The Goose Girl

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is not a tale that immediately grips you, but it gently draws you in, like sweet tea. It is, surprisingly, dark chocolate and possibly the most whimsical I’ve ever encountered.

The characters are well-developed and believable. What makes the book so realistic is the tragic element. People die, are severely injured, fight and kill men. It’s real.

The book follows the classic tale of the goose girl, initially written by the Grimm brothers. Ms. Hale took the story and added elements of magic and personality.

Ani, the princess and main character, is an awkward girl. Her lady-in-waiting, Selia, is much more assured and can “people-speak,” which indicates that she can manipulate people through her words. Ani can’t people-speak, but she speak to animals and, as she finds out later, to the wind.

Selia betrays her and impersonates her on their way to Baeyern, where Ani was to become the prince’s betrothed. Ani and her guard are supposed to be dead and she loses her beloved horse, Falada. Say that out loud. Isn’t is a magnificent name?

Ani’s injured in the forest and is found and nursed back to health. Eventually she is taken to the city and becomes the king’s goose girl, renaming herself “Isi”. She meets Enna and Gavin and finds that she isn’t bad at people-relationships as she thought. Gavin starts a romance with her only to end it abruptly with a note, stating that he “could never love you as a man loves a woman.” The book continues as she tries to find out how to reclaim her title and her name.

The book is delightful and heartbreaking. It stick to the original story of the goose girl, but gives the heroine spirit and the prince an edge of wit.

I listened to via Audible and it was done as a reader’s theater. The music and voices were perfect.

Shannon Hale wrote three more books in the series, but my understanding is that she just builds off of the world she’s already created and doesn’t link them to other fairy tales. I’m hesitant to read them if they aren’t as beautiful as this one is.

Summer Reading

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when I compile an impossible reading list for the summer. I had this inspired idea this year, to put all the books I haven’t read from the past two lists together and try and get them done. WOOT! I will, inevitably, read other books to review, but I’d like to see how many I get done.

From 2010:

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Lorna Doone by Richard Doddridge Blackmore (started, but not finished)
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (We’ll see if I can actually finish it…ugh)
• Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (We actually own a copy!)
• Tess of the D’Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy
• Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville (I’m so excited to read this)
• Old School by Tobias Wolff
• The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (Ugh. I’m attempting Hemingway again)
• A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Muhammed Hanif

I read eight out of eighteen, which surprised me. I hadn’t thought I’d gotten so many done, but it was delightful to read this list. Some I probably won’t read (like the last one), but it’s nice to put it on the list.

From 2011:

• Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist (I can’t wait to finish this book!) (still)
• The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak (This has been on my list and on my shelf for quite some time. I really need to read it) (started, but not finished)
• The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton (I will alternately listen and read it. The audiobook is excellent thus far.)
• The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (I’m obsessed with him right now, so why stop? I fully intend to read all of his works.)
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (still haven’t read it again…)
• Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (I’ve never read it. Which is sad.)
• The Problem with Pain by C.S. Lewis (I read this in high school, but I’m excited to revisit it.)
• 1776 by David McCullough (I still really want to read this.)
• The Iliad by Homer (translated by Alexander Pope, because Pope is the only one who did it right. This is another reread.) (yup)
• Forgotten God by Francis Chan (I hear it’s excellent.)

Oh my beloved Guernsey…

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows has been in my top ten list since I read it in Spokane. It was one of those books that I shredded through and then went back to read, because it was so beautiful. Well, it’s been a couple of years and I couldn’t remember if it was light, chick-lit or good, character driven fiction. I was assuming it was good because it’s composed of letters between the characters.

The story is about Juliet, a thirty-something writer, looking for new subject matter shortly after WWII. She receives a letter from a man on Guernsey asking about the author Charles Lamb. Thus begins a lovely stream of correspondence from London to Guernsey full of anecdotes about Guernsey during the occupation, specifically about the group of people who started the Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The society started to hide the fact that they were feasting on roast pig. That’s all I’m giving you.

I instantly fell in love with every character in this book. It’s not that they don’t have flaws; they do. Each person is riddled with them, particularly Juliet. She’s impatient and a little crazy. My favorite characters were Juliet, Dawsey, Sidney, and Mark. There are several love interests/flirtations throughout that are conveyed through the letters.

The letters are wonderfully written and show perfectly who each character is. If you can’t tell how charming it is within the first few letters, you’re not a human being. This book gripped me, in a way that few do. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. So go read it.

P. S. A film adaption of this book is supposed to come out in 2013, starring Kate Winslet and directed by Kenneth Branagh. If you like this book, you might want to look out for that.

Audiobooks

One word: DUNE. In a reader’s theater? Very well, I accept. I can’t imagine anything more wonderful in the summer than science fiction audiobooks. Enjoy this Dune fan art that I found via Google.

WORM! RUN! OR FLY BECAUSE IF YOU RUN YOU WILL BE EATEN!

Kings and Princesses

A couple of months ago, I was hit by an idea. Maybe not literally, but figuratively. I saw in my head seven princesses. Jessica Day George wrote a version of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and that’s what started the ball rolling. I created a new world, with a new plot. There will be war, romance, awkwardness, betrayal, heartbreak, and sisterly companionship.

Here’s a segment of it for you dear reader. It’s one of my favorite parts thus far. It’s at the beginning, when princes (that’s right, multiple) are arriving at the castle. Leyla, the eldest, and her lady-in-waiting and best friend, Charlotte (known to the sisters as Charlie) are stealing a few moments of freedom before anyone arrives.

“Well, I might as well enjoy my last few moments of freedom. Let’s go see what ruckus Meg is up to.”

Charlie smiled. “Race you to the kitchen,” and she dashed out.

“No fair!” Leyla cried out, following quickly.

The laughed as they ran through the halls, screaming as they dodged people, animals, and furniture.

Charlie looked behind her and abruptly ran into something. She automatically reached out to steady herself and found that she was steadying against a broad-shouldered, dark man. She looked up into dark brown eyes.

“Excuse me,” he said, smiling.

She quickly removed her hands. “Oh, uh…yeah.” She shook  her head. “I mean, it was…my fault.”

Leyla finally caught up, panting. “Are…we…done…now?”

“Um…” Charlie struggled to pull her gaze away from him.

Leyla noticed and drew herself up. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Forgive me,” he bowed, “how incredibly rude. I’m Patrick DeLye, member of His Majesty King Marcus of Gaer’s court. We arrived this morning.” His eyes slide to Charlie once more before snapping back to Leyla as she spoke.

“Welcome to Rynia Castle.” She curtsied. “I’m Princess Leyla and this is Lady Charlotte.”

A man with dark curly hair strode into the corridor scowling.

“There you are!” he bellowed. “I’ve been looking all over for you!.”

“Ladies.” Patrick bowed once more and turned to the man.

“Stop flirting and hurry up! Have you gotten everything in?”

“Yes, but–”

“Good. I’m meeting King Richard after dinner, but before that Darius and I must meet the princesses. Apparently I have to look presentable. Darius can’t wait to meet them. Can you believe the man?”

“Of course, but sir–”

“I wish we wouldn’t have to deal with those silly women at all, but custom…” he trailed off.

Patrick glanced behind him and saw that Leyla had collapsed against a wall in silent laughter. Charlotte, on the other hand, was looking at his master with contempt, hands on hips.

“Sire, I think–”

“You two,” Marcus addressed the princess and the lady. Charlie’s eyebrows rose. “Go find King Darius and inform him that I wish to see him.”

“And who, exactly, are you?” Charlie crossed her arms. The question made Marcus pause. Patrick slowly backed out from between them.

“Excuse me?” his voice lowered.

“Who are you?” she repeated. “It’s a simple question.”

Leyla came up behind Charlie, attempting to keep her face serious.

“I am King Marcus of Gaer, and I am unaccustomed to receiving insolence from maids. Do as you’re told.”

Patrick bit back his mortification and laughter, knowing it would only make it worse.

“I wouldn’t have guessed that you were a king.” Charlie continued, ignoring his order.

“Nor I.” Leyla couldn’t help but smile.

“And you’re to be presented to the princesses?” Charlie looked him up and down. “I suppose you’ll do. I doubt you get much better.”

Marcuse was speechless.

“No,” Leyla disagreed, “he’ll clean up all right.”

“Not enough to impress…well, anyone really.”

He started turning red.

“And with a pompous attitude like that, I’m surprised that they asked his opinion at all about the wa–”

Leyla elbowed her in the side.

“Ow!”

“Shut up,” she whispered. She looked at Marcus’s bewildered face. We’ll deliver your message, m’lord.” she grabbed Charlie’s arm and dragged her past the men.

“Good luck tonight,” Charlie taunted. “You’re gonna need it.”

“What a woman,” Patrick muttered.

“Snap out of it.” Marcus sighed. “They were impertinent.”

Patrick smiled a bit.

“Come on, I need to get ready.” They both walked in to his chambers.

It’s the end of the world as I know it…

I have started this post too many times. I just don’t know what to say. I’m graduating in less than a week and it’s terrifying. I don’t know what to think, what to write. I’m basically entirely uncertain of my future.

At church this Sunday, there was a song that made me cry (which seriously isn’t difficult these days; people give me a hug and I practically burst into tears) and the chorus was: “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good all you people, all you saints, all you children of the king.”

The Lord is good in every circumstance. In my graduation, amidst my fears, while my family is here, when they move, when my friends all go to different places. The Lord is still good.

Not a day this week has passed where I haven’t cried because a critical time of my life has passed. But with the tears comes an excitement at what will come tomorrow. At the idea that something new, something greater exists beyond this.

Growing up with my older sister was often a challenge, but I learned quite a few valuable lessons from her. The most important to me right now is that life is an adventure. Brianna has adventures every day. She can’t help it; things happen to her. And I love hearing about her life (although it’s mostly through facebook) because she’s so full of life. I’m starting to view this as an adventure. It’s like white-water river rafting.

The only time I went rafting was with my dad and sister and the Cunninghams in North Carolina. I had never been before, so I had no idea where the rapids were. It was scary. But it was SO MUCH FUN! There was a small waterfall at the end and going over it was the biggest, scariest, most exhilarating thing I had ever done. Graduation is like the waterfall. Or, I guess this summer is. I might fall out of the raft and drown. That would be scary. But if I make it, I know that it’ll be terrific.

Okay, enough metaphors and deep thoughts. I’ve had all I could handle (and I’m under 400 words). Maybe I’ll continue to process in 400 word increments.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

This delightful book written by Winifred Watson made me laugh, giggle, and ignore people for large sections of time. It was originally published in 1938 and was a huge hit at the time, but was forgotten and went out of print for a while. Persephone Books attained the rights and republished it. Never heard of them? This is their “missions statement” so to speak:

Persephone prints mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women. The titles are chosen to appeal to busy women who rarely have time to spend in ever-larger bookshops and who would like to have access to a list of books designed to be neither too literary nor too commercial. The books are guaranteed to be readable, thought-provoking and impossible to forget.

In 2008 the movie came out starring Amy Adams, Frances McDormand, Ciarin Hinds, and Lee Pace. It is a delightful movie, but it goes without saying that the book is infinitely better.

Movie cover via Amazon

I listened to this one. Frances McDormand, who plays Miss Pettigrew in the movie, reads it and it was simply delightful. She got some of her voices mixed up toward the end, but it wasn’t distracting.

My favorite parts were when Miss Pettigrew would talk to the men. Her dialogues with Nick, Michael, Tony, and Joe are precious. Joe’s is my favorite though. They get in a taxi together and by the end of the ride, he simply adores her. They have the most lovely and animated conversation about wool. Toward the end of the conversation she chastises him saying that he’s not a young man anymore and should be comfortable. It’s wonderful.

There isn’t as much conflict in the book as in the movie. Everyone loves Miss Pettigrew and everyone except Nick ends up happily-ever-after. Surprisingly, it doesn’t make the story cheesy.. The characters all have problems, and that’s made clear, but you love almost every character, even Nick has a charm all his own. The main conflict is with Miss Pettigrew herself. Everything that she’s seeing and experiencing was denied and prohibited as she grew up. Her conscience makes it difficult for her to enjoy herself.

I can’t recommend this book strongly enough. It was a whimsical dark chocolate book. The only other book that comes close is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

There’s Something About Tennyson

Oh Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Was there ever a better poet? I love him immensely.

Last night my friend Darius texted my other friend Ade, saying that we should meet him in the plaza at midnight. What was gonna happen? We both rolled our eyes and decided that we would stay up (despite the fact that I wanted to go to bed early). However, I had an hour and a half to waste away. So, I did something that I hadn’t done in a long time: I pulled out Twelfth Night and began to read aloud.

I discovered a long time ago that plays and poems MUST be read aloud to give them life. I used to just randomly read fromMuch Ado About Nothing. “The world must be peopled!” So I read my favorite parts from Shakespeare and realized that I had about forty minutes left. So I pulled out my Tennyson. Oh, that glorious man. It used to be that “The Lady of Shallott” was my favorite poem. However, “The Day Dream” steals my heart every time I read it.

The poem starts out with Tennyson speaking to Lady Flora. Apparently a group of friends (including the lady) have taken a nap and he had a peculiar dream. It was of the story of the sleeping beauty. The poem is fantastic, but the best part is the end titled THE MORAL.

So, Lady Flora, take my lay,
And if you find no moral there,
Go, look in any glass and say,
What moral is in being fair.
Oh, to what uses shall we put
The wildweed-flower that simply blows?
And is there any moral shut
Within the bosom of the rose?

But any man that walks the mead,
In bud or blade, or bloom, may find,
According as his humours lead,
A meaning suited to his mind.
And liberal applications lie
In Art like Nature, dearest friend;
So ’twere to cramp its use, if I
Should hook it to some useful end.

Oh, amen. He does have a moral/purpose: the wooing of Lady Flora, as is exemplified by the EPILOGUE. However, his point here is that some things are made to be beautiful. And that’s all. Even stories.

I really admire and respect this man. Every time I read him, I’m transported to some far off place that is full of chivalry and knights of old. He writes like that. “Lancelot and Elaine” made me cry. Sir Lancelot was such a cad, but I loved it.

So go read some Tennyson. If you’re more into battles than the romantic stuff, read “The Charge of the Light Brigade.”

Spring Break 2012….No Regrets: Week 1

Last week Em and I took a little road trip up to my house in Colorado (or down to, because it’s South of Chicago, but I say up, because it’s higher in altitude). We did lots of fun things, but on Friday I was struck by how little time I spent with my family, because MJ and Grace were at school most of the time.

We started out by meeting some Moody boys on the road: Evan, Sam, Johnny, and Zach. They were off to Grand Junction to do crazy things. We picnicked at Walmart, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and drinking Capri Suns. Then we went our separate ways. Em and I stopped in Omaha and the boys kept driving.

We did many things in the Springs, but my favorite day was Friday. On Thursday we discovered that Bethany Kay was in the Springs too! There was happiness all around. So Friday, we picked up Bethany, ate lunch, and headed out to Garden of the Gods via Barnes and Noble. With our newly purchased books, we found a nice rock and read and talked for a couple hours. It was delightful sunny. Then some guy came and threatened us with a $500 fine if we didn’t get off. We scrambled down amidst laughter and complaint and returned to the car.

Em and I made a trip to USAFA during their primary hazing week (thought they can’t call it that) and saw some sorry freshies wearing togas. Poor things had their clothes stolen by upper class men. It made me giggle.

We also played three out of the five Trivial Pursuits that my family own. On our way back we listened to A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. We were on edge the whole time. We paused every five seconds with new hypotheses and theories as to what happened and why. Em would yell, “Pause, pause, pause!” and we’d be off in our conjectures. It was fantastic.

And that was week 1 of Spring Break.

Whimsical Dark Chocolate

Yesterday I visited Open Books (my favorite bookstore ever!) and began to peruse the titles. I was looking for something, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what I wanted. As I toured the store, it became more urgent in my mind. What was I looking for? I found this copy of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand when it hit me.

Whimsical. I was looking for whimsical. I wanted something that was romantic, but that wasn’t gross. And I only had two dollars in my pocket, so it had to be the perfect price. My friend Ruth was with me and caught me glancing through the Chick Lit.

“I want a dark chocolate book.” I explained to her. “All they have here is cotton candy. You can only read one every great once in a while, or you get sick and throw up.” She laughed and told me that was a good comparison. I continued the hunt for my whimsical dark chocolate book. I looked in the children’s section, the sci-fi section, the mystery section, literature and romance. I found nothing.

I really had wanted to buy Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. I loved the cover and it was on my list of books to read. Whenever I see a book that I think I’ll like, I take a picture. I had seen it in Estes Park and so it was on my picture list. I mourned that I couldn’t afford the beautiful book and attempted to move on. In my last moments, I clawed through the $1 bin, desperate for something, anything to quench this desire in my soul. And I found it.

I read the first part yesterday and am excited to continue! However, because I struggled through all that, I decided to create a list of whimsical dark chocolate titles that I would like to read or to recommend to others who must be looking for the same. Since Major Pettigrew is listed above, I shall start with one of my favorites:

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Anne Barrows. The only reason I know what a whimsical dark chocolate book is, is because I read this my freshman year of college. It started me on this kick of historical memoir-type books. I highly recommend it to everyone because it’s so bittersweet.
2. Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I hear it’s excellent, but this is in my “want to read” column.
3. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. I don’t know how I could possibly recommend this enough. This book is so imaginative and wonderful that I have read it twice and practically thrust it into people’s hands when they ask me for a recommendation. It usually goes like this: “Nicole, what should I read?” “AHH! READ THIS NOW!” *grabs book from shelf and throws at person* “Okay!” A couple days later (or weeks, depending on how slow of a reader they are) they come back saying, “AH! BEST BOOK EVER!” Thursday Next is sassy, headstrong, smart, and can read herself in and out of books (a skill I totally wish I had). There are several books in the series, and I’ve only read the first two, but I fully intend on finishing it.
4. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson. When I saw Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, I naturally thought of Miss Pettigrew.

   

   I saw the movie and fell in love with Miss Pettigrew and her steadfast nature. I desperately want to read this one day. Hopefully, that day will be soon.

5. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Despite Robert Pattinson’s appearance in the movie version, I want to see what all the hullabaloo is about. It was categorized under “whimsical” at goodreads.com, so I’m gonna go with it.

That’s really all I’ve got. I can’t wait until I reach that day, in the not-so-far-off future where I can sit in the warm sun and read this with an iced honey vanilla latte and a daisy at my side. Doesn’t that just make the best picture? The warm, summer wind blows in and it’s just wonderful? I can’t wait.