Have you ever read a book that melts your heart at the first line? Takes you back to your safe childhood memories?

Well, this month gave me two great classics doing just that.

Pride and Prejudice

I’m completely biased when it comes to Pride and Prejudice. I first read this book when I was in the 8th grade. I felt so smart walking into the year end exams with my bright pink copy under my arm. Let this show the proctors that I could ace the test. And yes of course I did do well on the test, but it was the first book I read slowly and savored every page.

This reread was extra special because I read it out loud to my husband. He had been trying to get through it for the first time alone, but was only three chapters into it in over a year. I gave up any hope of him finishing, that is until I saw the Ardently Austen Book Club. I snatched the copy from his grasp, and told him he would get through it with me. We may have been a few days late but we finished it in roughly a month.

Here’s the thing… If you can’t get past the High Regency style writing, then you might never enjoy the book. There’s nothing to be ashamed about. Even I struggled with it this time, stumbling over every word and sounding like I’ve never read a book before. Boy... the writing can get twisted. Unless you pay attention to every single word, you’re bound to miss something.

But if you can find it in you to slog through it all, there is a glorious story underneath. Again, I’m biased. Pride and Prejudice rings truth to even my own relationship - my husband was very much Mr. Darcy when we were first dating.

And if not, the movie version is amazing as well.

Elizabeth Bennet, head strong and smart, meets the proud Mr. Darcy when his friend lets a neighboring house. At first they hate one another. Mr. Darcy is too limited in his acquaintances and there’s a rumor following him of throwing his father’s charge to the street. Elizabeth can hold no candle to the few ladies that Mr. Darcy does know, let alone her embarrassing family. Thrown in and out of each other’s lives, the two viciously spar to defend their stance altogether missing the spark that ignites between them.

Intrigues fly throughout the book holding you until the very end. Austen does a good job of folding them throughout the plot. We first start with the intrigue of the new family and Mr. Bingley’s interest with the eldest Miss Bennet. This changes when he leaves for London and his family follows. More intrigue when the rumor of Darcy flies around Meryton. Then you have Elizabeth's very first proposal. This all keeps spiraling until the final accumulation of love and desire.

With such a large cast, Austen does a great job of managing them all. It was a large undertaking and her best version yet. I’m currently reading Mansfield Park but I don’t see the same skill that is deployed in Pride and Prejudice. I also appreciate the strong minded women that grace the page. They make up their own minds and don’t just fall for the first man that graces their sights. Well most of them don’t.

Here’s to another great literary creation. Five stars all around. And what’s with Austen and all the clergymen?

Little Women

My only acquaintance with Little Women is through the 90s movie adaption, which has held a special place in my heart - this was before my hatred towards Christian Bale. And now since the movie is on Netflix, I’ll be queuing it up the moment I’m done writing this blog. I tried reading the book when I was a teenager, but the copy I had was only part of the story and I gave up under pretense. I wouldn’t touch this book again until I had the whole thing in my hands. Many years later and a crumbling 1960s copy, I’ve finally read it.

Four sisters, living in 19th century America, spend two separate chunks of their lives between the pages. For one year, the girls labor on while the Civil War looms to the south, their father called away to the war, leaving their mother to watch them grow into ladies with big dreams and desires. Along the way they meet the neighbor boy who treats them to all sorts of adventures and excitement. The story then jumps ahead three years. Meg is married, Amy sent overseas, Beth a quiet presence in the house, and Jo still fumbling and trying to figure out what life really means for her. But the truth of life rains on the girls and not all dreams tend to come true no matter how hard you work. Not ending up exactly where each one thought, they all end up with what could make them happy.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. I loved this book to the very core. I relished in Jo’s strong independence, Amy’s dreams, Meg’s love, and Beth’s consistent presence. In some ways, this book aged beyond its years, while in others it was hard to see the time period through women’s eyes. Let alone the time period it was actually set in. I had to keep reminding myself it was set in the 1860s and not the early 1900s. Alcott was progressive for her time. The girls weren’t allowed to marry until they were twenty, and she made them strong minded with a desire to support themselves.

The ending was hard to swallow. I appreciated that Alcott didn’t take the easy route. She messed up the relationships, twisting the outcome in the end, and didn’t create fancy, fairytales lives. Each girl was happy, but not really ending up at their dreams. I think this is a huge lesson to walk away with. So many people are disgruntled with failure that they don’t seem to see the joy in the life they do have. I agree it’s tough. As children, we are taught to have large dreams, but as the book says there’s a difference between talent and genius.

I’m giving Little Women 5 stars. I loved every little moment. Alcott did a great job of keeping each girl different while also a little similar since they are sisters - though Jo stole the show. I think this is a read for everyone, young or old, male or female.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 22/100