I Love to Read!

So, many of you know I am a part of a book club in our ward. We just finished reading Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. It was loved by the majority of our group . However, not one of my favorites. If you like Jane Austen- you like this one. It is VERY long and difficult to wade through the first few chapters. It is a pleasant story but, predictable . Warning: The author actually died prior to finishing the book, so, her editor adds a note at the end telling the reader the direction the author was heading for the end of the story. Good summer project if you need one.

Next month: "Beauty" by Robin McKinley- Here's a preview

This much-loved retelling of the classic French tale Beauty and the Beast elicits the familiar magical charm, but is more believable and complex than the traditional story. In this version, Beauty is not as beautiful as her older sisters, who are both lovely and kind. Here, in fact, Beauty has no confidence in her appearance but takes pride in her own intelligence, her love of learning and books, and her talent in riding. She is the most competent of the three sisters, which proves essential when they are forced to retire to the country because of their father's financial ruin.
The plot follows that of the renowned legend: Beauty selflessly agrees to inhabit the Beast's castle to spare her father's life. Beauty's gradual acceptance of the Beast and the couple's deepening trust and affection are amplified in novel form. Robin McKinley's writing has the flavor of another century, and Beauty heightens the authenticity as a reliable and competent narrator.