Latest book reviews

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The passion of Catherine and Heathcliff. A love so strong that it defy conventionality. That is what I usually heard when people refer to Wuthering Heights. And it was . Passion. Wild unbridled raw love. 

For this book, I was tempted to put only 1 star but!!, there was something powerful in this book towards the end that makes me feel morbid and despondent and fearful. All of the characters are unlikable but they remain true to their self even towards the end. It is as if she wrote it because she was compelled to get these horrible character out, like exorcising demons out of the system and are completely helpless in how they turned out to be because they will not be thwarted even in their author's hand.

David Golder, The Ball, Snow in Autumn, The Courilof Affair by Irène Némirovsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I already read and reviewed David Golder so not gonna comment here.

The Ball - the POV of this story is from this girl who longs to be a part of her mother attention and glitz and glamour. This story is about shifting of power. Of when you were a child and suddenly you realized your parents do not hold all the answers or wisdom and they are sometimes as childish as the child they are bringing up in the world. This is a wonderful short story.

Snow in Autumn - A servant story on the collapse of her master family in the Russian Revolution. I don't really like this story. Bit too depressing and it kinda goes on and on a bit without a point, but it was still very sad.

The Courilof Affair - Is my favorite of it all. The story of its assasin and its victim. I love their relationship in this. Though I was a bit lost at first, but after the narrative became a bit clearer , the narrator and its victim, their relationship is beautiful and tragic.

Love the stories though you need to push through some of the descriptions a bit.

Searching For Pemberley by Mary Lydon Simonsen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

In this story, Maggie worked for the US war office at London and while there in England, she chanced upon a family whose ancestors was based on Pride and Prejudice , Elizabeth and Darcy. While in England in researching this family, she also found love(s).

Okay. To me there are two stories here. One of the Lacey family whose supposedly is the inspiration for Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. The other is Maggie stories.

If I can give a star, the Lacey family I will give one, which is somewhat enjoyable, but I am kinda embarassed to read and annoyed. Because there are so many references to Pride and Prejudice , where for one, I think most of people who picked up this book know Pride and Prejudice inside and out. Secondly, while I believed the author love Jane Austen wholeheartedly which is why she penned this novel, if I am Miss Austen herself I would be insulted since the story seems to insinuate that she borrows her stories and characters heavily from other people lives rather than weaved her own.

As for Maggie story herself, it was ok but kinda weak. If it was just her story the book will not hold up on her own. I never quite get it why Jack and Beth just suddenly open up to Maggie and not to other people about their ancestors. It was never conveyed but just accepted.

I do wish we had more of Maggie story and her family in Minooka rather than an unnecessary long windedness of the Laceys which we all know what happened since it does not differ much from Pride and Prejudice one.