**spoiler alert** It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, theref**spoiler alert** It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on abuse, child endangerment, animal abuse, death of an animal, & others.
I very much appreciate & long for good Gothic Horror. I would wager to say that it takes a very specific kind of author to execute the perfect story of this genre. Purcell did a great job at initially introducing the reader to Elsie, the main character who is writing per her doctor’s request, in a bid to unearth her lost memories.
The environment for this story & the plot was very well explained. I could see myself riding in the carriage down a muddy road, in a poor village, on my way to a home that my husband hadn’t known existed until shortly before his death. Purcell leads the reader into a gloomy & large country-esque estate where Elsie is meant to fend for herself. Unfortunately, there were a couple of points that made me stumble in my enjoyment of this book.
Elsie is introduced to us as she sits in an asylum. While she writes we read through the past events which led her to be institutionalized. I felt that Purcell did a wonderful job at distinguishing voices; Elsie came across as a rude & out of touch person in the flash-backs but as someone who was almost a shell of themselves n the present. That’s not something that is always easy to convey. However, I was somewhat confused by Elsie & her tendencies.
For someone who grew up non-rich (based on her recounts, possibly middle class) I was surprised at how demanding she was. She expresses that by marrying Rupert she was moving up in the world so I would have assumed she might have shown more understanding towards the staff & people of lower means than herself. I often found it difficult to connect with her; she goes on to hint numerous times about familial abuse but only ever really gives one morsel of detail; being beaten so badly that her eardrum bursts.
Other reviewers have stated that her brother was, in actuality, her son, who was raised to be her sibling. Maybe I was not paying close enough attention but I interpreted her protectiveness of her younger brother as being a natural reaction after the extent of the physical abuse she alludes to.
I can appreciate saying something without full-on coming out & saying it but, I felt that this aspect of her backstory wasn’t truly utilized to its full potential. Elsie hints at maltreatment but it only ever plays a role when she smells sawdust or remembers her parents. She otherwise appears to be highly adjusted & throughout all the terrors that transpire at the house, her childhood abuse doesn’t play a role. Part of me felt that it might not have needed to be mentioned at all as it was an extra plot piece that wasn’t fully developed.
If you could mentally picture the ‘silent companions’ you might have felt a bit of fear at the idea of them wandering around the house. I was unable to think of what they might look like so, to me, they were giant wood carvings that slid across the floor when no one was watching & that wasn’t very scary. The fact that they were locked behind a closed door for years to then suddenly decide that they could wander at their leisure felt a little odd. Why hadn’t they come out before if Helen was the child of Rupert’s father? If they were looking to take over the body of a descendent they could have taken over hers?
I know it’s been said a million times but I didn’t like the ending. I felt as though the storyline happening in the 1600s was wasted dialogue because Hetta was simply evil for the sake of being evil. What was the point of that? Why did her spirit (through her blood) enter into all of the ‘companions’? What was her motivation for anything?
I felt that I needed more of an explanation than simply being told that she was born without a tongue because her mother really wanted a daughter & her parents refused to allow her to sit at the festivities with the royal couple. Those things made her violently kill an animal? They made her assassinate members of the staff who were friendly & caring towards her. That seems like a stretch. Her whole plot line felt weird & forced, as though we were meant to believe that because she had a special connection to nature she could use her ‘gifts’ against humanity on a whim.
Also, what was with the disappearing shop? That felt like such a left-field decision. If the ‘silent companions’ were already possibly spiritually inhabited etc, why did Hetta need to be a murderer? & if not, are we to believe that Hetta manifested this shop so that her parents would buy these ‘companions’?
Maybe if the companions had been the haunted spirits of the staff I would have felt better. But having Hetta enter her descent’s body after she cut her hand, only to leave Elsie in the asylum was dull & didn’t leave me with any fond feelings. She could have easily told the truth & both of them could have walked away.
Up until it was obvious that Purcell was going to pursue making Hetta a demon child for no reason & the spirit that haunted the house, I did enjoy this book. I would still recommend it to others as there are good plot points & it does well at encompassing the Gothic Horror genre....more
**spoiler alert** I don't even know what to say about this book or where to begin. The first 100 pages were not horrible, though the writing was juven**spoiler alert** I don't even know what to say about this book or where to begin. The first 100 pages were not horrible, though the writing was juvenile & corny, the main character unreliable & the surrounding circumstances somewhat unbelievable; I was still interested to see where the story would go. However, after reaching the halfway point, the story was not interesting & no longer held any intrigue.
The main character was so overly focused on his dead wife that he didn't have anything of value to bring to the story. The fact that he was constantly distracted by women (thinking about them physically & becoming aroused) rendered him an unreliable narrator & I was annoyed with him throughout the entirety of the book. We could have actually gotten somewhere 100 pages prior, had he not constantly felt the need to talk & talk & talk about his dead wife's apparitions & then about how turned on he was by the woman in front of him & the imaginary woman he pictured Ada to be. Waldherr had the chance to make the main character truly fascinating; the death of his wife was crazy (to say the least) yet all we see from him is his desire to have sex, kiss his dead wife's apparition, take pictures of dead people & then be horny the rest of the time.
Isabelle was another character (out of the two in which the novel follows) that I hated. It felt as though there was no room for actual dialogue or any dialogue which would advance the plot because she kept reiterating snarky comments & jumping to assumptions about everything. Then, we would have our vapid main character not contest anything that she said & we would have to read about the misconceptions & miscommunications for another chunk of pages.
When the reveal at the end was announced I could not have cared less. I skimmed the last 20 or so pages because the writing of the conversations was so basic & uninteresting that I couldn't stomach it any longer. It would have made more of an impact if Isabelle were revealed as being the daughter earlier on. Instead, we hear about her telling a story, in which she wasn't physically present for half of the time & then acting as though her revealing these intimate details about an ailing woman were somehow a giant power move. She was a nuisance & I didn't care for her at all.
There was real potential for this story to be interesting, disturbing, scary & distinct. Instead, we end up with a storyline that kept taking wild left turns & never went anywhere. There was too much going on with what appears to be little thought for how the story would read when all the ideas, concepts & twists were put together....more
Though this book was not what I was expecting & was pretty bad, I'm more so surprised at myself for finishing the entire thing. I cannot begin to imagThough this book was not what I was expecting & was pretty bad, I'm more so surprised at myself for finishing the entire thing. I cannot begin to imagine how, & why, this book is so highly rated.
This is in no way a romantic story according to today's standards. Lucy develops an acquaintanceship with the ghost that inhabits the house she recently began renting after she decided that she no longer wanted to associate with the family of her deceased husband. She moves her children to the rental after spending the night deep-cleaning. Though she has an encounter (if you can call it that) with the ghost on her first night at the house, Lucy still endeavours to bring her children after making the ghost promise he would never interfere with them.
This story follows the style of "The Turn of the Screw"(1898) by Henry James, wherein the reader might interpret Lucy's experiences in two ways. Given the fact that Lucy seems to only hear the ghost in her mind —no sights except for a dream she has after seeing the portrait of the original owner —& almost no one else ever does, one might almost be tempted to say that Lucy is not having conversations with a ghost but with her own imagination.
Save for an experience Lucy & a pawn-shop owner share, I would have been tempted to state that this was what was actually happening. However, there's ultimately so little substance to this story that one can't help but feel that, of course, she's talking to a ghost in her mind because what else could possibly be happening in this boring woman's life?
Lucy is a very bland character. She always second-guesses herself & her decisions. She rambles about things very frequently & her total lack of personality & backbone really made me not give two cents about her. Her desire to jump into the arms of a random man & agree to give her children away to a family that she didn't trust, or like, made me loathe her.
The ghost is annoying, and an overly macho-type of character & truly didn't bring anything riveting to the story.
I can't say that there was any particular moment of the story which enticed me to continue reading. I suppose that such a short book might have held a twist or a turn at some point & after having seen such high ratings, I wanted to give it a fair chance. Suffice it to say that you would not be missing out on a Classic if you decided to skip this book....more
**spoiler alert** It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, theref**spoiler alert** It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on suicide, the death of a minor, religious extremism, & others.
The nuance that exists between what is objectively horrific & that which trembles the brain in its cave resides as the tidal wave pushed to the brink of the cliffs near the shore, insurmountably large & grafted in the opposite direction from the ocean’s body. Perhaps, when Machen endeavoured to write this novella he thought that withholding information might be to his benefit. After all, seldom is more terrifying than the unknown. However, for any casual reader of Horror or any veteran reader of languages of any kind, this 1890s etymological account of the invisible devils that haunt the heavenly earth is less a scary story as it is an utter bore; leading readers to remind Machen that the only thing more frightful than the unknown is that which is detailed acutely to the remembering mind of the recipient.
As we wander through another week & another short story, I must declare my apologies to « Scott » who has had to endure far too many horrible story choices during weeks wherein the decision was under my wandering gaze & whence I entrusted my find to those who deem literature worth reading. That is to say that, had it not been for a jaunt through the internet that carried me to this novella, I would have been better off & our time, collectively, better utilized staring into a space devoid of the tedium coveted in this story.
My first qualm is the length of the text. Certainly, I am aware of what constitutes a short story & the defining factors that go into crafting such a tale. Yet, Machen did not need to make this story as long as it was. I endeavour to think that it felt so long because we never get to the purpose of the series of events until the very last breath; leading readers through a maze of dead trees & weltering leaves. I could not bring myself to care about any part of this story. Why did I need to read conversations between distinguished gentlemen wherein they posed character-related questions about people off-page? Why couldn’t Machen simply have bulldozed these discussions to avoid my impending delirium?
I suppose I cannot simply harp about the dialogue & the maddening wanderings of the characters through discussions that saw them finally conversing about something pertinent only to shut their traps at the last second because things were simply ‘too horrible’ to speak about. The most mind-numbing aspect of the story was the divergence from the intriguing introduction.
This story opens with a conversation about our perception of reality & the depth to which we are tied to our tangible experiences. Dr. Raymond explains to Clarke that there is a part of the brain that can transport us to another realm, something of an illusionary vision of the God Pan. Whilst preparing for the surgery—to be conducted on Mary—Clarke falls victim to the substances being mixed by Dr. Raymond. His mind wanders to moments of peace & serenity; finding itself returned to a pasture whence he has not been for many years.
Unfortunately, as is often the case in such books, Mary is deemed medically brain damaged by the procedure—having had her skull sliced open & her brain tampered with—& she never recovers. In the moments before the insanity of her temperament ensues, Mary is described as attaining an air of serenity. This is followed imminently by a bout of terror which is displayed on her features. Later we learn that Mary gives birth to Helen who is the Devil reincarnate & therefore, we might note why Mary was terrified & the action that was most probably being forced on to her.
Admittedly, I’m sure this story was more impactful upon publication. The inclusion of nudity & dying of fright may have been able to strike terror in the hearts of readers during a period in time when demon entities, half-man half-fawn, did not present themselves so readily in literature & visual mediums. I have read this story before & I have seen it in films enough times to have made me feel despaired at the banality of the plot movement.
As much as one might want to believe that terror cannot alter us in the ways that are written within this story, this is, unfortunately, untrue. Though the authors of the time might not have had the medical terminology that we do nor might they have attributed the weight to altered behaviours as we are able to presently; trauma is a hugely impactful occurrence on the mind & body of a person. It sounds silly to read about a young boy seeing a naked man in the forest & then falling into a mentally disabled state—one that had him referred to as an imbecile—yet, the most horrifying aspects of our lives do change who we are & how we move about in this world.
In all, this is a story about a God-turned demonic roamer of the forest who hosts itself in the body of an unborn child soon to become an old woman who murders for fortune. I have no one to whom I would recommend this book. I am afraid that I have been scared into submission by the preposterous plot & deviously dull tête-à-tête that will ensure Pan’s raving lunacy haunts my mind & prevents me from ever forgetting the dreary ravings of the heavenly.
If you would like to try your hand at this story please visit this •LINK•...more
**spoiler alert** I appreciate that this book was written in a time period of human history that might not see it be riddled with horror beyond my kno**spoiler alert** I appreciate that this book was written in a time period of human history that might not see it be riddled with horror beyond my knowledge. However, it greatly missed the mark of fulfilling its true potential.
James spends far too much time on the governess & her perception of the children. As the reader, we had to go over how lovely & essentially angelic the children appeared to be. A lot of the focus was put on their physical appearances as being indicators that no evil could be found in their person. I understand that for the time in which James wrote this story this approach probably seemed valid & not vapid but, seeing as we spent so much time reading over this fact it made me feel as though James hadn't anything further to add to the development of the characters. There was really nothing to indicate that the children were anything but normal kids. The fact that the older child was dismissed from school really wasn't any indication of anything given the strict social rules that people were meant to follow at that time.
The amount of dialogue we had to read through in which the governess was losing her marbles because she felt as though the children were perfect little beings & that she was sure they were manipulating her really made me lose interest in her as a character. She was simple-minded but I don't feel like that excuses the fact that we had to constantly read over her suspicions. Having had to do that made me feel as though I were reading about a paranoid woman who fed into the lore of the environment rather than anything in the story leading me to believe that this was a ghost story.
The fact that she was retelling this story to her former charge in his adulthood somewhat confirmed to me that she never took the time to analyze the situation. She spends her whole time with these children dotting on them & then all of a sudden accuses them of paranormal involvement. As a child, that would scare me.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the concept of this story. I think James truly set up the book in a way that was unique & enticing. However, it seems to me that he got lost in the method of his writing versus actually transcribing a horror story. Instead of having the governess ramble for pages at a time about the physicality of the children, which made her think of them as children of good nature; it would have been beneficial to provide further details about the ghost citings or the reasons why the governess thought the children were delving into paranormal activities.
By not expanding the dialogue past moments of panic between the house staff, James made the story appear to be the baseless paranoia of a governess in the countryside versus an actual ghost story. If he had taken more care to explore the themes he was presenting & not focused so much on how women were perceived at the time or how the avoidance of details lead to fear, I might have enjoyed this more....more
This was the exact right length for this story. At about 110 pages, Le Fanu is able to lead the reader through a recounting of an experience with a VaThis was the exact right length for this story. At about 110 pages, Le Fanu is able to lead the reader through a recounting of an experience with a Vampire without having long bouts of boring dialogue or events. I cannot say that I found this novella very thrilling or even to be great. However, I do think it is worth the read for the simple fact that it shows how concise writing can leave the reader with just the right amount of story, twist & development. ...more
**spoiler alert** I appreciated how little background information we were required to have to be able to enjoy this story. Jackson does an incredible **spoiler alert** I appreciated how little background information we were required to have to be able to enjoy this story. Jackson does an incredible job at keeping all the valuable pieces of the plot low-key until the last minute when we, as the reader, are meant to piece everything together ourselves.
I cannot say that this book is very complicated or poses great difficulty to understand. What makes the reality that this family lives so tragic is the fact that there's really no worthwhile reason why all their family members should be dead. But, they are & so we see the members of the family who remain piece together a life which is void of all that they knew, while they still hold the truth of what transpired. The horror which was intentionally caused to such a large group of people due to a single character's inability to function in society is abstract & overwhelming.
I applaud their ability to at once seek shelter in the far corners of their mind but also to approach their days in the hopes that normalcy might stay with them. By encouraging themselves to keep a steady routine they both seek to contain the malice but also comfort themselves.
Jackson is a wonderful author in her own right; she mingles reality & all the terrors which hide in our everyday lives with the fantastical & unbelievable. I could read this story a thousand times over & continue to find aspects that I adored....more
**spoiler alert** To be frank, the concept of the story is interesting & really very creepy. A man who lives inside the walls of an Opera Theatre & es**spoiler alert** To be frank, the concept of the story is interesting & really very creepy. A man who lives inside the walls of an Opera Theatre & essentially bullies the owners into funding his life & escapades all while terrorizing the performers. Then, you learn about the reasons for which this phantom man has chosen to live inside the walls of the theatre & the story becomes even more weird & terrifying.
I had only known about "The Phantom of the Opera" thanks to modern remakes which I can't say I ever watched, though their soundtracks (particularly the 2004 version) are something I have always appreciated. You might imagine my surprise when reading this original piece & Leroux describing the Phantom as a man whose physique is severely decaying due to illness & quite possibly his surroundings.
His features hold no apparent beauty, he is entirely disfigured & has advanced jaundice. To add to this Erik, or the Phantom is a psychopath. Without revealing too much of the plot, the reader has a chance to learn more about the Phantom thanks to a person from his past who has made his way to the Opera Theatre. Through this person's explanations, we learn that Erik has a hearty history of murder & torture which he has brought with him to the walls in which he now resides.
I've read reviews where people express a great lack of enthusiasm for the torture room that Erik has built inside the walls. However, if you think about it, that room is a terrifying contraption; people are literally left to overheat & die as their skin peels off their own bones. As well, people are driven to hang themselves once driven to madness. I wouldn't say that Leroux gave the torture room any less than a great deal of thought.
My main reason for not absolutely loving this story was the two main (minus the Phantom) characters. Christine is so annoying I had a hard time feeling bad for her & admit that at one point I even wished she would just stay with Erik so we didn't have to keep reading about this back/forth scenario between her & Raoul. She is definitely a reflection of her time as her personality is never explored & instead, we're meant to adore her because she grew up with a musical father & has a wonderful singing voice.
However, Christine is a weak character. She is so deliberate in her desire to believe in the concept of an Angel of Music that she ignores all the hard evidence around her for months. She then disappears & no one seems to really care, which leads me to ponder her impact on the group. How does someone from a select group of people who all know each other very well, disappear & the only person to kind of notice is a man she knew when she was a child?
On that note, Raoul is not my most favoured character of all time. His tunnel vision when it comes to Christine & the love he thinks they might share prevents him from having any rational thought or ever fully listening to her when she's retelling her experiences with the Phantom. When Christine tries to give subtle hints to Raoul that the masked ball is not a safe space & that she cannot express a return of his feelings he becomes irate & calls her profanities. It's hard to appreciate a character who is so disconnected from reality.
Overall, this is not a horrible story. There are many aspects that reveal the time in which the story was written & the audience with which it might resonate. However, it's a short story & there are many aspects to appreciate (mainly the horror). I truly enjoyed this book....more
**spoiler alert** It is important to note that most of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, tou**spoiler alert** It is important to note that most of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the book's subject matters & those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on violent crime, suicide, hunting for sport, death, & others.
The epitome of beauty leans forward to bask in shadows. The mind of the reader may struggle to describe what this ideal Adonis might boast of in features all too human to be real. The serpent of idolized youth is primitive in ways we often shy away from in casual society. Yet, when we reflect on the yesteryear of our experiences our bones ache & we wish to be where we were, even though we despised it in the moment. Our inability to structure the world of appearances, scents, & feelings leaves us perpetually disadvantaged.
The debonair flair of Dorian Gray masquerades throughout society as a prince might have in the stunning analysis by Machiavelli. However, his charmer’s tune falls on deaf ears. Reviews of this story are cruel. Early criticisms functioned as a superimposed moral superiority against Wilde as his personal life came to the forefront of his career endeavours. Romance reigns true within this plot & yet it is just enough out of reach to swim away from the reader as they convince themselves that they are civilized enough to understand that love can be but a passing neutral fancy.
Having read this book twice I find myself seated in the same cushioned position two times over. The talent that is required to speak freely while metaphorical springs flow through the letters, is an art I shall never fail to admire. Wilde is a writer who speaks from someplace few people reach in their own person. The tenderness to select words that brim close to the surface of the cool river water in the hopes of being heard by the intelligent reader lingers too far out of reach for the barbaric tendons of the shallow mind to absorb.
This introduction might seem cruel—as cruel as early reviews & as dull as modern readers who employ the term ‘boring’ to categorize such a book. My intention is not to appear pent like the calloused spines of the uninteresting minds that do not seek to un-riddle the simple prose of this book. Rather, reading this book twice has heightened the level of empathy I feel toward a man I will never meet &; ultimately, toward a man I will never actually know. When I read this book for the first time I was stunned that such a beautiful story existed in the world. Since our first meeting, I have come upon many readers who speak less favourably about their experiences, some of whom abandoned the book altogether before making their way to its end.
Do not mistake me, some of my favourite people in the world despised this book. I am always in favour of differing opinions, primarily when the individual is able to detail their rationale. To a particular friend of mine who might wholeheartedly disagree with this review; your insightful commentary & capitalized differing opinions are a joy to behold. After all, what good might be committed if we were not able to understand the sharp edge of the stone we intended to roll?
Should I be asked which part of this story felt the most valuable to me—rather this seems like the purpose of my critique—I should say the start. I was not very moved by Dorian’s downfall & so found myself less than thrilled by the second half of the book. The beginning purports the slow & soft love that develops from a romantic view one might hold of people one does not yet know. I appreciated the introductions to characters whose personalities the reader sees shift from superbly pompous, crass & existential, into the person who suffers the same plagues that malaise the species in rather less obvious ways.
What is most interesting about this story is how, at its core, nothing much happens at all. Readers who do not mind philosophical ramblings or brightly painted social commentary will marvel at the story. While the tight-knit group of characters speaks to one another about the understanding & value of high society; what it means to lose oneself in a loveless marriage; the promises of freedom; the lack of understanding we have of one another; the unambiguous dread of aging; the suffering experienced at the hands of the cruel; the erasure of life itself; readers might find their eyes glaze over as dialogue morphs into monologues of the capitalist evolution.
This is not to say that the approach that Wilde took was a mistake. Readers who appreciate the value of philosophy in modern art will revel at depictions of nihilistic tendencies & marooning liberalism, tied neatly into reflections on a single character’s marriage to a woman who seems too intent on ignoring social faux-pas & an artist who clearly loves someone who has yet to understand his own role in society. The rather morbid undertone of all of this may lead readers to conclude, as mentioned above, that the garden variety greenery of the reflections is nothing more than the plight of the suppressed.
Basil’s artistic reputation lingers at the forefront of this entire story. Rather than believe that Dorian is the main character, readers are encouraged to remember the man who loved him first—arguably who loved him the most—is the protagonist of this story. In the end, Dorian kills the person who showed him to himself. The essence of their relationship is terribly sad & easy to misunderstand. When I first read this book I did not read into the love & admiration that Basil claims to have toward Dorian. I was more inclined to accept that this person appreciated Dorian’s innocence & pure beauty. So much the more ignorant stance, it seems, Basil’s love for Dorian is nothing if not profound. Yet, one cannot help but wonder why he feels this way.
Dorian’s introduction to the story is nothing special. If anything, his character reads as rather trite & not a little bit stupid. His conversation with Lord Henry Wotton reveals Dorian’s inexperience with the world at large. He is curious & ashamed & also, completely aghast at the complexities of human experience. I suppose that to someone like Basil, who sits in front of mirror images set to reflect the world around him, the legitimately pure innocence of a person who is not so accustomed to pessimism & dreary reflections, might speak to the essence of his own person.
Their relationship never evolves. Eventually, Dorian begins to move away from Basil & finds himself in graphic exchanges with people who spectre themselves over the dice that roll over the roulette. His infatuation with Sybil & her talent to possess the forms of other people without ever leaving the confines of her life, leave Dorian feeling perfectly in love. Her humanity is ultimately what ruins the rosary of holy young love. I do not know if the reader is meant to feel sadness for either of these characters. Sybil’s suicide is a rash decision though; she is ultimately performing the role that Dorian wished her to.
After this first love affair, I found Dorian’s story to wane in intrigue. Though I can appreciate the neutral stance that a reader might undertake to observe the life of another person, we all experience existence to some similar degree. Why were people so frustrated towards Dorian for their own faults? Maybe the moral of the story is that beauty chiefly belongs to the eye of the beholder & one should never attempt to rob such individual joy for selfish purposes. Perhaps, had each of these maddening tertiary characters had more to offer the narrative as a whole than rude words about a man the reader didn’t even come to know, the value in what they were saying would have been better understood.
The story holds fast to its pacing. At times, Dorian dines with friends & acquaintances who chuckle & tease him for his views—views that seem to be more Lord Henry Wotton’s than his own. Meanwhile, the reader loses their nerve. Why should the reader care about the opinions of the random background characters? I for one did not care to linger on the subject of names & titles, by the second time around everyone melded together; their purpose felt rather like listening to the Mona Lisa speak, enticing for a time but, one also needs fresh air to brighten the mind.
With such criticism, it might be confusing to accept that I did in fact love this book. I do not fancy this a book that I believe every reader should possess or invest their time in reading. I have read Wilde’s non-fiction “De Profundis” (1897) which tattles on his inner turmoil as he rotted in jail, convicted of a crime that affects no one & which is not actually a crime but a way of living differently than the creepy crawly goons of the moors, the likes of which Heathcliff would guffaw at. I will not shy away from saying that I have a soft spot in my heart for Wilde.
In many ways, this is a story for the reader. It’s written as though the reader had something to gain in reading about love & intimacy. It’s also written as though the reader were antiquated & new to the world, in tandem. The premise waddles along an English countryside as the wind bristles with undisturbed grass; the reader is marooned under a tree waiting for a picnic that has yet to be packed. Much of my appreciation of this story can be attributed to Wilde’s writing & his style of prose. The cool autumnal feel of the pacing adds intrigue as it allows the reader time to dwell on what is being said & by whom.
The unfortunate deaths that litter the story act as reminders of terminal mortality. No rose is exempt from the possibility of wilting petals. Dorian’s faults lie acutely in his exposure to life. Perhaps, had he been brought up in a home where truth reigned or where tenderness to the elements was incorporated in his upbringing, he might not have been so shocked—nearly beyond reason—to learn that the world is in fact unkind & without fault, neutral in its comings & goings. I do not know if one can fault Dorian for wishing for beauty & youth. I do not know that our society fosters a sense of life ever being enough of what it is to satiate the livers. There is always the need for more time, more opportunities, more raving laughter & profound feelings.
The extension of time in youth does not equate to a beneficial time. The protagonist who loved someone for their untainted experiences in life found himself marred by the most tormented soul of all—the one of the man who cannot begin to know himself & the ways in which the world around us is shaped by our own actions, by our very own hands. Certainly, one does not have the power to wake the sun or set the sea at peace. Yet, the oil & sludge of motors & the peeling skin of lotions & malevolence illustrate the essence of humanity with far more vivid colours than might the astoundingly swift tools of innocence & youth. That is to say, this book is among my most treasured....more
Avec toute sincérité Victor Hugo est parmi mes écrivains préférés. Sont talent avec les mots et sa capacité de rédiger un roman si puissant en prose mAvec toute sincérité Victor Hugo est parmi mes écrivains préférés. Sont talent avec les mots et sa capacité de rédiger un roman si puissant en prose m'impressionne de plus qu'il ne m'est possible d'exprimer. Cela étant dit, j'avais hésité à embarquer dans la lecture de ce roman. Tous savent qu'Hugo n'est pas un écrivain qui se retient; s'il est nécessaire d'écrire des milliers de pages pour décrire la presse, il va s'y prendre.
Au cours de ma lecture je ne me suis pas sentie comme si on me faisait perdre mon temps. Même ayant des chapitres pleins et plus contenant des détails qui sembleraient nullement lier à l'histoire de base, tous les passages m'ont touché. Chaque passage contient de l'information pertinent et des événements qui se relient à l'histoire de fiction nous lisons.
Les personnages sont divers, intéressants et compliqués; elles sont honnêtes et réelles. Hugo nous fait part de la vie de divers parisiens et le lecteur à la chance de suivre leur séjour à travers la ville; pendant qu'ils espèrent éviter la persécution, le crime, le scandale et les coups de coeur.
Le roman nous fait part de plusieurs thèmes très difficiles à digérés. Les personnages n'ont pas la vie facile ni vont-ils tous retrouver une belle fin. Cependant, j'ai tellement apprécié l'histoire pour cette raison et pour toutes les autres aspects aussi. Ce livre demeurât l'ultime classique sans compétition. ...more
Another book that I read for the simple pleasure of reading & which drew my attention because I enjoy overwhelming the shelves of my bookcase.
Reading Another book that I read for the simple pleasure of reading & which drew my attention because I enjoy overwhelming the shelves of my bookcase.
Reading this story came with ease. The trajectory of the story wasn’t shocking nor did it veer far off the path I anticipated it would follow. I appreciate reading Austen’s books because the characters, though they are oftentimes incredibly annoying, are mostly normal people. As the reader, it is enjoyable to feel that you are privy to a glimpse into their authentic lives.
Catherine, the main character, is not very complex as a person. I liked that about her. I think her love of novels & the horrors that might be found in everyday life left me appreciative of her. Although, much of her interactions with her friends were tedious for me to read; I don’t like overly romantic language, especially in everyday conversations. I found myself overall enjoying what these moments allowed me to see; her innocence.
My only real problem with this book is John Thorpe. I absolutely hated his role in the novel & wished that the only drama that had transpired had been that which Isabella brought to the story. I found John so incredibly annoying that I almost gave up on finishing the story. He actively causes trouble for a greater portion of the novel. His prancing around with such blind entitlement left little for me to appreciate about his character.
If you enjoy the simple flow & ease with which Austen’s story transpires, I would encourage you to read this book....more
The tale older than time, pacts with devils, is explored in a linear timeline as the purchase of a bottle containing an imp capable of granting any wiThe tale older than time, pacts with devils, is explored in a linear timeline as the purchase of a bottle containing an imp capable of granting any wish. The accursed remains tightly linked to its purchaser until such a time as said person might sell the bottle for less than they purchased it. One can gauge the level of anxiety this might induce should you be seeking to rid yourself of a demon.
Though this is a short story it felt interminably long. The premise was intriguing & I did want to know what would happen to each person & subsequently to the devil inside the unbreakable bottle. However, the ending left much to be desired.
The conclusion felt too convenient. Having spent so much time reading about the despair of the couple, it would have been interesting to see them actually have to deal with it for an elongated period of time.
Regardless of that, I still think it is worth the short time it took, to read this little piece of dreadful joy in written form....more
Influenced by the Burke and Hare murders which took place in 1828, Stevenson explores the cruel world of developing science, penance for greed & a hauInfluenced by the Burke and Hare murders which took place in 1828, Stevenson explores the cruel world of developing science, penance for greed & a haunting most gothic.
This short story is the perfect length; granting the author ample time to cover all important details; to covet a scene that oozes with bizarre fogs; to introduce characters who make up in gall what they lack in class. All this, without risking the addition of too many details which might render the interest of the reader to be lost.
I am particularly fond of the opening scene; a causal collection of friends & a developing madness.
Reading this filled me with a deep appreciation of contemporary horror, much of which I have taken for granted. This is particularly due to the conclusion of the story which was not so shocking due to the time period in which I read it but that, I acknowledge, would have carried a horrific weight in its time.
This book was wonderful, concise, enticing & ludicrous. I would have wanted a bit more exploration into Fettes’ state of consciousness after he suspected foul play but, regardless of that, I adored this read....more
The masterful novella follows John Gabriel as he investigates the bizarre occurrences surrounding Henry Jekyll & Edward Hyde.
The progression of this sThe masterful novella follows John Gabriel as he investigates the bizarre occurrences surrounding Henry Jekyll & Edward Hyde.
The progression of this story is hauntingly slow & leads the reader to form their own conclusions with the riddling of small clues. I adore old horror because nothing is explicitly horrifying beyond the essence of the story itself.
I appreciate having followed the story from the point of view of Mr. Utterson, who very slowly becomes aware of strange happenings. I think it worked very much in the story’s favour to have this character be privy to the events which shape Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde throughout the story, while not having first-hand experience of the atrocities & unfortunate situations, such as his friends did. He didn’t know who lived in the house that had such a remarkably strange door or who was the man that Dr. Jekyll named in his will. I appreciated getting to know Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde through the stories that Mr. Utterson’s friends told him & through the letters that he read near the end.
I wanted to take up this book because it’s a classic piece of literature that is often referenced in a variety of projects. Special shoutout to the cartoon “Arthur” for leaving me with a delightful song to have stuck in my head for decades since the episode aired.
I think if you’re reading this story with the knowledge of the ending, it’s still very much worth the while. Simply knowing the premise of the story does not ruin the intensity of the tale nor does it take away from the excitement one might feel by reading through the story of a doctor’s discovery of the essence of human consciousness....more
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