Book 2 - 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' (rank = 19)

I am over halfway and still enjoying most of the book, although I get a little weary of some of the war bits, and Mandras' interactions with the ELAS or whatever they are called. I mainly enjoy the interactions between Pelagia and Captain Corelli, and I still like the priest who has come into his own and strides around the island in sole-less sandels, preaching torrents of Greek to incomprehending but delighted Italians, and incomprehending and irritable Germans. Psipsina, the rescued pine marten is also a delightful character!

I promise to finish it soon - it is amazing how my reading time has lessened now that I don't have a couple of hours on the tube each day!

Book 2 - 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' (rank = 19)

I was a little wary of this book as the movie was so disappointing, but I shouldn't have let that put me off as it is very rare that movie lives up to the promise of the book. (I thought 'The English Patient' was an exception, but I know some will disagree).

I'm about a quarter of the way in I think and still haven't met the eponymous character, but instead have been charmed (and occasionally disgusted) by a host of characters related to the story from different angles, including Metaxes, and Mussolini himself in a very funny stream-of-consciousness monologue. I love the way de Bernieres uses such a variety of styles and viewpoints, from letters, internal monologues and first person perspective, to more traditional 3rd person, omniscient narrator. The characters are vivid and interesting and even though they present some very different perspectives, they are all sympathetic in their own way. My personal favourites at the moment are Lemoni, a small and mischievous 6 year old girl, and the drunken, obese priest.

I am looking forward to meeting Corelli, as I hope to expel the vision of Nicholas Cage permanently from the role! Especially that appalling accent!

Book1 - 'Jane Eyre' (rank = 10) - finished!

It took me a little longer than anticipated, due to unplanned forays through other novels, but I reached the end of Miss Eyre (or, should I say, Mrs Rochester). It was much as I predicted, although I couldn't have forseen the somewhat melodramatic loss of an eye and sight in the other. And a hand as well? Or am I making that up. Anyway, it turned out happily for all concerned, with the possible exception of St John, who didn't seem like he ever wanted to be happy. I'm not sure what the author intended us to think of him, but I thought he was the most miserable so-and-so ever, and didn't feel in the slightest bit sorry for him at all. I was hoping the 'heathens' in India would make him into a nice chicken tikka and save the rest of us from his prosaic proselytising (nice bit of alliteration).

I did enjoy it, although I still much prefer 'Pride and Prejudice' and even 'Emma'. I'm glad I read it though, and it was no hardship to do so. I read an article in the Telegraph over the weekend, by Nick Hornby, which basically advised people not to struggle through books they aren't enjoying. There is a bit of snobbery about what people read, and Hornby thinks it is far better to read something you enjoy and read more, than to push yourself through a novel you don't connect with and put yourself off reading in the future. I have to agree, although I shall be going against his advice on occasion with this list I think.

Ah well, onto the next book, which I am partway into (got a good few hours in on the train back and forth from Devon), which is...(see above)

Book 1 - 'Jane Eyre' (rank 10)

I'm still going with Jane - thought I'd be finished by now, but I keep interrupting her with other 'quick fixes'. My mind is rebelling and in a lazy mood so I keep being distracted by one-dayer novels.
Anyway, poor Jane has found out that Mr Rochester (anyone else find it strange that his firstname is the same as his housekeepers surname, ie Fairfax) has a mad wife in the attic and has flown the scene, being saved from starvation by a rather interesting family. I am now past the bits I knew a bit about, so will be interested to see how it all turns out in the end.

I have been trying to think of an equivalent situation that could happen now. Obviously in this specific case, Mr R would have been able to get an annulment, and anyway, living out of wedlock is these days only shocking to very small, permed old ladies who smell of lavender - and with some of the story lines on Eastenders these days, probably not even them.

Will report back once finished.

Book 1 - 'Jane Eyre' (rank = 10)

I knew I'd find this easy going and I was right. I am very much enjoying it so far - Charlotte Bronte has a slightly different style to Jane Austen, but I find them both easy to tune in to. I knew bits of the Jane Eyre story, but not the whole plot (vague knowledge of Mr Rochester and the mad wife in the attic), and happily I don't know how it ends. I'm about a 3rd of the way through as I had a couple of other books to finish before I could start this one - usually I'll happily have 2 or 3 books on the go at one time, but for this challenge I thought it best to stick to one at a time.

It was interesting reading the introduction to Jane Eyre as well. The Brontes were a bit of an unlucky family it seems, dying left right and centre, and Charlotte only managing a year of marriage before she died, in her 30s if I recall correctly. I also hadn't realised that the 3 sisters only really wrote one major novel each, or that they originally published under masculine-sounding pseudonyms.

I should finish this by the end of the week, so I'll post again once I have...

I would welcome any comments from others about this book (just don't give any plot away!)

The first library foray...

Hurray! I have a library card! I searched the library for a while and found myself 2 books from the list – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (rated number 10 on the list); and 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

I’m pretty sure I’ll whiz through Jane Eyre – I’m not sure why I’ve never read it before, being a fan of Jane Austen and similar novels. Besides, I already know most of what happens purely through assimilation – references to Mr Rochester and the mad wife in the attic are everywhere!

100 Years I’m not so sure about. I have previously read Love in the Time of Cholera by the same author, and slogged through it without really being able to say I liked or disliked it. In fact, I’m now racking my brains to remember what happens and all I’m getting is a vague memory of a parrot in a palm tree, and it dying somehow, causing some distress? There is the distinct possibility I’m thinking of the wrong book, but that’s what I recall.

I will report back once I’m fully into one or the other…