Book Review: The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Mary Hooper

Book Review
“... most of the vast space about us remained in darkness, with who-knew-what lurking in the depths of its murky corners. The stench of filth was indescribable, and a faint, cloying mist hung in the air.”



Title: The Disgrace of Kitty Grey
Author: Mary Hooper
First Published: 2013
Language: English
Pages: 282

Summary:
Kitty is living a happy, carefree life as a dairymaid in the countryside. The grand family she is employed by looks after her well, and she loves her trade, caring for the gentle cows and working in the cool, calm dairy. And then, of course, there is Will, the river man who she thinks is very fond of her, and indeed she is of him. Surely he will ask her to marry him soon? Then one day disaster strikes: Will disappears. Kitty is first worried and then furious. She fears that Will has only been leading her on all this time, and has now gone to London to make his fortune, forgetting about her completely. So, when Kitty is asked to go to London to pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice, the latest novel by the very fashionable Jane Austen, Kitty leaps at the chance to track down Will. But Kitty has no idea how vast London is, and how careful she must be. It is barely a moment before eagle-eyed pickpockets have spotted the country-born-and-bred Kitty and relieved her of her money and belongings.

Review:
I didn’t expect much when I started reading this book. It certainly has a rather low rating on Goodreads and I hadn’t heard of it before either. I went in completely unaware of what was awaiting me. However, I must tell that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read even though I don’t get around to read those kinds of books as much as I would like. I’ve been studying about the era this story took place and know quite a lot about it, but I still learned new things. That shows how much research went into writing this book and that’s certainly something I appreciate. The best part of this book was the plot. It was so entertaining that I had trouble putting this book down. One of the themes dealt with within this novel was the famous “rich vs poor” theme. It was depicted in a great way in my opinion and was pivotal when discussing this era.

However, even though the plot was perfect, the book did lack certain things in my opinion. One of the things I missed was the emotional aspect of the story. Many issues took place, and being an easy crying, those things were certainly cry material, but I didn’t even get emotional when reading these parts, let alone tearing up. That’s why I believe that the story is not as moving as it could be. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a page-turner though.

Another issue I found when reading the book is the language. Now, I believe this is rather a preference of mine, but when I read dialogues, I like it when it’s written in a way that that person is speaking. Kitty was a milkmaid but at times was speaking as if she were a lady of high class. I did sense that the writer was trying to depict the fact that she was a milkmaid, but it wasn’t quite there yet in my opinion.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction and romance.

Rating:  ★★★★☆


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Book Haul: December

Book Haul
The end of the year is near and I'd like to show you my last book haul of 2016. This month, I went to a book fair with a friend (Gina) and bought a whole lot of new books. 

This fair is called "De Boekenfestijn" and they sell new books for a really great price. What's even more amazing for me is that there is a wide variety of English books. Living in Belgium, I can't seem to find many books written in English. I usually buy books on the internet. 

















Book Review: Persuasion by Jane Austen

Book Review
“There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison.”
― Jane Austen

Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen
First Published: 1818
Language: English
Pages: 320

Summary:
Eight years ago Anne Elliot bowed to pressure from her family and made the decision not to marry the man she loved, Captain Wentworth. Now circumstances have conspired to bring him back into her social circle and Anne finds her old feelings for him reignited. However, when they meet again Wentworth behaves as if they are strangers and seems more interested in her friend Louisa. In this, her final novel, Jane Austen tells the story of a love that endures the tests of time and society with humour, insight and tenderness.

Review:

I made it my duty to read more of Jane Austen after reading Pride and Prejudice. I always believed that I wouldn't enjoy Jane Austen because of the writing style but how wrong I was. In a way, it's because of her that I enjoy reading classics.

 At first it was a bit hard to get into, so it took me a while to get through the first 70 pages. However, not long after that, I was hooked. What captured my attention the most within this novel is the reflections Anne made. It made me get to know the values of a woman during the beginning of the 19th century and when comparing to our values, there are so many differences yet so many similarities at the same time.

 I've read many reviews complaining about the fact that we couldn't really get much information about the main character Captain Wentworth and how that is a pity. I do wish I knew more about his character but I believe it was intentionally written in a way that we would be left in the dark in order to be surprised at the end, if that makes sense. 

 This is definitely another masterpiece that I can add to my “favorites” pile. I can’t tell you how wonderful this little book was. I enjoyed it thoroughly, especially the last 100 pages glued me to the book. (Walked around reading it on the street, it’s only luck that I wasn’t in an accident.) Pride and Prejudice is definitely still my favorite book, but this one comes pretty close.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading classics.

Rating:  ★★★★★



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Book Review: Miracle Beach by Erin Celello

Book Review
“Then she closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and let the rain soak her straight through.”
― Erin Celello

 Title: Miracle Beach
Author: Erin Celello
First Published: 2011
Language: English
Pages: 326

Summary:
Macy Allen, an accomplished equestrienne, has relied on her horses and her husband, Nash, to pull her through. But after Nash dies in a tragic accident, Macy learns devastating secrets about his life that rock her belief in their marriage and herself. Nash's mother, Magda, blames Macy for her only son's death. When her husband, Jack, moves to Vancouver Island in a desperate attempt to feel closer to the son he's lost and never really knew, Magda's bitterness threatens to alienate the people she needs most. As this unlikely family questions how well they knew Nash and what love really means, still another surprise awaits them-an irrepressible child who will overturn all their expectations.

 Review:

This was an enjoyable read that discusses grief. The writing style was one of the few thing I actually enjoyed. The world building was very well done as well.

There were many issues I had with this book. In my opinion, the writer knew how to weave the story well, too well in if you ask me. Many events within the book are written in a way that seemed to me the writer wanted to make it easy to come to a conclusion, which I didn’t like at all. It didn’t make sense. Many times I sat there and thought “Of course this would happen."

Even though the book contains only 326 pages, it still felt too long. Many things I wanted to know were left unanswered, while unimportant stuff were being discussed on and on. I had a hard time to be attentive while reading it, so in my case, this book was rather dull.

I am however thankful for reading it. There were some perspectives within this book I hadn’t thought of before so I did definitely learn something new. However, I don’t see myself rereading it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary and doesn’t mind some dull moments within a book.

Rating:  ★★★☆☆



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Upcoming Releases: November

Upcoming Releases

Some books that are being released this month definitely caught my eye and I thought I'd share five of them with you.



Moonglow by  Michael Chabon
In 1989, fresh from the publication of his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon traveled to his mother’s home in Oakland, California to visit his terminally ill grandfather. Tongue loosened by powerful painkillers, memory stirred by the imminence of death, Chabon’s grandfather shared recollections and told stories the younger man had never heard before, uncovering bits and pieces of a history long buried and forgotten. That dreamlike week of revelations forms the basis for the novel Moonglow, the latest feat of legerdemain in the ongoing magic act that is the art of Michael Chabon.
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
In 1837, less than a month after her eighteenth birthday, Alexandrina Victoria – sheltered, small in stature, and female – became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Many thought it was preposterous: Alexandrina — Drina to her family — had always been tightly controlled by her mother and her household, and was surely too unprepossessing to hold the throne. Yet from the moment William IV died, the young Queen startled everyone: abandoning her hated first name in favor of Victoria; insisting, for the first time in her life, on sleeping in a room apart from her mother; resolute about meeting with her ministers alone.

Faithfully by Alice Hoffman
Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt.







To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin
In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Émile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris, France--a moment of pure possibility. But back on firm ground, their vastly different social strata become clear. Cait is a widow who because of her precarious financial situation is forced to chaperone two wealthy Scottish charges. Émile is expected to take on the bourgeois stability of his family's business and choose a suitable wife. As the Eiffel Tower rises, a marvel of steel and air and light, the subject of extreme controversy and a symbol of the future, Cait and Émile must decide what their love is worth.


Summerlong by Peter S. Beagle
One rainy February night, while dining at a favorite local haunt, Abe and his girlfriend Joanna meet waitress Lioness Lazos, new in town and without a place of her own. Fascinated and moved by the girl's plight, Joanna invites Lioness to stay in Abe's garage. Lioness is about to alter the lives of Abe, Joanna and those around them forever.












Book Review: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Book Review
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
― Charlotte Brontë



Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Brontë
First Published: 1847
Language: English
Pages: 652

Summary:
As an orphan, Jane's childhood is full of trouble, but her stubborn independence and sense of self help her to steer through the miseries inflicted by cruel relatives and a brutal school. A position as governess at the Thornfield Hall promises a kind of freedom. But Thornfield is a house full of secrets, its master a passionate, tormented man, and before long Jane faces her greatest struggle in a choice between love and self-respect.


 Review:
I knew I wouldn't be disappointed in this book before I even started reading Jane Eyre, but to enjoy it as much as I did? No, I didn't expect it to be this magnificent.

I could relate to Jane, which is quite incredible considering the fact that this was written in 1847. It seems that human beings don't change over the centuries as much as one may think. On the other hand, I was rather jealous of Jane. Not the kind of jealous which means that I wish I was her, but the kind that wishes to be as independent and as forgiving as Jane was, but most of all, I wish I could chase my dreams as passionately as Jane chased hers.

I went in this book not knowing anything about it. Ever since my lecturer once told me that reading the "introduction" ruined the whole experience of reading a classic, I never bother to read them. That also means that I didn't know this masterpiece had a dark side to it. A very welcome side if you ask me. I couldn't have chosen a better time to read it.

I'd also like to mention that, in my case,  it wasn't difficult to read this novel at all. I was afraid that I would have a hard time understanding half of what was being said considering the fact that English is not my native tongue, but the third language I learned. That was not the case at all. That was quite a pleasant surprise to be honest.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to start reading classics but doesn't quite know where to start, as well as anyone who enjoys reading classics.

Rating:  ★★★★★



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