Killing my TBR Classics pile: #3 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

That has to be the longest heading I have had to date!

Still in fear of the state of my wrists, I picked up another short classic that I had been putting off: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. I don't know why I was putting this one off. I have wanted to read it for years. To top that, I really enjoyed Treasure Island and Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson when I read the unabridged classics as a child, so I doubted that there would be anything in the language to put me off. I suppose I just didn't pick it up, because, like everyone else, I knew what this one was about.

I can only imagine what a thrill this book must have been to read back in the late 1800s, before the plot was general knowledge, before we had seen weirder things on TV, before there was TV. I wish I could have read this without any knowledge of the plot.

There were a few 'surprises' along the way. I did not expect this to be narrated from the lawyer, Mr Utterson's, point of view. There was another surprise, but I won't go into it here, as it is a bit of a spoiler. It is very difficult to discuss much about this. For starters, it is a whopping 54 pages long. For another, it is such a part of pop culture that it is hard to believe I could say anything here that you would not already know.

The language gripped my imagination. I could feel danger lurking through the streets. I could feel the wickedness of Hyde leaking off the page. Right from the opening, questions were raised, an ominous atmosphere was created, and the characters were moving. I wonder if I would have seen all the clues along the way had I not known what the story was about? Once again, I can only reiterate that I think this must have been spectacular to read without prior knowledge of the plot.

"The old gentleman took a step back, with the air of one very much surprised and a trifle hurt; and at that Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next moment, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway."

― Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

I did not expect the violence to be as vivid! Audibly shattering bones! Dexter didn't even go that dark! (Maybe I should reread Treasure Island at some time and see if the violence was as graphic there. I cannot remember!)

There is one thought that I have on this, and that is the desire to be able to drop all of society's requirements and 'let loose'. After all, isn't that a desire of most of the characters I have read about so far? Women wanting to not have to comply to everything expected of them; a woman wanting to be loved in the time of arranged marriages and so stranded with a cold husband; falling in love with a man beneath one's status and feeling that he is therefore unattainable? In this case, it was to break out of the required properness in conduct. And just like so many of the characters I have mentioned, the result was not in his favour. (I think one just has to look at how people interact with strangers on the internet to see that this desire is still there today.)

 I also felt, at the time of reading this, that there was a huge comparison one could make between what went on with Jekyll and Hyde to drug addiction as it is known today.

I gave this 4 stars because it was definitely a fun. quick read.

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

I first encountered this book in the Grade 9 language textbook. It was just a small piece from the book that was used, but it raised many questions for me, and I kept an eye out for The Wasp Factory ever since. I was thrilled when I found it in a 50% off closing down sale!

Frank is... I have no idea to describe Frank. Frank is a... Nope. I still don't know how to describe Frank. Let me cheat (and plagiarise) the blurb on the back of the book. Maybe you can decide what Frank is. But even then, Frank is so much more than the blurb, and so much less in other ways. In fact, "Frank is" is probably the best description I can give.

The blurb: Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different reasons than I'd disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda more or less on a whim. That's my score to date. Three. I haven't killed anybody for years, and don't intend to ever again. It was just a stage I was going through.  Enter - if you can bear it - the extraordinary private world of Frank, just sixteen, and unconventional, to say the least.

I really need to make a shelf called sick-and-twisted for books like this one.

“He hit and fatally injured my innocent and unfortunate uncle whose muttered last words in hospital, before his coma became a full stop, were: 'My God, the buggers've learned to fly...”

― Iain Banks, The Wasp Factory

This has to be one of the best written books I have read this year - or in a couple of years. But having said that, this was a book that disturbed me, squicked me and made my stomach churn. If brain bleach existed, this book would have sent me to the doctor to get a prescription. But it was so well written! I think I have mixed feelings.

The character of Frank was spectacularly done. While I hated being in his head, I was fascinated and unable to put the book down. I needed to know what he was doing. I was curious - 'curious' is such a tame word. Even though I spent time in Frank's head, I felt I was never able to completely understand him (that is probably a good thing) nor predict without a doubt what he was going to do next.

But the magnificently written characters extend beyond Frank. His father remains a mystery. His brother is a huge question throughout. Even his mother is a mystery.

This book is just questions. Paragraphs raise new questions, and they keep you reading, and raising even more questions. What is the Factory? What? He killed three people? Why? How? What is up with his brother? What is he up to? And that is possibly the questions raised in the first page or two.

An intelligent read, but not a read for everyone. The scenes with animals are difficult to read (I skimmed a lot - I couldn't do it in the spectacular detail in which it was written). Keep that in mind if you decide to give this a go.

I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads, and 4.5 stars in my own stats. Brilliantly, intelligently written, but... my stomach. It did not enjoy some parts.

The Beach by Alex Garland

I saw the movie of this so long ago, the only thing I could remember was that 'the shit hit the fan'. I could not remember how or why the shit impacted with the fan, nor what happened when it did. But I knew it was going to happen.

Richard heads off to Bangkok. On his first night there he meets a man ranting about The Beach. The following day, the man gives him a map to The Beach. This perfect utopia. Who would not want to go there?

I was very worried that, as I read this, I would remember the movie. That did not happen. Either the movie was very different to the book, or else I have had my head filled with so many stories it can't separate one from the other. But I was really pleased about that. It meant I could really enjoy the thrilling aspect of wanting, no, NEEDING to know what was going to happen. The pace is also elevated as each chapter is so short (3 or so pages), that one finds oneself saying "Oh, just one more chapter" multiple times before turning in for the night, making lunch, making supper or heading out to do whatever adult thing needs to be done. I don't know why I love books with short chapters so much, but I really seem to breeze through them.

As to the story, I was spellbound. I don't want to head into more detail than that, because, should you have managed to avoid the movie, it would not be nice for me to blast you with spoilers. I will just say that spending time in Richard's head was very interesting. The other thing that is hard to avoid is the ominous undertone.

I would recommend this book to folks who enjoyed Lord of the Flies by William Golding, folks who love to travel (or who would love to travel) and who have travelled through Thailand and places that are similar. I would also suggest that this book should be avoided by those who are offended by bad language.

I gave this 4 stars on both Goodreads and my own records. It was a gripping read and very well constructed.

Killing my TBR Classics pile: #2 A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

So after reading the MASSIVE tomes of Middlemarch and Anna Karenina, I decided my wrists needed a bit of a break, before they did break. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster seemed a good choice, coming in at only 176 pages, for my next 'Killing my TBR Classics pile' read.

There is no way I can write anywhere near as much on  A Room with a View as I have on my recent reviews. While I found it decidedly more enjoyable than Anna Karenina, it has stuck with me a lot less. In fact, at this point in time, I can tell you the plot, but my thoughts are a vague memory. Maybe I should start taking notes when I postpone my reviews.

This novel is set a few decades after Middlemarch was written, and it is nice to see how the role of women was changing. Although still very much under the power of men, and governed a lot by what was deemed proper, there was the feeling that there was just that bit more freedom, a bit more respect of their thoughts and a bit more choice that they could make.

“This desire to govern a woman -- it lies very deep, and men and women must fight it together.... But I do love you surely in a better way then he does." He thought. "Yes -- really in a better way. I want you to have your own thoughts even when I hold you in my arms.”

― E.M. Forster, A Room with a View

Class, apparently, had not made such progress - or at least, was only beginning to change. The discomfort felt by all the proper, upper-class folks at the hotel in Florence, Italy when lowly Mr Emerson not only speaks to the ladies without being addressed, but has the audacity to offer up his room (which had a view) was quite a clear introduction as to what themes the novel was going to be exploring.

This is a love story set between classes. I am not going to go into my dislike of instant love here because my opinion doesn't really differ with most folks' out there. I will say, however, that I couldn't really believe that the two 'destined to be together' even really felt more than a fond acquaintance for one another. Especially from Lucy's perspective, as the reader follows her through the novel, and not 'the other'.

Oddly enough, the character I enjoyed reading about the most was Lucy's cousin, Charlotte Bartlett. She was delightfully false, verbally coming across as self-sacrificing, and yet not. Take the trip to the country, where she refused utterly to sit on the mat/blanket (whatever it was) and chose the wettest patch of grass and then coughed and spluttered, insisting that sitting on the wet grass was not the cause at all and would not make her sick, until Lucy got up and left them, making a mat vacant. She was like this throughout the novel, but it was only towards the end, that one realised that there was a lot more to her. I have a feeling that I might have actually preferred reading her story than this one.

There was some beautiful writing again in this book. But I suppose that is a mark of a classic. Books are unlikely to become classics if they are shoddily written.

“Life' wrote a friend of mine, 'is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.”

― E.M. Forster, A Room with a View

I gave this one 4 stars on Goodreads. Now this is where I must admit that rating books does not make sense. Anna Karenina has stuck with me for 3 weeks (at the time of writing this), where as this book has barely made an impact. But it was more enjoyable - but maybe that says more about me, and less about the quality of Anna Karenina.

Bones in Her Pocket by Kathy Reichs

Do I need to reiterate that I enjoy crime novels? When I am overworked or just in need of a mental break, this is the genre I turn to. I did not need any persuading to read a novella by Kathy Reichs. I enjoy her Tempe Brennan series (the inspiration for the TV series, Bones, but you already know that), so when I stumbled upon this, I grabbed it. It made a pleasant break between reading all the classics.

Bones are found washed up in a remote area of North Carolina. Tempe is called out. It does not take long before foul play is suspected.

This book disturbed me more than Dexter did. I don't know what it says about me as a person. Yes. Mutilate, murder, chop up people. But leave the animals out of it! I guess I am also extremely sensitive on this topic, as I had to have my awesome, wonderful dog put down too recently because of cancer. He was 12, and the best dog I had ever known. This book made me cry.

But getting past the animal side, this novella had everything else I would have wanted from a Kathy Reich's novel. Loads of questions, lots of witty comebacks, and all those characters that I have known for so long now, they feel like a part of the family. This 64 paged book had me guessing for longer than Dexter did! That has to be appreciated.

Tortuga. He saved members of my family
more than once. Best friend.
Missed so much.

I gave this three stars. But don't let that, or the animal statement, put you off. The message in this book is important, and has given me a lot to think about in my quest to find my new 'best friend' (which I will be starting in September or October). In fact, now that I am informed, I will not be able to ignore that information, so it will definitely effect my search. So while I have only rated this 3 stars, I think that some parts of this are worth 10. Anything that stops the abuse of animals is invaluable. Just because some things are upsetting, it does not mean we should ignore them either. I am sure no one would like to ignorantly encourage the horrors found in this novella. Read the book. Get informed. Don't accidentally keep puppy mills going. (Sorry. Spoiler. But I just had to say something. Just in case you do not read the novella.)

The Middlemarch Readalong Week 3

This post marks the midway point of Middlemarch by George Eliot, and the readalong hosted by An Armchair by the Sea. Once again, a warning for spoilers to all those who have not read Middlemarch as yet. Do yourself a favour. Go and read the book. It might be long, but it is easy to read and a lot of fun.

Featherstone! What can one say about him and his will! What a man! And I don't mean that in a nice way. He had all his relatives jumping through hoops while he lived, only to completely eliminate them from his will in the end. (Although there was definitely a feeling of a nest of vultures just hanging around while he was dying). I felt very sorry for Fred Vincy - although, if he manages to make his own way in life, I will like him more. Mary Garth must be feeling horrible and very guilty at this point in time, should Featherstone's dying wish have been to destroy the most recent will, and leave the money to Fred. Oh... and I suppose I have to at least mention the appearance of that distasteful character, Mr Raffles. I think he takes the prize for being the slimiest character so far.

This week saw many developments in the political situation. I thought all the manipulation to get Mr Brooke to improve the living conditions for those on his land rather entertaining. Of course, as Mr Brooke is not a character I would like in real life (although he seems quite fun to read about), I was quite happy at the treatment he received from his tenants when he went to discuss the poaching issue.

Rosamond and Lydgate! They got married. I had all sorts of bad feelings about that. Rosamond seems manipulative, turning on the tears when it would suit her. And the fact that Lydgate has put himself in so much debt is not a good thing. In fact, all the hinting (or blatant statements actually) about how expensive it was going to be to maintain a girl like Rosamond does not bode well for the dear doctor. Rosamond seems far more interested in the fact that his uncle, Sir Godwin, has a title. I think we are about to see our second unhappy marriage.

And then, finally, Dorothea, Casaubon and Will Ladislaw. I was shocked when Casaubon sent Will the letter requesting that he leaves Middlemarch. What audacity! I was pleased that Will stood up for himself. I was also pleased that Will ended up working for Brooke. He seems good with words, and he seems to be doing well in that line. But between Dorothea's attempts to try and make things fair for Will, and Will's presence, I suppose it doesn't take a leap of the imagination to see why Casaubon was convinced that something was happening between the two. When Casaubon sees Lydgate and Lygate confirms that Dorothea knew that he could die soon, I suppose his suspicion would grow more too. I find it interesting that many folks have said that they wished Dorothea would be more assertive, while study guides (sorry, refreshing my memory - my notes are illegible in many places) claim that Casaubon would have been disappointed in her as a wife as she is too assertive. I suppose in those days, women were expected to do nothing but agree (and have babies). I think Dorothea was trying to make the best of a bad situation. There was nothing to be achieved in fighting Casaubon.

Well, those are my thoughts. I hope that I can post next weeks timeously. School starts tomorrow, and the first two weeks of the term are always crazy-busy!

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

I suppose everyone and their mother has heard about Dexter. I never saw the TV series. When I was teaching in South Korea, it was on at home, and by the time I got home, it was at around season 3 or 4 and the hype had died down. In other words, I missed out on the motivation to actually watch it. But, having said that, I thought I would keep an eye out for the book and give it a go. After all, "the book is always better", or so the saying goes. I picked up the first book in the series for a steal of a price at my favourite second hand bookshop.

Dexter is a psychopath, a serial killer, but with a difference. He kills bad guys (which I suppose puts him in the same category of pretty much every other crime fighter out there, the Jack Reachers and the like.). He also happens to work for the police - the blood spatter guy. In this book, a psychopath in  town is toying with him, tempting him.

“Another beautiful Miami day. Mutilated corpses with a chance of afternoon showers. I got dressed and went to work.”

― Jeff Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming Dexter

I must admit that I was really expecting this to be a lot darker than it really was. I was expecting something like You by Caroline Kepnes, where spending time in the head of the character would make me have a strong urge to wash my brain with bleach and then read romance stories. Instead, I found this quite funny, and completely lacking in 'dark'. Although I suppose if you are a bit squeamish, then perhaps the opening scene could disturb a bit.

The plot was predictable. Maybe it was because this was the first book in a series, setting up everything else to come in the future, but I guessed everything. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING! And I did that at about the 20% mark. I wish I was exaggerating. Instead of feeling accomplished, I felt a bit cheated. It was too easy.

There was one other thing I did not really appreciate, and that was how clueless he made Dexter's sister. She was worse in social situations than he was. That did not make sense. As a cop she was useless. She needed him to make every decision and observation for her. That was just annoying. Yes, yes. I know the series isn't 'Dexter's Sister', but she could at least have been allowed an IQ larger than the average jelly fish's.

I gave this 2 stars. I had a few chuckles while reading it. It was OK. I don't know if I will continue with the series. It was entertaining, but nothing special. At least Jack Reacher (by Lee Child) books are more humorous and have more complicated plots.

Killing my TBR Classics pile: #1 Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Have I mentioned yet just how much I enjoyed Middlemarch by George Eliot? Maybe not. I am supposed to be in the third week of the readalong. But the truth is I did love it and I read the whole 840 pages in just over a week (I began religiously only reading the required 2 chapters a day). And it showed me something quite important: those big classics that I have been putting off, ignoring(!), can be great reads! It inspired me to sit down and read a ton of them (and clear them off my TBR pile).

The first (or should that really be the second) book I read was Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I must confess that I was hoping for something that had a similar feel to Middlemarch, something that was involved, showed the times and was clever in how it showed the people. While I can't claim that Tolstoy failed at any of this, because he definitely did not, I did not find this as enjoyable as Middlemarch. Maybe it was the humour that was lacking, maybe it was the lack of happiness with some of the characters. Perhaps that should really say that Tolstoy did a better job at capturing the reality of life.

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

My first (and perhaps unfair) impression on completing Anna Karenina was that it was the book that never ended. It included so many different perspectives, one even got to hear from the dog - I kid you not. It covered EVERYTHING one could think about in painstaking minute detail. You think I am exaggerating? The multiple chapters on mowing the land, the detailed discussions on farming, on religion, on peasants, on death, on religion, on farming, on politics, on farming, on farming... It just never ended. To think that editors wanted to chop the troll scene from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone! That was one small chapter. But before I let that put you off completely, let me add that these parts really made the life these people were living seem very real. While I was a bit annoyed to realise that I had spent so much time on mowing a field, when Tolstoy could have easily just said 'Levin joined the peasants with the labours on the farm', I actually was interested while I read all those chapters; and it did a lot to make Levin feel a very real person. Even I, who have never, and hopefully will never, mow a field with a scythe, could identify with how his muscles felt, and how his determination at being able to do the job kept him going. (I however still question the dog's point of view.)

This book was written before fast entertainment, and most families probably would have considered it delightful during those LOOOONG cold (pre-revolution) Russian winters to sit and read this never ending tome. But I don't see it appealing to folks today. Unless they are particularly curious about farming, politics, religion or farming in pre-revolution Russia. But perhaps I am being horribly unfair. These are probably the exact topics that a person in Russia at that time would have found interesting, that would have made them relate personally to the novel. In a way, even I found it interesting. It just was excessively detailed. A book more on the characters and less on the peasants, farming or politics would have suited me better. Although, thinking about that now, would that have taken away from the experience and understanding I got? In short, I guess I am undecided as to the value of all the detail.

“Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be.”

― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

But having said that, I cannot deny that Tolstoy really was a genius at character creation. These people felt extremely real, and I could understand their motivations and actions - even if they frustrated me (or made me happy). Anna brought to light so many issues: that planned, impassionate marriages are loveless and therefore create a need for love; that men are redeemed for the exact same crime women are shunned for; and the hypocritical damnation of Anna by people who were just as guilty as she was, but who had not confessed their sins. Yes, her character offered some valuable insights. But while she is supposedly the tragic 'lead' of this story, one cannot help seeing two sides to her too. Her love for her son, but her disinterest for her daughter; her intelligence, and yet her almost insane despair in the end. Vronsky was interesting for the fact that the reader does not get to know him as they do other characters. But for a character I started out despising, our parting at the end of the novel left me feeling only a mild hatred, with a touch of sympathy, for the man. He was a self-centred being who caused almost all the pain in this book. But I have to confess that I was inclined to be a bit forgiving as he did not run away from the mess he had caused. But I have to confess that the character I am still thinking about today is Levin. He was not the perfect person, but he was close in my eyes. There was a clear lack of logic (if that is the word) for some of his thoughts and philosophies when considering his other beliefs and philosophies. But isn't that just so human?

The writing in this book was fantastic. Tolstoy had some delightfully funny similes that I could not help chuckling over. His descriptions sent me to Russia, where I went grouse hunting in a bog and could almost smell the stagnant affair. He definitely had a ton of quotable lines.

But man! This book damned near killed me. I was two chapters from the end, and I did not think I was going to make it. Can one honestly justify DNFing a book 2 chapters from the end? No. I thought not. I pushed through.

While I haven't seen the movie Anna Karenina, I am very tempted to. Here is the trailer. The trailer does a very good job of capturing Anna's predicament (although their Levin is not the gorgeous hunk I imagined). Oh, you will also note the mowing scene! Haha!

I gave this 3 stars on Goodreads because I am from the electronic age of fast entertainment with lots of detail removed and apparently have the patience to match. Perhaps it is a pity that so many of these books are unlikely to cut it in the future. I know I cannot see any of the kids I teach sitting down and reading this.

The Middlemarch Readalong Week 2

The next installment of the #EliotAlong, or for those who like things a bit more specific, the Middlemarch readalong hosted by An Armchair by the Sea.

Apologies for the late update! It is the last week of my holiday, and of course we all know that a holiday is time off one's paid work, to catch up on all the other work around the house. In other words, I was busy.

I am going to confess right here, that I am writing this from the notes I made - because I finished Middlemarch at the beginning of the second week. I just couldn't wait. I was so involved in the story, I just couldn't slow down. But I will keep this spoiler free for those who are participating in the readalong. For those who aren't, be warned, there are spoilers everywhere!

In this part, we get to meet a whole lot of people. While I normally dread this in books, because I am a lazy reader and hate remembering names, this was no where near as disorientating as it could have been. Eliot introduced the characters slowly, and gave a nicely rounded backstory (of what was interesting) so that I was happily aware of who I was reading about later because these characters came across as real people, with hopes, dreams and a history.

First off, (because I see now that my notes are actually inadequate at jogging my memory as to what exactly happened - it is a collection of my thoughts and responses to events) I am going to stick to the big things. Dorothea, Casaubon and Will Ladislaw. I predicted trouble. Jealousy never bodes well for a relationship - especially when it is a relationship you can't walk out on. I think the setting for a discontented marriage was also set in stone with the portrait scene. Casaubon was more enamoured with his own portrait than with the one of Dorothea. I reckon that shows his self-centred side. Surely if he was in love with Dorothea, he would have wanted to admire her portrait instead. But then, this is not stretch really. The unhappiness of Dorothea during the honeymoon is no secret. I am also very aware of the contradictions between Casaubon's words and actions. Very often he will refer to Dorothea as 'his love', but his manner will be cold. Nope. Nothing good can come from this. And of course, there is Mr Ladislaw who seems absolutely brilliant in comparison.

I found Fred Vincy ... How do I put this? I thought he was a nice but a bit stupid. Man, was I hoping he would get everything sorted out. One bad thing followed by another, and I felt mortified for him. I like the sound of Mary Garth. In fact, I like the sound of all the Garths. My note here went something along the lines of hoping things turn out all right for them.

On to Lydgate. I really liked the sound of him. I could completely see why he would be having issues as a young doctor with more modern ideas in an old town with crazy ideas on recovery. I can see that Rosamond has her eye set on him. She seems sweet, but my note here states that I was unsure on her. (It read like this: But ... ??)

I can see that I am going to have huge problems going by my notes (which get even vaguer as I got more involved in the story) for the next installments. I will try my best though. I am so pleased to have read this though. It started me on a 'Kill my TBR Classics' marathon.

Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

I had been asked, on two different occasions, by two different colleagues who are studying, if I had read this book. Now, I will confess to anyone who asks (except maybe my own kids, should I ever have any), that I was a useless student at university in my undergrad years. I should have read this at university. I remembered that much. But with the exception of one scene, I could remember nothing. (Which probably means that scene was mentioned in a lecture and that I didn't read it.) As luck would have it, I then stumbled across a copy of it at my favourite second hand bookshop (The fact that I didn't already own it also strongly suggests that I didn't read it.). I decided I should remedy that.

“I was not sorry when my brother died.” is the opening line. Set in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe nowadays), this story follows a young Shona girl, Tamba, wanting to be educated. It paints a very clear, and yet complicated, view on the struggles of the people, especially women and girls. Women are meant to serve men. They do not need to be educated. They only need to learn how to cook, grow vegetables and be good, obedient wives. Through Tamba's eyes, we learn not only her story, but the story of her cousin, Nyasha, who spent her formative years in England and who has now returned to Africa; and her aunt, Maiguru, a woman who is educated.

There are books that are written for escapism and enjoyment. And then there are other books. Books that make you judge the characters and their situations, and then turn around and judge yourself. Books that make you ask questions, because things you thought you were sure on, no longer seem that simple. Nervous Conditions falls into this category of book. I have never had a face to face conversation with anyone who has enjoyed this book. For one, everyone who I have spoken to about it had to read it for university, and there is nothing like the words 'prescribed reading' to make even the most avid lover of books dislike reading. But there is a lot more than that that can make a reader not enjoy this one. For starters, it is not a plot driven novel. It is a study of a family, a study of the women in this family, and a study of a patriarch. Secondly, the situation, which is so real and accurate, is so frustrating, and as a reader, one is merely an observer and helpless. The sense of helplessness is only exacerbated because that is exactly the situation Tamba is in. Actually, all the women in this book are helpless to change their situations.

“Can you cook books and feed them to your husband? Stay at home with your mother. Learn to cook and clean. Grow vegetables.”

― Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions

After this point I get a bit spoilery. Although I am basically discussing the themes of the book, but, as the book isn't plot heavy, you should be able to work out a lot. Be warned.

Education. Yes, we preach that through education, one can change their position. But is that really true? If those that have the power do not allow the powerless to have any power, can education make any difference to the powerless? Surely it would be the equivalent of taking a starving man to a feast and telling him he can't eat anything. It was that horrific realisation that really affected me throughout this read. Tamba got to go to school. but at no point did I ever believe that she was free of the life she was destined to live before she had the opportunity. In fact, what was more horrifying, was that I honestly believed that being educated would have only made her future worse, as she would be aware that there was an alternative and her knowledge that she was capable of so much more. Now, we never get to see her future (not in this book at least. Apparently there is a sequel.), so this is me speculating. Although, I think one was meant to. The plight of her cousin, Nyasha, makes the suffering so clear. The situation her aunt is in also confirms this. But more on this later.

The men in Nervous Conditions infuriated me. Jeremiah, Tamba's father, was lazy, he lied, he put his own pleasure first and cared little for his family. And no, I was not expecting Disney-fied bonding sessions out on the lawn with the kids. I am referring to him buying alcohol while his family needed food and clothes - and education. He couldn't be bothered to do repairs on the 'house'. He thought education was a waste of time, and did nothing to encourage his children. But when his brother, Babamukuru, came around, then he was a mewling, supplicant pain in the backside. I suppose this needs a bit of explaining. Babamukuru, being the oldest brother and the wealthiest brother, supported his entire family - which included all his brothers and their families. Whenever Babamukuru arrived on the scene I found my dislike for Jeremiah multiplying. But. This does not mean that I appreciated Babamukuru at all. I used the word 'supplicant' above, because Babamukuru acted as though he was the god of the family. I think he liked having everyone bow down to him (literally) and beg him for scraps, and then praise his generosity for providing. While I do not envy his responsibility, I could not help judging him. Am I being unfair? Would I, in that position, have given more if I were the one working? Would I have also expected people to praise me and thank me? Possibly. But he really annoyed me. Especially considering the position he put Miaguru, his wife, in. After learning that, I felt he was less worthy.

Constantly there is talk in the reading circles I follow about feminism. The need for strong female characters. Well, here is a book with strong female characters; and here is a book that will make all us white women feel we have far less to complain about. To see this struggle was painful; to realise just how indoctrinated the view of feminine inferiority and male superiority was in the culture. Take the issue with another random aunt. She is accused of doing something wrong, and as a result, this needs to be discussed. The men discuss it, while the accused is left outside with all the other women and girls, eavesdropping. But in general, one sees the men giving the boys allowances, whereas one step out of line, one disagreement with the man's wishes, and a girl's entire character is debased. I think the quote below sums up everything much better than I could put it.

“...condemning Nyasha to whoredom, making her a victim of her femaleness, just as I had felt victimised at home in the days when Nhamo went to school and I grew my maize. The victimisation, I saw, was universal. It didn't depend on poverty, on lack of education or on tradition. It didn't depend on any of the things I had thought it depended on. Men took it everywhere with them. Even heroes like Babamukuru did it. And that was the problem. You had to admit Nyasha had no tact. You had to admit she was altogether too volatile and strong-willed. You couldn't ignore the fact that she had no respect for Babamukuru when she ought to have had lots of it. But what I didn't like was the way that all conflicts came back to the question of femaleness. Femaleness as opposed and inferior to maleness.”

― Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions

The effects of colonialism - a difficult subject, because one's own culture and upbringing determines which way of life is 'better'. It is clear that Tamba's mother did not appreciate anything to do with colonialism. Their ancestors were chased off the better land, and they were now, as a result, trying to survive on land that was arid and infertile. She did not appreciate the airs and graces that her niece and nephew had after their return from England, nor her son, when he returned from school. But there was also another side to it. One could not deny that Babamukuru had benefited tremendously. But it was with Nyasha that I felt the most. She was a girl who had spent many years in England. She saw what the alternatives to her culture were and she wanted to embrace it. She did for years. But on returning to Africa, and where she was expected to return to being a diligent Shona girl, she could not make the adjustment. She could not go from knives and forks to eating with her fingers. She could not even remember her own language upon returning. It does not take much imagination to sympathise with her. But her situation with Babamukuru just made it so much worse. The end result for Nyasha still upsets me.

“It’s bad enough . . . when a country gets colonized, but when the people do as well! That’s the end, really, that’s the end.”

― Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions

I must admit that I really wish I had read this at university. I am sure that there is a lot more I would have gained from this book if I had lectures on it and notes to go with. Maybe I can find my file and see what I was given.

I gave this 4 stars because - I don't know. Maybe I should bump it up to a 5 star book. It is clear it did give me a lot to think about. I would recommend this for folks who are interested in reading feminist texts, or folks who are wanting to read diversely and read about different cultures.

The Middlemarch Readalong Week 1

So week 1 of the #Eliotalong, hosted by An Armchair by the Sea, is finished, and boy, do I have some thoughts.

WARNING: SPOILERS!

It is not possible to be involved with a book discussion without discussing the book. So should you have plans to read Middlemarch at any point in time, just back away from this post and pick up the book! Or better yet, come and join us in the readalong! The more the merrier!

You can find the post Bex put up with these questions here.

1. Is this your first encounter with George Eliot? How are you finding it? Did you have any preconceptions about Eliot or the book before you started?

Yip. I am a newbie to Middlemarch. I was expecting a heavy, dull slog with inaccessible language and limited plot (I have no idea why I thought the latter, I just did.). After I got past the initial hurdle (the first few pages), the reading became much easier. I have enjoyed Eliot's sense of humour and her observations (which can be funny too) which show quite a lot of insight into humans and how they think.

2. How do you feel about Dorothea?

Ooooo. Tricky. There are somethings I really like about her. I like that she isn't shallow; that she could see beyond Casaubon's plain ugly looks and appreciate him for his intelligence. I really like that she wants to develop her own knowledge, which was evident in her choice of husband and in her research for the housing project. In fact, the housing project was interesting of itself. I know that James Chettam allows her to do this when he was hoping to marry her, but she seemed only interested in the project to improve people's lives (or perhaps for her own interest). I must admit that I also liked that she dressed down. It was as though she was trying to make the point that she was not just a pretty girl. In fact, it would seem that she was trying to not be seen as pretty but as something more - clever - emphasising what she thought was important.

But, I fear she has made a big mistake in marrying Casaubon. Although I know that in those days, women did marry because 'of what they would get out of it', because that was the sole purpose really for marriage, (Thank you 21st century!) I do not know if she is going to get what she wants from Casaubon (she wants the learning more than the man, in my opinion). If nothing else, Casaubon's lack of passion in the build up to his marriage to Dorothea, seems a bad beginning:

Hence he determined to abandon himself to the stream of feeling, and perhaps was surprised to find what an exceedingly shallow rill it was. As in droughty regions baptism by immersion could only be performed symbolically, Mr. Casaubon found that sprinkling was the utmost approach to a plunge which his stream would afford him; and he concluded that the poets had much exaggerated the force of masculine passion.

― George Eliot, Middlemarch

I will confess to have done a bit of reading up on this: the comparison to Milton does not bode well for her either. Apparently Milton's daughters did not enjoy working under their father.

Mihály Munkácsy’s 1877 oil painting “The Blind Milton Dictating Paradise Lost to His Daughters.”

To quote from Deborah Milton (which you can find in an essay here): I often confused his bitterness concerning all that had gone amiss in the great world with his domestic discontents, being more familiar. Was it my mother who had brought about the Fall and troubled times? Was my childish failure to obey his every with the reason for the turmoil in the streets and his displeasure?

I really do sympathise with Dorothea though. I think it must have been a horrible time for women, when they were left with a bare education and nothing to stimulate their intelligence. But more about that later. For now, I am thinking she is going to regret her decision. I hope she doesn't end up in a similar position to Milton's daughters, who were apparently left with nothing after he died.

3. Who is your favourite character so far and why?

That's a tricky one. I have only met a few characters so far. I suppose, Dorothea is my favourite, but that is because she is the character I have got to learn the most about and I have a lot of hope stored up for her character. She could prove to be a disappointment.

I think Lydgate, the new doctor, sounds like he could be an interesting character too. Not that we have heard much about him as yet. His character's arrival is showing some of the political aspects of the novel. But I am interested in what he is planning on doing too.

I can, however, say that I am not fond of her uncle, Mr Brooke. My initial impression of him is that of a know-it-all, and like a certain potions master, I find that trait insufferable. Look at this passage for example:

"You are an artist, I see," said Mr. Brooke, taking up the sketch-book and turning it over in his unceremonious fashion.
"No, I only sketch a little. There is nothing fit to be seen there," said young Ladislaw, coloring, perhaps with temper rather than modesty.
"Oh, come, this is a nice bit, now. I did a little in this way myself at one time, you know. Look here, now; this is what I call a nice thing, done with what we used to call brio." Mr. Brooke held out towards the two girls a large colored sketch of stony ground and trees, with a pool.

― George Eliot, Middlemarch

He seems to be an expert on everything, and my experience with people like that is that they generally are very far from being experts. But maybe that is my own bias getting involved. But I doubt it. Just look at the diction: 'in his unceremonious fashion'. Doesn't that just reek of his entitlement?

4. The place of women is mentioned a lot in the first few chapters. Discuss.

As I said in my kick-off post, Eliot chose to write under a man's name as she felt women were not taken seriously as writers. From this I gather she wanted to be taken seriously; that she realised her own value and the value of her writing. Throughout the first section, women's abilities are undermined and their opinions are disregarded. While this is accurate of the times I find it frustrating. What did they expect after keeping women naive and, for the most part, uneducated? Here is another passage by that annoying Mr Brooke that pretty much sums up everything:

"Well, but now, Casaubon, such deep studies, classics, mathematics, that kind of thing, are too taxing for a woman—too taxing, you know."
"Dorothea is learning to read the characters simply," said Mr. Casaubon, evading the question. "She had the very considerate thought of saving my eyes."
"Ah, well, without understanding, you know—that may not be so bad. But there is a lightness about the feminine mind—a touch and go—music, the fine arts, that kind of thing—they should study those up to a certain point, women should; but in a light way, you know. A woman should be able to sit down and play you or sing you a good old English tune. That is what I like; though I have heard most things—been at the opera in Vienna: Gluck, Mozart, everything of that sort. But I'm a conservative in music—it's not like ideas, you know. I stick to the good old tunes.

― George Eliot, Middlemarch

This is also referring back to what I read about Milton and his daughters, who apparently could read and write multiple languages perfectly, but could not understand a word of it. But let me ignore Milton - I have spoken about him enough. Reading a language without understanding it. Talk about a pointless skill. (I can read Korean from having lived in South Korea for three years, but it didn't help at all unless I was on the subway and I was reading the names of the stops. All that happened is that the alphabetic characters went from odd shapes to gobbledygook, as they then made sounds that made no sense.) In other words, Brooke's approved of a completely redundant education. In fact, he then goes on to say that women should only be partially educated in 'the arts' - which was to entertain the men. To have girls be like pretty little Rosamund who could play music beautifully or sing beautifully for guests. But how could one expect more from a woman, when that was the extent of her education? But! Isn't this novels existence then a slap in the face to all men who carried these thoughts - since it was written by a woman?

5. Anything else?

Nope. This post is beginning to feel as long as Middlemarch itself. I know I did have other thoughts, but right now, I can't think of them. If I do, I will add them in here.

Otherwise, I am concerned that I am going to get confused with characters, especially if I stop reading. So, if I get ahead, please don't be disappointed. If I put this down to wait for next week's read, I am going to be completely lost.