A literary fear

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Have you ever been scared by an author or a book? I don't mean because the book is a thriller a suspense, but because the author or book has such a reputation for being "high brow". Well there are a few authors and books for me on that list.

1. Anna Karenina
2. War and Peace
3. Vanity Fair (book not magazine)
4. Henry James
5. Edith Wharton
6. and anything by Charles Dickens...

I mean I have read the Christmas Carol but it was 80 pages and I own Great Expectations and I keep thinking of reading it, but I can't bring myself to read Dickens. Well that is changing... at least I hope it changes. I have started the book Little Dorrit. I know it is cheating but sometimes conquering these big "scary" novels I have to watch the movie or miniseries to know the characters and to love the characters.  I mean Amy Dorrit is one of the heroines I look up to. And I love the miniseries so I felt I was doing Amy and Mr. Dickens a discredit by not reading her story. So here I go I am going to give my best try to conquer an author that scares me.

Here is a little preview...

Video: Little Dorrit - Author and Amy

Song: Love Sick Mistake by Erin McCarley

Video made by: SimplyDarcy

I watched a few other fanmade videos before choosing this one. I chose it because 1) I felt it had no spoilers and 2) I loved the description...

Amy and Arthur are hopeless in love with each other but due to tragic circumstance and meddling of dark souls, they part ways and separated by ocean with only time to heal their heart. They are lonely, heartbroken and miserable. With the discovery of new friends, they are able to be loved and fall in love again but only have their love unreturned.

I will keep you posted if I conquer any more "scary" books...

Royal Baby

I am not ashamed to admit I am so excited to announce the Royal Baby is here...IT'S BOY! (8lbs 6oz) Now I eagerly await the name.

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Girl Power in film

I am bringing you some empowering women first Coco Before Chanel

Okay guys I am back to the period dramas... I think minus all the convinces of electricity I much rather live in the past... too many sentimental ideals.

Why I watched- I don't know much about Coco Chanel minus her awesome quotes that pop up on Pinterest and the perfume I wear. I actually didn't know much about her life and actually but I love the Edwardian time period or as in French called La Belle Epoque era. And so in some Pinterest searching I saw this...


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it had the quote... 

Audrey Tautou in Coco Avant Chanel. Chanel pioneered a change in fashion away from La Belle Époque era. She criticized women for wearing excessive lace, jewelry and feathers and admired men's clothing for its simplicity and elegance. Many of her designs were inspired by her lovers' wardrobes.

So I was intrigued to watch the film. Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel and her sister were left at an orphanage when they were children, so she had a hard life and that made her a little tough. But then through a twist of fate she meets Balsan and lives a "grand" life but is not in love or very happy till she meets Arthur 'Boy' Capel. (He was the only actor I recognized as Henry Crawford from Mansfield Park (1999). They have a passionate love story. However, the story has an ending kind of like Becoming Jane where she is successful but she does not have a romantic ending... I guess that is real life.


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What I love- It was beautiful all the costuming was wonderful and there were so many extras it was all very elaborate and beautiful. Everything looked like the pins I have posted on my Edwardian Eloquence board. So for this Edwardian lover it was perfect.  For example the picture from above was from a scene at the races and it reminded me of this picture...

What I didn't like- It was hard to like Coco because she was harsh but I guess that was Coco so I guess Audrey Tautou played it well.

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Over all- I think I liked the costuming more than the plot. The movie was all in French so some times it was hard to follow. Because it was in French with English subtitles it is a film you have to pay attention to....it is worth it though.

Coco and Boy dancing
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Now for an independent modern day woman Ellen Page playing Bliss in Whip It... with the subtitle "be your own hero" (as a librarian you learn to love subtitles).

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Why I watched- It was another film I wanted to watch when it came out but didn't get around to it. It has a great cast (Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, and Jimmy Fallon). Bliss is from a small but is dying to get out and she finds Roller Derby to be her ticket out.

What I liked- She follows her dreams. There is a part of the story where she is being selfish because she thinks her parents just don't understand her. But then she wises up and even though she is not pageant girl she agrees to do a pageant because it is what her mom wants. But her mom lets her follow her dream.

What I didn't like- I thought the story was good and I was glad it based off a book but I don't feel like there is a depth. I like Bliss but I didn't fall in love with her and I wish I had.

Overall- good for a girls night but probably not a must run out and buy.

Google knows me so well

I love my blog... I love that Google thinks related searches are Jane Austen, Writing Romance, Pride and Prejudice, Romance Fiction, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (incase you thought P&P was by someone else) and other things. I guess Google knows me well.