Is there anything more beautiful or fulfilling to a book lover than a book about books? Whether it be fiction or non there is something magical about reading about the love of books. I even love movies about books, although since those are almost non-existent, I find I make due with movies based on books. Rarely do they compare to the book (however I have to admit that I have come across at least two movies based on books that I liked better than the books themselves) but I usually enjoy seeing books I love brought to life even if they usually are wrong. There have been times when I see and really enjoy a movie and then find out that it was a book first. The two movies that I liked better than there book counterparts were like this. I found out that these movies I loved were books, and being the book nerd I am, I had to go and read the books. Highly disappointing in both cases.
However, back in the day when I was working at the video store in Cali, I came across a movie about books. Titled '84, Charing Cross Road.' I watched and was utterly swept away by it. For someone who is looking for a movie for simple entertainment this is not the movie for you. In fact for quite a few people this movie may seem boring and make no sense as a movie. But if you are true book nerd this movie is so much fun and endlessly entertaining. Imagine my delight when I discovered that this was not only based on a book but that it is a true story as well. It is the story of Helene Hanff a writer and script reader from New York who writes to a book shop in London called Marks & Co at 84, Charing Cross road. What begins as a simple request for out of print books turns into a twenty-year long correspondence and friendship.
Helene Hanff is a writer and script reader in New York who has a voracious appetite for secondhand books. When she has trouble finding some of the books she wants here in New York she goes searching internationally. After seeing an ad in the Saturday review Ms. Hanff writes to a bookstore in England called Marks & CO searching for her books. To her delight they send her two of her requested books and promise to send along the rest when they find them. She responds "Gentlemen: the books arrived safely, the Stevenson is so fine it embarrasses my orange-crate bookshelves, I'm almost afraid to handle such soft vellum and heavy cream-colored pages. Being used to the dead-white paper and stiff cardboardy covers of American books, I never knew a book could be such a joy to touch" (pg. 3). This is just the start of what soon becomes much more than a simple client proprietor relationship. Very soon Ms. Hanff and Frank Doel, her main correspondent, begin a friendship that lasts them twenty-years. One Christmas Helene sends the shop a bundle of food because they are still under ration. This kindness opens the door to the other employees in the shop to write to her and in short order the entire shop has become pen pals with her.
The whole book is no more than 97 pages, and is made up of nothing but letters between Helene and various people connected with the bookstore. Some letters even seem to be missing as time seems to jump rather drastically. But for someone like me that loves books because they are books this was an amazing read. It made me want to find a bookshop in some beautiful country and start a letter writing relationship with someone who has a true love of books. I find that in our day of modern technology, where 140 characters is the most people are willing to use to communicate, people are reluctant to write letters. I love letter writing, and there is something truly fulfilling about receiving something in the mail that isn't a bill or credit card offer. For me this is the perfect book because it is about people that love books and it's all letters. It's a beautiful book about a beautiful relationship and I highly recommend it. This book is simple and wonderful and perfect for book lovers everywhere!
I know this isn't much of a review but I got so excited by reading the book and seeing the movie again that I wanted to share that excitement. There is nothing less amazing than sharing the joy of a book one has just read and enjoyed immensely. That is what this is, me sharing my joy with you all. I hope that it was as enjoyable to read as it was for me to write.
On a side note as for the book club/discussion thing that I want to do, I'm thinking of veering once again from that which I thought of originally. My friend, writer/blogger Sidney McEntyre, has a friend who is an editor (I know, I'm jealous too) and her first book is coming out soon. I've decided that I want to read this book next. Not only am I supporting a new friend but the book looks really good. It's called 'Night Owls' by Lauren M. Roy and once it comes out I hope that you will all join me in reading it for discussion! More details when I have them! Don't worry KD the spy novel review will be posted next! =D
Book Title: While Beauty Slept
Author: Elizabeth Blackwell
Version: ARC
Publication Date: February 20th, 2014
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
ISBN: 9780399166235
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm back by popular demand...well by demand anyway...ok, ok since I'm supposed to tell the truth I'm mainly just back because my manager (who has just started reading my blog) brought it to my attention that my last post was about a month ago. And so here I am once again. As my faithful readers have probably discovered the whole book club idea hasn't taken off. I seem to have lost my steam and excitement for it due to the lack of excitement from everyone else. So things have changed around a little bit. I'm still going to be rereading some books, although I've so far been weak to the calling of new books, but instead of trying to set up a discussion I'm going to put down my insights and thoughts on them and if people feel the urge to comment than that is awesome. One day I hope to have a more interactive website where things like virtual book clubs are the norm. For now this is what the new plan is. I hope that you all keep reading and enjoying what I put out for you for now!
SYNOPSIS: This is supposed to be a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. That's how it was presented to me anyway, and it was that, that made me so excited going into it. As soon as I started I realized it was more of what seemed to be a prequel to the story. It starts on a farm where a young girl, Elise, is searching for something more than just the life she leads. She lives a hard life of farming, raising her younger brothers, taking care of the animals of the farm and trying to dodge her father's blows. Although her dad was a hard man, a man that seemed to treat his children as objects, he seemed to always hate Elise just a little more than her brothers. One day at the town market Elise gets into a little scuffle with a boy, the boy angry and feeling above Elise calls her 'bastard.' Confused and hurt Elise asks her mother why the boy would call her such a thing. After thinking it over her mother tells her that Elise is actually the daughter of a man that her mother had met while working at the castle.
Knowing that her mother had lived a whole life before the hard one she was living now was like throwing gas on a flame and Elise became determined to leave the farm and find a better life. After a great tragedy that kills almost all her brothers and her mother Elise decides to leave her old life behind and head to the castle. When she finally arrives she meets with the head housemaid Mrs. Twekes and when Elise tells her who her mother was Mrs. Twekes decides to give Elise a chance. As Elise begins to learn the ins and outs of the castle she finds that although it's a scary place she feels that she has at last found a home.
After working there for some time Elise gets promoted to the Queen's personal handmaid. An honor that skyrockets Elise into a brand new style of living that takes her farther away from the rest of those that work at the castle. When the Queen finally gives birth to a beautiful baby girl Elise's love and loyalty is further cemented. On the day of their daughter's baptism the King and Queen throw a giant feast to honor their daughter and celebrate her becoming their official heir. In the middle of their great celebration the King's aunt, Millicent, who has been cast out of the royal favor shows up uninvited. Angry and vengeful Millicent makes a promise, a promise that seems like a curse, she says that her revenge will be that the King and Queen will enjoy the love and beauty of their daughter for only a handful of years and then one day they will have to watch her wither away and die. Scared and worried the whole castle gets turned upside down and the royal lives are halted. The Queen takes to fretfully watching over her daughter, the King to trying to find Millicent.
Elise is witness to this all and as Rose grows Elise begins feeling as if she is her own. Watching her grow into a willful young woman who is searching for more. And though the immediate danger of Millicent seems to have disappeared Rose is always protected and warned against the dangers of the outside world. When the castle goes to war against those that protect Millicent every one's world gets turned upside down and the war seems to be just the beginning of a doom that seems impossible to escape.
REVIEW: Alright so I have to say I'm a little obsessed with fairy tales. I watch 'Once Upon a Time,' love all things Disney, and enjoy reading and hearing about all the real stories behind the fairy tales. And lately I've felt the urge to read whatever I can on them. So when I was given this I was super excited. I couldn't wait to get into a whole new telling of Sleeping Beauty. And though I liked it overall it wasn't really what I had been hoping for. But that's not going to stop me from telling you all how much I enjoyed it.
Though the story was less a retelling and almost more of a prequel to the story of Sleeping Beauty. And it was interesting and it kept me wanting to read for most of the story but as I mentioned it wasn't what I had been hoping for. I felt that though the story was good it had it's moments when it seemed to drag. I felt that there was a chunk of about 90 pages or so that were unnecessary and made the story drag for a bit. But all in all it was an interesting story that I enjoyed reading.
This was Ms. Blackwell's first novel and although she was a freelance writer before I was thoroughly blown away by her novel writing abilities. Keeping a voice and imagery alive for an entire novel can be a difficult thing at times for new authors. But I truly felt that Ms. Blackwell did a great job keeping the writing at a top level the entire book. It was flowing, and intriguing. I ended up thinking about the way she stated things and how she described the castle and the King's knights and the giggles of the ladies in waiting even while not reading. Her writing stuck with me and I really enjoyed it.
The characters were well drawn out and full of life. Elise especially was put together in such a complicated and real manner that she was practically jumping off the page. The funny thing about the characters, and it made me like the book even more, was that none of the characters were all that likable. Elise was annoyingly naive, the Queen ridiculously overprotective, the King nothing but a hothead, and Rose was the spoiled brat that everyone circled around. But I kind of liked that I I didn't like any of them. It made it more honest somehow, everyone at court had a part to play and they all did it perfectly.
All in all I found the book enjoyable. I tip my tiny hat three times to Ms. Blackwell and her journey into a different side of Sleeping beauty. It's a good book and one that if you have a true love for fairy tales could be a fun one to read. It is not a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale so go into it fresh and not expecting that. But it's a good book, well written and mostly exciting. 'While Beauty Slept' is a book that needs to be read and decided upon by each person. I liked it and recommend it and hope that you my dear readers pick it up on the 20th, read it and enjoy it as well.
