January Reads

Within the last week of January, I have completed two books that I thought would be so boring. I love books; there is always a surprise between the covers. I was not disappointed with either.

The first book was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. I couldn't remember if I read this in high school, but thought I should reread it now as I have matured with age. It may have taken the first hundred pages or so to find the hook, but find it I did. Once hooked, I didn’t want to put it down. It was Mrs. Bennett’s fondest desire to see her girls married and married well. With five young daughters, it was a lot to wish for. And the novel reeks of pride and prejudices, assumptions and sensibilities….and so many characters to bring to life and what they will and will not settle for! Each character had their individual imperfections, and redeeming qualities as well. Oh Mr Darcy, so glad you perservered! This is how a romance novel should be written!

The second book finished just today was the Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill. Not the kind of book I normally read, although the temptation to read it was the lure of finding out what really happened to little Charlotte. Charlotte is a spirited four year old whose mother did not come by the motherliness of her own mother and who found the job of mothering quite overwhelming. She adopted a harsh manner in disciplining her 9 children. Charlotte was difficult to potty train and at four, she still had not mastered the concept. Her punishment that awful day was to be tied to a ring in the wardrobe room; unfortunately she remained in the room, alone for three hours, her bindings slipped, and she asphyxiated. The story of the family and this tragic occurrence was told by a ninety yr old servant speaking to the granddaughter of the mistress who lost her baby Charlotte, and by the Mistresses’ prison diary. This was a very sad and frustrating tale, and I am glad I read it, but I could not do with a steady diet of this. There just weren't any winners.