Book Review | ‘Madame Bovary’ – Gustave Flaubert

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1001 book list, 50 books a year, book review, Catherine Earnshaw, gustave flaubert, Madame Bovary, rory gilmore reading list

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Book Challenges: 1001 books (no. 887), 50 Books A Year (no. 48), Rory Gilmore Challenge.

“Il ne faut pas toucher aux idoles: la dorure en reste aux mains. [We must not touch our idols, the gilt sticks to our fingers.]”

The most famous line from the book sums up the very heart of the matter; as it illustrates in good old-fashioned terms how romantic legends should be admired from the pages of a book but never acted upon. Unfortunately our ill-fated Emma Bovary doesn’t heed this lesson, and reaches again and again to touch the moth-winged fabric of love, only to have it fall around her like dust.

A controversial novel in its time, ‘Madame Bovary’ still continues to draw a significant amount of praise for its handling of a subject like forbidden love. It took me AGES to finished this, but it was well worth it. First of all ‘Madame Bovary’, for all it’s old-fashioned language could teach modern storytellers a thing or two about proper ‘character development’. There are many elegant phrases that stand out, but what I admired most was the beautiful descriptions of the countryside:

“The walls of the gardens with pieces of bottle on their coping were hot as the glass windows of a conservatory. Wallflowers had sprung up between the bricks, and with the tip of her open sunshade Madame Bovary, as she passed, made some of their faded flowers crumble into a yellow dust, or a spray of overhanging honeysuckle and clematis caught in its fringe and dangled for a moment over the silk.”

Emma Bovary has to be without a doubt the most complex heroine I have ever read. Not even the enigmatic Rebecca de Winter, or the wild mistress-of-the-moors Catherine Earnshaw can come close to the depth and flexibility of this creation. Flaubert has rendered as complete an image of woman that can possibly be done in literary terms. She differs greatly from other heroines of her time, because Flaubert strived to depict a woman who was equally bad as she was good. You won’t find any of that ‘angel fallen from heaven’ malarkey here, oh no. Emma Bovary was greedy, needy and a thoroughly lustful lass to boot. She cuckolded her husband more than once, spent his money to the last centime and did not care an iota for her poor child Berthe.

Emma is a sensual creature despite her innocent looks; but it’s within the nuance of language and her character deconstruction that Flaubert saves his heroine from being taken as a total whore. Unlike his contemporaries he takes time to empathise with his characters. I was more fascinated by Flaubert’s sensitive wording of emotions than of the plot itself. Unhappy in her marriage, Emma seeks consolation in religion. But her convent days are over and she (despite having spent a great deal of time there) has never truly outgrown her romantic fantasies. Instead they fuel her bored mind until the unfortunate opportunity presents itself and the clandestine meetings with the suave Rodolphe begin. In fact I’ve clocked Flaubert accusing piety as the culprit for Bovary’s tragic end many times. It’s an interesting undertone that runs throughout the novel.

Emma’s unfaithfulness is just the beginning of a downward spiral designed to no doubt serve as a moral tale for young ladies. The ending results in the most tragic consequences, as Emma’s selfish actions have a knock-on effect to her husband and daughter. In short, the whole family is irreversibly ruined.

I say this is one of the more enjoyable reads out of the classics. Read it when you can.

View all my reviews

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Quick Review | ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ – L. Frank Baum

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book review, childrens fiction, Cowardly Lion, Dorothy, Judy Garland, l. frank baum, rory gilmore reading list, Scarecrow, Uncle Henry, Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Challenges: Rory Gilmore Reading List, 50 Books A Year (no. 39)

This is the first time I read the classic tale of Dorothy, the heartless Tinman, the brainless Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion in its original form, which to my surprise was both similar to, and different from, the various versions I’ve been exposed.

The first time I became acquainted with ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was with the Hollywood silver screen, Technicolor masterpiece starring Judy Garland. The land of Oz with its almost edible ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ look, its cute little munchkins and scary winged monkeys was a wonder to behold. The thing that struck me (and is a famous focal point of the film) was the transition from the grey, monotonous Kansas scenes to the amazing, colour-drenched ones of Oz. It truly was a feast for childish eyes, and now I’ve finally got round to reading the original I can appreciate the way producers back then actually interpreted this from the text itself. The first chapter opens up on what can only be described as a desolate landscape. Kansas is a land where things are dead – it is no place for a child to grow up. It is a country for old people, sucked dry of colour and emotion:

“The sun had baked the land into a grey mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green… Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint, and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and grey as everything else.”

In Dorothy’s eyes even Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are the dullest people you could ever meet, changed by their environment:

“The sun and wind had changed her [Aunt Em:] too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober grey; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were grey also… Uncle Henry never laughed… he was grey also, from his long beard to his rough boots.”

Like all successful children’s stories, this one features an orphan. A child who yearns for home, who is lucky enough (or maybe not) to find someone from her extended family to take her in, but somehow can never be given enough love or attention simply because of her orphan status. One can never take the place of a mother and father. Baum does not say as much, but this is the primary goal of the book; to hammer home the moral to all little ‘wannabe runaways’ that no matter how bad things get, there really is ‘no place like home’.

Other motifs crop up symbolised by the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion. These strangers that Dorothy meets along the way all reflect parts of her that are needed to complete the impossible journey ahead. To protect herself, she must use her head. To make good friends, she must use her heart. To face her dangers, she must summon up courage. And of course, she cannot do these things by herself, so she needs companions, teaching her the important lesson to ask for help when needed.

The yellow brick road (symbolic of the colour of caution) leads her to various tasks that she must complete in order to proceed homebound. The structure of the lost continent she finds herself in is represented by Baum as a compass, with Dorothy visiting each point (in one way or another) which can be translated as psychological visitations to different parts of her personality. She is tested and tested again, until finally Dorothy comes to the golden realisation that the power to return home lay within her all along.

There are parts of this story that came as a surprise, for instance, the ‘fighting trees’ reminded me of the ‘whomping willow’ in Harry Potter, and the Quadlings and the China country were all new, and there were ‘silver shoes’ instead of the famous ‘ruby slippers’. But apart from that I enjoyed the story, and was happy to read something that wasn’t too hard on the brain. But my thoughts remain that this is a book best read during childhood. The reminders and repetition of the different aspects of the ‘quest’ through Oz did frustrate me at times, but is necessary for a younger audience with a shorter attention span. Overall I think it’s excellent for reading with children and retains great potential for conversation with little ones about what is happening in the story.

View all my reviews >>

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Quick Review | ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe

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1001 book list, 50 books a year, africa, book review, chinua achebe, Grapes of Wrath, Nelson Mandela, Nigeria, Okonkwo, rory gilmore reading list, things fall apart, Umuofia

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Challenges: 1001 BYMRBYD (no. 468), 50 Books A Year (no. 38)

“The writer in whose company the prison walls fell down” – Nelson Mandela

This year I’m really lucky to have the chance to read a whole bunch of famous authors for the first time. Chinua Achebe just happens to be one of those, and his book ‘Things Fall Apart’ is a find that puts a smile on a readaholics face. Yes, it’s a wonderful find, and I say ‘find’ because for me at least, the reading quest is a personal one of discovery. With ‘Things Fall Apart’ I have found a valuable, intimate account of the ways of old tribal life in what was then the region of Umuofia, but what is now a part of Nigeria.

The story is of the great warrior Okonkwo, whose bravery and hard-earned glory is legendary among the various tribes. He is revered by his countrymen as the epitome of manhood and respected as a leading authority figure. However, as the story unfolds we witness the personal demons that haunt him, as we learn of his fathers lazy ways and the shame Okonkwo felt about this as he grew up. The day-to-day life of the villagers are told in a simple but powerful way. At one point I began to feel like one of the tribe, because I genuinely cared for what happened to the villagers of Umuofia. Okonkwo’s wives and his children, even the local medicine woman and the problems with the heavy rains and droughts that ruined a whole year of harvest shows a people who were brave and noble.

With Achebe you get to see the natives and their nobility of thought as well as the superstitious beliefs that caused a lot of grief for the various tribal members.

This book was so engrossing that I almost stayed up all night reading it. I couldn’t tear myself away, especially when the white man begins to threaten the existence of the settlements. I’ve never read anything as detailed as this about African tribes. Okonkwo is a very powerful character, and the tribe members all have their own distinct voices. Overall the sense of community is very strong in Achebe’s story and I found this to be for Africa what ‘The Grapes of Wrath‘ was for America. It tells of the way time-honoured traditions are cruelly massacred by white strangers with their white god. It shows how a community that has known each other for generations can fall apart at the intrusion of another faith. The tribes are not ready for the confusion that the travellers from the North bring them, and it marks the beginning of the end for these people.

View all my reviews >>

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? 19/07

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chinua achebe, hubert selby jr, Its monday what are you reading?, jm coetzee, kazuo ishiguro, l. frank baum, nocturnes, rory gilmore reading list, rum diary, sylvia plath, winter trees

Welcome to ‘It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?’, a weekly meme initially hosted by Sheila at the ‘Book Journey – One Persons Journey Through a World of Books’. This is a great way of letting people know what I’ve been reading over the past week and what I’ve got lined up for this week.

Reading-wise things are finally beginning to pick up a bit. I’m spending far too much time on the blog and real-life seems to be a pain in the backside. There’s been a couple of inteesting reads and a nice little discount discovery I made the Stephen King’s ‘Under The Dome’ – only half price at WHSmith’s which is far better than the full £8.99. I recommend that UK book bloggers check it out as it’s supposed to be quite a cool read. My goodreads friends have recommended it to me. I’m also waiting on news from the arrival of ‘Last Exit To Brooklyn’ by Hubert Selby Jr., an author I’ve been dying to read ever since I heard about him.  

So, here’s the round-up for last week’s reads:

BOOKS READ:
1. Winter Trees by Sylvia Plath

A very short collection of poems that were written during the last 9 months of Plath’s life. As you can imagine, not a happy read, but it certianly satisfied my need to exercise that part of the brain that deals with poetry. It took a while to get into her mindframe, but when I did it totally blew me away. Click here for review. 

2. Nocturnes – Kazuo Ishiguro

Although the cover looks good (very inviting for a music lover like myself), I found this collection of five loosely interwoven stories a little lacking. I felt there was something missing. Maybe the short story isn’t for Ishiguro, he should stick to novels. Having said that, a concept like this would be wonderful to read from Haruki Murakami who also uses Jazz music as an element in his story-telling.

CURRENTLY READING:
1. The Rum Diary – Hunter S. Thompson

Currently on page 110 of this fictional account of Thompson’s journalistic experiences during his short stay in Puerto Rico in the late 1950’s. It was written before Fear and Loathing, and retains the linear writing style of your average reporter. But I’m glad to say I can spot flecks of the pioneering Gonzo style very now and then.

2. Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe

I’m halfway through this incredible read. It’s so engrossing that I stayed up till 2am reading till my eyes felt sore. I’ve never read anything as detailed as this about African tribes. Okonkwo is a very powerful character, and the tribe members are all very distinct from each other. The sense of community is very strong in Achebe’s story. Reading his work is like touching warm, fertile soil for the first time. 

3.Disgrace – JM Coetzee

Thanks to the Achebe, I haven’t had a chance to give this one much attention. But it will be finished today, so I’ll have lots to write about next week.

BOOKS TO READ:

1.‘Last Exit To Brooklyn’ by Hubert Selby Jr.

I heard about Selby Jr. through the movie ‘Requiem For A Dream’. I didn’t know it was originally a novel by Selby, and after some research about him I was surprised that not much is know about this unique author. His ad hoc writing style and gritty, dark subject matters make Chuck Palahnuik look like a writer for YA. I quickly decided that Selby Jr. was the real deal, and I would not rest until I’ve read something by him.   

2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum

And for something completely different! I’ve gotten tired of the ‘heavy’ books lately. I feel like a soldier with combat stress! This is on the Rory Gilmore Reading List, and surprisingly I’ve never read it before. Something warm and fuzzy for the child in me.

That’s this weeks round-up fellow book bloggers. I hope you all have a great reading week and if you have any suggestions for good reads I’d be glad to know your thoughts! I’m off to make the rounds!

The Rory Gilmore Reading List!!

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book challenge, rory gilmore reading list

Another post, another reading list. This time I think I’ve stumbled across what is probably the most perfect reading challenge for me: The Rory Gilmore Reading List!

Fans of the Gilmore Girls will be thrilled to discover that someone somewhere has managed to collect a list of all the books she has read in the series so far and made a challenge out of it.

Perfect. Click on the link above to see the list and the ones I’ve already read.