An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

I bought and watched this movie (Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, Rupert Everett, Julianne Moore, Jeremy Northam) and liked it well enough to want to read the play and see the differences between the two.

I generally like Oscar Wilde, although I feel wary of what seems to be a deep streak of cynicism in most of his rather fluffy plays. He reminds me of Jane Austin in some ways too, as he writes social commentaries that contain romance, comedy and commentary.

In this play, an ideal husband is found to have feet of clay. Can he leave the past behind him and act with integrity even though it may cost him his relationship with his wife and his reputation in society? Can his wife forgive him?

There are other elements here too, of course. A rake who is really a philosopher, a romance, a designing woman...lots of good stories happening.

It was significantly different from the movie in some pretty substantial ways. This doesn't surprise me when I'm watching a screen adaptation of a book, but it did surprise me a little bit in this movie since this is a screen adaptation of a stage play. Why the plot substitutions, I wonder? It's a play, not a book, after all. Anyway, they're both enjoyable.

Sex: No--although the movie inserts some provocative scenes (including a glimpse of a totally nude lady, btw--to earn that PG-13 rating, perhaps?), but this is a review of the play, not the movie, right?
Bad Language: No

Old Money by Heather Horrocks

This book was cute. It's subtitled "A Wild West Romantic Comedy" and I don't generally feel interested in westerns, but I know I like Heather Horrocks, so I picked up this little romance.

Summary: Jennie and Bryce broke up several years ago amid misunderstandings and deeply hurt feelings and both went their own ways. Now it is Bryce's wedding day and Jennie finds herself in disguise at his wedding (yeah, there's a backstory here, clearly). In a magical twist of fate, they are both transported 100 years back in time to old town Abilene Texas, right in the middle of a bank robbery. Can they overcome their hurts and mistrust of each other to survive being hunted by the law and the robbers AND to find their way back to the 21st century?

Well, I imagine I'm not really giving too much away to hint that, yes, this book has a happy ending. And a fun beginning and middle too. It was an entertaining book with a nice little taste of what history has told us about Jesse James and his gang. Plus, it's squeaky clean. I love that.

Sex: Plenty of chemistry between our main characters, but no sex before marriage (and even after marriage, sex is only indicated, not described).
Bad language: Nope

The Girl With No Name by Marina Chapman...

This book is subtitled, "The Incredible Story of a Child Raised By Monkeys" and is co-written by Vanessa James and Lynne Barrett-Lee, and is a true story.

This was a very interesting story that captured my imagination and stayed on my mind for days. Short summary: after being kidnapped and abandoned in the jungle at age 5, this young girl spends 6 years living in the jungle with the monkeys before she's taken again and sold to a brothel in a little town in Columbia. When she escapes the brothel, she lives on the streets as a thief and adventurer. Of course, this is only part one of this girl's story. Part two, the ghostwriter promises, has been written, but is yet to come.

It's hard to believe that anyone could survive this life and actually enter Western culture, transition into a "normal" life and then write a book about it all! It reminded me that the worst things in life don't happen to us because of acts of God or terrible diseases or other accidents, but happen as a result of the depraved behavior of other PEOPLE LIKE US. Never ceases to amaze me and motivates me to look inside myself to see if any corner of my soul is hiding potential for this kind of inhuman behavior. What people do to each other is too often absolutely unspeakable.

I remembered the question that I have often heard asked: how can a good God allow such bad things to happen to innocents (or to good people). Because it happens all the time. Bad things happen to good people. The author of this book questions the existence of a God that would allow these things to happen to children. I understand the question. I thought again about the two-edged sword that is our agency. People can choose what they do--God doesn't really stop anyone from behaving contrary to His will. We each get to choose. It's the ultimate freedom--our own ability to choose in any situation. Other people can limit our choices, but what choices exist in every situation are ours to make. It's a great gift that comes as part and parcel of being a person born on this earth. But. On the other hand, because we aren't the puppets of God and because I guess we all have the choice to choose depravity as easily as we can choose good, there are way too many people that choose that ugly behavior that is the hallmark of this lady's story. People are just as free to choose to be monsters as they are free to be saints. Why do so many people choose to be so awful? That was one of the things I found myself turning over in my mind after reading this very interesting and engaging story.

The book was fascinating and easy to read--Marina Chapman and her writers don't make it too gritty and unpalatable an account, for which I was grateful. I felt a deep sympathy for animals (as Marina herself clearly feels) and a gratitude for my own very nice childhood. I really would like to read the rest of Marina's story. How did she get from the jungle to secure married life in Britain? Seems like a pretty amazing leap. Anyway, it was a good read.

Sex: Nope. Well, except from what was observed by a very naive child while living at the brothel.
Bad Language: none

Awakening Colors by Ritu K. Gupta

I was asked by the author to read and review this book.

I'm not sure exactly what to say about Awakening Colors. It was not at all what I expected. What I expected was more action, more fantasy, a plot that moved ahead more actively. What I found was a lot of philosophy. The plot, in fact, was less of what drove the story than it was a vehicle for the author's expression of her philosophy. Which was lovely, if you like that sort of thing.

The book takes place in Canada and the main characters are Indian. The book feels very Eastern, with its long flights into purple prose and its mystics and mysteries. It was well written--it felt to me as though English were not the author's first language, yet still her command of the language was good enough for her to build some lovely metaphors.

The plot was promising: after being in a coma for 6 months, Pari awakens to find that she can read the auras that surround people. She seeks more knowledge about this new power--she reads journals left to her from a mystic and she wonders if it is safe to seek advice from the mysterious and powerful Arche. Even bigger than this, the prologue implies that Pari's new ability has a purpose, that it will provide balance to the world (the universe?). There is certainly a lot of promise for a good story here. I was especially intrigued by Pari's ability to read people and, if she intervenes, to change their lives. I liked reading about the few times she did that.

So. The plot is promising. The philosophy is plentiful but not painful. The main characters are relatively likeable. My real complaint is that the plot is barely advanced at all! I was so disappointed! I read some reviews on Amazon that implied that this book is the first in a projected series? If so, then I suppose the total lack of any conclusions in this book is understandable, although frustrating. Some specific problems: Pari seems to make progress all on her own and you wonder why she bothers with Arche at all. Arche's powers are unclear anyway. There is foreshadowing of a battle between Pari and Arche, but when that battle comes it is....a bit of a letdown. All that philosophizing--from the journals and from Arche--doesn't really seem to contribute anything to the plot. The "magic" that is at the center of the book is vaguely explained--one can sense a system somewhere, but it's never clear. It's all very wordy and mystical and vague and not at all what I expect a work of fiction to be. There are elements that seem to promise a story that just doesn't really develop.

Altogether, I didn't like the book, although I can see that it could well be a personal taste thing. I think if the book had been billed as a philosophical novel, then it would have been less disappointing because I'd have known what I was getting into--a philosophy book with the beginnings of a story attached. Because that's what this book feels like to me. If a reader enjoys Eastern philosophy, then this book may be transporting. But if a reader is looking for a story of magic, mystery, adventure and action...well that's not quite what is to be found in Awakening Colors.

Sex: references to extra-marital sex, some sensual references, no sex
Bad language: surprisingly for a spiritual/intellectual book, there is a little bit of swearing, including a slap-the-reader-in-the-face f-word about 2/3 of the way into the story. I didn't expect that one at all and it seemed oddly out of place. In fact, that whole scene, where Pari and her friend Navina discuss the sexual abilities of Arche and Navina lets that f-word fly, seemed out of keeping with the shape of the novel in general. 

The Introvert's Way by Sophia Dembling

I recently figured out that I am an introvert! I've never been shy and I love people (mostly), but as I've gotten older and have kind of grown into myself, I have noticed that I really like to be alone, I prefer reading a book to most other activities, I hate talking on the phone, I dread parties...and so on. I've felt guilty about these preferences and dislikes as well, and have felt pressure from others to feel differently. So figuring out that at least 50% of the human population is like me and that introverts have a whole set of strengths that are different from those of extroverts....well, it's been very cool to figure this all out about myself (I love figuring things out about myself!) and I am eager to read more about this whole extrovert thing.

So I had high hopes for this book. What I THOUGHT I was going to read was a description of what it is to be an introvert and some "practical ideas for dealing with others and feeling fine about [myself]", as the blurb on the front cover promises.

But that's not quite what this book delivers. I actually learned more about being an introvert from this list than I did from this book. There were a few interesting studies that the author extrapolated from to make some informed guesses about introverts, but most of this book was gleaned from her own opinion and experiences and from blog posts from other self-proclaimed introverts. All interesting enough... but NOT interesting enough to actually fill a WHOLE BOOK.

The book was repetitive and fluffy and a disappointment. Admittedly, there is not very much out there about introverts as "normal" people and for years folks have equated introversion with shyness or even neuroticism, but it seems like more thought and organization could have been brought to bear on an actual BOOK claiming to be all about the introvert. Hm. Oh, PLUS, this author has no children (she has a husband, though) so she leaves out a huge component of an introvert's life. She made no effort to include any information about what seems like possibly the most important thing in an introverted mother's life: her children. Strange. She makes some guesses about what an introvert might feel about his/her children, but this book is mainly about parties. Why to go to a party, when to leave a party, how to work a party, why one shouldn't have to go to a party, how to take a break from a party.. and on and on. There's also some slamming of extraverts, a lot of "yay for us!" about introverts and some pretty uncharitable and self-centered mantras. It was all very casual and chatty, just like an article in a magazine. But for a book claiming this:

"For the 70 percent of highly sensitive people who are introverts, The Introvert's Way will give them practical ideas for dealing with others and for feeling fine about themselves, just as they are--loving quiet, solitude, and deep conversation."

it was way too lightweight. I felt that I had wasted a lot of my time reading an entire book when there were probably only about 3 chapters that actually provided any interesting information. Sigh.

Sex: no
Bad language: surprisingly, there was a little bad language. It always surprises me when a "science"/information book has bad language in it. Somehow that kind of language doesn't seem to be consistent with a person who thinks and studies and stuff. Or maybe I just have different ideas about grown ups than other people do. Boy, I'm kind of grumpy this afternoon, aren't I? Hm.

A Few E-books

"The Accidental Movie Star" by Emily Evans
Pros: I liked the common-sense approach and down-to-earth voice of the female main character (Ashley)
Cons: There were LOTS of make-out scenes. Keep in mind that Ashley is a 17-year-old and her actor friend is only 18. Their make-outs are theoretically "acting", getting into his role--silly and contrived, to my mind. I really didn't like all the sexual scenes between teenagers that were in this book. And the ending was kind of depressingly modern: they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Now that's true love for you. A real commitment. Yeah.

The Gatekeeper's Sons by Eva Pohler (#1 in a trilogy, fyi)
Pros: A very interesting premise--Hades' two sons pursue one earthly girl who has recently witnessed the murder of her parents. Why her? Because she's a good dreamer and because she vigorously seeks reunion with her dead parents. Anyway, one son pursues only a playful romance, but the other son pursues a much more serious relationship. No sex, no bad language.
Cons: ANOTHER Greek mythology series. Need I say more about that? Another teenage romance, complete with early commitment (does she REALLY want to marry him?) and Twilightesque bedroom scenes and a perfect, god-like boyfriend. Sigh. Again? Also, the ending was really contrived. The happy ending had to be manipulated away from in order to make possible the rest of the trilogy. The reader feels the manipulation. And why did Therese take it so lightly? I thought she had committed to an eternal relationship with the god that she loved!

"Heartsight" by Kay Springsteen
Pros: A sweet, heart-warming love story with lovable main characters and a story of substance. No sex, no swearing.
Cons: Can't think of any, really. It was a sweet book about a former marine, blinded in the line of duty and floundering, seeking to find substance and purpose in his life. One day on the beach he meets a little girl who captures his heart almost immediately. She is followed by her mother, a little panicky because she's temporarily lost her Downs Syndrome daughter, and a lot lonely. You know what happens next. I liked this story quite a lot.

A Proper Companion by Candice Hern

     Have you ever noticed that when life is tough or particularly emotional or stressful or whatever, that a girl will often immerse herself in "fluff"? It's escapism, of course. And I particularly like romance when I want to "escape". However, I do NOT like the highly sexualized romances that are so abundant these days. Therefore, I do not check out (at the library) or buy, willy-nilly, any romance that catches my eye, because the LAST thing I want is to be seared by some graphic sex scene. I like to read about ROMANCE (with good chemistry, of course), not SEX. So, I get so happy when I find a series of sweet, sex-free romances. Yay!!

     This is a regency romance about modest, beautiful and dirt-poor Emily Townsend, recently become companion to a spunky dowager countess who is grandmother to handsome rake Lord Robert Bradleigh. Ah yes, you can probably guess the eventual outcome of this little situation. Along the way, however, Emily has to outwit the malicious intentions of some distant relatives and Lord Robert has to shed one unloved fiancee. How it all happens is entertaining and fun and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it all. I plan to read all the rest of Candice Hern's regency romances!

Sex: nope. Well, except for the fact that our hero is the stereotypical rake who has had various previous lovers while our heroine is squeaky clean. Yup. Classic. Hm.
Bad language: none