Book Review: Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen

'”Elinor, starting back with a look of horror at the sight of him, obeyed the first impulse of her heart in turning instantly to quit the room, and her hand was already on the lock, when its action was suspended by his hastily advancing, and saying, in a voice rather of command than supplication:

  'Miss Dashwood, for half an hour–for ten minutes–I entreat you to stay... My business is with you, and only with you.'

  'With me!'–in the utmost amazement–'well, sir–be quick–and if you can–less violent.'

   'Sit down, and I will be both.'

   She hesitated, she knew not what to do... After a moment's recollection... concluding that prudence required dispatch, and that her acquiescence would best promote it, she walked silently toward the table and sat down.”

                                                                                                                                                            -from Sense & Sensibility

Sense & Sensibility is surely the classic romance encapsulated: contrasting pairs of sisters, mysterious suitors, dastardly suitors, secrets, and (though it is only spoken of) even a duel between a hero and villain. Perfection indeed. Yet, though it has so much of what could be excitement and even scandal in that which takes place, it is all written in an elegance of style and tone–with a delicate handling of dialogue and description that tells so little and says so much. Clever writing, indeed, as such a tactic keeps you happily coming back for more! That and the characters are so straightforward and everyday-like and yet have an aura of romance around them, too.

I feel as though I grew up on the story, yet on each concentrated rereading I experience something new. For instance, I have always had a hearty dislike for Willoughby–nothing extremely personal, but he divides Colonel Brandon from Marianne and for that I could not forgive him. On this reading, however, I found myself catapulting along with Elinor’s thoughts upon the subject. (Note: I said Elinor not Marianne. M goes a little to far with her feelings.) I almost wish W and M could have been united...but not quite. Willoughby's character and actions are at all times utterly selfish while on the other hand Colonel Brandon truly deserves and loves her. I regret nothing. Another thing noted was that Marianne did not become ill with love for Willoughby, but from shock at his true character, actions, and what his designs upon her might have been. Very slight difference, but adds a great deal to her character.

At the end of this reading I came away with my feelings once more cemented. Though I love the rest of Miss Austen's stories as well, Sense & Sensibility is and always will be my favorite.

Note: This is my third review for the Jane Austen Review Challenge.

Book Review: "The Lady of the Lake" by Sir Walter Scott

“Harp of the North! that mouldering long hast hung

On the witch-elm that shades Saint Fillan's spring,”

Thus begins one of the loveliest poems composed by man. I have never been a great reader of poetry as I find it tends to make me too introspective and musing and generally overly romantic, yet poetry can live and breathe in such magical ways and I have always dreamed of finding that poetry which would swirl, the way people describe its behavior in books. No doubt you wonder why I give these details? Because all of the above describes “The Lady of the Lake”. It is whimsical and romantic yet it pounds with adventure and battle tension, the poetry going from sylvan to warlike with startling swiftness. One moment you are enjoying mountain vistas and then with a sudden whirl about you are in the midst of scenes of war, dashing you in hopeless delight and heart-stopping power along with it. The poetry mingles things borrowed from history with the things of legend so that the one does not leave before the other begins. Scott based the poem in places he knew well and his love shines through the words. Perhaps he did make the place a little more romantic than it truly was, but he did it so perfectly that in his story and writing he created a flawless world of his own. I was not expecting to be swept away by this poem, but I found myself caught into this work that weaves the richness of countries discovered with that of fairytales.

“The wild rose, eglantine, and broom

Wasted around their rich perfume;

The birch-trees wept in fragrant balm;

The aspens slept beneath the calm;

The silver light, with quivering glance,

Played on the water's still expanse -

Wild were the heart whose passion's sway

Could rage beneath the sober ray! “

- Canto I: XXXV

Movie Spotlight: Emma (1996)

For my second review, as part of the Jane Austen Review Challenge, I am featuring the delightful and sparkling version of “Emma” starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

Accuracy to book: The story is slightly condensed, but nevertheless it very much keeps the rhythm and atmosphere of the book and point by point stays very close to the original work. Frank Churchill is not quite as unkind and rude to A Certain Person and is not quite as completely deceitful as shown in the book. Not quite as much of John and Isabella is seen in the film, as in the book. However I am not a serious, sign waving, accurate-to-the book-or-die kind of personage. I simply wish the adaptation to be true to the tone of the book, in which point I think the filmmakers and actors made a very pleasing achievement.

Costumes: Of all the period drama wardrobes I have had the pleasure of viewing, Emma's is among my favorites. Each gown is fresh and lovely and becomes her so particularly well, that they are perfectly delightful to view. My personal favorites are the pale lime green gown that she wears when Mr. and Mrs. Elton come to tea, and the Box Hill picnic gown with the ivory colored overdress with the sage green vine pattern upon it. The other characters outfits are also well done. -. the most memorable being Mrs. Elton’s fashionable ensembles, her church one in particular being so...extraordinary, especially in contrast to Emma's simple elegance.

Scenery/Sets: Lovely, lovely, lovely! The scenery is exactly like a fairyland–or nigh on a fairy-land–for it is the English countryside, and what a lovely flower bedecked and sunny spot it is.

Music: The music interlaces perfectly with the rest of the film–rippling with a lighthearted and satisfactory tone.

The People -

Emma – Emma is the type of character who it seems would be difficult to play as she must at once be meddlesome and have a certain charm which makes her somewhat likeable. I confess that Emma has never been one of my favorite Austen heroines, but this Emma very nearly makes me reconsider. Showing both her flaws and foibles, her true sweetness and ultimate ability to be shown where she was mistaken, she not only executes her character to perfection, but has a naturally fine beauty and elegance. She also complements Mr. Knightley most excellently.

Mr. Knightley – Ah, Mr. Knightley. What a heavy duty he carries as the second most popular Austen hero. Does he bear it well? Yes, indeed. He is not afraid in the least of saying the plain and exact truth–even if it might make him unpopular with a Certain Young Person. As for this portrayal,  he simply evinces the true gentleman. when he smiles and laughs and says “EmMA,” in his peculiar Mr. Knightley manner,  he is just so –likeable and charming.

Harriet – is wonderful. She is not exactly clever, but very sweet and pleasing. I very much liked how, though she does in a way fall in love with two other men, underneath–despite both Emma and herself–she still likes Robert Martin the best. This is shown by how fluttered she becomes when she meets him whereas with Mr. Elton she was just more awkward and disquieted.

The Others –  Mrs. Elton happens to be played by one of my all-time favorite actresses, Juliet Stevenson. Fashionable and nettlesome, I not only say so myself, but my friends tell me that she is hilarious, irritating perfection itself. (For the movie trivia persons: you can also see her as quirky and kind Miss Heliotrope in “The Secret of Moonacre”.) Mr. and Mrs. Weston are both excellently done–as is Mr. Woodhouse.

Favorite Moments and Final Thoughts: Some of my favorite moments: the proposal – “Oh dear..dear? Oh! The deer we need for the um–venison stew!”  and “I do not wish to call you 'friend', because I wish to call you something much dearer.” Ah, yes–that whole sequence is a favorite of mine. As is Emma's first tea with Mrs. Elton. From my father to my littlest sister my whole family enjoys this film. There is not one indecent scene and it is romantic without being overly sentimental and lighthearted without being shallow. The entire aura of the story and characters–every little bit of the film, in fact, is so perfectly lovely that it leaves one feeling incredibly satisfied and cheerful. 

Book Review: Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

“Shirley” takes place in rural Yorkshire during the regency period. Caroline is the pretty and quiet niece of the parish rector, stern Mr. Helstone. She spends much of her time with her distant cousins, Robert and Hortense Moore. Caroline is in love with Robert, but he is more worried about how bad the business affairs revolving around his mill are going. Enter Shirley: the young and charming mistress of Fieldhead, a local manor house. Shirley and Caroline become fast friends, their dissimilar natures complementing each other beautifully. But things are far from idyllic. Robert's cotton mill (which Shirley has shares in) is about to fail and Robert seems to be attracted to Shirley. The working class is getting more and more discontented, growing violent from lack of work (or simply a wish to stir up trouble) and some of the leaders will stop at nothing to get revenge.

 To begin with, I really entered into the feelings of the characters. At one point for instance, Shirley and Caroline are spending a summer night together at the rectory and they are waiting for something to happen. I found myself getting all tight and tense as if I was sitting right beside them. The descriptions of the countryside and weather are beautiful.

As for the characters, they are very well crafted. Caroline is so sweet and just the sort of girl one would wish for a friend. She finds herself in a situation where she could easily become bitter toward two people, but instead she buries her feeling as far as she is able, and not allowing them to interfere with her friendships, she unselfishly devotes herself to working for others. Shirley is a harder person to define. At times I loved her and at others she made me furious! But then that is the way she affects people in the story. She even drives her best friends crazy at times with her odd freaks of temper (one of the only people she does not confuse is a certain man, but I won't tell you his name!). One thing I do admire about her is that she is not a flirt. At one point, when she finds out that she had unknowingly led someone astray concerning her feelings, she is shocked and takes all the responsibility (terribly embarrassed that she might lead someone to think she was trying to catch a husband).  Mr. Moore reminded me of Mr. Thornton–actually it should be the other way round, since Shirley was written five years before N&S (Gaskell must have read “Shirley”)–anyway, they seemed similar in many points, not the least of which being that they are both stern men on the outside, but can be very gentle and tender with their womenfolk and both have difficulty connecting to their workers.

“Shirley” is high on my list of favorite classics.  Miss Brontë's writing style and choice of words are refreshing to read. This is a classic that definitely deserves to be more well known!

Stars: 5/5

Movie Spotlight: Persuasion (2007)

This is my first post for the Jane Austen Review Challenge hosted by Miss Bennet at Classic Ramblings.

For the most part my favorite Jane Austen film tends be the one I last viewed (except, of course, in the case of it being an Unforgivably Repulsive Version). However, this Persuasion is certainly in my top three favorites. Possibly even the very first, excepting the S&S '95/'08 (I always count those as one film :) ). So now that we have that important disclaimer written concerning my view on this film, we will proceed forth to the logistics.

Though this Persuasion does take a few liberties with the story I think it stays very faithful to the tone of Miss Austen's work. And as for the little bits that the filmmakers add, I think they transcribe some of those feelings that are only told of in the novel–as well as being the type of “story moments” that make you grip the sides of your chair with excitement at either the sweetness or the tension of the scene. And that brings me to another reason why I love this film–it is simply so poignant. While all the costumes and scenery are very well done, they never detract from the story and it is the characters faces and personalities for which you remember the movie, though, to be sure, it is of great assistance that the characters are excellent.

The Characters: IMHO Sally Hawkins is the perfect Anne. She is not a stunning beauty, but I think the filmmakers made her less “pretty” on purpose. One begins to notice her expressions and eyes so much more than one might. Anne's looks are not meant to be her strong point, instead it is her character, her gentle ways, and the actions she performs that set her apart. And besides, my sister Heidi and I think that her beauty really does become more apparent on each viewing.

Rupert Penry-Jones is flawless as Captain Wentworth, in that his flaws are the flaws of Captain Wentworth and not that of his own performance. He shows how Captain Wentworth is hurt and angry, but how he can still not help but care for Anne. I love how he tends to gravitate toward Anne–not as if he is the Ghost of Resentful Suitor Past–but simply because, though quite unconscious of it himself, he feels pleasure in being near her.  Witness the scene where he picks her up after she falls off the log...*happy sigh*...I love that scene. He is also of the right age and appearance for Captain Wentworth.

All of the sub-characters are well done, however my favorite is Captain Harville. In the book he is–for the most part–a very minor character, but in this film you see more glimpses of his and Captain Wentworth's friendship–which is really neat–and as he is “there” for multiple characters, you get to see what an amazing man he is.  :)

Altogether this is a simply beautiful movie and I very highly recommend it!

Stars: 5 + / 5

Book Review: Shattered Summer by Madeleine Polland

In the summer of 1685, Monmouth landed on the Dorset, declaring himself the legitimate son of Charles II and claiming the throne. Duke's man or King's man? Loyalties are divided as Monmouth rides through the West Country at the head of his random – farmers armed with only scythes and pitchforks. And the young girl Frances, who is thrown from her sheltered life into the heart of the uprising, finds herself doubting the one man she had trusted, and uncertain even of where her love belongs.

THE book. You know the book I am speaking of. The one that when you are finished reading, you feel as if you could start reading it over at once. And you do. And then you do it again; and again. Everyone has that book, I think. “Shattered Summer” is mine. I read it for the first time last spring and I cannot say how many times I read it before it had to go back to the library. But now I have it for my very own and I am one happy girl. :) 

So what is it about this story that keeps it from being just another romance? First, there is serious and understanding William Powell who keeps both Frances (and the story) sane. Second, there is Lady Sarah, Frances' mother, who is fluttery and flustered when little things go wrong and discerning and capable when great matters are at stake. Finally there is gentle, quick, and confused Frances herself. Frances who makes, with William, one of my very favorite literary couples.

And why else do I love this story? Did I mention that there are lovely descriptions of houses and the English countryside–and drama? But not really drama of the directly romantic kind, but of the soldier-and-battle-wound variety, and that is one of my favorite kinds. It is a simple story, but it breathes of the warm, rich, haze of summer and other lovely things like that. It one of those tales that keeps coming to mind, refusing to be put away in the attic and forgotten.

Stars: 5 + of 5 

Christmas Spotlights

Today I would like to share mini- reviews of three Christmas films that I greatly enjoy:

“Little Women” (1933) -  I have seen three adaptions of Little Women (including the 1994 film) and this is definitely my favorite. Katharine Hepburn is the Jo of the book come alive. And all of the rest of the cast play their parts excellently as well. The sets are very good and all the dresses are fun and pretty. Though it is a fairly short film it has all the gaiety, cozy spirit and freshness of the novel. It is one of my all time favorite movies and I highly recommend it!

“Love Comes Softly” -  Yet another top favorite, “Love Comes Softly” is one of those stories that at the end of which you feel blissful and contented. I am not going to describe the story here, I will simply say that it is very sweet.  The scenery is stunning with many views of breathtaking western vistas. And though small, the cast is excellent. Clark and Marty also happen to be one of my favorite film couples. So, watch this film for the characters, the story, or the scenery, any way it is wonderful!

“The Gift of Love” -  This film takes place in early 1900's New York City. The story revolves around a beautiful young heiress, Beth, and Rudi, a Swiss immigrant. The bird watching naturalist Beth is supposed to marry is hilarious and there are several very fun ice skating scenes. It is a fairly straightforward story and if you are in the mood for some simple romance with pleasant characters it makes for an enjoyable viewing experience. As my father said it is altogether: “A fun little movie.”