Books I Want to Re-Read

We all have a different relationship to re-reading, whether it's something we love to do and do often or something we never do. I'm a reader who's gone from one extreme to the other as I've grown; when I was younger I read and re-read my favourite books time and time and time again and was never any less delighted by them, and was recently reminded of this when I talked about Jacqueline Wilson last week.

I re-read Wilson's books an extortionate amount as a child, as well as my favourite Roald Dahls, such as The Magic Finger and Fantastic Mr. Fox, and my extensive Horrible Histories collection, but as I got older I began to devour more and more books until I didn't have the time to re-read if I wanted to keep reading new things. I fell in love with discovering new stories and characters and worlds and authors, just as I'd fallen in love with that safety net of familiarity in my childhood, and in doing so my love for re-reading was forgotten.

Then recently, having read Kirsty Logan's A Portable Shelter (reviewed here) and craving more short stories, I re-read Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories (reviewed here) and really enjoyed the experience - especially as I didn't actually like the book the first time I read it about seven years ago. Now I'm keen to make more time for re-reading, and below are four books from my shelves I'd like to re-read, all for various reasons!

I first read Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus when it came out. Everyone was talking about it and I was certainly intrigued, which was unusual for me because I generally tend to be wary of hyped books since the dark reading years of my teens when every YA book was the same. I ended up enjoying the book, but not as much as I'd hoped and definitely not as much as what felt like every other reader. Morgenstern's descriptions and her world-building were stunning, I loved the idea of her circus, but I need characters to grab hold of me and make me care and something about Celia and Marco prevented me from doing that. Individually I quite liked them - Celia, in particular, and her relationship with her father intrigued me - but I didn't understand why the two of them liked each other and when I reached the end I realised I hadn't really cared what happened, I was just ready for it to end. My reading tastes have changed a lot since then, and I'd like to re-read this book at some point to see if I've grown to appreciate it more or if I feel just as 'meh' about the whole thing as I did then.

Sadly, you can only read Rebecca for the first time once, and I loved it when I did. If you haven't read it yet I can't recommend it enough, it's du Maurier's masterpiece and such a brilliantly written and plotted novel - it's all the more enjoyable the less you know going into it. Knowing what happens in the story and how it ends, I'd love to re-read it and see if du Maurier left any little nuggets of premonition for her re-readers.

The Goblin Emperor is one I've already re-read twice (once as an audiobook, so I guess that was more of a re-listen) and was the first book I re-read in a long, long time when I picked it up for a second time last year having loved it in 2015. If someone put a gun to my head and forced me to choose one all-time favourite book, I think I'd have to say this one - Maia is certainly one of my favourite protagonists of all time and I love how, more than anything, this book is hopeful, decent fantasy and such a soothing antidote to Games of Thrones' brutality. I can't get enough of this book, and I think it'll be one I continue to re-read until Katherine Addison gives me another book set in this world.

Persuasion was Jane Austen's final novel, published posthumously, and while Pride and Prejudice is a firm favourite it's actually Persuasion that's considered to be her masterpiece by many Austen fans. Until the past year or so, I definitely wouldn't have described myself as one such fan. Like The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories I was introduced to Austen through education when I was given this book to read during sixth form and it woke a hatred of Austen in me that it's taken me a long time to shake off. My reading tastes hadn't developed enough at the time for me to appreciate that Austen was writing a very tongue-in-cheek form of societal critique, and I was so frustrated that a woman I was constantly being told was an early feminist writer had written novel after novel about love and marriage. Why couldn't any of her heroines just stay single? Then I did that thing that most of us we all do: I grew up. As a twenty-something I understand Austen far more than eighteen year old me ever did, something I'm sure my English teacher would be incredibly proud of, and now I'd like to give Persuasion a second chance. I've actually started my re-read of this one and, while it hasn't completely grabbed me, I'm not hating it...

Do you re-read books? Is it something you'd like to do more of or less? Which books would you like to re-read one day?

Film Recommendations for Austen Fans

Considering I'm not a huge lover of Austen, though I will begrudgingly admit that she's starting to grow on me, it might surprise people how often she gets mentioned on my blog; when you do a degree in English Literature she's literally impossible to pass by!

Though I'm not the biggest fan of the way Austen's books are written I do enjoy watching adaptations of her stories - they are good stories, they wouldn't still be everywhere if they weren't - and today I'd thought I'd recommend a few films that aren't adaptations of the original texts, but are still films I think any Austen fan would enjoy. I have three modern films, set in the '90s and onwards, and three period films to share with you.

I guess this is a pretty obvious one, but I love Bridget Jones's Diary so I couldn't not mention it. I still haven't read the book but I always enjoy the film, and particularly love watching it around New Year. If we're going to be technical we could argue that this is an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in the sense that it's a modern day adaptation, but I'm still going to count it anyway. If you're after a fun film with a bad first impression and a happy ending, much like Pride and Prejudice, then you'll love this!

This is another modern day adaptation, so I'll get this one out the way with before we get onto the more obscure choices. If you're a fan of stories with semi-unlikeable protagonists who are ultimately good at heart, like Emma, you'll like this film - it's also a great film if you happen to be a lover of films like Mean Girls and 10 Things I Hate About You. If you're a huge Austen fan, however, I imagine you've already watched Clueless and Bridget Jones's Diary!

This is probably the most obscure recommendation on my list, but I think it works! Of the Austens I've read so far (I say 'read', but I've only really read two of them all the way through and others I read bits of for university) Sense and Sensibility is definitely my least favourite. I just don't find the story all that interesting, and I really hate the ending; in my opinion Elinor and Marianne both deserved better, particularly Marianne. A Royal Affair is based on a true story, of the affair between Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (sister of George III) and her husband's personal physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Caroline was married off to Christian VII of Denmark who struggled with mental illness throughout his life, back in a time when mental illness was understood even less than it is now. Caroline and Johann's story is heartbreaking and this film is so beautiful. To me A Royal Affair has that same gloomy quality that Sense and Sensibility does; they're both fitting stories if you've just been through a break-up and you need a good cry.

Fun fact: Mansfield Park is the only one of Austen's novels in which slavery is mentioned. I guess that's not exactly a fun fact, but it's interesting, right? Mansfield Park is also one of the two Austen novels, alongside Emma, that I haven't read at all, though I admit it's also one of the ones I'm most curious about because I hear it talked about so little. Belle is another period drama based on a true story, on the life of Dido Elizabeth Belle. Dido was the mixed race daughter of Maria Belle, an enslaved African woman in the West Indies, and Sir John Lindsay, a British naval officer. When Lindsay returned to Britain he took Dido with him and entrusted her to the care of his childless uncle, Lord Mansfield, and his wife. The two of them raised Dido as a lady, alongside their orphaned niece Lady Elizabeth Murray. Mansfield was Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and during his time in this role he brought about the formal end of slavery in Britain. In his will Mansfield confirmed Dido's freedom (as she had been born into slavery) and made her an heiress. Pretty impressive. This is a brilliant film, and both Dido and Fanny Price have quite a bit in common as they are both sent to live with wealthier relatives and both struggle to find their place in the world.

Letters to Juliet is cheesy and predictable and, at times, pretty naff, but like Bridget Jones's Diary and Clueless, it's fun. If you're in the mood to watch something you don't really have to think about, something you want to sit back and enjoy with a glass of wine and a bar of chocolate, then this is the film for you. If you're a fan of stories about second chances, about lovers who didn't get it right the first time and want to try again, like Persuasion, then I recommend watching this film. Plus it's set in Italy, and Italy's beautiful!

Finally, we have my favourite Austen: Northanger Abbey. I love Guillermo del Toro's work - I think Pan's Labyrinth is fantastic, and I love others films he's been involved in such as the Hellboy films and Mama - and Crimson Peak is right up my alley. I love Gothic stories, love love love them, and stories about women who move to creepy new houses are right up my alley; the synopsis of this film reminds me of The Miniaturist, actually! I think the story of a young girl who moves to a spooky house inhabited by a mysterious family seems like the perfect film for any Northanger Abbey fan!

Have you seen any of these films? Are there any others you'd recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday | Books to Read if you like Jane Austen

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Ten Books To Read If You Like This Super Popular Book/Author'.

I'm not a big fan of Jane Austen, but there's no denying that one of the reasons Austen's work is so popular is because it's still relevant today. There's a reason her novels have been adapted into more modern variations such as Bridget Jones's Diary and Clueless; if you gave the settings and some of her characters a few tweaks, then all of her stories could easily be 21st century romantic comedies.

For fans of Pride and Prejudice:

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton: Imagine if Jane Austen had written a book in which every single character was a dragon...

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: North and South is another classic, later than Pride and Prejudice, with another central couple who at first dislike each other, and then grow to love one another. Also Richard Armitage is in the BBC miniseries and looks very dapper in his top hat.

For fans of Sense and Sensibility:

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal: To me, Shades of Milk and Honey is what would happen if someone added a little magic to Sense and Sensibility. Anne is older and plainer than her beautiful sister, but she's very talented in the magic department. Add to that a Darcy-esque love interest and you have the perfect book for any Austen fan.

Girls in Love by Jacqueline Wilson: This is an ideal book for younger readers, from around age 12 and up, by one of my favourite childhood authors. I've often seen Sense and Sensibility recommended as a great classic to read for anyone going through boy (or girl!) trouble, and Girls in Love is a good read for that, too.

For fans of Emma:

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis: This is a middle grade novel set during the Regency period, with a little bit of magic thrown in. With a child protagonist at the centre, it's a fresh look at a period of history that's so often written about in cheesy historical romances. Kat has two older sisters and likes to concern herself with who the two of them are going to marry - she's an Emma in miniature!

For fans of Mansfield Park:

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë: I've talked about Anne Brontë before and how much I love her. She wrote two novels during her lifetime: Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall outsold Wuthering Heights upon its publication and was incredibly successful, but after she passed away Charlotte Brontë decided not to republish it, and Anne has been the lesser known of the three sisters ever since. Not cool, Charlotte, not cool. Many critics have said that, had she lived longer, Anne Brontë could be as well known to us now as Jane Austen is. While Charlotte and Emily seemed to enjoy writing about the Gothic - though not all of Charlotte's work is like Jane Eyre - Anne was much more interested in society, and particularly in how society treated women. Agnes Grey is a short, subtle and beautiful little novel about the titular character who becomes a governess to support her destitute family, and the struggles she faces. It would be a disservice to both sisters to try and compare Agnes Grey to Jane Eyre because they're entirely different, and both excellent. I particularly love Agnes' relationship with her student, Rosalie, who enjoys making men fall in love with her just so she can reject them. Seriously, give it a read.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison: Obviously The Goblin Emperor and Mansfield Park are very different novels, but, as I said when I did the Jane Austen Book Tag, both of them have a rags to riches storyline at their heart. More importantly, both of these books feature protagonists who feel like outcasts, and who feel like outcasts in the very place they should feel at home. Both protagonists grow and find their own feet, but they don't sacrifice their naturally kind natures to do it.

For fans of Northanger Abbey:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: Here we have two Caths, both of whom are far more interested in fictional characters than what's going on in the world around them. This is the ideal contemporary read for a Northanger Abbey fan!

For fans of Persuasion:

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund: This is a sci-fi retelling of Persuasion. Basically, it's Jane Austen in spaaaaaace!

The King's General by Daphne du Maurier: This is one of du Maurier's lesser known novels. Set during the English Civil War, it tells the story of Honor Harris who is wooed by the proud and reckless Richard Grenville. The two of them part ways after an accident leaves eighteen year old Honor crippled, but reunite years later after Richard has risen up in Charles I's army. This is an ideal read for people who like stories about lovers getting second chances, like Persuasion.

Which books made your list?

Speculative Fiction for Austen Fans!

So you're an Austen lover, but you're in the mood for some speculative fiction and you're not sure what to read. What can you read that will satisfy both of these literary needs? Well, I'll tell you!

Below are a list of recommendations, all of which fall into the speculative fiction category and all of which are set during the Georgian/Regency eras.

If you like Pride and Prejudice, read Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton

Pride and Prejudice, like the majority of Austen's work, is classed as a Comedy of Manners. Tooth and Claw, on the other hand, is a Fantasy of Manners; it's very much a parody of the regency style stories, with one particular twist - the entire cast of characters are dragons! After the death of the family's patriarch, five siblings - two brothers and three sisters - fight for their inheritence, fall in love and become involved with the abolition movement. This is a family trying to find their way in the world, even if they have to fight tooth and claw...

If you like Northanger Abbey, read A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

This may seem like a peculiar recommendation as there aren't all that many similarities between these two stories, but they're not entirely dissimiliar either. What links these two are heroines who yearn for adventure, particularly adventure of the supernatural kind! While young Catherine Morland loses herself in the thrills of Gothic fiction, young thief Lila longs to be a pirate captain and see the world.

If you like Sense and Sensibility, read Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

These two are perhaps the most similar books on this list. Sense and Sensibility tells the story of sisters Elinor and Marianne, while Shades of Milk and Honey tells the story of sisters Jane and Melody. Both sets of sisters - including an older, serious sister and a younger, more beautiful sister - must compete with the women around them to find suitable matches. The only real difference is Jane and Melody have the benefit of magic.

If you like Persuasion, read Temeraire by Naomi Novik

In contrast, these two are probably the most dissimilar books on this list, but in some ways I see these two as two sides of a similar story. Persuasion tells the story of Anne Elliot, a 27 year old spinster who, nine years before, was persuaded to break off her engagement to Captain Wentworth due to his uncertain circumstances. Wentworth went to fight in the Napoleonic Wars and has returned from war wealthy and very eligible, and Anne must struggle with the feelings she still has for him. Temeraire, on the other hand, tells the story of Will Laurence who must fight in the Napoleonic Wars. With dragons. If you're a fan of Persuasion, perhaps you could read Temeraire and pretend Wentworth is off riding a dragon of his own somewhere.

If you like Emma, read Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Emma is one of Austen's most beloved heroines who takes matchmaking into her own hands to become the regency Cupid. Kat, the heroine of Stephanie Burgis's middlegrade series, is equally as hands-on. When she discovers she has inherited her late mother's magical gifts, Kat takes it upon herself to help her older sisters win their true loves and rescue her family from the sinister Sir Neville.

If you like Mansfield Park, read The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston

In contrast to what is possibly the most fun of Austen's novels, Mansfield Park is quiet, subtle and more serious. The heroine of Mansfield Park, Fanny Price, is sent to live with her mother's sisters at their lavish estate after her own large family - Fanny is one of nine children - falls into destitution. Only one of her cousins, Edmund, makes any effort to make her welcome, making her feel, for the most part, like an outsider in her own home. The Winter Witch, on the other hand, is set in early 19th century Wales. Morgana, a gypsy's daughter, hasn't spoken since she witnessed the murder of her father, and as such she is something of an outsider in her small Welsh town. Concerned for her safety amongst her superstitious neighbours, Morgana's mother marries her off to Cai Jenkins, a widower from the far hills. Initially heartbroken at being torn from her mother, Morgana slowly falls in love with the wild land surrounding her new husband's farm.

Happy reading!

Classics & Contemporaries | Romance (Jane Austen Edition)

Last month I said I was going to start a new five part series titled "Classics & Contemporaries", to try and help anyone who feels intimidated by classics find another way of getting into them - you can find the initial blog post I wrote about the series here!

As I said then I promised the first installment would be Romance, but I did tell one little fib: I said for each genre I'd be talking about two classics and their contemporaries, but just this once I'm going to talk about four instead! Why? Why not! Well when I was narrowing down the classics I could talk about and finding their 21st century equivalents, I was torn between talking about some of the world's most famous love stories and some equally well-known modern reads, or talking about classics with some less obvious, and perhaps even lesser known, contemporaries.

So instead I decided to talk about both, and I suppose having double the amount is a good way to celebrate the start of this little series!

Two of the classics I ended up choosing for Romance were written by Jane Austen - one of the most famous romance authors of all time - so I thought I might as well split Romance into two separate posts, and centre one of them around the two Austen picks.

First up, let's start with one of the most famous, and most popular, love stories in the world...

Jane Austen's most famous novel, Pride and Prejudice, was first published in 1813 and is still widely read today. In fact to date the novel has sold 20 million copies worldwide!

When it comes to Jane Austen I can completely understand why someone may struggle to read one of her novels because I'm not one of her biggest fans myself, and I think a big reason for that is that I was simply introduced to her in the wrong way. For years I have said I will always dislike her novels, but recently I've thought about giving her a second chance. She must be well-liked for a reason, and perhaps now that I'm older I will have more patience with her work.

I had to read Pride and Prejudice during the second year of my degree but I just couldn't force myself through it, and yet I can watch an adaptation of any Jane Austen novel and enjoy it. And, in all honesty, I want to like her. I feel like I'm missing out on something!

The story of Pride and Prejudice is the kind of story I should love; give me a story about two characters who hate each other only to grow to love each other and I'm sold. And if you're the kind of reader who enjoys those kinds of love stories but feels too intimidated to jump straight into one of Jane Austen's novels, I have just the book for you!

I'm sure this doesn't come as much of a surprise to most of you; those of you who haven't read Bridget Jones's Diary have probably seen the film, and if Colin Firth playing the part of the modern Mr Darcy isn't enough of a clue that this is a modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice then I don't know what is!

Though I was still pretty shocked when I realised the connection. I'm dumb.

Just like Elizabeth Bennet, Bridget Jones is a single woman whose mother is desperate for her to be married; so desperate that she tries to set her up with Mark Darcy, a lawyer and old family friend, but Mark and Bridget don't get off to the best start...

This story is so much fun, and because it's basically a direct retelling of the original story I think reading this before you try reading Pride and Prejudice will make reading the classic much easier, and therefore less intimidating!

Next up we have one of Austen's less famous works, and the novel that first introduced me to her when I was 18: Persuasion.

Like Northanger Abbey, Persuasion was published posthumously in 1818 and is the shortest of Austen's novels. You might think that would make it the ideal Austen novel to start with, but this is the novel that made me dislike her work so much as a teenager (although it's also the one novel of hers I'd most like to reread now that I'm older). Having said that, if you are the kind of reader who finds the size of classics more intimidating than their content, this could be the ideal read for you!

Persuasion tells the story of Anne Elliot, an intelligent, 27 year old spinster, who was persuaded to break off her engagement to Captain Wentworth 8 years before because of his poverty and uncertain future. However, due to his success in the Napoleonic Wars, Wentworth is now wealthy and much sought after, and still hurt by Anne's rejection years before. While Wentworth seeks out a suitable bride, Anne struggles with the decision she made all those years ago and the feelings she still has for Wentworth.

If a story about people who are already in love - people who need to work through their troubles rather than try and get together in the first place - is one that interests you, then Persuasion is the novel for you, and I've managed to find a contemporary equivalent. A very recent equivalent!

Rainbow Rowell has quickly become one of the most famous authors of contemporary romance since the success of her YA novel Eleanor & Park. Her second YA novel, Fangirl, took the book community by storm, and this summer she released her second adult novel, Landline.

(I reviewed her first adult novel, Attachments, here!)

Landline tells the story of Georgie McCool and her husband, Neal, who are going through some marital troubles. They decide to spend Christmas with Neal's family in Omaha, but Georgie's job as a TV writer is hectic and something comes up at work. She has to stay in Los Angeles. Neal, however, takes their children and leaves for the airport.

Terrified that she has ruined their marriage for good, Georgie calls him, but the Neal that answers is the Neal from the past. Perhaps Georgie can use this strange connection to fix their future, or perhaps she should end their marriage before it even begins.

Obviously Landline and Persuasion are very different novels, Landline isn't a direct retelling in the way Bridget Jones's Diary is, and yet they share a lot of similar themes. Both feature a heroine who has made a mistake concerning the man she loves, and both include a mixture of maintaining an existing relationship while also including a small dose of 'will they, won't they'. If you're interested in Jane Austen's novels and you like Landline, I see no reason why Persuasion wouldn't be the perfect classic for you!

So there we have it: my 21st century suggestions for a 21st century reader who wants to read some Jane Austen. I really hope this has been useful (or at least fun!) and I'll be back on Monday with my non-Austen Romance installment!

J.