#21 Scarlet Pimpernel

By Baroness Orczy

Classics Challenge #2

This is my second book for the Classics Winter Challenge, hosted by Booklogged. I chose this book because I’ve seen the movie (albeit only once and over a year ago) and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the book at least as much, if not more. As all of my recent books, I listened to this book on tape while driving to and from school. It took almost an entire CD for me to really get into it. I’m not sure if I was distracted for the first CD, or if just wasn’t as enthralling as the other 6.

The story is one of adventure, love, loyalty, and trust. The Scarlet Pimpernel is the alias for an English gentleman who aids aristocrats fleeing for their lives from the revolutionary French Bourgeoisie. The wife of the Scarlet Pimpernel, not knowing her husband’s secret identity, aids the French villain in discovering who the Scarlet Pimpernel is in order to save her brother’s life. When she discovers what she has done, she entangles herself in danger in an attempt to warn her husband of his impending doom and to prove her love for him.

I only listen to the CDs in my car, and I actually went out a couple of times this weekend to just drive around and listen to the story. I’ve done that with a few other books as well, but it doesn’t happen with every book I listen to. If you’ve seen the movie; you should still read this book. If you haven’t seen the movie, you should read the book and then watch the movie. They are both well worth the time.

#20 Silas Marner

by George Elliott

Classics Challenge #1

I read Silas Marner as my first book in the "Winter Classics Challenge" hosted by Booklogged. This book will not be added to my list of classic favorites. It was a little boring in many places. I enjoyed the parts of the book that talked about Silas and explained his character and habits. I definitely felt a strong sympathy for him, which I think was the point. I enjoyed the last part of the book quite a bit; after the 2 year old girl wonders into Silas's home; her mother frozen to death on the street in front of Silas's house. Silas gets to keep the child and raise her. (Cassie, I guess he did have a daughter...when I talked to you on the phone I wasn't yet at that part) There were portions of the book that delved into the life of one of the town's more prosperous inhabitants. It was necessary for the story, but those portions didn't keep my interest as well. Overall, the story was good, but not a book I will ever read again.

*Note*

I know I've been absent for a while, and I apologize for not keeping everyone up-to-date on what's going on. I probably won't make it to 50 books in a year (my original goal), but I have come up with a new plan so I can start reading again.

I have recently decided to start listening to books on CD while driving to and from school. This is not the ideal way to read a book; especially when it is a more involved book, but it's the only way I'm able to read anything beside textbooks while I'm in school. I'm also not following my original list because sometimes it's hard to find a particular book on CD.

I have also gone back and written a couple of posts for books I listened to in August. If you would like to read my reviews for those, scroll down to August 20 & 30, or click on the August 2006 archive link in the right margin.

#19 The Eyre Affair

by Jasper Fforde

This was a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining book. The setting is England in 1985, but it's more of a futuristic time when some people have strange powers; such as time traveling or walking through walls. The main character is Thursday Next, a detective in Special Ops (SO) 27. SO 27 is the literary detective office and they spend most of their time finding and arresting people who make forgeries of original manuscripts and changes to classic novels.

The book is full of fun characters like Thursday's dad, a fugitive who can travel through time and pops in occasionally to talk to his daughter; Spike, an SO agent who hunts vampires and werewolves; and Thursday's uncle, a scientist who invented a prose portal that allows people to enter books and poems.

The antagonist in the book is Acheron Hades, a mastermind criminal who is virtually superhuman (and who was once a professor of Thursday's). He has stolen the original manuscript of Jane Eyre and kidnapped Thursday's uncle. Thursday ends up at the center of the investigation and actually enters Jane Eyre in search of Hades.

This book has lots of action and interesting ideas. It had me thinking of places I needed to go just so I could drive around a bit and listen to it. Plus, it gave me a strong desire to read or reread many of the classic novels mentioned in the course of the story. I would highly recommend this book!!

Classics Challenge

I know I've been absent for a while, and probably won't get my fifty books read in a year, but I have a good excuse. I started school and haven't had time to read. I do have three books that I've listened to on tape that I need to post about, so look for them soon. Anyway, I've come up with a new plan for reading; although some might consider it not reading, it's the best I can do right now. I have about a 40 minute commute to school everyday (that's roundtrip) and it may be longer depending on traffic. My new plan is to listen to books on tape everyday during my commute.

Since I feel I will now be able to finish five classics before the end of February, I've decided to join Booklogged's Winter Classics Challenge. Here is the list of classics I plan to "read".

1. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
2. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
3. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
4. Silas Marner by George Elliott (aka Mary Ann Evans)
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Some of these may change depending on weather I can check them out at the library. I have checked, and they have them all on CD, but some are checked out, on hold, etc... I have Silas Marner already and will begin it during tomorrow's commute.