Review of Hard Times by Charles Dickens

     The fictional characters of Charles Dickens never disappoint me. From The Old Curiosity Shop to The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Dickens has masterfully intertwined the lives of his characters, creating the heartwarming--and sometimes heartbreaking--relationships that compel us to read on. His brilliance shines in Hard Times as the novel starts out with the haunting message, "Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else." This theme reverberates through the pages of his book, dictating the lives of the painfully unwavering school headmaster, Thomas Gradgrind, and his emotionally abject daughter, Louisa.
     As the novel progresses, Dickens introduces his trademark supporting cast of characters. We meet the refreshingly honest Cecilia 'Sissy' Jupe, a girl who symbolizes Gradgrind's missing traits; Stephen Blackpool, a mill worker whose fate is left to the cruel society of industrial England, and the self-proclaimed 'determined vagabond', Josiah Bounderby of Coketown, who Stephen works for. Dickens never drags the plot on; rather he introduces characters when he sees fit, fortifying the plot and adding depth to it as a result.
    If you're looking for a novel that isn't too long, but packs a emotional punch, Hard Times is a shining example. Dickens's mastery over character development is at its best, showing us why he is the most celebrated author of the Victorian era. Pick up this novel; you won't be disappointed! ^_^

Review of Jude The Obscure!

What can I say about this novel except that it is one of the greatest novels I've had the honor of reading. I had not read any Thomas Hardy before this so, I was really looking forward to this novel. First things first; Jude Fawley is my favorite protagonist at this point. I have never related to a character the way I related to him as his amiable and bookish character snagged my interest right away and never let go. From the treacherous Arabella Donn to the intellectual but "emotionally sexless" Sue Bridehead, Jude comes to find that love does not conquer all as some of us have come to believe. The final couple of chapters were a page turner to say the least and I would gladly read this classic just to feel the anticipation of knowing the shocking ending that is to come. For those of you that are lovers of the Victorian romance and it's Gothic themes, pick up this novel! ^_^

Hard times indeed....

Started reading Hard Times and loving every minute of it! Dickens is a master of creating characters that last decades and Thomas Gradgrind is no exception. "Facts alone are wanted in life"; truer words were never spoken. ^_^

Victorian Literature Challenge! ^_^

This is my first time posting on any blog, so I'm very excited! Better yet, I get the privilege of entering Subtle Melodrama's Victorian Challenge 2011! Here's my list for the Desperate Remedies level so far.

Thomas Hardy

Jude the Obscure(finished)
Tess of the d'Ubervilles

George Elliot

Daniel Deronda
Middlemarch
Silas Marner(along with The Lifted Veil and Brother Jacob)

Elizabeth Gaskell

Wives and Daughters
The Life of Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte

The Professor
Shirley

Wilkie Collins

The Moonstone(currently reading)

Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey
Mansfeld Park

Charles Dickens(my favorite novelist!)

Nicholas Nickelby
Hard Times(finished)
Bleak House

Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest

I'm going to opt to re-read Shirley and The Professor as they are books that, in my opinion, I didn't read thoroughly enough. Wish me luck! ^_^