Austen in August Wrap-Up and Reviews

It's September tomorrow which means Austen in August is officially over. I have had a wonderful month reacquainting myself with Jane. We'd become somewhat estranged as I explained in this post. I think my attitude towards Austen has changed for the better. I have now read all of her longer works except Mansfield Park and I would not avoid re-reading any of them. Perhaps absence makes the heart grow fonder after all...

Anyway, during this event run by Adam at Roof Beam Reader, I have read Sense and Sensibility and Emma. I only intended to read S&S and then perhaps branch out to some non-fiction but my library let me down on the non-fiction front and I enjoyed S&S so much I though well why not just crack on with Emma whilst I'm it. It has been a great month, I have really enjoyed reading everyone's posts as well as reading the books themselves. And, most excitingly, I was the lucky winner of Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally O'Rourke Smith from a giveaway hosted by Adam. I cannot wait to get my sticky-Austen-loving-mitts round to devouring it. 

Oddly, I never have that much to say about Austen novels aside from the general gushing that seems to be the average reaction and with these two I have been unable to put my thoughts into actual words. So, in quite lazy fashion (sorry), I am including my (very mini) mini-reviews in this wrap-up.

Sense and Sensibility
It's been a long while since I have seen the Emma Thompson adaptation of S&S so I had actually managed to forget everything that happens (score). I had forgotten about all of the Willoughby drama and who ends up with who. It is necessary to mention though that I had not forgotten about Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon...

Generally, I loved it. I was occasionally irritated and I did think it was all wrapped up rather too quickly but I can see what Austen was doing there. I found myself relating to Elinor (not just because of the name) more than Marianne and I think that must say something about me but I just found her to be the more likable character. 

Emma
I think I preferred S&S to Emma but I did completely adore Emma for it's comic value. I was continuously amused and, at the same time, continuously cringing at her inability to read situations correctly and her ability to make a mess of most things. 

I thought the characterisation was very impressive in Emma. I really had a sense of the idiosyncrasies of each character and just reading their names would bring them to the forefront of my mind. Mr Woodhouse and his ailments and the talkative Miss Bates I thought were particularly wonderful. And Mr Elton?! What a creep, right?!

My apologies for the brevity of these reviews, my mind has been terribly busy this month and I am already consumed with a longing for Hemingway that is threatening to overwhelm my life...I should really crack on finishing my current reads and just start my spin read.

How did everyone enjoy Austen in August? I will definitely join in again if it's ever run again (hint hint)...perhaps I shall finally get around to Mansfield Park then.

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

Bout of Books: The End

I think it's fair to say that Bout of Books 8.0 for me has been a semi-flop. Reading wise it has been awesome but in terms of all my other more social goals I have completely missed the mark. Poor effort, Ellie, poor effort *shakes head*. Still, I have thoroughly enjoyed a week of reading and I have made sure to soak up the literary atmosphere from the sidelines.

I finished three books this week (can I get an 'AWESOME'?!): Emma, The Universe Versus Alex Woods and Ransom. I've also been reading some more of the essays in Fifty Shades of Feminism which I am still loving and trying to draw out the reading experience as long as possible. 

Bad news though: I am currently in the middle of a post-BoB slump. Yesterday morning I finished Ransom and have not picked up a book since...DUN DUN DUUUUUN. This is not cool, guys. It's probably not so much of a slump as a 'got-really-busy-went-out-got-drunk-attempting-to-recover-but-have-brainsplitting-hangover' type issue. A self-inflicted slump, if you will. But in a bit I am going to spend some quality time with my bookshelves and settle on my next read. So many choices! Maybe I should just get cracking with my next classics spin book...

To sum up: BoB 8.0 has been awesome, I've read a lot but kept out of the social sphere and now I'm struggling to know where to go from here. Also, I have a terrible hangover. 

How was your week?? Did you achieve your goals or fall a bit short of some, as I have?

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

Bout of Books: Friday

It's official, this time around I have been a Bout of Books slacker. I have been slacking like a pro. Reading wise I've been alright but in terms of generally joining in, which was my favourite bit of May's BoB, I have sucked. Still, I woke up yesterday morning and finished Emma whilst sipping a mug of coffee and enjoying a relaxed wake-up. Just what I needed. So that means I have finished 2 books this week. I am impressed and over the moon.

Yesterday (or rather Thursday night) my Mother popped on the train to come and visit me for a couple of days. Luckily my sister also had the day off so we (meaning I) had planned a delightful itinerary of London-y goodness. We started off with a walk across the river to Tate Britain (FAVE) to explore the new set-up and the Walk Through British Art. It was ridiculously good. So many pretty pictures including my favourite by Vanessa Bell and all the war paintings. 

Then we took a trip to Oxford Street for a bit of shopping. I bought some new running trainers because I have blisters the size of my toes on my toes. Ouch. I've gone back to my original pair (Nike Pegasus) which I've had about 3 times and which has never let me down. Don't mess with a good thing, clearly! I steered well clear of the large Waterstones and managed to escape the day without buying any books. Although...my sister bought me this from Tate which is complete literary heaven:

All the bookshops and literary places in London...

To round off a brilliant day we went for a meal at Launceston Place, a shockingly posh (for me) Michelin star restaurant in South Kensington. It is owned by the same company who own the restaurant my sister works in so she wanted to check it out. I was happy to oblige and go with her, obviously. Posh food, posh wine and posh dresses: check, check and check.

So there we go, not much reading and not much blogging going on but much fun had by all. 

Friday's Progress:
Pages read: approx 100
Books read from: Emma, Ransom by David Malouf
Number of books finished so far: 2
One thing about my day: I took in some art and ate a lot (pretty standard as my days go)

How was day 5 for you? Eventful? Successful? A bit of a flop?

Who loves The Woman in White and Wilkie? This is apparently one of the posters for the stage adaptation. Painted by Frederick Walker. Awesome. (Hanging in Tate Britain)

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

Bout of Books: Thursday

Tuesday and Wednesday were both days that can only be described as failures. I read of course, I do always read, but my heart was not in it so I just kinda gave up on the whole thing in the hopes that come Thursday, when my few days off work start, I'd be back in the mood and raring to go. I was right. Thursday was awesome. I finished a book (I am currently doing my 'I finished a book' dance)! 

I posted my review on Alex Woods pretty much straight after finishing it because I just had to get the feels off my chest. It's been a while since I've been so affected by a book. I loved it.

So anyway, even though it may have looked like I abandoned Bout of Books without even really getting started, I didn't and now I have a renewed vigour for this whole reading thing. How is everyone getting on?

Thursday's Progress:
Pages read: 50% kindle and around 70 pages (ish)
Books read from: The Universe Versus Alex Woods, Fifty Shades of Feminism, Emma
Number of books finished: 1
One thing about my day: I ran 11 miles in pouring rain. It felt good until I got home and then got stuck half-way up the stairs. I am currently catching up on blogging and the like because my legs have seized again and I'm stuck on the sofa. Yes. This is my life. Half-marathon in 2 weeks...um...I can do it?

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

Review: The Universe Versus Alex Woods

The Universe Versus Alex Woods
Gavin Extence
2013

'reading for pleasure, as I may have mentioned, was stupendously gay and, as such, was best kept a private vice'

Oh Alex, where to start? I have literally in the last hour finished reading Alex Woods and I knew, once I'd wiped away the tears and eaten a yoghurt for recovery purposes, I had to write about it immediately. This book. THIS BOOK (imagine me, at this point, wildly gesticulating with my kindle in hand and a crazed look on my face). Hang on a min, I'm gunna cry again...

OK, I AM FINE. So Alex Woods was hit by a meteorite when he was a youngun. Oddly, this seems to be the least of his worries when he has a selection of delightful bullies on his back, a penchant for things that get him on the radar of said bullies and a clairvoyant mother (this is Glastonbury, people). He strikes up a friendship with the elderly Isaac Peterson which leads to the remarkable, heartbreaking and comic events that transpire.

Firstly, can I just big up the West Country a moment? The novel is set in the South West of England, mostly in a small village near Glastonbury, and I would be lying if I said this wasn't the first factor that endeared me to Alex. I'm a Somerset girl so this pleased me very much.

Now, even though I have read many many sparkling reviews of this novel, the turn of events completely caught me by surprise. Either nobody included any spoilers in their review or I just glossed over but it proper caught me out. The subject that is the focus of the last third of the novel is one I feel very strongly about so I was very interested to see it included. There may have been a moment of 'yes, human rights!' fist-pumping occurring. Particularly because arguments surrounding the issue are presented wonderfully without becoming preachy. It is precisely this aspect of the novel that had me completely overwhelmed by feels of various varieties.

I think the characters are all brilliantly well-rounded. Alex's mother and his friend, Ellie (YES), though really only minor characters, are entertaining and provide a much needed contrast to Alex's personality. Mr Peterson is a grumpy old chap who has a massive heart and a love of Vonnegut. Alex is a bit too familiar at times, I feel like I've read his character before, but I am so completely in love with him (in a sisterly fashion, of course) that I don't even care. 

The Universe Versus Alex Woods is a gut-wrenchingly happy/sad book about friendship and the power of friendship even when the pairing is an unusual one. Alex Woods makes death about life and has given me a whole new way of considering 'the end'. I laughed, I definitely cried and I contemplated the universe more than I ever thought I'd want to. A stunning novel. Read it. That's definitely an order.

'In life, there are no true beginnings of endings. Events flow into each other, and the more you try to isolate them in a container, the more they spill over the sides, like canal-water breaching its artificial banks.'

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

Bout of Books: Monday

II must say yesterday was a very understated beginning to Bout of Books. For me, at least. I don't feel like I have read any more than I usually would. I read on the tube journey too and from work (including reading whilst walking from the train to the staff entrance of my workplace which is not without obstacles and obvious peril), I read on my lunch break and I read for a couple of hours in the evening. I'm definitely looking forward to the end of the week when I can really get cracking with this reading business.

Although it was a bit of a 'meh' day I did semi-participate in the twitter chat which was AWESOME. It was so fast my eyes went all fuzzy but it was so worth it. Mostly for the potential twitter domination by the Ellies. 

Monday's Progress:
Pages read: failed to count...perhaps around 70 plus 20ish% of kindle
Books read from: Emma (giggles), The Universe Versus Alex Woods (FEELS), Fifty Shades of Feminism (fist-pumping and bra burning)
Number of books finished: 0
One thing about my day: This evening I listened to every single Linkin Park album one after the other - clearly feeling nostalgic for teenagedom.

How was your Monday?

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram

Classics Club Spin #3

Drum roll please...the spin number is 4 which means I will be trying to read Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms before October 1st. Oh Hem, let's be having you! This fell into my 'please, please oh pretty please' category so, obviously, I am pretty overjoyed. 

Did anyone else get lucky with their number 4?

Happy reading! I'm going to go and have some alone time with Hem now...

twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram