The Blue Castle
Hiya! Today I thought I'd write about my three favourite books and why they're my favourite.
No. 1 The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
This is the story of 29 year-old Valancy Stirling who has never been pursued by any man, and lives alone with her dreadful mother and aunt. So, on her birthday she decides to go see a doctor about a problem with her heart (unbeknownst to her family), and the doctor tells her that she has a serious form of heart decease and will die in one year. So, she decides to blow all the hatches and live the rest of her life the way she wants to.
I have to say that I don't think there is any deep profound reason why I like this story so much. I like Valancy breaking from her moth-eaten life and making herself happy and her family's reaction to it. There's also no denying that I love Barney in this story. He's actually a tremendously interesting male character for L.M. When she writes, she really likes the good boy, and Barney could be a murderer! She was really thinking outside the box for this one. Anyway, when I was thirteen I really wanted to marry Barney, or a guy just like him - cause he was PERFECT! Barney's got to be at least half the reason why this is my favourite book - the rest goes to Valancy.
No. 2 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Everyone has seen the movie for 'Gone with the Wind', so I'm not gonna rehash the plot. You know.
The reason this is my favourite is simply for the female empowerment. That's what this book is all about. I hate it when people ask me after hearing that this is my favourite book if I think Scarlet will ever get Rhett back. I involuntarily twitch and then give them a funny look, cause THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT! Who cares if Scarlet gets Rhett back? I don't. This whole book is one giant learning experience for her and for us, the reader. This is also my best friend's favourite book, and I would shame her to write my lame thoughts on a masterpiece that she could describe a million times better than I. So, I'll leave it there.
No. 3 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Okay, now you're probably thinking that I'm all literary because of my choices. Well, I am and I'm not. Sure I've read some of Jane Austen's novels, but I hated 'Emma' with an unreasonable passion and 'Pride and Predjudice' wasn't nearly as good as I thought it was going to be. So, I don't just like anything because it's a reputed classic.
The reason I like 'Sense and Sensibility' so much is because if I had to pick a character out of a book to describe myself, I'd pick Marianne Dashwood. I'm always suffering with her struggle. Should I be a good little girl like Elenor or should I be the way I wanna be - like Marianne? It's a difficult decision for me when my attitudes are running high and often I feel like I didn't really have the choice because I'm already acting like Marianne (after my own fashion of course). I also like that she and Elenor are in exactly the same position and the whole book is just comparing what happens with their respective behaviour. Lots of people say that Jane Austen was way to hard on Marianne, but I don't think so. Sometimes, people need to drug through the fire in order to smarten up. Granted, it doesn't seem to matter how many times I get myself into big trouble - I'm still stupid. Anyway, as a final point, I really like that Jane Austen doesn't say one word as to how Colonel Brandon was able to win Marianne. That's the kind of thing that belongs behind the closed doors of a person's heart anyway.
No. 1 The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
This is the story of 29 year-old Valancy Stirling who has never been pursued by any man, and lives alone with her dreadful mother and aunt. So, on her birthday she decides to go see a doctor about a problem with her heart (unbeknownst to her family), and the doctor tells her that she has a serious form of heart decease and will die in one year. So, she decides to blow all the hatches and live the rest of her life the way she wants to.
I have to say that I don't think there is any deep profound reason why I like this story so much. I like Valancy breaking from her moth-eaten life and making herself happy and her family's reaction to it. There's also no denying that I love Barney in this story. He's actually a tremendously interesting male character for L.M. When she writes, she really likes the good boy, and Barney could be a murderer! She was really thinking outside the box for this one. Anyway, when I was thirteen I really wanted to marry Barney, or a guy just like him - cause he was PERFECT! Barney's got to be at least half the reason why this is my favourite book - the rest goes to Valancy.
No. 2 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Everyone has seen the movie for 'Gone with the Wind', so I'm not gonna rehash the plot. You know.
The reason this is my favourite is simply for the female empowerment. That's what this book is all about. I hate it when people ask me after hearing that this is my favourite book if I think Scarlet will ever get Rhett back. I involuntarily twitch and then give them a funny look, cause THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT! Who cares if Scarlet gets Rhett back? I don't. This whole book is one giant learning experience for her and for us, the reader. This is also my best friend's favourite book, and I would shame her to write my lame thoughts on a masterpiece that she could describe a million times better than I. So, I'll leave it there.
No. 3 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Okay, now you're probably thinking that I'm all literary because of my choices. Well, I am and I'm not. Sure I've read some of Jane Austen's novels, but I hated 'Emma' with an unreasonable passion and 'Pride and Predjudice' wasn't nearly as good as I thought it was going to be. So, I don't just like anything because it's a reputed classic.
The reason I like 'Sense and Sensibility' so much is because if I had to pick a character out of a book to describe myself, I'd pick Marianne Dashwood. I'm always suffering with her struggle. Should I be a good little girl like Elenor or should I be the way I wanna be - like Marianne? It's a difficult decision for me when my attitudes are running high and often I feel like I didn't really have the choice because I'm already acting like Marianne (after my own fashion of course). I also like that she and Elenor are in exactly the same position and the whole book is just comparing what happens with their respective behaviour. Lots of people say that Jane Austen was way to hard on Marianne, but I don't think so. Sometimes, people need to drug through the fire in order to smarten up. Granted, it doesn't seem to matter how many times I get myself into big trouble - I'm still stupid. Anyway, as a final point, I really like that Jane Austen doesn't say one word as to how Colonel Brandon was able to win Marianne. That's the kind of thing that belongs behind the closed doors of a person's heart anyway.
posted by Sapphirefly at
8:38 a.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home