The Classics Circuit: The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope

Book: The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
Genre: Classic
Rating: A so far
For: The Classics Circuit
From: I bought it!

I've been wanting to read this book every since I saw the trailer for it advertising it's PBS's Masterpiece Classic series before some other movie I happened to be watching. This summer I found the book on a bargain rack somewhere, so I snatched it up, and then just a month later, Anthony Trollope is visiting The Classics Circuit! So of course I had to participate and try my hardest to read this book!

Well, it's not the best time of year to do this that's for sure. At this point I'm half way through, on page 385 and really really enjoying it. Though I haven't quite finished it, I can give you a run down on what's going on so far, and I think if you love these soap opera-ish type classic books, you'll hopefully want to give this one a try.

At the center of everything, we have a  40-something single mom and her two kids, Felix about 23-ish and Hetta about 18 or so. She dots on Felix and spoils him rotten. Felix is bottom line a complete slime bucket. He gambles compulsively and smooches everything he can off his mom to the point that they are now both completely bankrupt. In order to solve this problem, his mom has encouraged him to win the heart of and marry the heiress, Marie. (Whose dad by the way, is also a mastermind swindler and that's why they are so rich!) So, Felix does this easily, because he is drop dead gorgeous and Marie is head over heels. Felix couldn't care less about her, but goes along with the plan for the sake of the money.

Meanwhile, he is having fling with a country girl, Ruby, who lives nearby the manor that his cousin, Roger owns, and which Felix is set to inherit unless Roger marries. Roger, of course wants to marry Hetta, Felix's sister, but Hetta instead loves Paul, Roger's friend (and also mixed up in the raunchy deals headed by Marie's dad.) Roger can't stand Felix and will do anything to ruin him. Ruby, meanwhile, is supposed to marry John Crumb, but when she is nearly forced to, she runs away to live with her aunt and hang out with Felix, even though he is just about ready to elope with Marie. You see Marie's dad wants her to marry Lord something or other and has claimed to disinherit her if she does otherwise. Of course she feels he won't really do this, and will do anything to marry beautiful Felix.

So, back to Ruby her aunt has boarder named Mrs. Hurtle. She is an American widow with a sordid past. She and Paul, (previously mentioned above,) have a history and in fact Paul has promised to marry her! But then he finds out about her shady past and gets rather nervous, and besides he is actually in love with Hetta, if you remember. So he is trying to get out it, but Mrs. Hurtle is one beautiful seductress and boy oh boy is Paul ever in deep trouble! Poor poor Paul!

Doesn't that all just sound like a blast!!? I can't wait to see how it all turns out and who will end up with whom and what sort of major trouble they all get in!

Now if only I could find the time to read!

This is only the second book I've read by Anthony Trollope. I read The Eustace Diamonds way back when (which I later found out it was part of series and gasp, I was out of order!) But it's interesting that I hadn't even heard of him until just a few years ago. Where was he during my high school life? Not one thing did my teachers say about him! I think he deserves a little more credit than that! He is very similar to Charles Dickens though much easier to understand. I would also put him the category of Elizabeth Gaskell and company. I will definitely be on the look out for more by him and will try to become a little more Anthony Trollope savvy.

He has a website, so click on over if you'd like to learn more!

For other participants in the tour and to see all the great books everyone read and reported on, click here now.

A Not-Review: Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas

Book: Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas
Genre: Classic
Rating: n/a Did Not Finish
For: The Classics Circuit
From: bought LONG ago


For those of you that play Wii Fit, you know when you do really lousy at something, then at the end your Mii hangs its head in failure and shame? Yeah? Well, that's how I feel about my accomplishment detailed in this post.

Once upon a time, I read The Count of Monte Cristo and loved it. (Granted, it was probably the abridged version which perhaps helped a bit.) And then later I read The Three Musketeers and loved it! Way back then I learned it had a sequel of sorts and decided that "some day I will read that!" I even got the book which promptly sat on my shelf for years.

Fast forward to just last month when Alexandre Dumas was voted in as the the feature for The Classics Circuit this past month. What a perfect time for me to dust off Twenty Years After and read it once and for all. I was ready! I was excited! I knew I could do it... all 800 pages worth.

Sadly, it was not to be. I tried. I got to page 170 and I'm still thinking "when is something going to happen?" Every time I read it, my mind wanders, like really really bad. Or I fall asleep, or I read and read and don't realize at all what I'm reading. I hate it when that happens.

So either this book is just not for me... or at least it's not for me right now. Or I'm just going through a low concentration moment. Or something.

I did gather enough info to know that it's about the four boys (who are now in their forties) finding each other again. There's lots and lots of political talk that goes right over my head, but I gather there's something afoot that has instigated this musketeer reunion. They've all been leading quite different and interesting lives. In fact on of them (Athos perhaps?) appears to even have a son. For a glimmer there, I felt that this boy's story could be interesting, but instead of following him, it suddenly went back to... I don't even know what. I'm sure it will get back to that kid eventually, but I wanted it NOW! Ugh!

So anyway, I gave up. (Head hanging and swinging in shame... just like your sad Mii.) But, I decided, it's okay. I don't do this very often. I'm entitled.

Besides, I have The Passage waiting for me and I hear that I probably won't be sleeping during that one!

So if you are interested in a Dumas read, I say start with The Count. It's one of my all time favorites.

The Classics Circuit Tour: Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Book: Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Genre: Classic

Rating: A-

For: The Classics Circuit

I've previously enjoyed several Edith Wharton (1862-1937) books, namely The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence, Summer and The Custom of the Country, all very good. My favorite of the list being The House of Mirth. Tragic! So with this past month being her turn to circulate through some blogs for The Classics Circuit, I thought I would take the chance to read Ethan Frome, a short Edith Wharton novella that I've had sitting here on the TBR for some time.

The story of Ethan Frome is a very simple one. Very sad, and very simple. We flashback to learn how Ethan was caught up in a life he didn't ask for, a life trapped in small town where he had to first take care of his ailing parents, and then his ailing wife. This wife he married on impulse as a very young and lonely man. It was a marriage where no love was involved. Years later, when his wife's distant cousin comes to stay, he learns what love is. But at what cost will he pay to preserve it?

I enjoyed this quick and short story, even with it's tragic characters. You know I love the passionate tragedies! All of Wharton's stories seem to excel in this area, so if you also enjoy them, it's time for you to try one of her books.

There's not much else to say about this particular novel. If you are new to Edith Wharton, I would NOT start with this one, as it's quite different from what she is well known for, tragedy aside, which is social mores and issues. Try The Age of Innocence or The House of Mirth first.

My copy of this book also includes several of her short stories, which I hope to have time for some day! But I'm sorry to say I didn't get to them for purposes of this particular blog tour.

Be sure to check out the other posts over at The Classics Circuit on this tour this week.

The Classics Circuit: Wilkie Collins on Tour!

Book: Hide and Seek by Wilkie Collins

Genre: Classic

Rating: B+

For: The Classics Circuit

Yeah! Finally my turn to welcome Wilkie Collins to my blog as part of the new Classics Circuit. Since I'm at the tail end of this tour, hopefully there's no one out there who will say "Who the heck is Wilkie Collins!?" Also, hopefully there's no one out there saying, "I'm sick to death of Wilkie Collins!"

Anyway, by now I'm guessing you all know that Wilkie Collins was a friend of Charles Dickens, and a wonderful writer in his own right. Unluckily for him, he seemed to be overshadowed by his buddy, and didn't quite make it as big. However, his books, though different, are totally delightful.

I stumbled upon Wilkie years ago, I think it was when an online Yahoo book club picked his book The Woman in White for their selection. I'd never heard of him. But I loved the book. I made my husband read it and he loved it too. Then we read The Moonstone, and really loved it. We started wondering, why doesn't he get any recognition? His books are so funny, witty, clever, articulate, engaging, and memorable.

It was then that we went on a bit of Wilkie kick. Every time we did an Amazon order (because we couldn't find them at the bookstore), we'd add one of his books to the cart. The end result being we now have about ten or so of his novels, some very obscure, in our library. My husband has read them all, but I, somehow (can you even believe it???) got behind.

So I chose to review one of those more obscure novels called Hide and Seek. Sadly, I must say, this is probably the least favorite of his I've read so far. I feel like I've been reading it forever! There were many parts that just dragged on and on. And much too much detail.

But still, the use of words is fascinating. I love it! The story was fun too. It's about a girl who is adopted by this very nice painter man. She had an accident when she was very little which left her deaf and dumb. She was raised by some nice circus people, and the man rescues her from that life when she was about ten. He lives in constant fear that someone will discover her and claim her as their family. That's the "hide" part.

The "seek" part is when a new character is introduced who returns home to England after being abroad for some twenty odd years. We learn right off, as he begins to investigate his long lost family, that of course.... there's a connection to our little friend.

Much of the story was told as a back story, through letters, and long narratives. I kept wishing that those back stories were actually a true part of the book. I wanted to get much deeper into the all trauma and drama... and really get connected and invested in the characters, but we just heard about it... and the actual story itself was quite bland.

Oh, well. I just looked it up and it's listed quite near the top, chronologically speaking, of his huge list of works written. Maybe he just hadn't quite figured it all out yet!

Regardless, Wilkie, you rock! I love your books and will continue in my quest to read all the unread ones I have here on my shelves. I hope those of you who had never heard of him until this blog tour blitz, will give him a try and let me know what you

think.