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The challenge is making me wish I hadn't already read Frankenstein Brian Send a noteboard - 23/01/2011 07:38:49 AM
I read A Christmas Carol for my January/February challenge. I have intended so many times to read it at Christmas time but never quite managed.

Despite knowing the basic story so very well, it still managed to surprise me. It's very different from the other Dickens books I've read - much lighter, with more economy of language, as befits a short story.

At the same time, it didn't entirely satisfy me. Everything happened too quickly, and Scrooge's conversion from sour misanthrope to cheerful philanthropist is too sudden. I'd have found it more believable if it had happened over a few nights instead of the one, with time for each lesson to sink in properly. But then, maybe it's just because Scrooge wasn't really all that bad. That just feels a little simplistic.

I also think that this is one of those very rare books that is improved by filming. I've seen some gorgeous movies of this book, and have enjoyed them far more than the written story. That said, I liked it enough that I will read it every Christmas from now on, maybe make a tradition of it like so many do.


Now. Because the above book is so short, I decided to read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving as well. I kind of wish I hadn't. It would have been better if the book had remained a lovely mystery to me, and I stuck with the delightful Depp film that came out a few years ago. Irving's book is boring.

Seriously. Nothing happens. Yes, the description of Ichabod Crane is quite enchanting, but that's it. Where's the gore? Where's the horror? Why are heads not flying off every which way?

I feel seriously misled by the film industry. Shame on them. And on me for being so credulous. That is all.

I'm very much regretting my choice of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Had I thought more about it, I probably wouldn't have picked it, because I do not particularly enjoy the books from the romantic period, and Wilde seems determined to be the most flowery, vapid, over the top of them all.

Edit: I find it amusing that on one hand I say I don't like books from the romantic period, and on the other say I wish I could read Frankenstein, which is from said period. Although it is from the period, it is very different from the typical "romantic" period book, so it makes some sort of twisted sense I suppose.
This message last edited by Brian on 23/01/2011 at 08:45:17 AM
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A few thoughts on my Classic challenge book. Well, books, as it turns out. - 22/01/2011 11:48:21 PM 1325 Views
This month is just making me hate classics. - 23/01/2011 12:06:08 AM 1150 Views
Aw. That's a shame. - 23/01/2011 12:21:10 AM 1054 Views
Re: Aw. That's a shame. - 23/01/2011 12:55:44 PM 1181 Views
Hrm... a high fantasy classic... - 23/01/2011 01:15:05 PM 958 Views
Yeah? Okay... *NM* - 23/01/2011 01:16:15 PM 476 Views
Yes. - 23/01/2011 01:17:18 PM 1107 Views
Dunsany is good. And Grimm, but - 23/01/2011 01:25:40 PM 974 Views
There's really only one high fantasy classic, no? Or two, if you count the Silm separately. *NM* - 23/01/2011 01:35:03 PM 476 Views
Perhaps Gormenghast? - 23/01/2011 01:58:50 PM 1128 Views
Perhaps, haven't read either Dunsany or Peake. - 23/01/2011 02:02:51 PM 1088 Views
Re: Perhaps, haven't read either Dunsany or Peake. - 23/01/2011 02:05:31 PM 1252 Views
Maybe Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? *NM* - 23/01/2011 02:20:49 PM 478 Views
Re: Dunsany is good. And Grimm, but - 23/01/2011 01:37:56 PM 1011 Views
Re: Dunsany is good. And Grimm, but - 23/01/2011 01:59:18 PM 1133 Views
H. Rider Haggard. - 23/01/2011 01:24:01 PM 1078 Views
Sounds interesting. - 23/01/2011 01:34:45 PM 1114 Views
Re: Sounds interesting. - 23/01/2011 01:39:34 PM 1177 Views
King Solomon's Mines is also awesome. - 23/01/2011 03:52:04 PM 942 Views
You can't love all of the classics, but it's not like it's a genre of its own that you can dislike. - 23/01/2011 12:32:01 AM 1142 Views
Precisely - 23/01/2011 09:40:26 AM 1367 Views
True true... - 23/01/2011 12:58:42 PM 1100 Views
Fortunately, that's precisely what this site aims to do! *NM* - 23/01/2011 01:34:16 PM 490 Views
You just aren't reading the right books (and reviews), it seems - 23/01/2011 12:41:07 AM 1164 Views
The Swiss Family Robinson is hardly a "classic", unless by "classic" you mean "old". - 23/01/2011 06:55:30 AM 963 Views
Fine then. - 23/01/2011 01:02:48 PM 1022 Views
Re: This month is just making me hate classics. - 23/01/2011 09:05:52 AM 1130 Views
A lot of "classics" need proper context to be appreciated - 23/01/2011 12:22:44 PM 1322 Views
Well said. - 23/01/2011 12:46:35 PM 1158 Views
Re: Well said. - 24/01/2011 02:33:10 AM 1200 Views
Very true - 23/01/2011 01:04:56 PM 1079 Views
Speaking of Dumas... - 24/01/2011 02:45:02 AM 949 Views
ooooh - 24/01/2011 08:51:46 AM 1258 Views
The Molière movie is called... wait for it... - 24/01/2011 10:21:48 PM 1097 Views
oooh - 24/01/2011 10:24:19 PM 1139 Views
Re: oooh - 24/01/2011 10:29:23 PM 992 Views
Re: oooh - 25/01/2011 01:15:39 AM 1097 Views
I really should watch that movie. - 25/01/2011 09:43:35 PM 1036 Views
Re: I really should watch that movie. - 25/01/2011 11:15:10 PM 1173 Views
Re: oooh - 25/01/2011 01:50:04 AM 1017 Views
Re: oooh - 25/01/2011 10:22:21 AM 1168 Views
Re: oooh - 25/01/2011 12:46:30 PM 1190 Views
That's it! - 25/01/2011 12:50:18 PM 1212 Views
Re: A few thoughts on my Classic challenge book. Well, books, as it turns out. - 23/01/2011 06:25:50 AM 1101 Views
The big problem with Dracula is that it's an epistolary novel. - 23/01/2011 06:58:25 AM 1102 Views
Yeah, agreed. - 23/01/2011 09:46:57 AM 1045 Views
But Frankenstein doesn't even have good writing to recommend it. - 23/01/2011 10:09:58 AM 1032 Views
The challenge is making me wish I hadn't already read Frankenstein - 23/01/2011 07:38:49 AM 1598 Views
Really? - 23/01/2011 07:52:24 AM 995 Views
I didn't mind The Importance of Being Earnest too much - 23/01/2011 08:38:14 AM 1558 Views
Frankenstein - 23/01/2011 09:05:10 AM 1134 Views
... - 23/01/2011 09:08:03 AM 974 Views
Thank you. *NM* - 23/01/2011 10:10:34 AM 462 Views
For, as usual, being my wonderful, divine self and bringing light to the world? *NM* - 23/01/2011 10:12:30 AM 495 Views
Something like that. *NM* - 23/01/2011 10:15:37 AM 419 Views
There's a reason why they include Wilde among the "decadents". - 23/01/2011 10:16:33 AM 1040 Views
Re: A few thoughts on my Classic challenge book. Well, books, as it turns out. - 23/01/2011 08:53:01 AM 1064 Views
Yes. - 23/01/2011 10:15:04 AM 1052 Views
Re: Yes. - 23/01/2011 10:18:02 AM 1050 Views
I just read A Christmas Carol as well. It's very short, alright. - 02/02/2011 08:46:16 PM 1108 Views

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