The Magic Mountain

One should never attempt to read a classic by borrowing from a library. It is too expensive. I realised I couldn't finish it on time so I returned it. I am going to buy this book.

Gone with the wind - Margaret Mitchell

How I loved this book! Despite being a hundred years old in every sense. I loved it. I haven't watched the film. I try not to watch the films before reading a book. And this one was worth the wait. The mega book took me two weeks to finish but well :)

I am astonished at the time warp we are in after reading the book. Take the ideas in the book like how women are expected behave to get a man. It hasn't changed since the 1800s! The fact about pregnancy being too delicate a subject to even discuss with your husband let alone be seen in public. My god it still happens! The fact that Scarlett can do math quicker than her husband offends him so much. And I know such show of intelligence isn't acceptable even today! We have moved to internet era from quills, hemlines may have risen but somethings have remained the same! Incredible!!!!

I was also pleasantly surprised at how Scarlett's character was created. She's not your average damsel in distress beauty. She had gumption. She had thoughts that weren't "respectable." She went after what she wanted single mindedly. And she was still the heroine. Where we have such women now in literray or celluloid? In real life such women have to masquerade as damsels in distress to save their sanity if anything!

As for Rhett Butler. I would've loved to meet a man like that.

The American civil war details however didn't register entirely. For I do not have enough context or background info for it. The fact that my knowledge of American Geography is non-exstent didn't help the matters. I will have to some research on this one.

My rating 5 on 5

Alice's adventures in Wonderland

What can I say? I had not read the full version. And Tis was such a joy! This birthday present I like :)

Wuthering Heights

I didn't start reading English literature with the classics, as it is usually done. I started off with Sidney Sheldon and worked my way back. So my classics reading is still in the early stages.

I just finished reading Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Apparently this is her only novel (my source is Wikipidea on this of course)

I loved the book but at the same time it scared me. I love it because of it's literary quality - the way it is written, the language (at times very hard to follow) and the honesty with which the emotions have been portrayed. What amazes me is that though this is written by a woman, there's little bias. The book shows the dark side of both men and women. The book exposes the naivete that all human beings possess when they are younger and how when that is taken advantage of, can unveil the darker side just as easily.

The book scared me because of the depths one can fall into in hatred. Heathcliff, the central character schemes and plots all his life to destroy anyone and everyone who came in the way of his love. Even the one he loves. The madness lasts nearly 30 years!

There's innocence, there's love, there's cowardice, there's vengeance that chills and of course there is a very happy ending.

However at the end of the book, I felt a bit let down that Heathcliff, didn't exactly suffer for all his doings. I know what happened to him in the book is what would happen to anyone like him in real life; just because he didn't suffer physically doesn't mean he didn't suffer at all. I guess I am conditioned by seeing villains meeting horrible ends the in Bollywood films and indeed our mythological stories.

I loved the book despite that.

My rating 4 on 5

PS: I have added Ellen 'Nelly' Dean from Wuthering Heights to my list of favourite literary characters.