A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Synopsis from B&N:  Sara Crewe, a pupil at Miss Minchin's London school, is left in poverty when her father dies, but is later rescued by a mysterious benefactor.

I love Sarah.  Frances Hodgson Burnett paints her as such a likable, precocious child.  You can’t help but fall in love with her and feel for her. 

The book is full of wonderful descriptions of London and its fog; the opulence and the poverty.

This story is definitely staying on the “keep” shelf.  Now if I could just get either of my girls to be interested in reading it.

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

Synopsis from Barnes & Noble:  Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. The title of the novel comes from the Yorkshire manor on the moors of the story. The narrative centres on the all-encompassing, passionate but doomed love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, and how this unresolved passion eventually destroys them and many around them.

If you’ll recall from my reading of Jane Eyre, I had the plot confused with Wuthering Heights.  Well, there should be no danger of that happening in the future as I just spent the last two weeks slogging through Wuthering Heights.

I understand it’s a classic.  But I really don’t get the “timeless love story” of a lot of the reviews.  I think that Bronte does everything in her power to make you dislike all of her characters.  Yes, all of them.  There was not a single character that I felt empathy or kindness towards.  They all seemed to either be spoiled or evil…sometimes both.  Also probably part of my prejudice is I’m not big on ghosts and such. 

Cathy loved Heathcliff.  I’m pretty certain she would have married him if he would have approached her regarding it.  Clearly their love for each other was deep and abiding.  Heathcliff was wrong to run off; Cathy was even more wrong to marry someone she didn’t love.

Their love was all-consuming as was the desire and carrying out of revenge. 

The story was dark and depressing.  But at least now I won’t get the two novels confused.

A Chritmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories - Charles Dickens

I’m sure that most of us are familiar with A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. That was our December book club book. Some of us had read it before; others had not. We all professed a love for the Muppet version.


That being said, I was not aware that Dickens had written two other “Christmas” stories. They were included in my book and are entitled The Chimes and The Holly Tree. And, after muddling through them, I see why they’re not well known.

While I enjoy Dickens’s imagery in A Christmas Carol and can make it through some of the drearier parts because I know what’s coming, The Chimes was just plain creepy. I have no understanding of what the point really was and what the moral was (if there happened to be one). And it was far creepier than Marley’s ghost.

The Holly Tree wasn’t as creepy (although there was mention of murderous inn keepers) but was kind of just a nice story.

Over all, I would say the “Other Christmas Stories” were quite the disappointment. However, A Christmas Carol is always a good read.

Emma - Charlotte Bronte and Another Lady

Synopsis from dustjacket: In the very last months before her death at age 39, at the height of her powers, Charlotte Bronte set the scene of a new novel entitled Emma...The wanton havoc wrought by Emma in the life of Mrs. Chalfont, the narrator, is not the only proof of her ruthlessness. She plays a part, too, in the sufferings of the abandoned child, Martina. The affection which grows between Mrs. Chalfont and Martina out of their mutual distress illumines this story. And Emma herself, with her inexplicable motives, her incomprehensible anger, and her darkness of soul, develops into a character of whom Charlotte Bronte woud have been proud.


Charlotte Bronte began this tale while "Another Lady" finished it. The beauty of it is that the transition from one author's thoughts to the other's is seamless. I really couldn't tell what was Bronte's from what was written by her successor.

The story was engaging and charming - even through it's depressing bits. I really grew attached to both Mrs. Chalfont and Martina. And, suprisingly, I didn't start putting the pieces of the puzzle together until close to the reveal.

The Queen's Necklace - Alexandre Dumas

Synopsis from B&N: The Queen’s Necklace dramatizes an unsavory incident in the 1780s at the court of King Louis XVI of France involving the King's wife, Marie Antoinette. Her reputation was already tarnished by gossip and scandal, and her implication in a crime involving a stolen necklace became one of the major turning-points of public opinion against the monarchy, which eventually culminated in the French Revolution.


This is our book club book for September. When it was first brought up, I asked if it had to do with Marie Antoinette and the scandal of the necklace. And, indeed, it does. But the story is so much bigger than that.

Apparently, this is book three in a series of six. But I think it could definitely be read as a stand-alone. There were a few points of confusion for me, but I’m not sure if that’s because I hadn’t read the first two books or because the first two pages of the book were missing out of my copy. ? And, really, the little confusion seemed trivial to the main plot and didn’t decrease my enjoyment of the story at all.

The book centers around Marie Antoinette and several members of her court. She is painted in a very sympathetic light – as having a good heart and trying to help others. It made me want to cheer for her side. But, ultimately, her trusting and helpfulness aids in her downfall and the particular scandal of an amazing diamond necklace.

It’s a thick book but don’t be deterred by that. Even with all the French words (I took Spanish in high school), it was a quick read.

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

Synopsis from B&N: Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed. With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers.

Okay, first of all I just have to say that I think I’ve spent my whole reading life confusing the Bronte sisters and their tales. I knew the plot of Jane Eyre before reading it. But I always ascribed said plot to Wuthering Heights…thinking I had read the latter (and own it) but not the former. But upon reading this book, I’ve found that I was wrong. And now I find myself trying to sort out if I’ve ever even read Wuthering Heights.

I really enjoyed this story. I appreciated Jane’s character and her depth of integrity. I did not like any of her male cousins and am glad the book ended happily.

Jane is a very spiritual, “do the right thing” girl. Temptation is there to lash out, to give in to her passions, etc. But at Lowood she learned to control those emotions and to act rationally and rightly. A part of me wondered if she lost a bit of herself in doing that, but in reflection I really don’t think so. She became a truer version of herself.

I think that Jane Eyre can give us all a deeper spiritual message and truth:

“I care for myself…I will respect myself. I will keep the laws given by God; sanctioned by man.

 I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad – as I am now. Laws and principles are not for times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?”

I pray I can remember well remember her words the next time I face temptation. And to “plant my foot” in what I know to be true and right and good.

The Inheritance - Louisa May Alcott

Synopsis from School Library Journal (on amazon.com): YA. Alcott's first novel, written at age 17 and discovered in 1988, is a delightful rags-to-riches ramble in the life of orphan Edith Adelon, who is taken in by Lord and Lady Hamilton to serve as a companion to their young daughter, Amy. When Lord Hamilton dies, Edith is treated as a servant in the household until she saves Amy's life. Purer than pure, young Edith takes the slights and verbal abuses of her jealous rival, Lady Ida, while Lord Percy, an older, wiser, and sadder friend of young Lord Arthur Hamilton and the reason for Lady Ida's jealousy, looks on in his attempts to love Edith from a distance. Set on an aristocratic English manor in the 19th century, the plot twists and turns its way to a "happily ever after" ending. Even though characters are stereotyped and the plot is at times contrived, this precursor of Little Women is sure to be popular among budding readers of Jane Austen or sprouting young writers looking for desirable role models. This squeaky-clean novel written by an outstanding author at the beginning of her career is a desirable addition to any YA collection. Dottie Kraft, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA.  Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

I more agreed with the second review from Booklist on amazon.com, but the above one provided more a synopsis of the story itself.

While probably not truly bad for a first novel written at 17 years of age, I found both the plot and the characters of The Inheritance to be rather contrived. All of the characters were static and one-dimensional. I even had a difficult time feeling any empathy for orphan Edith Adelon. The story was pretty predictable as well.

As a positive, it is a quick read.

Persuasion - Jane Austen

Book club book for February…a nice romantic story.


I’ve read Persuasion before, but believe I enjoyed it even more this time. After having reading more of Austen’s novels, I was able to pick up on more of her satire about high society.

Eight years ago, Anne Elliot was engaged to a common sailor, Wentworth. He was beneath her in both station and society. She was convinced by her godmother to break the engagement, despite her deep love and attachment to him.

Now their situations are reversed. Captain Wentworth has returned to shore a wealth man, while the Elliot’s fortune has dwindled. Yet can the embers of love still burn between them?

Loved it.

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

Whew! Was this a huge book to tackle. It was our book club book for December and January. Even with two months to read it, I didn’t get it finished until a few days after our book club meeting.


I went into it knowing only two things [SPOILER ALERT]:

• Anna has an affair

• Anna commits suicide by throwing herself under a train

While I enjoyed the book overall, I was surprised by how long it took to be introduced to Anna and how many other story lines there were other than hers. Having read the entire book, I absolutely understand Tolstoy’s purpose in the side stories and to show the contrast.

I was well prepared to dislike Anna for her depravity. However, Tolstoy paints her in such a way that I really begin to feel pity for her.

The book led to a lot of good discussions. It was probably one of our liveliest meetings yet.

My only disappointment is in myself. I feel like there was SO MUCH to the book that I missed out on some of it and the experience due to trying to read it by a deadline.