Northanger Abbey Video Review Special!!

Here is Libby and I's rather scatterbrained review of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey!

Persuasion and Black Beauty Video Review

Hi guys! I posted this a long time ago (roughly a month ago, lol), but some of my chummies had trouble finding it. Tomorrow I'll post the video for me and Libby's Northanger Abbey review. :)

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen [1811]

Oh my GOSH, I've read all the Jane Austen books (except for the short stories, but shush), somebody give me a trophy. ;)
Anyway! I really like this one. I know that there are a lot of people who like the adaptations better, and I may or may not be in that camp, but as brilliant as the '95 adaptation was, it didn't ruin the book for me at all.

So. I'm going to be really self centered and say that I related a TON to Marianne, and maybe that's a big reason why I was so invested in the story. I understood her character (and have done pretty much everything she has, except get dumped and almost die), and some of the things she said were things that I've thought! I know it's really stupid and ego-centric to go on about that, but that's what happens when you read a lot of books! It doesn't take long for you to start finding characters that you really connect with. Not every book has them, but it's a lovely feeling when you find some character and think "Wow, I've felt the exact same way!" I know that the more book I read, the more I get that feeling.

But let's not forget Elinor, because she is such a terrific character! The way she is described in comparison to Marianne you'd think that she's a robot, but Elinor is so witty and clever! I actually laughed out loud at some of her lines, like the following exchange between her and Margaret...

"Oh Elibor!" she cried, "I have such a secret to tell you about Marianne. I am sure she will be married to Mr. Willoughby very soon."
"You have said so," replied Elinor, "Almost every day since they first met on High-Church Down; and they had not known each other  week, I believe, before you were certain that Marianne wore his picture round her neck, but it turned out to be only the miniature of our great uncle."
"But indeed this is quite another thing. I am sure they ill be married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair."
"Take care, Margaret. It may only be the hair of some great uncle of his."

And I admire the way she can hold back what she's feeling and not go on rampages, that's such an admirable trait. But Elinor is by no means perfect (though when Marianne is going on an emotional spell it's quite easy to think that!) She gets secretly jealous sometimes, and occasionally thinks slightly uncharitable thoughts sometimes. Elinor is a very well rounded character, and I enjoyed the book a lot because of her.

The two male leads of the book were pretty good. A lot of people think that they are kind of bland, but I liked them. Colonel Brandon is certainly more interesting that Edward Ferras though. By a lot. The thing that I like about Colonel Brandon's character is that he's a pitiable character who's had some rough times, but he's not written all like: "Aww, wook at this poor widdle guy, coddle and feel sowwy for him!".

As per usual, the writing was top-notch. I won't lie, my eyes did sort of glaze over during some of the London bit, but the rest of it was just fine. And there is a very thought-provoking bit towards the end, concerning Willoughby, and how they go about forgiving him for what he's done. It was very interesting, and I wasn't expecting it!

The Verdict: A
Point deduced because I think that Elinor's romantic complications were solved a little too conveniently. Just a little bit. But we can talk about that later, all I know is that I really liked this book, and will definitely be reading it again sometime.

The Janeite Tag! :D

Hi everyone! I was tagged for the Janeite Tag by Hamlette http://theedgeoftheprecipice.blogspot.com/ and I'm looking forward to answering all her questions! Thanks for tagging me! And I'm so sorry I haven't posted this sooner! It's been kind of a stressful week, what with exams and such. We learned another irregular verb and I'm freaking out over vocabulary. :P But let's forget all that for now, and get on with it!


　

The Rules: Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.
Tell us how you were introduced to Jane Austen and share one fun fact about your Janeite life (this fun fact can be anything from "I stayed up all night reading Emma" to "I visited Chawton and met Anna Chancellor.").
Answer the tagger's questions.
Write seven questions of your own.
Tag as few as one or as many as seven other Janeites and let them know you've tagged them.
How I was Introduced
My mom has always had the books around, and I had been exposed to the various adaptations a lot, my favorite being the Gwyneth Paltrow 'Emma' and the Persuasion from the 90's. I didn't start reading them until I was around 14 and I had to read Pride and Prejudice for school. We erm, won't go over that in detail because it didn't end well. The jist is, I wasn't really a big Jane Austen fan until I read Emma, and then all of a sudden I was quite addicted! I've read all the books except Sense and Sensibility, but I'm planning on reading that whenever I finish the awesomeness that is The Count of Monte Cristo. Whenever that may be.

Fun Fact...?
I um... don't believe that I have one! Well, when I was 11 I tried to match all the people I knew to characters from Emma. I was Emma Woodhouse, some obnoxious kid from Church was Frank Churchill, and I can't remember anything else.

Allrighty! Hamlette's Questions!

1. Would you rather board with the Bennets or the Tilneys for a fortnight?
I'm going to have to say the Tilneys! I'd take a gruff jerk over giggly girls any day of the year.
2. Would you rather have Edmund Bertram or Edward Ferrars as your pastor?
Wow, their names are so similar that at first I couldn't remember which one was which! Um, Edward Ferras, just because he's a little more interesting?
3. If you could play any Austen character in a play or movie production, who would you want to portray?
I don't believe there are any Austen heroines who look anything like me. XD But if we were ignoring matters like really dark eyebrows and a totally Californian complexion, I would so want to play either Marianne Dashwood or Catherine Morland. :) Or Emma.
4. Which Austen book makes you laugh the most? (Or do you not laugh over any of them?)
Emma and Northanger Abbey both had me constantly in stitches. :D
5. How many times have you read your favorite Austen book?
Only once. I just recently started reading the Austen books, so I haven't had time to loop yet.
6. Which Austen parents do you think do the best job of parenting?
Hmmmmm, I don't think that I could answer that because I haven't read all of them, but of the ones that I have read I think that Catherine Morland has a nice, normal family with regular, non-paranoid or negligent parents.
7. If you could make a new movie version of any Austen book, which one would you adapt, and who would you cast? (Feel free to get as detailed as you want, or just cast the principals -- your choice.)
Um, pass! I really don't know a whole lot of actors. :P

Okay, here's the jist. I can't think of any questions at the moment, but as soon as I think of them I'll post them. Then again, I might just go over the verb 'Faire' a million times because that's a little more pressing at the moment. Sorry! XD

In Defence of Mansfield Park [1814] & Review

Mansfield Park, aside from Northanger Abbey, is probably the least appreciated of all Jane Austen's works. And you know, I can see why that is. Fanny is introverted and shy, and the love interest, Edmund Bertram is maybe a little on the bland side. It's also a good deal more serious than Austen's more popular works, like Emma or Pride and Prejudice. But Mansfield Park is a very good book in it's own right! It's probably not the 'best' Jane Austen book, but hey! Jane Austen books are kind of relative, and I think that people like the ones that speak to them. I personally don't care for Pride and Prejudice, but I loved Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. Which one is the best one just depends on who you are and what you're looking for in a book. But yikes, holy diversion, Batman!
Ahem, let's tackle some of the reasons why Mansfield Park is commonly regarded as the least-good Jane Austen book, and refute them!

Fanny Price
Unfortunately, Fanny is usually the number one reason people don't like this book. She's shy and doesn't express her feelings very often, because she doesn't want to offend anybody or make herself seem more important than she thinks she is. She isn't a vibrant and passionate Marianne Dashwood, and she isn't an energetic and witty Emma Woodhouse. But in the vast and wonderful world of literature, there is room for ALL sorts of fictional characters, not just the funny and outspoken ones.
Fanny isn't a heroine who goes with the flow. Mansfield Park is an unusual story in that it is more about staying still than moving quickly. And imagine how hard it is to stay still when everyone else is moving around you! That's how Fanny feels in the story. All around her are people who aren't acting the way they should, and Fanny is trying to be steadfast in the midst of all that confusion.
And because she is usually so timid and afraid of offending people, the occasions where Fanny stands up for herself are all the more satisfying.

What Does Edmund Bertram See In Mary Crawford? Why Doesn't He Love Fanny Right Away?
In all honesty, I think that Edmund Bertram is a little bland. That having been said, I understand why he wanted to marry Miss Crawford. She's pretty, she's intelligent, and she's good humored. Problems arise however, when Mary Crawford is disrespectful of Religion and the Clergy. Why on earth would Edmund put up with that? Both Mary and Edmund thought they could change each other to fit their own needs. Edmund thought that marriage would 'pin' Mary down a bit, and Mary just figured that Edmund was being kind of old-fashioned.
Edmund also had no idea that Fanny loved him. Remember, Fanny doesn't like to be open with her feelings. If the book were told from Edmund's point of view, we'd probably see him be very surprised when he at last discovers that Fanny loves him!

It's Just Not as Delightful or Fun as The Others
Remember what I said about there being room for all different kinds of fictional characters? Well, the same applies with stories, too! Not all stories can be funny and delightful. Some stories are just going to be more serious in tone than others. Of course, there is no one book in literature that EVERYBODY has to like. Everyone has different tastes, so not everyone will like every book. By writing this little review/rant, I hope that I cleared up a little bit of haze and if you didn't like the book, I hope that I at least inspired you to read it again someday. But I am by no means suggesting that we all fall down and worship Mansfield Park. Cuz' we all know that Emma is the best Austen novel. ;) Kidding, kidding, that's just my opinon. :D

The Verdict: B+
I don't know if I would consider this one of my favorite books, but I definitely liked it. :) It was very sweet and moving at times, and even though it wasn't really lighthearted, there were still many moments where the good ol' Austen snark showed through.

Chibi Illustrations Jane Austen Books

I was thinking that if I was able to draw realistic looking figures, I would draw illustrations for books. Then I figured I would just render my ideas in chibi form for fun. And well, I liked the way some of these turned out so I decided to post them. :)
Might do more of them as ideas come, but for now please enjoy Jane Austen illustrations.

I'm not sure about that squirrel. On one hand, detail! On the other hand... it doesn't look that great. That's why it's not colored in. XD

 

 

Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything for Sense and Sensibility, but when I think of something I'll add it to the post. :)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen [1813]

I was kind of cheating when I put this on my book list. When I wrote that I was kind of less than 40 pages from the end, but decided to put it on the list anyway. :P
Anyhoo, this is Jane Austen's most popular books, and is frequently hailed as her best work. I totally see why that is. The dialogue is witty, the characters are interesting and easy to identify with, and the plot is easy-going and refreshingly free of death and destruction.
I found this book a little frustrating actually, because sometimes I really liked it, and other times I wanted to toss it aside and pick up something else. To help sort out my feelings on this book, I think I'll pull out the bullet points. As usual, what I didn't like first. That way we can end on a positive note. :D

What I Didn't Like
-The pacing. Pacing is largely relative. One person's break-neck thriller is another person's yawn-inducer. For this one, I'd feel hard pressed if you asked me to give you a detailed recap of the book. Not a whole lot seemed to really happen aside from traipsing around from house to house and town to town. Stuff goes on during said traipsing around, but I just didn't feel that enthralled in the general plot.
-I wasn't that enthralled with the characters, either. Don't get me wrong, they were written and developed just fine, but for some reason none of the characters really 'clicked' with me. I think that if a book is going to become a favorite, you have to be able to connect with the characters, and unfortunately, that wasn't the case for this one.
-For whatever reason, I could not get myself to like Mr. Darcy. I know. He was in kind of a foul mood when he first met Elizabeth, and he's just not that sociable. But even when he was figuratively defrosting I just wasn't that thrilled with him.

What I Did Like
-The subplot with Mr. Bingley and Jane. Despite the fact that Mr. Bingley is kind of an airhead, I found his character quite endearing. And really, the reason he can't make his own decisions is because he doesn't even trust his own judgment, which for some reason I thought was funny and adorkable at the same time. (Shush, blogger spell check. 'Adorkable' is a word. By my standards, anyway.)
-The witty writing. One of the things I liked about Emma was that Jane Austen's writing is so incredibly snarky, but in a rather subtle (well, sometimes not that subtle at all) way.

The Verdict: B [?]
For the first time (IN FOREEEEVEEERRRR!!) I actually can't decide on the verdict. XD Some parts of it make me want to bust it down to C+ or so, but then I remember all the times Miss Austen's wit made me snicker, and yeah. I can't make my mind up with this book. But the essential question when reviewing a book is "Would I read it again?". With Pride and Prejudice, I the answer is yes, but not for a while. I'll at least wait until I've read all the other Jane Austen books before I re-read this one.

Emma by Jane Austen [1815]

I like the chipper expression on the
girl's face, but what's with the
 random dog?

I started reading this back in November, but my school reading got so overwhelming that I had to drop it for a while. But luckily, a few months later I tracked down my copy of it and started anew. And omigosh, it is a brilliant book. When I was younger (get your pitchforks and torches ready, well-read people of the earth) I thought Jane Austen was synonymous with sappy romances dripping with love-y goo. Of course, I couldn't have been further from the truth because Emma is probably the best executed romance novel I've ever read! Not like I've read that many romance novels, but this one was really good. Emma is a character I really connected to (especially in that we both sometimes need to be taken down a notch or two) and I find it funny that in any other story she would be the bratty rich girl. Yeah, the book says that the worst evil of her circumstances is that the always got her way, but if you think Emma is a spoiled twit, just wait until a certain Augusta Hawkins enters the scene. Ugh.
The characters are very believable and vivid. I've read some books where you know the main characters, but keep losing track of the others. I loved Bleak House, but I kept having to backtrack and review some of the supporting characters. But in Emma I knew who everyone was, and it even felt like I was actually at Hartfield. Not only the characters were familiar and real, so were the settings.
Emma is one of my favorite literary characters now, and despite her faults and troublesome meddling, she is a genuinely good person. All in all she's a very well-rounded character and I found her development through the story quite engaging. I also really liked Mr. Knightley, he's a gallant man, but he doesn't sugar-coat things, or hesitate to put his opinion on the table just because it might be offensive to somebody. He says exactly what he thinks, and stands by his position.
Other characters I really liked were Mr. Woodhouse, Poor Miss Taylor, and I actually came to like Jane Fairfax. All the characters were well-rounded, even the talkative bore Miss Bates has a moment or two of depth.
It wasn't completely flawless. There's no plot holes or anything like that, I just thought that the romantic complications got a little crazy at the end. Emma thought Harriet was in love with Frank Churchill! But she was actually in love with Mr. Knightely! Emma realizes she is in love with Mr. Knightley! All is lost! Oh wait, Mr. Robert Martin is still in love with Harriet, and turns out Mr. Knightley loves Emma. Looks like everyone is happily paired off!
It's not that bad though, and it wasn't one of those book situations that made me roll my eyes. No, the only times I rolled my eyes was when Mr. Elton was being an old married jerk, or Frank Churchill was being a flake. And that had nothing to do with the quality of the plot, it's just because those guys were being frustrating. :)

The Verdict: A+
Witty, interesting, and heartfelt, Emma quickly zipped near the top of my favorite book list. I suppose it's not perfect, I mean, nothing is truly perfect, but so far as a good read goes, it was perfecto. So yeah! I suppose I could have just reduced this post to one word and that word would be HUZZAH!!
Stay frosty, my friends!

A Letter!

I'm kind of on a Jane Austen buzz right now, I've started Emma and I love it! Earlier this year I had to read Pride and Prejudice for school, and I remember being a little annoyed at Mr. Darcy's loooooong explanation letter.

There's also some bonus concept art at the bottom of the comic.
I based Lizzy's dress off of a favorite Barbie outfit I had. XD And Mr. Darcy is... pretty bland looking, really. I had no idea what to draw him like!
Oh gosh, I just realized that my Jane Austen label is misspelled. D:

The Cast of Emma

... another cast. This time (as the title would indicate), I'm covering Jane Austin's Emma! Of Jane Austin books, I've only read Pride and Prejudice, but I really liked watching the movie/tv series of Emma. So as soon as I'm on Christmas vacation, I can read it. Huzzah! Unless I don't finish Henri Fabre, or Peter O'Keefe on time. [sighs] I suppose I've got my work cut out.
Anyways, I've been ranting too long. On with the cheesy drawings! :D

Emma: I'm happy with how she came out. She's wearing a party dress, and holding that little globe from the beginning of the Movie Adaptation.
Mr. Woodhouse: I sure hope I captured that dull throbbing hypochondria.
Mr. Knightly: Grr... I can't draw sideburns to save my life. But I feel Mr. Knightly here looks okay. Tried to make him look a little surly, but far from mean, of course.
Harriet: With her basket full of food and such for the people who live near Emma's house. Looking quite lovestruck by Mr. Elton. Which brings us to our next quarry...
Mr. Elton: I really hope I got the Minister outfit right. Well, in case you can't tell what he's supposed to be (and if you can even read my blurry handwriting), he's got a little book that says 'Minister'. Yeah.. creative name for the book. XD
Jane Fairfax: She looks rather nervous. I would be too, if I was standing next to Mr. Elton, I suppose.
Frank Churchill: Got mixed feelings on Mr. Churchill here. He's a fun character, but he also let Emma believe he was in love with her while actually being engaged to Jane. Rrgh, that's a little frustrating, right there. The actual chibi on the other hand, I like. He's based off the movie adaptation, the version most recently saw. In that one, he's got weird rocker hair. O.o
Miss Bates: Just bursting with the latest news from Jane Fairfax! Oh my!

Well, I hope you like them!
-Xochitl