May

While it may seem like all I do is read and makes lists, I do from time to time, find other ways to entertain myself. In fact, in the past week or two, I've watched The Great Gatsby (ah, Leo!), developed a bizarre girl crush on Gillian Anderson and seen some live music, where I found out that I have the capability of turning into a massive fan girl - 'I follow you on Twitter. I love your new song. I love you. Photo?'. As such, my new aim in life is to learn how to be cool and aloof. We'll see how that one goes!

Doing my best groupie impression.

But naturally, despite this *hectic* schedule of mine, I have managed to fit in some reading. I finished Tender is the Night and then moved on to The Marriage Plot, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Bell Jar. So, quite a varied array of literary offerings. From reading these books I've learnt a lot about Guernsey, gained more arguments for my new found feminism (which my friends now hear me do various speeches about - thanks for nodding along, guys!), realised that not all stories have to end with 'and they all lived happily ever after' and that, as amazing as F. Scott Fitzgerald obviously is, I don't think he's the writer for me.

Amongst all this reading and girl crushing, I've also managed to find the most perfect book ever. My Friday nights are now set to be a heady mix of literature and liquor. Because after all, literary inspired drinking is the best kind of drinking.

 

 

 

 

Literary Sisters

With 3 sisters of my own, the portrayal of sisters in literature is something I've always found interesting. Here are a few of my top literary sisters:

The Marches, Little Women: It's hard not to adore Louisa May Allcott's Little Women, arguably the most loving of all these sets of sisters. At times they seem like a family unit within themseleves, with Meg acting as a mum and Jo as a dad. They all play their parts as sisters well, Meg as the responsible eldest sister, Jo the outgoing, loud yet fiercly protective one, Beth quiet, caring, shy (and sickly) and Amy the spoilt youngest. (This is in no way a metaphor for me and my sisters...)

I still have the same hair and love of peter pan collars...
 

Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield, The Sweet Valley Twins: Elizabeth and Jessica, despite being twins, are complete opposites. Elizabeth bookish, academic and career-minded, whilst Jessica thinks mainly about boys, clothes and being popular. In spite of their differences and some sibling rivalry, deep down they're the best of friends and are always there for each other through various scrapes they seem to get themselves into. Undoubtably the series, which according to Wikipedia spans over 100 books, is pure cheese but it remains a classic for millions of girls of the late 80s and 90s. Myself included.

The Lisbons, The Virgin Suicides: Shown only through the eyes of the boys who loved them, at first sight the Lisbon sisters seem like your average group of siblings. But as one by one they commit suicide it quickly becomes apparent that all is not as it seems. Quite what drives them each to end their lives remains unknown. However, despite what must be a deep rooted unhappiness in each of them, perhaps somewhat due the strict ruling of their parents, the strong ties of sisterhood remain, each keeping the others secrets and perhaps even to some extent all commiting suicide as some sort of unspoken pact.

Cecilia and Briony Tallis, Atonement: As the novel opens, Cecilia and Briony are shown to have a stereotypical relationship where the younger looks up to the older one. However, this doesn't last long and over the course of one evening their relationship changes beyond repair. Through Briony's young imagination and foolish lies she condemns both Cecelia, and esentially also herself, to a life of unhappiness and regret. As the story unravels it becomes clear that no amount of repentence can repair the damage done be the 11 year old Briony. Although she does give Cecelia the happy ending that she so tragically stole from her in 'real-life', it's all too little too late and the Tallis family is torn apart forever.

Running with the Christmas themed photos.

Five Fictional Friends

Whilst reading I often decide I either want to be or want to befriend characters. Were they real, of course!

Here are just a few on my list: 

Elizabeth Bennet - Pride and Prejudice: We could go for walks, talk books and she could introduce me to Mr Darcy's rich friends. Perfection.

Emma Morley - One Day: In spite of her many flaws, Emma Morley is one of my favourite characters of all time. There are certain similarities between myself and her: both aspiring writers, share a love of literature, Scrabble and France. My real-life best friend even joked on seeing the film that they could have based the character on me. However, the same is likely to be said by millions of women around the world. For these reasons, were she a real person I would happily attempt to befriend her. Perhaps ever so slightly narcissistic of me.

Bernard - Not Now Bernard: Nobody has any time for little Bernard. Not only does he deserve a friend but also a protector from monsters.

Marty - The Woodlanders: In true Hardy style, life is tough for poor Marty. During the course of the novel she loses a tree, her hair, her father, her home, her job and the love of her life. I reckon she could do with a friend.

Neville Longbottom - Harry Potter: By the final book Neville had gone from geeky classmate to unlikely hero. Definitely someone worth having around, even if just to kill Basalisks.

Lis(z)tomania

I love books. I also love lists. So, in an attempt to revive my blog I’m going to combine the two. Beware, there may be some spoilers.

The Hit List

Over the past few years I’ve been compiling a mental list of literary characters I believe are deserving of a slap. Perhaps a sign that I get too emotionally involved in things that aren’t actually real… From friendly ‘knock some sense into’ them slaps to a full on punch in the face, some characters have an ability to get under your skin. Here are just a few of the characters that have topped my list:

Briony Tallis - Atonement: If little 13 year old Briony had told the truth, things could have been very different. Granted it wouldn’t have made for one of my favourite novels of all time but it would have saved a LOT of tears.

Pip – Great Expectations: Don’t get me wrong, I love Pip so this slap would be a friendly, ‘sort your life out, mate’ one. Hopefully he’d then stop being so mean to Joe and realise that Biddy is so much better than Estella.

Catherine – Petite Anglaise: She buys her affair underwear from Monoprix. Need I say more?!

Edward and Florence – On Chesil Beach: It might have been a good idea for Ed and Flo to talk about their sexual preferences before getting married. Apparently this hadn’t occurred to either of them and so ensues a wedding night from hell. Someone should have definitely banged their heads together. 

Daisy Buchanan – The Great Gatsby: Yeah, she might be beautiful and Gatsby might love her but seriously, make a decision: Gatsby or your cheating husband? And if you’re going to run people over you should really take responsibility for it! Poor old Gatsby.

Easter

Yesterday, I finally printed my dissertation; an activity that I thought blog worthy! I’m so relieved that after 2 whole years I can finally forget about it, although now that I can’t actually change anything I’m more worried than ever, a major concern being that it is in fact rubbish.  In the past week I have also set myself to reading 6 novels, which unsurprisingly hasn’t gone too well, so far I’ve managed 3 and a half... And despite many exam related nightmares and sudden panics that I’m going to fail, I still don’t seem to be able to sit down and concentrate for any longer than 20 minutes at a time!

Anyway, besides revision I’ve not really been doing very much, hence the fairly lengthy gap between posts. Highlights of the last week have been: watching Arsenal vs Liverpool at the pub (my favourite bit being when Kenny Dalglish swore at Arsène Wenger), drinking wine at regular intervals, listening to ‘every number 1 of the 90s’, seeing a man who looked a lot like Ian Beale and going to see Red Riding Hood. I’m extremely grateful that the film version of the story wasn’t the one that I was told as a child! I have also continued with cooking as a means of procrastination, this week making a couple of quiches. The next thing I plan on baking is a chocolate and Diet Coke cake, which sounds so wrong but as they are two of my favourite things I’m seeing this marriage in cake form as being only a good thing. However, as it is still Lent I can’t actually make the cake yet. So, come Sunday morning, in between Easter egg hunts (yep, I am 22 and we still do this) and eating as much chocolate as is humanly possible, I will be baking this (hopefully) delicious cake. I’m assuming nobody else in my family will even be willing to try it, so I will no doubt be taking the rest back to Reading for my extremely lucky friends to try. Something for them to look forward to!

Books and Chocolate. Still not sure why my mum bought 12 Easter eggs.