Book Reviews / Reading ListsAnthology / classic literature / Domestic Suspense / Dystopian fiction / Essays / Historical fiction / History / murder mystery / Reading lists / Suspense10 Comments
Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore I went into this knowing nothing about it but the name. It ended up being a bit of a slog, for a few reasons: dialogue rendered in impenetrable dialect, a lot of blah blah blah musings, and the fact that I didn’t really like the ... more >
B Reviews / Book Reviews18th-century / 19th century / class differences / classic literature / Deception / fathers and daughters / First-Person / gambling / Historical / Russia / Russian literature / War / Military3 Comments
A dazzling new collection of Pushkin’s fiction, in definitive translations by the acclaimed Anthony Briggs As complex as they are gripping, Pushkin’s stories are some of the greatest and most influential ever written. Foundational to the development of Russian prose, they retain stunning freshness and clarity, more than ever in ... more >
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Reads19th century literature / classic literature / English Literature / whaling1 Comments
I first became aware of Elizabeth Gaskell through television adaptions of her works Cranford and North and South; I then went on to read and enjoy those books. Sylvia’s Lovers is, by my count, the sixth Gaskell book I have read (I think I only have two left after this, ... more >
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsclassic literature9 Comments
If I recall correctly, I’ve read just two Edith Wharton books: Ethan Frome and The House of Mirth. I recently reread synopses of the plots of these books to refresh my memory, and confirmed that they were both as depressing as I had recalled. Well written and compelling, but very ... more >
B- Reviews / Book Reviewsactor/actress / classic literature / Contemporary / critic / enemies to lovers / England / family drama / family relationships / Jane Austen / theater2 Comments
In which experienced West End actress Freddy Carlton takes on an Austen-inspired play, a scandal at a country estate, an enthusiastic search for a passion outside of acting…and the (some people might say icy*) heart of London’s most feared theater critic. *if those people were being nice Freddy Carlton knows ... more >
A- Reviews / Recommended Reads19th Century British literature / classic literature / fallen woman8 Comments
I was first turned onto Gaskell’s work not in print but by the miniseries version of North and South, which I love. I also watched and adored the PBS adaption of Cranford, a very different kind of story. I eventually read both books and liked them each quite well. Still, ... more >