Alright! Now That I've finally finished reading all books from the very first episode of Gilmore Girls, I am going to break the pattern and skip around as I please. I think this will help with the speed of the blog - allowing me to pick what seems most appealing at the time. I have also broken another pattern with this post already - usually I open with a quote from the episode that introduces the book I have chosen to read, but tonight I decided to keep watching the show chronologically (I'm currently watching Season 2), and didn't feel like skipping back to Season 1 to get the quote. So for now you'll have to be satisfied with me just giving you the title straight out:
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis is actually a short story, and a very quick read. I read it once in college and found it kind of humorous, so decided it would be a good book to take with my on my recent weekend getaway (home!). It's so short I actually finished it before my flight was over, and still had time for a nap - so get reading, because I'm already ready to post my thoughts on it!
I promise I'll include the quote from the episode in my next post.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Book 4 Review - Madame Bovary
I finished Madame Bovary at least two weeks ago, I've just been lazy with the posting a blog thing.
The book was really a quick read; I was surprised how quickly the pages flew by during my 30 minute lunch break at work each day. I found parts of it interesting, and the writing was well done, but honestly, I didn't care for the main character. The main reason most likely being that Madame Bovary was never satisfied with her life! Ever! It seemed like she had a great upbringing - her father tried to give her the best by sending her off to be educated in the city where she was able to study music and art which was considered a luxury in her time. Maybe that was what sparked her unhappiness...she was able to live a life others dreamed of, and then she went back to her family's farm. Perhaps she felt that the things she had learned weren't appreciated or were just useless back in a small town. I don't know. I honestly don't understand people who can't find anything positive in their living situation.
Madame Bovary married a young widower, had a daughter (who was raised mainly by a nurse), and lived a comfortable life yet constantly dreamed of having more. More of what... I felt was never really defined. She wanted every fantasy and daydream to come true. Her devoted husband caved to her every whim, and even relocated his business as a health officer to another town when he thought her health/nerves were suffering from boredom and whatnot.
Ultimately I found the Madame to be plain selfish and I was almost relieved to see her put an end to things. I didn't feel terrible for the husband either - it was like he ignored what was right in front of his eyes, and was complacent, or rather apathetic with his life. In a way he was the exact opposite of his wife. She was never satisfied, and he was overly indifferent. Their daughter wasn't a major focus in the book, but in the end I felt the worst for where she ended up.
What was this book trying to teach or prove? No idea. But hopefully it inspires people to look for the little joys in their lives even when things aren't going exactly the way we want them to. Better yet, I hope it shows that infidelity ruins families.
And I still have no idea why the color blue was mentioned nearly every other page.
The book was really a quick read; I was surprised how quickly the pages flew by during my 30 minute lunch break at work each day. I found parts of it interesting, and the writing was well done, but honestly, I didn't care for the main character. The main reason most likely being that Madame Bovary was never satisfied with her life! Ever! It seemed like she had a great upbringing - her father tried to give her the best by sending her off to be educated in the city where she was able to study music and art which was considered a luxury in her time. Maybe that was what sparked her unhappiness...she was able to live a life others dreamed of, and then she went back to her family's farm. Perhaps she felt that the things she had learned weren't appreciated or were just useless back in a small town. I don't know. I honestly don't understand people who can't find anything positive in their living situation.
Madame Bovary married a young widower, had a daughter (who was raised mainly by a nurse), and lived a comfortable life yet constantly dreamed of having more. More of what... I felt was never really defined. She wanted every fantasy and daydream to come true. Her devoted husband caved to her every whim, and even relocated his business as a health officer to another town when he thought her health/nerves were suffering from boredom and whatnot.
Ultimately I found the Madame to be plain selfish and I was almost relieved to see her put an end to things. I didn't feel terrible for the husband either - it was like he ignored what was right in front of his eyes, and was complacent, or rather apathetic with his life. In a way he was the exact opposite of his wife. She was never satisfied, and he was overly indifferent. Their daughter wasn't a major focus in the book, but in the end I felt the worst for where she ended up.
What was this book trying to teach or prove? No idea. But hopefully it inspires people to look for the little joys in their lives even when things aren't going exactly the way we want them to. Better yet, I hope it shows that infidelity ruins families.
And I still have no idea why the color blue was mentioned nearly every other page.
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