26 Letters

Some time in our elementary years, we were all introduced to a magical sentence that includes all 26 letters of the alphabet: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

In his book, Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn imagines a fanciful island where the constructor of the sentence, Nevin Nollop, is worshipped for is unequivocal genius. A large statue, which includes tiles spelling out the famous sentence, stands boldly in the center of the main city. While the island lacks modern technology like electricity, 150 years after Nollop's life, the island persists as a pleasant community where everyone has a voracious vocabulary, celebrating the beauty of each of the 26 individual letters. 

Communication is clear and beautiful until one day, one tile falls from the statue and the Council makes a bold decision: Nollop is speaking from beyond the grave and removing letters from the known alphabet. Society descends into madness as the Council reinforces their decision with each falling tile.

The demise of the nation of Nollop is told through the letters of several citizens, primarily Ella Minnow Pea and her family--father, mother, cousin, and aunt. Salvation from madness can only be found if one of the rebels is able to come up with a shorter sentence that also contains all 26 letters. The result is a captivatingly beautiful tale of the power of words and a comedically dystopian view of how communication would deteriorate if letters were removed. 

A student recommended this book to me and, particularly compelled by the humor of the title (Ella Minnow Pea = LMNOP), lent me her copy. The 180 pages fell away in what felt like 26 minutes (truly closer to 180). If you are one who enjoys puns, homonyms, and creative word play, this short novel is one you won't want to miss. 

On Writing and Bibliotherapy

In November, the content coach for the English department in my district scheduled bibliotherapy for all the teachers in the district. Each of us brought a book that we would love to share with someone else. Bibliotherapy is "the use of books as therapy in the treatment of mental conditions" and while a group of English teachers aren't licensed therapists, we do understand the power of a good book. We were given polka-dot bags and literary notecards with instructions to write a prescription recommending the book for another's ailments.

Not completely understanding the assignment at first, I brought three books that I thought would appeal to teachers:

 The Maid by Nita Prose 
A whodunit that reveals itself early to the reader, but connects the reader to the maid in question. I recommended this because of my love of mysteries, but also because of the insight into the mind of someone with divergent thinking, like Asperger's or Autism. As educators, we often forget that not everyone thinks or learns in the same way and I found this book both intriguing and educational in understanding others.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
This classic has long been one of my favorites. I was introduced to the musical in 2010 while cleaning cabins with a friend. Our weeks were filled with counseling 8 to 18-year-olds at Bible camp, but our weekends were for preparing for the next week and building relationships with others. My cleaning partner introduced me to two Broadway musicals now on my wish list, The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Secret Garden. Nearly two years after being introduced to the musical, I read Orczy's novel as I worked an afterschool program. I fell in love with the story of Margarite and Percy and the beautiful imagery throughout the book. I was shocked to find that other English teacher's weren't as obsessed with this short classic as I was. The personification of Lady Guillotine alone is mesmerizing. 

This is the OwlCrate special edition.

Horrid by Katrina Leno
Admittedly, I am a wimp when it comes to horror. I love mystery and suspense, hate horror. So this recommendation may seem to be a conundrum, but I loved how Leno set up this ghostly tale. Rather than chapters, this book is divided into sections by lines of one of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's well-known children's rhymes:

    There was a little girl,
            Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
            When she was good,
            She was very good indeed,
But when she was bad she was horrid.

What follows is a story that slowly draws the reader in to the clutches of a menacing ghost. Plus, there's an Agatha Christie reference throughout (and who doesn't love Christie?). 

The two modern selections were picked up and I am confident they both were received well. The Maid showed back up in round two of bibliotherapy this past month and the teacher who selected Horrid talked to me about it as we both selected new books in January. So what did I do with The Scarlet Pimpernel? I left it for my mentor who still works at the middle school. Has he admitted he hates it? Yes. Ain't I a stinker?

As for my first dose of bibliotherapy, I selected On Writing by Stephen King which was brought by a senior English teacher from another building. Part of our initial assignment was to read the book over the winter break . . . which I did not do. However, I did start reading it with my Comp & Reading 2 class during free reading time. I can tell that the other teacher, like myself, thought our books should connect to teaching in some way (we were later encouraged that our round two books could simply be books we enjoyed, no educational strings attached). And I'm so glad for his misunderstanding. I had never read King's writing primer before (actually, I've never read any of King's books, but I am familiar with several of them through pop culture and movies), but I have highlighted quotes on over twenty pages and had my Creative Writing students analyze a portion of the text in class. 

While On Writing is certainly impacting me as a teacher, it is also impacting me as a writer. When I completed my Masters of English in Creative Writing in 2017, I had the rough idea and thirty pages of a novel that I feared I would never have the guts to write. I'm no Bradbury, Austen, Tolkien, or Lewis. I'm just . . . me. But, according to King, that's exactly who I need to be. 

I am not coming here to promise that I'll finish my book in 2023, but I am going to cling to King's admonition to write a little bit each day. Some days, I will take time to write in my book. Others--probably more often--I will stretch my writing muscles through blog entries and book reviews, but I will be writing. 

The fear may not fall away, but I will face it head on, one word at a time. 

 

 

The Heart of a King

As an ELA teacher and lover of reading, I have subscribed to several YA book subscription boxes and even moderated for one until it went defunct last year. I moderated romance novels (not my genre of choice, but the only opening they had) for about five months before I was able to switch to literary fiction. As a moderator and  public school teacher, my recent reading has been inundated with secular themes and characters. The bookstagram I started when I started moderating took off and I realized that I could be using that social media platform to promote books that would promote Christ-likeness.

There was a slight problem, though. Christian fiction I have read in the past left a bad taste in my mouth. Like the romance novels I proctored, the majority of Christian novels I had read in past felt shallow and focused on eliciting an emotional response, failing to challenge the reader to be introspective on how they could change themselves or the world around them. Plot lines and characters seem to fall out of a mold, removing creativity and uniqueness from the story.

So a few months ago when a friend of mine who reviews Christian fiction encouraged me to sign up to be part of the launch team for a book to be released in May, I jumped at the chance to reintroduce myself to a genre I had avoided for so long.

The Heart of a King: The Loves of Solomon is a compilation of short stories about four of the wives of King Solomon. I was apprehensive from the start as this book seemed to fit into my preconceived notions of what I would be reading.

And it was: a chick-flick romance novel.

If you are looking for a romantic view of Israel's (and the world's) wisest king, then this is the book for you. Smith introduces you to four wives of different histories from different times in Solomon's life.
Naamah the Ammonite, his first wife and a friend of his youth. Namaah seeks to know Solomon and his God in a more personal way. She also hopes Solomon will obey God's commands to kings and be the husband of one wife.
Abishag, the young wife-nurse of David selected by Bathsheba knowing Solomon would marry the young wives of his father. Solomon and Abishag fall in love through grief and love of music.
Siti, the young Egyptian princess who gives Solomon Gezer, but refuses to give up her god, Bastet and demands a palace of her own.
Nicaula, the virgin Queen of Sheba who seeks Solomon's wisdom and a trade agreement. In her search, she finds wisdom for herself in a relationship with the God of Israel.

Personally, I struggled to read this novel. After reading the selections about the first two wives, I set the book down and it glared at me for nearly two weeks. I legitimately could not read anything else knowing I agreed to review the book honestly, which I refused to do until I finished the novel, but I had no desire to finish (see my predicament?). Eventually, I did push through and finish the novel. I enjoyed the conflicts present in the last two wives better than the first, but not enough to say that I love the book.

What I didn't like:

• Solomon woos several of his wives with the same poems and sayings, including calling each of them "my dove" and a passage describing Solomon holding and kissing intimately them prior to marriage, resulting in a sexual rise from the lady, only to say "we must wait until love awakens"as he walks away.
  
  These descriptions bothered me as Solomon did not reveal himself as a man in love, rather he sounded like a sexual predator, manipulating his most current victim. While I understand many readers may not interpret Solomon's words and characters in this way, I could not shake the feeling that Solomon was a master manipulator.
  
  After reading Siti's section, I was more understanding of Solomon's motivations to keep peace via marriages to princesses of other lands, but then he manipulated Nicaula into a marriage and child after she showed her unease and asked to call off the marriage. His wording in this section, again, reminded me of a sexual predator offering confidence in the midst of insecurity rather than listening and backing off.
• Solomon is a whiny crown prince and comes off as incredibly selfish throughout the book, although the selfishness does lessen toward the end.
• Solomon's relationship with Adonai seems weak. Namaah and Abishag mention the strength of his faith, but it is not apparent to the reader. Yes, we are give the prayer when God offers Solomon anything and grants him wisdom and descriptions of his obsession with the building of the temple. The temple obsession is not a convincing argument for his love of Adonai, just his love of his father and fulfilling a duty. 

What I did like:

• The characterization of Bathsheba as Queen Mother. While I am certain her position was difficult, I appreciated how Smith used her as a friend, confidante, and adviser to each of the wives. Bathsheba also showed wisdom in how she addressed, encouraged, and reprimanded her son, even after he was king.
• The revelation that wisdom is not equal to morality or prudence. Solomon knew what he was supposed to do, but often foolishly chose to indulge his passions. I have done this in my own life, so I'm sure being the richest, wisest king of his era made temptations that much greater. I appreciated that Smith used the wives to challenge his foolishness.
• Not all of the wives are believers. The contrast between the four wives adds interest in the book. I particularly enjoyed the dissonance between Siti and Nicaula. 

I must admit, Smith's book did not change my opinion on Christian fiction, but I know there are books in this genre that I will enjoy. I just need to keep looking. And maybe avoid romances.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

April Wrap Up

This month I took on a mammoth task: Book Roast's OWLs Read-a-thon 2019. Book Roast has hosted this on her YouTube channel and bookstagram before, but this is my first time looking into her challenge. The challenge itself is pretty flexible, but encourages you to read five to seven books in April. She has prompts for each of the OWLs tested classes per Hogwarts and Harry Potter lore. You can also pick a career to "study" for, which may dictate what prompts you seek to fulfill. I chose professor as it was the most flexible and, well, my actual career.

Here's the breakdown for this year's challenge:

• Ancient Runes: Retelling
• Arithomancy: Written by more than one author
• Astronomy: "Star" in the title
• Care of Magical Creatures: Land Animal on the cover
• Charms: Age-line: Adult work
• Defense Against the Dark Arts: Reducto - book that starts with "R"
• Divination: Set in the Future
• Herbology: Plant on the Cover
• History of Magic: Book published 10+ years ago
• Muggle Studies: Contemporary read
• Potions: Next ingredient - sequel
• Transfiguration: Sprayed Edges

For my chosen career, I was to complete Defense Against the Dark Arts and six other courses. I almost made it.

Astronomy

Stardust - Neil Gaiman

I have started this book, but did not finish before the end of April. I adore the movie, so I knew I would love the book. And I do, so far. But I especially love the way Gaiman introduces Wall and Tristan and prefer the books version of Tristan entering the land beyond the wall. 

Care of Magical Creatures

The Tea Dragon Society - Kate O'Neill

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This cute graphic novel was included in OwlCrate's February box. 

Charms

The Wild Card - Hope & Wade King

I am reading this along with other middle school teachers in my district as part of a team-building, career-focused Twitter chat. Initially, I was bummed because I felt I already include much of the content in my classroom, however, as I have progressed through the book I realize while I have a solid foundation on how to be creative and engaging in my classroom, I still have more to learn.

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Renegades - Marissa Meyer (audiobook)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

First of all, this book was the perfect book to listen to at 2x the speed. Second, it is a brilliant superhero versus supervillain retelling that challenges the reader to truly consider who the good guys really are. I appreciate that the protagonist views herself as a villain, but her values and the actions of the antagonist cause the reader to question the morality of the "heroes". 

Divination

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (book + audio)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I nearly missed finishing this book in time for the Read & Gush session, but the library's audiobook selection saved me. I was able to work in the yard and listen to the final third of the book. Again, I wasn't sure how Collins would increase the anticipation and intensity of her series, but I found this to be a fitting ending to the story she created. I was happily Team Peeta all the way through and truly enjoyed discussing the characters, plot, and conflicts with the Read & Gush team, even if we did disagree about Gale.

Herbology

Four Dead Queens - Astrid Schlote

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Fitting this book into herbology is a bit of a stretch, but one of the crowns is embellished with leaves and flowers, so I counted it. Because I was already reading and loving this book and couldn't live with reading a book that didn't fit within the challenge. 

Four Dead Queens is a captivating whodunit that keeps you guessing until the end. While there were elements that were not my favorite, the mystery itself was fantastic. The twist was completely unexpected, which drove the plot to its final, fulfilling conclusion.

*OwlCrate March selection

History of Magic

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When given the chance to squeeze in an older book, I will generally pick up a classic that I've been dying to reread. That's exactly what I did with this prompt. Fahrenheit 451 is probably my favorite book of all time (yes, I think it even outranks Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice). Rereading this lit a fire in me once again about the importance of reading and learning a variety of different topics and views. Knowledge is power.

Transfiguration

Crown of Feathers - Nicki Pau Preto

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Did I maybe cheat by including this one? Yes, because I was already about 100 pages in when April started. But, Book Roast said this is for fun and qualifications are really up to me, so yes, I counted it. OwlCrate's edition of this book has a gorgeous purple cover with purple sprayed edges! It's so pretty!

Unfortunately, I don't think the story lived up to my expectations. The premise is amazing: a girl who seeks out Phoenix Riders (hello?!) and a central relationship focused on two sisters (Val and Veronyka). The story flowed well when focusing on the sisters and their goal, however, there were a couple internal romances and a secondary plot that halted the flow for me. In fact, I would have been fine not knowing the other side of the story. Also, the book had a satisfying conclusion, but the author is writing a sequel, which kind of confuses me. What more is there?

If you tally the scores you'll notice that I was one book shy of meeting the requirements for my chosen profession. But two half-read books can count as one, right?

March Wrap Up

Big dreams this month...and not so big accomplishments. At least not in reading goals.

A bit of a rough month for us transportation-wise. My husband was in a wreck in December (he was rear-ended) and the insurance company of the driver at fault is FINALLY talking care of the issue. The day after his car was towed away, my car refused to start. On a morning I as running late, luckily my mother was able to come pick me up. My dad and cousin came to look at the car, but could not figure out the issue. My car was towed the next morning (yep, both cars in the shop at once. Thank heavens for my in-laws who have been lending us a car since my husband's wreck in December). After two days of inspecting, the dealership found that a rodent had chewed through the main wiring of my car. Guess what? That damage isn't covered by your warranty. Eventually, the car was fixed. My husband is still waiting to hear back from insurance about his.

Most of March Book Haul

We have had a record number of snow days this winter: a total of TEN! Far more than I ever remember. Ever. With that, my district elected to sacrifice half of our spring break so we will not have to go to school after Memorial Day. Bummer for now, great for the summer.

A few great things happened this month, too!

I officially interviewed to direct Barefoot in the Park for the local community theatre and was notified that would be directing the show just a few days later!

I also scored some amazing deals on books at my favorite store, Cargo Largo! Over 25 books for under $80!

Now for this month's wrap up:

The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Besides being a culturally relevant, poignant story of how to be brave enough to speak up. Starr's momma, Lisa, was my favorite character, dropping wisdom and truth bombs left and right. The book is also an English teacher's dream, filled with figurative language, great character development, and themes that challenge us all to be better people.

Ami: Child of the Stars - Enrique Barrios
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A student handed this book to me one morning, telling me it was her favorite book growing up. Ami has a great message of the power and law of Love. It presents a utopia of a world at peace.

Some of my favorite bookstagrammers are hosting #readgushpanem this month and I'm excited to participate and read the series for the first time ever. Yup, you read that correctly. I have never read The Hunger Games before. The movies came out while I was teaching at a private school, but my students were so obsessed that I was turned off. Plus, that was the era of YA dystopian books turned to film and Divergent was a disappointment.
As I spilled most of my feelings during our Read & Gush discussions, the summaries here are going to be abbreviated.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Truly fantastic world-building and beautifully complex characters with realistic internal and external struggles. I'm totally Team Peeta.

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I was a bit conflicted on how Collins was going to add more intensity to the series when this book takes place outside the Games, but she exceeded my expectations and kept me glued to the story from cover to cover.

February Wrap Up

Love is in the air and, while this is the shortest month of the year, I finished seven books this month, which is far more than usual!

The Girl Who Drank the Moon - Kelly Barnhill
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow, this was a truly magical tale about the power of sorrow and the healing power of hope.
My students were reading "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson at the time and the introduction to Barnhill's enchanting tale reminded me of Jackson's theme of blindly following traditions. Although things with the reading club have fallen through, I have already discussed this book with several students!

Dear Martin - Nic Stone
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I walked in to work one day and this book was waiting for me as a gift from my "Morale Pal" who is like a Secret Santa. This short book shook me to my core. I don't know exactly how to write a review for it, but I can say that everyone should read this book. It is similar to The Hate U Give (which I am nearly finished with), but I appreciated this book a little more. In writing to Martin Luther King, Jr., Justyce challenge himself and the reader to ponder these questions: Who do I want to be? Am I making choices so I can become that person?

Barefoot in the Park - Neil Simon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As a theatre minor, I always love taking a couple of hours to read a new play, but this play is special: I'm going to be directing a production of it at my local community theatre in September! As I have not already seen it, I am prohibiting myself from watching the movie until I have read through the play a few more times and selected my creative direction. This is a touching, hilarious comedy of newlyweds who discover that while a couple can share love, they may have different views on just about anything else. 

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
⭐⭐☆
I FINALLY FINISHED listening to this book and, dear readers, I am not a fan. Gone Girl made landmark changes to the mystery and suspense genre and I did enjoy the twists and turns along the way. I desperately wanted to like this book because Flynn is from my home town (Kansas City) and it came as a recommendation from a bibliophile friend and my husband, who loves the movie.
So, what didn't I like? Far too much cursing (the F-word does not have to be used one every page) and description of genitalia. I also had a difficult time buying in to the characters. Both Nick and Amy were vile, selfish, manipulative human beings. Even when watching movies, I just cannot buy in when none of the prominent characters are redeemable or moderately moral. Was the story shocking? Absolutely. Could I have lived without reading (listening to) it. Absolutely.

The Gilded Wolves - Roshani Chokshi
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Mysteries have captivated me of late and I truly enjoyed following this band of outcasts as they sought to capture a hidden treasure. Chokshi did an excellent job separating the personality of the six (you read that correctly) major characters, making the story engaging from all angles.
*OwlCrate January selection

The Glass Castle - Tricia White Priebe
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This isn't the book you're thinking of, but you should check it out! Tricia babysat my siblings and I when we were younger and has always been a gifted writer. She worked for Jerry B. Jenkins (co-author of the Left Behind series) for some time and teamed up with him to publish her own trilogy. The Glass Castle is the first book in that trilogy and is a magical, coming-of-age novel.  The reading level is lower than I generally go for (lower middle grade, 3-5th grade), so I felt the story was a little slow in creating  the setting, but the pace quickened and I am interested in reading the next two of the series.

January Wrap Up

New Year, New (extensive) TBR!

My goal this year is to read one book a week or a total of 52 books. 

A few of my book purchases this month!
All of these were purchased for my classroom.

At the end of the first month, I'm off to a great start! I completed five books, with another book and an audiobook that have significant progress.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase - Cynthia Hand
☆☆☆☆☆
A truly imaginative and well-written, modern retelling of A Christmas Carol. I did guess the twist, but I love the way Hand  flushed out Holly's character development--arguably better than Scrooge in the original. Also, I firmly believe Boz is Dickens.

Amber & Dusk - Lyra Selene
☆☆☆☆
I was skeptical about this story at first: it felt too similar to two other books I have read, Tangled Webs (Lee Bross) and The Glass Spare (Lauren DeStephano), but eventually the plot evolved into something uniquely its own. I am interested in what will be coming next.
*OwlCrate selection, December 2018

The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris
☆☆☆☆☆
A poignant love story blooms during one of the cruelest events in human history, the holocaust. Morris writing style of vignette-like memories made me feel as though I was sitting with her as Lale shared his story.

Cress: The Lunar Chronicles Book 3 - Marissa Meyer
☆☆☆☆☆
This second installment has only made me fall deeper in love with Cinder and Kai. Cress's character building has made Thorne more likable, but Scarlet and Wolf are still growing on me. Meyer has done a fantastic job creating a truly vile evil queen in Levana, but I have mixed feelings about Kai's adviser. Is he supporting Kai or Levana?

This Splintered Silence - Kayla Olson
☆☆☆☆☆
Olson wrote one of my favorite reads from last year, The Sandcastle Empire, so I have truly been looking forward to reading this sci-fi mystery. I was cautious at first because Lindley's narrative voice was similar to Eden's from TSE. However, this story quickly took on a personality of it's own and drew me in completely! I was constantly guessing who was guilty and how the love triangle would work out.

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn (audiobook)
I'm started listening to this in April 2018 and I still have not finished it because I have a difficult time buying in to the motivations of these two selfish, vile characters. But I'm no quitter--I will finish this. Eventually.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon - Kelly Barnhill
My mentor teacher and a school librarian are leading a reading club at our middle school and have encouraged teachers to choose one of the "32 Best Middle School Reads" to discuss at one of their book talks. While I have not read this book yet, I selected it because I had already purchased it because the story intrigues me.

More detailed summaries and my progress on my goal can be found on my GoodReads account. Feel free to follow me (Lynnae Rachele Andersen) there and let me know what you're reading!

March Wrap-Up

Can you believe that today is the last day of March? Me neither!

I have been terrible at blogging what I've been reading. Now, mind you, I don't do this for the followers (that has really frustrated some people), but simply because I enjoy putting my literary thoughts on paper, so to speak. But, I do like the idea of one post that gives a short review of what I have read this month. 

Thus, this post. 

March Reads

Completed

1. Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   I feel a little guilty including this as I merely finished the list 80 pages on March first, alas, that means GoodReads includes it as a March book. 
   First installment of the Forbidden Isles series: detailes the imprisonment and impressive power of Mira Minkoba the Hopebringer and protector of dragons.
2. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory ⭐⭐⭐
   Drew and Alexa are trapped on an elevator together and Alexa finds herself as Drew's wedding date. What starts off as a non-committal, one-time date turns into an adorable love story.
   I'm still figuring out how to rate romance novels. My brain tries to place them on the same level as other genres, and that isn't fair. 
3. The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   Adorable story of how the Lord directed in the Gaines' life long before they starred on HGTV's Fixer Upper. 
4. Steel Magnolias (play) by Robert Harling ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   I am honored to portray Annelle Dupuy-DeSoto in a production of this play next month at a local community theatre.
5. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
   This is the first of Hannah's novels that I have read, but I will certainly be picking up more.
   The Allbrights adventure to Alaska with hope for a brighter future. Instead, they learn survival from nature and themselves during the long winter. 
6. Fallen by Lauren Kate ⭐⭐⭐
   A little contrived, but a great novel about reincarnation, love, and fallen angels.
7. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
   Ironically, probably my favorite romance novel to date. Don Tillman is a geneticist in search of a wife, and he has the 16-page survey to prove it. Enter Rosie, the antithesis of Don's Wife Project, but with an intriguing Project of her own. 

In Progress

1. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher ⭐⭐⭐
   Fisher is certainly a skilled poet and witty personality. Couple that with her involvement in Star Wars and her personal diary kept during the filming of the original trilogy: a great premise for an autobiography. But, while I found the writing compelling and read 90% of the novel in about 3 hours, overall I found myself feeling sorry for Carrie and the life she didn't want. The book left me with an overwhelming sense of pity that Carrie never found herself. 
2. The Hazel Wood
   I started this modern fairy tale at the end of the month. The thing that interests me the most about it is what many reviewers complain about: the dark tone. I do see some of the negativity towards Alice's character, but so far I have not seen enough to agree that she treats Finch abominably.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

You know that old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover"? Well, it's true.

Yes, there are beautiful covers out there--and there are ugly ones. While you and I may be drawn to particular book because of its cover, that should not be the sole reason to read the book. I know, I hear you gasping. "But," you say, "some of my now-favorite books I only picked up because of the cover." Congratulations. Truly, we don't--or shouldn't--select friends solely on face value, so why do we choose books that way?

I'm going to rant for a minute, and, because this is my blog, I can. You are welcome to share your thoughts below, but please, as you read on, understand that it is not my intention to belittle anyone. I just want you to think a minute about why you select a book.

A few weeks ago, upon completing Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows, I logged into GoodReads to upload my review. {I absolutely loved the first installment of the Forbidden Isles series, but I'll post about that later.} After selecting my rating and uploading a brief review, I scrolled through a few pages of reviews. Unlike many readers, I like to read the negative/low reviews. We all have our own reasons for down-voting a text: theme isn't my taste, don't connect with the characters, confused by the plot, no explanation for just not liking it. For me, these reviews show the beauty of literature and of life: we don't all like the same things. And that is completely okay.

One review stood out to me. No, I will not link to the review or give you the name. As I said, I mean to offend no one, but even a few weeks later, I can't get what I feel off my mind. So, I'm blogging.

* * * * * * * * *

I must warn you, this blog will contain some spoilers to Before She Ignites. If you have not read the book yet (and you should), consider reading my thoughts after you complete the story.

* * * * * * * * * *

I loved this verse for this book. Mira really does
 "test everything" and "hold(s) fast to what is good".
She isn't blinded by the lies she has been taught.
She seeks Truth and defends the helpless, regardless of the cost.

Before I go further, take a look at the cover of Before She Ignites. Beautiful, isn't it? A strong, confident woman stands in the midst of a beautiful, dark forest subtly lit by silver and gold moons. The title, blazoned in gold, ends with a dragon-like tail circling the woman's legs. If I saw this book on the shelf, I would definitely be convinced that I want to read that!

After reading the novel, I found the cover even more fitting: the woman looked as I imagined Mira would and it showed her love and protection of dragons in a subtle way. What I loved about the cover, is also what drew the other reviewer to the text.

She too read it. And slaughtered the book for one reason: the woman on the front represented a confident, [Black] woman, yet the book told of great torture that Mira faced at the hands of a [Black] man. The review preceded to fault and tear apart Meadow's book because of the treatment of Black women in it.

I must politely challenge this review. There are several ways that I believe the reviewer's premise is faulty

First, the author never claims that Mira Minkoba the Hopebringer is Black. Not at first, not at all. In fact, Mira describes herself on the second page of the novel:

Mother had sent me upstairs to don a coral-colored dress, with thin straps that left my shoulders bare to the summer sun; already my skin prickled and warmed into a deeper shade of brown. My maid had unpinned my hair so that it fell in long, loose waves, then crowned me with a wreath of lala flowers that Mother said reminded everyone of my youth and innocence. The effort to straighten my hair was wasted, though; humidity was already bringing the curls back to life.

 Did you catch that? Mira described her skin as a deep[er] shade of brown. There many cultures that could claim this exact thing: Africans, African Americans, American Indians, those from the Middle East, Spain, Mexico, Italy--all have skin tones that could fit within the the description "shade of brown".

Second, all of the characters described in the book are variants of the description Mira gave herself. Throughout the book, she references the different skin tones, but they are all shades of brown. This made sense to me as all the characters came from the same geographic area: the Forbidden Isles. Truly, descriptions of the characters would not have changed much if Meadows had said Mira's skin was a deep shade of purple, blue, or green. And, for the record, Mira's nemesis, Altan is described as golden-brown while Aaru is a lighter brown.

Third, there is fault in the retelling of Mira's torture. The reviewer was passionate about her hatred for the book because "a Black man is beating a Black woman". But this description eliminates too many facts to be true. Mira is NOT the only prisoner, nor is she the only one who receives torturous treatment. It is well-known that those on the first block do not have the privileges of others and some of the other prisoners have been on the block a long time. This story is told only from Mira's perspective, so we do not have enough information to know that she is the only one who has ever been treated this way. Altan does single Mira out, but not because he is a man who wants to beat a woman. She has information about dragons that he is desperate to have. I believe Altan would have used the same tactics on anyone with the information Mira held, regardless of gender.

Finally, and this is the big one for me, there is fault in making too many correlations between reality and fiction. Books do take us to worlds we can't travel to, but we must remember to leave our world behind in the process. Before She Ignites is not set in our world; Meadows created a truly beautiful fantasy realm which includes Mira's home, the Forbidden Isles. The religion, lore, and racial bias of that book is unique to itself and we are doing a disservice to the novel by bringing the religion, lore, or biases of our world into it. Altan's treatment of Mira is not exalted, Mira's strength is the focus. Were we to write this novel to please that one reviewer, we would lose the crux of the story: Mira's tragedy is what reveals her greatest strength. 

The racial bias that is rampant in our country--and across the globe--is disgusting. Mistreating or disrespecting another individual simply because they don't look, believe, or live like you is irrational and inhumane. Please, don't consider this review as an advocation for prejudice. We are all human, therefore we ought to seek to help and benefit everyone around us. 

I truly enjoyed reading both Before She Ignites and the review. Yes, that review. Why? Because it made me think about how I perceive others and literature. I do believe all literature teaches us about life, but I think we must also be careful not to force a message into a text to fit personal assumptions. 

And let me tell you, that's hard. I'm a Christian and and English teacher: I see Jesus and symbolism everywhere. 

Next time you pick up a book, don't just judge it by its cover. Do me a favor and read the synopsis inside. That's where you really know if you will love the soul the book has to offer from cover to cover. 

Silent Servitude

Dystopias are the literary version of Charles Dickens's Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. They give us a glimpse at what might be, should we not fight for what is.

I have always been attracted to dystopias: they offer a lesson for us to learn, a future to prevent. These negative versions of society challenge us to rise up and act in areas where we are tempted to sit idly by thinking, "Surely that won't happen to me." Each dystopian author presents readers with a lesson to learn. In Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 mankind must take care how government can use technology to limit intelligence. The Giver challenges us to remember the past in order to build a more vibrant future.

The Handmaid's Tale gives voice to the silent, demanding we fight for our future in the midst of a troubling present by remembering the blessings of the past.

Atwood presents a society where women are servile to men. Nuclear war has scarred the earth: harming reproduction of vegetation, livestock . . . and humans. Due to the low reproductive rate of humanity, the Republic of Gilead gains control and forces women into servile positions reminiscent of Biblical times. Poor women or those who have had "indiscretions" in the past are given four options: forced sterility and service as whores; Marthas who function as household servants; Handmaidens, whose sole purpose is to become impregnated by whatever Commander  has interred their service; or choose banishment to serve a short life in the radioactive wasteland. Sterile women or those outside of childbearing years only have three options, while those healthy and under the age of thirty-five may choose to be handmaidens.

The later is the choice of the nameless protagonist of The Handmaid's Tale.

"We yearned for the future" (3).

The novel is a splintered tale of the handmaiden's present with abrupt glimpses into her past and "the time before" the Republic of Gilead seized power. Throughout the novel, the handmaiden shares her struggle in accepting the role society needs her to play and her desire for the freedoms of her past.

I was unexpectedly drawn into Atwood's tale. While the pace of flashbacks took some time to get used to, I appreciated the style of the novel: as if the handmaid were telling me the tale in person, with asides to the memories of her past. I also appreciated that, while sexual interactions were necessary to the plot, Atwood did not give more detail than needed. The base descriptions of the interaction between Commander, Wife, and Handmaiden added to the struggle the handmaiden was having within herself.

There were two items of the story that seemed unnecessary or took up too much space: the handmaiden's search for a friend she met at the beginning of her capture and a club scene between her and the Commander. Truly, I felt these could have been left out entirely, although the latter scene was somewhat justified in the epilogue.

Oh, the epilogue. Whatever you do, don't skip over the epilogue of this book. A brilliant addition to the story---which I won't ruin. Just make sure you read this one from cover (author introduction) to cover (epilogue).

Rating: 4/5 stars
As I said, it took some time for me to get into the style and pace of Atwood's writing and there were a few scenes that seemed unnecessary. Besides that, The Handmaid's Tale is a truly wonderful dystopia, creating a believable alternate future and presenting the reader with a powerful lesson.

The Republic of Gilead

Have you ever been assigned a book, and, purely because it was assigned, found you had a growing disdain for the title without doing a moment of research?

Have you ever heard someone else's opinion on a novel and found yourself immediately turned off from reading it?

Both of these were reasons I avoided picking up Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Add to that my caution about any book turned to movie/tv show and you found the book I avoided like the plague.

So, what were my major concerns before reading the book?

• Representation of Religion
  One of my peers who chose to read the novel during our graduate course said that Atwood's book confirmed his/her hatred and abandonment of Christianity specifically and of religion in general. As a follower of Christ, I was concerned that this book was not a proper representation of Christianity, but I wasn't courageous enough to read the book and have that conversation at the time.
• Feminism
  Because I chose another book for the grad course, I could only view the novel through the eyes of those who did read it, and the response was overwhelmingly feminist. Now, I am an advocate for women, but I do believe much of the feminist movement has gotten out of control, focusing on only the negative and not on how men and women work together to create our world. 

 What drew me to the book?

Honestly? I caved to peer pressure. I recently joined the PageHabit team and started a "bookstagram" and The Handmaid's Tale kept popping up. I realized that I could not justifiably disregard the book until I had at least attempted to read it. Plus, I purchased it for $1.50.

Have I sold you yet? I know this sounds skeptical, but bear with me and keep reading.

The Introduction

The Handmaid's Tale, though it has recently gained national attention via a Netflix show based on Atwood's book, is not a new publication. Atwood began writing the dystopia in 1984 and it was originally published two years later. In 2017, with the production of the Netflix show underway, Atwood added an introduction to the novel. The teacher in me never skips the introduction and I was please to find that the author addressed the concerns I listed above. 

First, she addressed the topic of feminism:

"...is The Handmaid's Tale a "feminist" novel? If you mean an ideological tract in which all women are angels and/or so victimized they are incapable of moral choice, no. If you mean a novel in which women are human beings--with all the variety of character and behavior that implies--and are also interesting and important, and what happens to them is crucial to the them, structure, and plot of the book, then yes. In that sense many books are "feminist" (xvi).

 Here Atwood so poignantly addresses that fact that any book which presents women as fallible human beings is presenting women in a favorable, realistic light. Many novels have female characters that are crucial to the story who face incredible situations, yet never stop fighting for their individuality and freedom.

Second, she addressed the topic of religion:

"Is The Handmaid's Tale anti-religion? Again, it depends on what you mean by that. True, a group of authoritarian men seize control and attempt to restore an extreme version of the patriarchy, in which women (like nineteenth-century American slaves) are forbidden to read. . . . they can't control money or have jobs outside the home, unlike some women in the Bible. The regime uses Biblical symbols, as any authoritarian regime taking over America doubtless would, they wouldn't be Communists or Muslims" (xvii). 

This is the paragraph that actually opened my eyes and encouraged me to read the book with an open mind. Notice some of her words: "an extreme version of the patriarchy", "unlike some women in the Bible", and "uses some Biblical symbols".

Every good dystopia is built upon making a minor thing--which is often innocent or useful--an extreme problem. In the Hunger Games the world is divided into industries, in Divergent it is character traits, The Giver takes away memories to wipe away fear (and happiness). Atwood creates her dystopia by taking principals and traditions of Christianity and seeing how they could be used to create an adverse, authoritarian society.

Note secondly, that Atwood addresses how this world treats women differently than women in the Bible. Many women in the Bible held positions of power and respect. The Proverbs 31 woman is a well-rounded, independent woman. While she does perform many of the tasks that are mandated for the Marthas and Handmaids in The Handmaid's Tale, we also see that she oversees her household (verse 15) and purchases land (verse 16) and that through the characteristics described from verses 10-31, she earns her husband's honor and trust. The men of Gilead have no respect for women, and the women thereby have little respect for themselves and those around them.

Finally, Atwood points out that the authoritarian government she created uses Biblical symbols.
I won't ramble much longer as this ties to the last point. Unfortunately, many people--religious and non-religious--have used symbols, stories, and principles found in Scripture to advocate for causes that, I believe, are completely in opposition with the Bible. Did Jacob have two wives? Yes. Did Rachel give her handmaid to Jacob to provide children in her name? Yes. Does that mean God condones such actions. Absolutely not.

As you can see, I had quite a bit on my mind as I opened the cover of The Handmaid's Tale, but that didn't prevent me from reading the dystopia from cover to cover.

Fel's Manteca Colora (almost)

Now Fel stood in the Nomeolvides kitchen, melting down manteca, dyeing it red with paprika and chili powder. He tore green herbs into pieces, letting them fall into the bright sauce.

. . . He sliced day-old bread and spread it over a metal sheet. He brushed it with olive oil and garlic cloves and left it in the oven until the edges browned.

As he swirled the spoon through the wide copper pot, this family and this kitchen felt so much like his that he didn't worry about the paprika staining the wooden spoon. He stirred in bay and oregano leaves, and they sank into the manteca colora. The stems gave off a low, bitter smell that made him remember the gold and orange of fall leaves. (Wild Beauty, 108-109) 

Let me begin by stating, I know this recipe is wrong. But, I'm also okay with that because from what I can tell, manteca colora is a family-by-family recipe. Even Fel and Estralla disagree on what exactly the meal consists of.

Last night, I invited a friend over to help me make Fel's version of manteca colora, as described in the quotation above. I also searched online to find a similar recipe, and found this definition:

Manteca colora (Andalusian for "red lard") is a food item prepared by adding spices (usually bay leaf and oregano) and paprika--which is what gives the dish its characteristic orange color--to lard, which is then cooked with minced or finely shopped pieces of pork. (wikipedia)

McLemore mentions that Fel pulls out day old bread, manteca, and meat, so we started there.

Day Old Bread: I must admit, I do not keep day old bread in my house, so . . . I faked it. I toasted two slices of bread then, as described above, my friend set it on a pan, brushed it with olive oil, and sprinkled on a little garlic salt. The bread was placed in the oven at 200F for about six minutes.

Manteca: I'm supremely embarrassed to tell you thatnothing. So, all I can tell you is I used a bunch of butter--probably close to two sticks or one cup. What I should have done: combine the butter/fat and spices (I used cumin, oregano, and paprika, totally overlooked the chili) in a bowl and melt in microwave or stove. Hey, I'm sure Fel would have used a microwave if he had one.
my dish was missing the main ingredient, lard. I don't keep that on hand (don't judge me, I'm a newlywed who has only just started to cook). What do I have in my kitchen to substitute? Butter. I wanted to be true to the story, so I measured

Meat: Traditional menteca colora recipes use pork, but the meat I had on hand was canned chicken. I had a total brain fart and threw everything into one bowl before melting the butter/spices. Next time, I'll follow the directions I listed above. Shred the meat and add to the manteca mixture.

Spanish rice and Manteca Colora.
Notice: mine is not a rich red color.
I believe adding chili will help with
that in the future. 

From here, I know what I made was wrong. Next time, I will let the meat simmer in the manteca to ensure it thickens a little. As Fel did, I served mine warm: a foundation of toast with the manteca colora spooned on the top. My friend and I felt something was missing, so we added cheese. As I read more about the dish, I realized it is generally served at breakfast, so I drizzled honey over mine (so incredibly amazing), but my friend chose to go without.

There you go! My failed attempt at Fel's Manteca Colora as described in Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore.

Fel spooned the manteca colora over the bread, softening the edges. He served the Nomeolvides women, grandmothers and mothers and daughters, hoping they would speak, talk to one another about anything, knowing they wouldn't He sat down with them, and they ate. The paprika's spice slid over their tongues, the herbs coming up through the red enough that they still tasted green and alive. (Wild Beauty, 110) 

Bookish Baking

About a year ago, my wonderful husband introduced be to Binging with Babish on YouTube . Babish devotes his channel to cooking recipes mentioned in movies and tv shows; then, he makes them better. Usually with the addition of alcohol (check the man out, he's amazing).  

I was cooking dinner when I told my husband that I was reviving this blog. As I gathered ingredients and pans from various cabinets around our tiny kitchen, I mentioned that I wanted to bring something different to the table--I wanted this to be more than "this is my review, blah, blah, blah". Halfway through our conversation I realized what I wanted to do: a literary version of Binging with Babish. A bookish baking blog, if you will.

Now, be warned, I AM NOT BABISH. That man is amazingly talented and has a wonderful channel. For now, there definitely won't be videos--I sound like I'm twelve when I'm recorded. Also, I'm no culinary master. Nope, just your average housewife who can generally follow and make minor changes to recipes found on Pinterest. I do love to cook and experiment . . . and binge watch all of the culinary and baking shows on Netflix.

This is to be a culinary adventure inspired by literature. Some recipes will be a success and some--I'm sure--will horribly fail; some will be reminiscent of a meal your grandma made and some will have you scratching your head because I probably made it wrong. Whatever the case, feel free to share your culinary adventures or corrections to my culinary adventures in the comments.

Until it's supper time,

Lynnae

Wild Beauty

"Readers Block" maimed me through most of 2016-2017, partly due to the aggressive pace I set for completing my graduate degree and partly due to lesson planning as a middle school English teacher. But with the completion of my course work in January, my husband encouraged me to actually read the books I had received. My sister recently began a subscription as well, and recommended I move Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore up on my TBR list. I loved several of my other OwlCrate books (reviews may come later as I play catch-up), so McLemore's text became my mid-December read.

What attracted me to the book?

To begin with, Wild Beauty  has a beautiful cover, and, isn't that what initially draws us to any book? I love flowers--even though I have a tendency to kill them--so our apartment is filled with living, dying, and faux flora.

Second, I loved the premise of a book that centered on familial relationships. The main characters are five female cousins with a powerful bond of family and friendship.

Third, I've been missing my Hispanic students since moving back from Texas and I love that this book blends Spanish vocabulary into the text and introduces the reader to some of the intimacy and delicacies of the culture.

I must be honest, this one was hard for me to get into.

The first hundred pages seemed to drag on. Yes, I said the first hundred pages, but I was determined to make it through, so I kept reading and moving my motivation Post-It fifty pages ahead. 

What made the book difficult to read?

I didn't know exactly how to put this, but when reading a random review on GoodReads, I realized I agreed with another reader: the author was too descriptive. And odd drawback, no? Especially coming from me, the girl who loves to read the amplified Bible. McLemore was so descriptive, that the reader hardly had room to imagine the space. And example of too much "show" in places. The descriptions made the story lag a bit, for me. 

The element that irritated me the most was the authors way of including an LGBT theme. While I have no problem with the inclusion of LGBT content, the content of this book--as explained in the first hundred pages--seemed forced.

* * * * * SPOILER WARNING * * * * *

 All five cousins were in love with the same girl. And they all knew it. And they all kept trinkets. I don't have five close female cousins [I was blessed to have a multiplicity of boy cousins], but I have had  many close girlfriends throughout high school and college and, let me tell you, there's is no jealously and rivalry like two girls in love with the same person. LET ALONE FIVE. McLemore painted the cousins' relationship as friendly and accepting that they were all in love with the same person, but I just couldn't buy in. 

Now, I will say, my feelings changed quite a bit at the twist in the story. McLemore nearly redeems herself with a solidly realistic explanation. 

Estralla and her cousins blessed one another's love for Bay, not only because they share it, but [also] because they considered it impossible (174).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 What redeemed the book?

There several wonderful things about Wild Beauty that allow me to comfortably recommend this to other readers, with a fair warning that it has a slow start. 

First, the enchantment of the story. Without spoiling any more of the story, the magical garden that McLemore created is truly enchanting and the curse that binds the Nomeolvides women together will keep you reading from cover to cover.

Second, the mysterious boy that appears keeps you involved because, like Estralla and the rest of the women, you want to learn more about who he is, who he was, and why the garden released him from the ground (that's no spoiler, it's on the book jacket). 

Third, the twist does exactly what the author intended: I couldn't set the book down for another few chapters because I wanted to read the twist through to the peak of the climax. 

Finally, McLemore resolves her tale beautifully. Again, I won't give away any more, but by the final paragraph, Estralla has had a true coming of age: acceptance of self, love lost and gained, and a rebirth of who she will be. 

Rating: ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐

A New Evolution

New Year, New Me, right?

I can't believe it's been five years since I last blogged, but one of my resolutions for 2018 was to get back to blogging, specifically blogging about books I'm reading.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Quick Overview:

In the past 5 years I have

• completed my undergraduate: English Ed
• taught English, theatre, yearbook, and computer applications
• completed my graduate degree: English: Creative Writing
• moved to Texas
• moved back to Missouri
• married the love of my life

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This blog started as part of a class assignment during my undergrad--my online reader's journal. From there, I shared a few books I liked, but at not consistent rate. That's about to change.

Over the past year, I had the pleasure of subscribing to a monthly book box: OwlCrate (definitely recommend). Unfortunately, I had to cancel the subscription because adulating takes money, but I hope to renew the subscription soon. Less than a week after cancelling OwlCrate, I found an ad on Intagram from another subscription box, PageHabit, looking for a new moderator for one of their book box genres. I applied.

And they accepted me!

So, how is this blog evolving? Subtly.

From Cover to Cover will still cover books I'm reading and I promise to be open about the good, the bad, and the ugly about each text. My aim is to write a literary analysis of the text. Some will be longer than others.

The main difference will be that each month you will find my review of the PageHabit book assigned to me for the previous month (head's up--I'm moderating Romance). So, expect quite a few plugs for PageHabit within posts.

But there will be other texts, too. I have several books from OwlCrate to complete and I want to read a variety of genres this year.

Here's to a new year, a new me, and a (slightly) new evolution to this blog. Come back often to see what I've been reading from Cover to Cover.

Tuesdays at the Castle

I unashamedly admit that I thoroughly enjoy reading juvenille fiction. My cousin, who also happens to be one of my students, fuels this passion by sliding books across my desk & into my teacher's bag (by rights, I do the same to her).

The latest book to slither into my possession was Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George.

Although the book may initially suggest the mysterious movings of Hogwarts from J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, George breathes life into the stones and mortar of Glower castle in a captivating, unique way. Each Tuesday, out of supposed boredom, Glower castle changes. rooms are added or eliminated, stretched or shrunk. The weekly castle's weekly adjustments are old news to the inhabitants of the castle and the land. The castle shows it personality in other ways, too: kings rise and fall according to the castle's will (and there's no use fighting because it will simply kick you out or rearrange).

Celie of Glower, the youngest of the four royal children, leads the reader on a tour of this magical place as she seeks to map the ever appearing, and disappearing rooms. When trouble strikes, it is up to the three youngest Glower children--Rolf, Lilah, & Celie--to defend the castle and their family and their land from hostile neighbors.

Of course, the castle helps defend itself to.

You and your 4th-8th graders are sure to enjoy this captivating little story about Princess Celie and her creative castle.

Classic Romance

Jane Eyre far exceeded my expectations. What made me cringe at eleven made me swoon at twenty-three.

Bronte masterfully draws the reader into the improbable romance between Jane and Edward while maintaining Jane's feminism and virtuous morality. Although the reader knows that a relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester should be improbable, Bronte captures her readers by maintaining realism through Mr. Rochester's flamboyant character and Jane's practice of self-control. The complications of social status, age, and relationships both strengthen and deepen the characters of Jane Eyre, creating persons the audience can relate to.

Of course, I wonder if Jane is a partial refection of the author herself who was the daughter of a minister but fell in love with a married man. Jane's inner thoughts concerning her love for Mr. Rochester must have come from a mind which was also self-disciplined to overrule the emotional tendencies of the heart.

So after twelve years and a second chance, Jane Eyre has made it onto my "must read" list. The themes of retribution, love, and virtuous morality have created a story that I will gladly read from cover to cover.

Austen vs. Bronte

If you ask a lady what her favorite book is, I'll be you'll get one of two answers: Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. Ironically, those who cherish Jane Eyre can't stand Pride and Prejudice and the Austen lovers tend to loath the Bronte fanatics. What's the big deal?

Of course, for the majority of my life I have been an avid Austenite (though I have yet to get through Emma--to much a of girly novel for me). I loathed Jane Eyre on principle. Now I am faced with a perplexing problem: was I wrong to set the two novels at odds? Can I not love both?

Honestly, I do not find the two novels comparable. Bronte's novel is a macabre romance while Austen's remains a light romantic comedy. The events of Pride and Prejudice occur in a few short years, while readers of Jane Eyre grow with Jane from adolescence to maturity. Austen presents a window into the social life of the times while Bronte challenges social and religious conventions.

And here I am perplexed: can one truly justify upholding one while degrading the other? Both captivate the audience drawing the reader out of reality. Both romances correctly address the inner conflict of the heroine while creating a charming hero that any girl could fall in love with (despite Mr. Rochester's age). Truly if you were to ask me "Austen or Bronte" I would have to retort "both," for both have become treasures of my library.

A Shining Light

"A friend loves at all times and brothers are born for trials." (Proverbs 17:17)

When Jane entered Lowood school she needed one thing: a friend. True, she needed acceptance and academic training, but she needed a companion who would do more than accept her--she needed to be loved. And for this need Bronte creates a shining light: Helen Burns.

I find it interesting that Bronte chose to name this deep, insightful character Helen Burns. Up to this point, Jane has lived in a world of darkness and despair. What light has shined in her life is faded or a cheap reflection. But Helen is a true light, just as her name suggests. She shines through the darkness of Jane's former and current surroundings burning truths of Scripture into the poor orphan girl's empty, dark soul.

From the start Helen admonishes Jane to "Read the New Testament, and observe what Christ says, and how he acts; make his word your rule, and his conduct your example." The light that shines within Helen is not produced out of her own good works. Helen shines because she reflects the perfect light of Christ.

Throughout the few, short chapters in which Helen is mentioned, Jane finds herself surrounded by warmth and honesty. A fire in Miss Temple's room is a physical picture of the warmth Jane feels in the company of Miss Temple and Helen. Jane remarks that "I never tired of Helen Burns; more ever ceased to cherish for her a sentiment of attachment . . . How could it be otherwise, when Helen, at all times and under all circumstances, evinced for me a quiet and faithful friendship, which ill-humor never soured, nor irritation ever troubled?" How many of us could say that we have a friend like that? How many of us are a friend like Helen Burns?

Helen's static, deep character is discussed briefly in comparison to the expanse of Jane Eyre, yet, both times I have read it I believe I've wished to be more like Helen than any other character. Oh, that my life would be a living testimony to others. Oh, that I would graciously accept criticism in order to be perfected into the image of Christ.

Oh that I may be a Helen Burns--a shining light burning forth for Christ.

Poor Orphan Girl

In my first reading of Jane Eyre, I became so grossed out by the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester, that I completely forgot the beautifully descriptive language Bronte used to describe Jane's unfortunate childhood.  I was crushed by the impact of Bronte's words. Jane's torments became my torments, her fears my fears, her frustrations my frustrations, her passions my passions. The poor orphan child longed desperately for the one thing she was not given: love.

I wonder how Mrs. Reed could treat her niece this way? Why did no one care for this poor orphan girl who was cherished by her uncle? What kind of life would make a child of 9-10 consider a poorly run school a haven from a house filled with the finest things the world had to offer?

Bronte masterfully sketches the unfortunate, but necessary childhood of Jane. Having read the novel once before, I know that some themes will return later in the book--darkness and mystery and unrequited love--but I'm also anxious to see what else Bronte will teach me in my second reading. After all, there's a world of difference between a fourth grader and a college senior. Maybe the situations of this poor orphan girl will prove crucial after all . . .