Persuasion by Jane Austen

Part of the Austen in August event hosted by Roofbeamreader.net. (Master post link.)

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Persuasion follows Anne Elliot, the second daughter of conceited baron, and the less beautiful daughter. It follows her life in the usual Austen style of dealing with her family as a socially over-concious body and her own personal life, with the usual period emphasis on her getting married or at least finding potential suitors.

Despite that rather vague and perhaps dull little analogy, I adored this book. For me, it was so very much like Pride and Prejudice in terms of Anne and Elizabeth being similar and the story itself even sharing some similarities. Now these comparisons are very general and it is definitely not the same story, but as a general feeling for the book, it is so much like Austen's most famous novel that I think any fans of that book could feel safe to pick up this one and enjoy it.

In contrast to Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion is probably darker. It isn't really a dark book, but some parts suggest a more cultured character who sees the poverty and suffering around her- at least more than I remember Elizabeth doing- and someone who is more directly affected by evil times and nefarious people.

It's a little predictable at times. Perhaps it's a familiarity with Austen's novels, or perhaps it was me comparing it to Pride and Prejudice, but whatever it happened to be, it made the book less of a surprise but nonetheless enjoyable. Frankly, I read Austen's books because I love how she writes and how she can so aptly draw me into a story which on the outside would, to me, perhaps seem superficial and not work minutes, let alone hours, of my time. But Austen succeeds in crafting masterpieces that I love reading.

And more so than the other books I've read, I think one can see the influence and reason for the title of this book. Persuasion is a central feature in this book from early on and it is through persuasion, coercion, subtlety and even deception that the main characters work and the consequence of these actions have a number of reprecussions throughout the entire book.

Another interesting theme in the book is that of the Navy. They feature as the primary source of love interests for the characters, and the scorn of those characters Austen designates as distasteful, but not antagonists. Reading up on it, it transpires that Austen's brothers were of the Navy themselves and so it for that reason that she included and made such an exploration of them here.

Despite my perhaps rambly yet short review, I do believe that this is a quite excellent Austen novel and is one that anyone who start with Pride and Prejudice should definitely check out! (At least for the sake of discussing with me, since I could be under a self-imposed illusion!)

Friday Hop Dix-Sept

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

I would definitely say my favourite book. Everytime I read it I am bound to discover something new in it and I enjoy it so much more for that and I can see the whole book in a different way. Also, why would I settle for mediocre when I can have the utmost best? Also, it's that idea that I would rather live a terrible life but have one moment of pure bliss than merely abide a life of pure mediocrity. It's like choosiing true love over simply living with someone you like for your whole life.

Love Stories: What are some of your favorite fictional love stories?

I adore Jane Austen's stories, and Pride and Prejudice still kind of holds the title of my favourite of all time. It's so perfect, in my opinion, in every which way and I knowing the ending (who doesn't know the ending?!?) makes all the little machinations and side comments up to that point so much better. I've read Emma and Northanger Abbey too- both of which I adored- but Pride and Prejudice is and will remain my favourite.

I also liked the Time Traveller's Wife for the romance since the disjointedness of it makes it quirky and you doubt that it might ever work- but the romance is believable and you're swept away with it all (well, I was).

A non-novelistic love story that always makes me squirm with joy and anticipation is the one in Love Actually- namely Colin Firth's Character's one. He's an English writer, recently in France, with a Portuguese housekeeper. But they slowly fall in love with one another and their conversations, where neither understands the other, is blatant but sweet way to say that on some level they understand one another and that they are on the same page (ha...) in an odd, inexplicable way.

Happy Hopping!

Legend by Marie Lu

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A dystopian novel following June, an extremely intelligent girl of the highest class, and Day, an equally intelligent terrorist. What begins as a murder investigation of June looking for Day soon transforms into an investigation into the Republic itself; whether it is really as altruistic as it seems.

The story begins quite promisingly. There are an alternating narrators and we start off with Day, the reported terrorist. Through him, we learn about the society they live in and get the basic background and insight into the world we'll be spending the rest of our time with. By the end, I was hooked since I wanted to know what exactly had just happened in the chapter and what it meant. The next chapter, June's, is equally as good. She's in the School Dean's office and we get an idea for her rebelliousness  which helps in the grand scheme of things in terms of how events may go. Both set up the story quite well and give us a taste of what's to come. I found that while reading, most details end up being important in some way. This may be because both protagonists are highly observant which means that they are bound to notice more than others, but it leads to some heavy foreshadowing.

Which brings me to the main pitfall. I found this book incredibly predictable. Generally, this isn't all bad. Sometimes I can predict what happens, but find myself engrossed in how it happens. Other times though, it just happens uneventfully and I feel let down. Details are good, and I adore foreshadowing because it gives me a chance to guess at how things will play out. The problem here was that there was too much. I felt that after a few chapters, I had the next few mapped out in terms of what will happen; which I continued doing. There was a lack of spontaneity after a while, which may be the reason that I liked the first two chapters so much. I had nothing to go on yet and everything was new and interesting. Later on things were predicted and of varying interest.

But back to the good.

I really liked the world that was created. I got the feeling that everything seemed so perfect...until you saw the actions of the military and the people in charge. It started to feel more like an illusion pulled over June's eyes and, though it took a while, I enjoyed reading about her gradual discovery and reaction. So many dystopians seem to begin with our protagonist knowing or feeling it is wrong. Okay, Day falls into this category, but June doesn't. I found her change of heart mostly believable, helped greatly by the fact her ability to process new information quickly was evident. I would have been annoyed if she had just changed because it fitted the story. Admittedly some of this was a bit clichéd, but I wasn't too bothered by it. I figure that how better to hide something than in the most obvious way possible- that way they check less.

I also really liked the Trial element. It's this society trying to be supreme by having the most agile, intelligent and loyal people it can find in positions of authority and being well treated.  Perhaps the fact that tests are such a big part of my life at the moment make this interesting, but I think most people would find the idea interesting. Its supposed to be that the genetically superior (in brains or brawn) are the ones who are celebrated. The Government wants the most powerful and perfect society it can and so it sorts people based upon their abilities. A happy little meritocracy, right? Obviously, this isn't the case. It becomes apparent that it is the loyalty element that is most important- and who are the most loyal? The rich and powerful because they receive the most from the Republic; do not bite the hand that feeds you and all that. So it becomes an aristocracy, of a kind, where the rich stay rich and the poor struggle on. Though still important, the Trial has become more of an excuse to test loyalties and to suggest that they are still fair.

I'm actually blushing to say this, but I seem to think I enjoyed the romance in the book (I'm writing this a week after reading). It was clichéd, yes, but I found myself smiling guiltily at it which I don't do too often. I found myself smiling a lot in this book since I think I'm kind of taken by people from different classes falling in love (the proof is in the Jane Austen obsession) so this appealed to me. Also, both of the people in the relationship are smart. I love smart people because I think their humour can be simultaneously more twisted, abstract and absurdly funny. Some people may argue their was a bit of a love triangle, but I found June quite clear in her rejection.

So this is a book I really liked. I've tried to avoid some of my negativity because though it has faults, it really is a great book. I loved Divergent and when I saw people saying this was similar, I think how good this book would be grew in my mind; so I wasn't reading it entirely fairly. If I was to be as negative as I felt, I would be giving a dishonest review which I couldn't abide. I want to give every book its fair chance, and having Divergent in my head diverted (forgive the pun) me from thinking completely clearly about what is a good, recommendable novel.

Friday Hope Treize

Q: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

Just as my reading is eclectic, so is my music. I'm a fan of music from some select musicals (my favourite is The Sound of Music), yet I am just as comfortable with Paolo Nutini, Gaga, Florence and the Machine, Adele, Mumford and Sons and many others. I don't pigeon hold myself as liking only one genre; provided I like the music, I will get it. And if an artist I like makes something I don't like, I won't get it. Just how people try to read books they want and avoid depression after a bad book, I try not to let stereotypes or expectations dictate my music.

I also tend to have phases. I'm in what I think of as 'My Dad's Music' phase at the moment. He's as eclectic as me, and used to listen to TLC, Black Eyed Peas and others. Growing up with them, they're subliminally ingrained in me!

Also, friends of friends played this song at New Years and I've fallen in love with it. I just can't stop singing or listening to it! I actually listened again as I posted this.

2012 Must Reads: Which books are at the top of your list to be read this year (new or old releases)?

NEW: I really want to read the sequels to many of last year's great debuts, such as Insurgent (Divergent), Outpost (Enclave) and A Million Suns (Across the Universe). There are other sequels I'm excited for such as The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies/I am Number Four) and there are bound to be things I'll hear about as they come out and think "Of course! How could I forget?!" 


OLD: (I'm classing this as anything that has already been published) I've decided that Nicholas Nickleby is going to be my next Dickens read so I've got that ready for when I decide to read it, but I'm also excited about the prospect of my next Austen novel. I was thinking Sense and Sensibility.

I'd also like to read George R. R. Martin's series since I now have all the books. The same for the Lord of the Rings. Legend, Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Fire and Thorns are among those which are only really a month or so old but they are also something I'm hoping and looking forward to reading when I finally sit down with them.

I also have ends of series to read. throughout Autumn and December, I feel like I started the first books of many series, and now I have all the sequels to read. I have the few I've mentioned above, as well Chronicles of the Necromancer, Runelight, The Dead Tossed Waves and others I can't be bothered trying to find on my (recently tidied) shelf. I feel like I have too much.

It was a good hop, but I feel overwhelmed with how much I'm going to have to read this year! I'll leave you with this thought, which occurred to me when I read TGIF question.

Surely all so-called old books remain new books until you've read them? Just like all old news is new until you've heard it. (Courtesy of David Eddings)