Recently Read: Mary's Monster

Author: Lita Judge

Genre: Nonfiction/Illustrated

Publication Date: 2018

Page Count: 320

Rating: 5/5

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Frankenstein Review

Literary Look: The Gothic Novel 

Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley created Frankenstein tells Mary Shelley's life and woes with beautiful illustrations. From her own birth, which brings misfortune, to the death of her beloved, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the creation of her masterpiece and the science fiction genre, Mary Shelley's story is heartbreaking and poetic. 

I read Frankenstein a couple of years ago, and I believe it is one of the best and most important novels ever written, even more impressive, is that Shelley was eighteen years old when she began writing it. I researched the origin of the novel a little bit when I first read it, as I was writing a paper on it, and immediately knew I needed to learn more about Shelley. When I saw this one, I was interested, but upon learning it was completely illustrated, I immediately ran to my library to grab it. 

The story of Shelley's life is told in free-verse and accompanied by absolutely breathtaking illustrations. The back-flap reveals that this books took Judge five years to finish, and I cannot imagine how much work went into this novel. Every illustration is a full-page or double-page charcoal drawing, which captures the mood of Shelley's life perfectly. 

Mary Shelley had a turbulent life and romance with the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her fear of and tragic experiences with pregnancy and birth lead her to explore themes of creation and motherhood in Frankenstein and her involvement with Shelley, Byron, and others in the Romantic circle allowed for her to create and publish her novel. Shelley wrote Frankenstein in nine months, while she was pregnant with her second child; her first had died ten days after birth. It was published anonymously, but after it's great success with the public, Lord Byron published proof that Shelley was the author.

This biography is a great introduction to Shelley's life. It gives the complete story of Shelley and her creation, but it doesn't go too deep. I have plans to read much larger biographies, but I'm glad that I read this one first. The art is what really makes this novel. Shelley was an amazingly brilliant woman who defied society at every turn and created one of the most important and popular novels ever written. I recommend this novel for all levels of interest in Shelley and her work. Even if you are a seasoned-Shelley-scholar, the artwork in this novel is worth seeing alongside her story. 

Feminist Nonfiction Haul (I mean, you can't say you're surprised)

In this post, I talked about how out of control my feminist nonfiction TBR list was, so naturally, I bought some of the books off of it. I thought it was about time I got around to reading some of these books, and the first step to that is having them on hand. I've now got quite a pile on my unread shelves, but I have been really loving reading nonfiction lately. I think nonfiction is easier to read than fiction when I'm super busy because I can go a week without picking up my book and not feel totally lost. Here's a look at the three new nonfiction additions to my immediate TBR.

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon

I've had my eye on this doorstop of a novel about this mother-daughter literary duo for a while now. 650 pages seems about right for these two literary ladies who had such exciting literary and love lives. I am really interested in both authors personally, as well as their works, so I think I will really enjoy this one. I can see this one being the perfect winter read. 

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

I actually had this one out from my library as an ebook and read fifty pages before I knew I had to own a copy of this because I was itching to mark and tab every chapter. I loved how insightful Steinem is in this novel, and I am really looking forward to reading more about her and her work. I'm also looking to pick up her essays sometime in the near future. 

Savage Beauty  by Nancy Milford

Yet another doorstop of a biography I have had my eye on for ages. Millay is one of my all-time favorite poets and typing up my Literary Look post on her had me itching to read more about her. I know she was pretty unique for her time and I'm really interested to read more about the tidbits I already know and learn completely new things. 

My Feminist Non-Fiction TBR List is Out of Control, Ya'll!

The other day, I was going through my Goodreads TBR shelf, and realized I had a lot of nonfiction on my TBR that I really wanted to get to, upon further inspection, I noticed that most of that nonfiction had feminist themes. Now, this isn't really surprising since I love to read about and study gender and gender issues, but it did remind me of a number of really interesting sounding books I want to get to very soon. So, here's a look at a few of the feminist nonfiction novels on my TBR. Check out my Goodreads to see both my feminist and nonfiction shelves.

My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem

Steinem is a feminist icon that I admittedly don't know much about. I will be picking this one up first, as I have an ebook copy from my library, and I'm hoping it will serve as a good introduction to Steinmen. I have spent a lot more time reading about the first wave of feminism, as compared to the second, so I'm interested to read more about the second wave and hear it from someone who was there!  

Savage Beauty, Nancy Milford

If you read my most recent Poetry Spotlight on Millay, you'll know she is one of my favorite poets, and she lived a very interesting and unconventional life. She was openly bisexual, had many public affairs during her long-time marriage, and was an activist in the political sphere, all while remaining one of the best and most recognized poets of her time as well as the the twentieth century. I'm really eager to learn more about Millay, and this 600-plus page biography seems perfect for that. 

Train Wreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear.. and Why

by Sady Doyle

This one sounds really interesting as it covers the way women in the public eye are viewed and discussed by the general public. It covers a range of women including Britney Spears, Billie Holiday, Hillary Clinton, and more. With the more recent tendencies to examine the sexist language and thought patterns in the media towards women, I think this book will be both interesting and important. 

And of course, leave me some recommendations of feminist nonfiction in the comments! 

Recently Read: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Author: Maya Angelou
Genre: Classic/Memoir
Publication Date: 1969
Page Count: 264
Rating: 5/5

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Maya Angelou is a much loved author, poet, and inspirational speaker. I Know Why the Caged Birds Sings is the first in a series of autobiographical novels written by Angelou. This novel covers her childhood in Stamps Alabama and her teenage years in California. 

I LOVED this book. Loved it. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, and I was awed by the beauty of Angelou's words and the honesty with which she described her experiences as a young  black girl and woman. I listened to this on audiobook read by Maya Angelou herself and I highly recommend that experience. Angelou is an amazing speaker and her voice is so strong; I loved hearing her read her own life story. Her voice is so warm and comforting and she brings an undeniable power to her own story. 

As you may know, I am currently attending college to become a high school English teacher and I am itching to find a way to use this in my classroom. This book does such a beautiful job of exploring such difficult and necessary themes and topics such as rape, racism, feminism, coming of age, and family relationships. Angelou writes with such grace and humor it feels as if she is telling her story to you personally. Her life was not easy, yet she has maintained such grace, humor, and strength.  

This book is full of so many strong women. I loved hearing about all of the women in Angelou's life and her relationship with them, and I really hope to find out more about the women and their relationships in future novels. I also loved how Angelou weaved her literary life into this novel. It's clear that the books she read as a young girl were important to who she grew up to be, which I'm sure many book lovers can relate to. Many scenes in this book were so powerful, I know they will stick with me for a long time. 

I loved the way she described the relationship between her and her brother Bailey. I have a brother myself and also find strong brother-sister connections in literature make me a little emotional. The way that Angelou describes her love for and confidence in her brother was so sweet and beautifully written. I know this is a book that I will reread many times within my life. I am on the wait list for the next book in Angelou's memoir series and can't wait to learn more about her and read more of her beautiful writing.  

In light of the crazy and disheartening events that are going on in our world right now (I'm currently watching the debate) I can't help but wonder how much of a kinder place the world would be if we all spent some time hearing the stories of those that differ from us. I highly recommend reading Maya Angelou's story. 

On My TBR (3)

I recently moved all of the books I want to read ASAP to one shelf, and I love that system! So I thought I would show you some of the books on my TBR divided by category.

On My TBR (1)

On My TBR (2)

On my TBR I have a book that is...

A Reread:

A Mystery:

Nonfiction: 

A Biography: 

Adult Fiction: 

Have you read any of these? What did you think? What's on your TBR? 

Just Added (9): Biographies

I have been browsing the biography section of Goodreads quite heavily lately, and I have stumbled upon quiet a few biographies about amazing women that I would like to read. I made a Biography Shelf if you would like to see all of the biographies on my TBR, but here are a few that I have just added.

Just Added (8)
Just Added (7): Adult Fiction

Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera 

Summary from Goodreads:

Hailed by readers and critics across the country, this engrossing biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came straight from her own experiences: her childhood near Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution; a devastating accident at age eighteen that left her crippled and unable to bear children; her tempestuous marriage to muralist Diego Rivera and intermittent love affairs with men as diverse as Isamu Noguchi and Leon Trotsky; her association with the Communist Party; her absorption in Mexican folklore and culture; and her dramatic love of spectacle.

Here is the tumultuous life of an extraordinary twentieth-century woman -- with illustrations as rich and haunting as her legend.

Why I added it: I recently saw an exhibit of Frida Kahlo's and Diego Rivera's art at the Detroit Institute of the Arts and really, really enjoyed Kahlo's art. I learned a lot about her life on the exhibit and after leaving, I knew I needed to learn more about her ASAP! This is the biography that the movie Frida is based on, and I hope to watch the movie, and read the book soon!

Vera (Mrs. Vladmir Nabokov) by Stacey Schiff

Summary from Goodreads:

Winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for biography and hailed by critics as both “monumental” (The Boston Globe) and “utterly romantic” (New Yorkmagazine), Stacy Schiff’s Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) brings to shimmering life one of the greatest literary love stories of our time. Vladimir Nabokov—the émigré author of Lolita; Pale Fire; and Speak, Memory—wrote his books first for himself, second for his wife, Véra, and third for no one at all.

“Without my wife,” he once noted, “I wouldn’t have written a single novel.” Set in prewar Europe and postwar America, spanning much of the century, the story of the Nabokovs’ fifty-two-year marriage reads as vividly as a novel. Véra, both beautiful and brilliant, is its outsized heroine—a woman who loves as deeply and intelligently as did the great romantic heroines of Austen and Tolstoy. Stacy Schiff's Véra is a triumph of the biographical form.

Why I added it: I read Schiff's biography of Cleopatra a while back and really enjoyed it. This novel looks so interesting as I know NOTHING about Vera Nabokov! I love reading books (fiction and non-fiction) about authors so I think this one will be really enjoyable!

Becoming Queen, Kate Williams

Summary from Goodreads

'I will be good,' promised the thirteen-year-old Victoria, when she understood that she would be Queen of the most powerful country in the world. That, of course, is a matter of opinion. And there are other layers to the story.

With a combination of novelistic flair and historical accuracy, Kate Williams begins by relating the heartbreaking story of Princess Charlotte, the Queen who never was, and her impact on the young Victoria. Our perception of Victoria the Queen is coloured by portraits of her older, widowed self - her dour expression embodying the repressive morality propagated in her time. But Becoming Queen reveals an energetic and vibrant woman, determined to battle for power. It also documents the Byzantine machinations behind Victoria's quest to occupy the throne, and shows how her struggles did not end when finally the crown was placed on her head.

In the late eighteenth century, monarchies were in crisis across Europe. Discontented with their mad King, George III, and his spendthrift offspring, the English pinned their hopes on the only legitimate grandchild: Princess Charlotte, daughter of George, Prince of Wales. But Charlotte died at the age of twenty-two, a few hours after giving birth to a stillborn son. A grieving nation immediately began venerating her as someone who would have made an ideal Queen while Charlotte's rackety uncles embarked on a race to produce the next heir.

No one thought that little Victoria, daughter of the Duke of Kent, would ascend the throne. She, in turn, became increasingly determined to take control of her own destiny, and clashed constantly not only with her hugely ambitious mother but with her protégé and household comptroller, the Irish adventurer, John Conroy. After she became Queen, ministers, even her beloved Prince Albert, still attempted to steal power away from her.

Revealing how Charlotte's death shaped Victoria's reign and laying bare the passions that swirled around the throne, Becoming Queen is an absorbingly dramatic tale of secrets, sexual repression and endless conflict. 

Why I added it: I love novels set in Royal England, and while I have read quite a few about the reign of Henry the VIII or Elizabeth I, I haven't read about many other royals. This one looks really interesting and entertaining, plus I love to read about royal women. 

Recently Read: Two Graphic Novels with Top-Notch Art

Title: Jane, the Fox, and Me
Author: Fanny Britt Translated by Isabelle Arsenault
Genre: Graphic Novel/ Children's
Publication Date: 2012
Page Count: 101
Rating: 5/5

Helene is a young girl, whom has just entered middle school and is criticized by the other girls for her weight. She finds solace by reading Jane Eyre, until she meets someone that makes her problems a little more bearable.

The art in this book is beyond gorgeous! Most of the art is black and white pencil drawings, and color is used sparingly and effectively. I loved the concept of this story, and thought it was very relatable I loved the idea of Helene turning to a novel to escape the hardships of everyday life, and I liked that she admired Jane, as she is a great literary role model.

One quote from this novel really stuck out to me. Helene is discussing the part in Jane Eyre where Jane is painting herself and Miss Ingram and comparing Miss Ingram's beauty to her own plainness. Helene says that when painting herself Jane, "Showed no mercy." In this moment I really understood why Helene connected to Jane. Helene showed herself no mercy, and a lot of other people are the same way when they examine themselves. This, to me, was the biggest message from the book; show yourself love and mercy, because you deserve it. I think this book would be a great read for young girls, but could just as easily be enjoyed by older audiences as well. 


Title: Vincent
Author: Barbara Stok
Genre: Graphic Novel/ Biography
Publication Date: 2015
Page Count: 141
Rating: 4/5

This is graphic novel biography of Vincet Van Gogh's time in Areles, where he went to paint and develop his dream of setting up a house for artists to live and work in together.

The art style of this book is really cute. The settings in the backgrounds of the panels are pulled right from some of Van Gogh's paintings, and his artwork is incorporated into the novel.

This graphic novel does an excellent job of portraying Van Gogh's desperation and mania like passion, as well as his struggles with epilepsy. Van Gogh's dream to stay true to himself and support other artists is admirable. The novel also contains some beautiful excerpts from letters that Vincent had sent his brother Theo over the years.

My favorite thing about this novel was the focus on the connection between Theo and Vincent. Theo had a huge love for his brother, and supported him and his art with both money and love. At one point Theo said he was worried about his brother because of the colors he was using in his latest paintings. What a beautiful connection the two must have had if Theo could read Vincent's state of mind just by the color pallet of his paintings. I really recommend checking this one out if you are interested in art, biographies, Van Gogh, or all three.

I would love to purchase both of these novels in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday: I Need These Adaptations!

I love this week's prompt! I have been wishing for adaptations of some of these books for ages! I split my list between T.V. Show adaptations and movies, but ended up with way more T.V. show wishes. I just love the possibilities that T.V. adaptations of books offer.   

Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

T.V Shows

1. The Oscar Wilde Murder Mystery Series by Gyles Brandeth 

I have been praying for a BBC T.V. show adaptation of these books since I first read them like three years ago! You guys know I LOVE Oscar, and I love the way the BBC does mystery, so this adaptation would be heaven for me. 

2. The Young Sherlock Holmes Series by Andrew Lane

I would also love the BBC to pick up this series! It's so much fun, and a T.V. show would be so much fun too!

3. Ms. Marvel Graphic Novel Series by Wilson Alphona

This graphic novel series is so funny and real; it would translate into a great superhero T.V. show. Plus, it's about time we put the women superheroes in the lead role. 

4. Cleopatra by Stacey Schiff 

I would love an accurate depiction of Cleopatra's life that emphasizes her tactical brilliance and fierce devotion as a leader rather than her beauty and romantic relationships! This is a great biography of Cleopatra, and I highly recommend checking it out. 

5. The Diveners by Libba Bray

The atmosphere in this book would translate into T.V. brilliantly! The creepy supernatural elements would be great as well as the visuals of a 1920's New York City.

6. The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

I would LOVE to see this series as a show! It's so funny, and I think it would be better as a T.V. show rather than movies. (I just pretend that the movie adaptions of these books don't exist because the dialogue is just god awful!) Riordan's dialogue is so witty and funny. 

7. The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare

The setting and steam-punk elements of this trilogy would be great for the small screen! The characters in this trilogy are so great, they could easy be further explored in a T.V. show. I know The Mortal Instruments is getting a T.V. show, but I think this trilogy is a million times better than TMI, and I would love to see this one get adapted. Plus, I would love to see the casting for Will and Jem.  

8. The Luxe Series by Anna Godbersen 

This historical fiction series has so much gasp worthy drama, it would be an entertaining show! Think Gossip Girl in the late 1800's. Plus, the wardrobe for this show would be beyond words. 

Movies 

9. Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

I would love to see the atmosphere of this novel come to life, but this would be such a challenging story to adapt to the screen. If someone could capture the atmosphere of this novel though, I would be in love. 

10. The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters 

I obviously just want to see things with a historical setting, because this book has a great and creepy atmosphere as well. I would love to see the suffragette movement mixed with the supernatural and creepy elements of this novel! (Minus the dentistry, because I can't handle that.) 

Leave me a link to your list below! I would love to see what adaptations you are dreaming about. 

Recently Read: Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

Author: Therese Anne Fowler
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Publication Date: 2013
Page Count: 375
Rating: 4/5

Adult historical fiction aimed at women readers is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, and I especially enjoy books with literary characters. I was in the mood for a historical fiction read and this one really did the trick.

This is the story of the infamous lives of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald told from the perspective of Zelda. It covers their entire lives, from the first meeting to Scott's death, and it's brutally honest. 

One thing I like about historical fiction is that it humanizes events and people that have become almost legendary and mythical. There has been so much written about the lives of the Fitzgerald's and their crazy parties and alcohol consumption, and the stories have made them out to be the careless people in Fitzgerald's novels, but this book tamed the rumors and presented Scott and Zelda as real people. 

I loved the picture this novel painted of Paris in the 20's and all the artists that were mingling and inspiring each other. If you remember my Literary Look on the Lost Generation you will know I love this literary movement, so I loved seeing it come to life. Ernest Hemingway was very close friends with Scott Fitzgerald and I loved Zelda's open and honest criticism of him and his influence on Scott (I will never pass up an opportunity to say Hemingway was a jerk!) 

This book really takes a look at what it was like to be a woman in this time, and the challenges a woman faced when she wanted to be a wife, mother, and artist. Zelda was a great writer, but most of her work was published under Scott's name, or sabotaged by him out of jealousy. She really struggled to get recognition for anything she created, and she was quite a talented writer, painter, and ballet dancer.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was an entertaining read that satisfied my craving and did justice to a smart and talented woman who is often overshadowed by her husband. I would love to read some of Zelda's works now, and I'm going to look into her painting. 

More (fictional) Books About Authors 

The Paris Wife, Paula McLain- Ernest Hemingway and first wife Hadley

The Age of Desire, Jennie Fields - Edith Wharton 

The House of Hawthorne, Erika Robuck- Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne  

Hemingway's Girl, Erika Robuck- Ernest Hemingway 

Fallen Beauty, Erika Robuck- Edna St. Vincent Millay 

Recently Read: The Beats: A Graphic History

Author: Harvey Parker, Ed Pisktor, Paul Buhle and others
Genre: Non-fiction Graphic Novel
Publication Date: 2009
Page Count: 193
Rating: 4/5

This graphic novel is made up of multiple artists and art styles. Each comic gives information on an artist, or some aspect of the Beatnik Movement. Of course, Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs have the biggest sections, but this novel has information on so many other artists, places, and events that were important during this time period.

I loved how the different art styles combined in this novel, and the range of information provided. My favorite thing about this graphic novel was that it was HONEST. It  did not shy away from the mistakes and flaws of the authors covered in this novel. It gave facts about their lives and their works without painting them to be heroes or great people. At one point it is stated that Jack Kerouac is a bigot, which is awesome! (and totally true) Usually their is a bias when reading about people who have achieved something, but there was no bias here, just facts.

This novel also did a really great job of showing how people and events were connected during this movement, which can get kind of complicated. It was easy to follow where and when the lives of major contributors converged and what events inspired later events. I learned a lot of new information from this graphic novel, which was awesome.

My one criticism of this graphic novel was it lacked information on female artists of the time. There was a section on Diana Di Prima, a small section on Jay DeFeo and another comic titled Beatnik Chicks and that was it. I loved Beatnik Chicks which covered a few ladies from the time and took a really critically look at what it was like to be a women artist during this movement and the obstacles they faced, but I would have loved for there to be more coverage of the ladies during this time. Another great thing that Beatnik Chicks did was tell the story of these "heroic" writers' lives from the p.o.v of the women they cheated on, and let down. If this graphic novel was anything, it was honest.

I'm on the look out for more graphic novels, especially non-fiction graphic novels so leave me your recommendations down below!

If you're interested in reading more on the Beats check out these posts!
On the Road by Jack Kerouac Review
Literary Look: The Beatnik Generation

Literary Inspired: Movies and Mini-Series

My list of movies I want to watch is almost as long as my list of books I want to read, and sometimes the two lists work together. Here are two literary inspired movies that I really want to see ASAP and two mini-series I got for Christmas. I have to read both books that inspired the mini-series before I can watch them, but the movies I am free to watch.

Movies:

Bright Young Things (2003)
Directed and written by Stephen Fry-- based on Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh 

Wilde (1987) 
Directed by Brian Gillbert- staring Stephen Fry and Jude Law- based on the book Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann  

Mini-Series:

Emma- BBC Mini-Series (2009)
Staring Romola Garai and Johnny Lee Miller (Sherlock from the American T.V. show Elementary. 

Tess of the D'urbervilles BBC Mini-Series (2008)
Staring Gemma Artenson and Eddie Redmayne (who is very, very cute)  

When I do end up watching these, I will be sure to share my thoughts on them. Let me know if you have seen any of these and what you thought of them, or if you have any more literary movie recommendations for me. I would love to hear them!

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

We Should Hang Out Some Time by Josh Sundquist 
Release Date: December 23, 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

A bright, poignant, and deeply funny autobiographical account of coming of age as an amputee cancer survivor, from Josh Sundquist: Paralympic ski racer, YouTube star, and motivational speaker.

Josh Sundquist only ever had one girlfriend.
For twenty-three hours.
In eighth grade.

Why was Josh still single? To find out, he tracked down the girls he had tried to date and asked them straight up: What went wrong?

The results of Josh's semiscientific, wholly hilarious investigation are captured here. From a disastrous Putt-Putt date involving a backward prosthetic foot, to his introduction to CFD (Close Fast Dancing), to a misguided "grand gesture" at a Miss America pageant, this story is about looking for love--or at least a girlfriend--in all the wrong places.

Why I'm Excited:
I saw this while browsing the pre-orders on my nook and thought it sounded like a cute contemporary read. Not until I was putting this post together did I learn that it's an autobiography! This sounds like the perfect reading for winter break from school, which is when it's released. I'm usually not interested in non-fiction about relationships, but this one has definitely captured my interest it sounds like it's going to be really cute and really heartwarming. 

What are you waiting on?  

hosted by: Breaking the Spine

Cleopatra

Cleopatra VII has always interested me. I find women who have stretched the boundaries of their time to be quite fascinating and inspiring. Last summer, I read Cleopatra A Life by Stacy Schiff. This is a biography of the Queen of Egypt and covers her whole life. The book of course thoroughly covers Cleopatra's relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, which I found to best the most interesting part of the book. I like the way the book was written it was not boring or drab by any means.

 

The other night I finally watched Cleopatra staring Elizabeth Taylor (you know, the four hour long movie which made Liz Taylor the first female actress to be paid a million dollars for a role). I was a little unsure of how I would feel about the movie, and I was expecting it to be very inaccurate. Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. It was dramatic, but drama is good. The costumes and  locations used in the movie were exquisite, and Liz looked amazing as the Queen of Egypt. I found the movie to be more accurate than I was expecting, but of course some details were left out or changed but that is to be expected. I enjoyed both the biography and the movie version of Cleopatra's story, and both have fueled my interest in her and her place in time and history.