watson volunteer to go with her. There they discover that the brother of the note writer has been murdered with a card left behind revealing the sign of the four. Believed to be the victim of a uncouth looking man from his days in India that somehow involves the girls father. Sherlock is on the case meanwhile poor Watson is smitten.

When I gave my month overview this book completely slipped my mind. This is what happens when I let myself get so far behind in my book reviews. How could I have forgotten this wonderful book? I was a little shocked by the start of it. Sherlock's drug habit out of boredom surprised me. I haven't seen any of the television series or films so you will have to forgive my ignorance. Supposedly it humanises him, gives him a flaw but it didn't do that for me.

Anyways, despite that it was another fantastic tale. By now Sherlock and Watson are now used to each others ways. Watson no longer has any doubt as to the brilliance of Sherlock and is entirely trusting of his ability to solve any case. There wasn't really much to solve in terms of who did it since that is revealed to us quite quickly. It's the why that is the real problem solver. Like the last book once Sherlock has his man it reflects to the time when the problems between murderer and victim first began. In this case during the days where the victim was am officer in India.

Very well done and the reflection in India kept it interesting. There was even a touch of romance in there (just to prove I am not a complete cynic). I have the third book sitting waiting on me which I will hopefully get to soon.

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

Basil Hallward is famed for his portraits. His best yet is that of up and coming man, Dorian Gray. His portrait catches the eye of Lord Henry Wotton who insists that he is introduced to Gray. Basil reluctantly does so believing that Lord Henry will somehow corrupt Gray. Lord Henry likes the idea and so sets out convincing Gray that his beauty is the only important thing in life. It doesn't take much convincing and soon Gray is obsessed with his beauty. It takes a darker turn as he decides that he must do everything he can to keep his youth and beauty. He would do anything and as his soul is slowly destroyed his beauty remains the same if not amplified. Meanwhile Basil has somehow captured the essence of Gray's soul in his portrait and as it darkens this is reflected in his image.

This is my second time reviewing this book here (I think) but I am much too lazy to go hunting for it. It think it was near the start. Back then I said I disliked the book for too main reasons. First of all I found the language of the book too flowery. Secondly I disliked every single one of those characters and found it hard to enjoy the book as a result. Sadly, no matter how I tried, both are still true. I have come to some other realisations however.

Having thought about it I have read other books, particularly classics, where the language is similar. I am sure it's part of that era and yet I have liked other classics which have the same style. The same is true for the characters. No one is supposed to like Gray or even his friend Wotton. Plus I have read other books where I have disliked the characters and yet still enjoyed them (not many to be fair). So it must be a combination of these things.

It isn't just that though. I loved the idea behind this book. I really do and I am once again saddened by how much I couldn't take to it. I think the main overall problem is that there wasn't much to Gray's character to begin with which was why he was so easy to corrupt. He was already vain about his appearance and Wotton just gave him a little nudge. He did good but only so that others in his circle would look on him favourably. If maybe he had some personality to him or something that I could like then I think the contrast between what happens to his soul and the way he was before would have made me appreciate the book more. I am thinking of Jekyll and Hyde when I think of this.

In general I feel quite bad for giving it so few stars. When compared to Shades of Grey this is a master piece even to me but I couldn't give it any higher because I just didn't like it. I would hate to think that anyone is put off reading this book just because I didn't enjoy it. The truth is I am very much in the minority in my dislike.

I read this for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen challenge hosted by Hanna of Booking Through Heels.  You can see what others have read here. Also Hanna did a six month overview here. This has actually bolstered me a little bit. I was dragging my feet but having seen this post I realise I have only three books left and only one of those is a re-read (mind you another one that I disliked). If I can get past the re-read I will be fine.

As I said this was for the challenge and it seems only fair to compare the character Gray in the book to that in the film. I think he was one of the few that was actually true to form. Completely vain and self obsessed. I didn't particularly like him much in the film either.

Flowers For Algernon - Daniel Keyes

 Charlie has the mind of a child but desperately wants to learn. He has felt this desperate need since he was a child. Now a grown man he works in a bakery where he has lots of friends. In the evening he goes to school where he has learned a little writing and reading. As the most eager student his teacher has put him forward for a new trial. This trial could increase his intelligence. To Charlie this is a dream come true and he only hopes he passes all the tests so that he can learn to read and write properly. As the doctors proceed little does Charlie know that intelligence doesn't mean everything. It changes Charlie's life in ways he didn't expect and not necessarily for the better. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

For some strange reason I thought the film, Lawnmower Man, was based on this. Apparently not although it is similar in that a simple man is given intelligence (Lawnmower Man is very loosely based on a short story by Stephen King).

The book is written as a series of reports from Charlie as he begins his quest to be able to learn. From these reports we see his slow progress. Progress that Charlie doesn't even notice at first. It begins with his spelling and grammar which he struggles to correct. Very quickly though he is able to discuss issues with university students and eventually surpasses the university professors. It's easy to become caught up in Charlie's excitement as he realises the treatment has worked and he is able to process so much information.

We also see at the start just how much Charlie loves working in the bakery and loves making his very dear friends laugh. Of course the reader realises that his so called friends are in fact making him the butt of their jokes and taking advantage of the fact that he doesn't understand. It's easy to see from these first few pages that if the treatment works Charlie is going to realise this himself. Which indeed he does and he unfortunately doesn't have the emotional intelligence to deal with it.

In fact emotional intelligence is a big problem for Charlie. He is now conflicted a lot of the time and is unable to empathise with his so called peers. He has a hard time adjusting to discovering women. As his IQ piques his bitterness does also and he is no longer the happy go lucky person we know from the start of the book.

I'm not going to say too much more about the story as it will give away the ending if you haven't guessed yourself. It was very well done though. The changes in Charlie's reports were at first subtle as were the changes in Charlie himself which of course speeds up. Despite the report format I was able to feel for him as he discovers that he was probably happier in his ignorance. I was expecting this to be a rather sad story and it was. A classic sci fi which I would recommend to everyone. It doesn't have any space flight if that's not your cup of tea. And the sciencey gobbledigook is kept to a minimum. In other words I think even the non-sci fi fans would get something out of it.

I read this as part of the Sci Fi challenge hosted by Ellie of Curiosity Killed the Bookworm. This was this months book choice. I decided to go with that since I had been wanting to read the book for a while now. You can see what others read here.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Muriel Spark

Miss Jean Brodie is a teacher at an all girls school in Edinburgh. She believes in teaching her girls about art and culture and literature. The curriculum is an inconvenience to her and she tends to ignore it. Only her style of teaching will make her girls the creme de la creme. As a result she is considered a rogue element in the school and the head mistress would love nothing more than to be rid of her. Her girls however, are fiercely loyal to her even after they move on to the high school. They become known as the Brodie set, each famous for something. Miss Jean Brodie continues to have prominence in their lives as she teaches them her own personal beliefs and involves them in her personal life.

I have been putting off writing this review. Every time I have sat down to do it I have set the computer aside. Basically, I don't think that I could do this book justice. From the first page I was in love with the book. Miss Jean Brodie is seen through the eyes of one of the set years later. This girl is a rather strong character who has quite and impact on Brodie's life. Yet the strength of Jean Brodie's character still shines through.

We also learn about each of the girls as the book continues. In reality none of them are actually that special or outstanding. What really makes them special is their association with Jean Brodie as they move through school. As school nears it's end that association becomes less important to each of them. Sandy is the one girl we learn the most about as she is the one reflecting back on those years. Sandy is the most dedicated to Brodie but the one who is more aware of her flaws. I have to be honest that I'm not sure I liked Sandy but then I don't think I was really meant to.

It is wonderfully written. I have the advantage of living near Edinburgh and have been there many times. So I suppose it is easy for me to get lost in those pages and imagine myself there. However, I do think the writing has a big part to play in it. I believe that I would be able to imagine just as easily had I never visited the city. Jean Brodie comes across as one of those teachers we would all love to have so long as we are one of her chosen girls. In a short space of time the book is able to show how much she is loved by the girls for that reason to showing all her flaws. It was certainly well done.

I haven't seen the film version but after this I do want to. I love Maggie Smith and I would like to see how she portray's Jean Brodie.

I read this book mainly because as a Scot I feel I should have done so already. I always meant to but it was actually a review by Sophia of Page Plucker that got me to finally pick it up. Thank you Sophia, it was a wonderful read. I also read it for the classics challenge which is hosted by Katherine of November's Autumn.  The prompt for this one is a visual tour. As it relies on quotes (and I hate quotes) I am unsure whether I will take part in it or not.

Oh, and you will notice that for once my classic choice does not have a vintage cover. Instead it is by Penguin Essentials and I have to say I quite like it.