Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

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Title: Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 959 pages

Published: Original: 1862; Version I read: 2010

Publisher: Public Domain Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean - the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread - Les Misérables (1862) ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose. 

Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect and the emotions: crime and punishment, the relentless persecution of Valjean by Inspector Javert, the desperation of the prostitute Fantine, the amorality of the rogue Thénardier and the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. Les Misérables gave Victor Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political and judicial systems, but the portrait which resulted is larger than life, epic in scope - an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses even as it touches the heart.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

My favorite character in this 900+ page epic was Javert. He was definitely the most fascinating character and he underwent a huge change by the end of the book. Jean ValJean also underwent a huge change in his character throughout the book. He comes in close second to Javert as my favorite. 

The overall story was great. What starts as a simple tale about an old bishop turns into an epic tale of love, crime, punishment, forgiveness, and hatred - all during the French Revolution. I fully admit I skimmed some parts of this book because I couldn't handle some of the long-winded prose which I felt took away from the core story - but I see now why it was included. There's a lot of good history added to the story in those parts I skimmed, I just wasn't interested in it. 

You can purchase Les Misérables through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Les Misérables? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

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Title: The Swiss Family Robinson

Author: Johann David Wyss

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 336 pages

Published: 1812 (original) 1999 (version I read)

Publisher: Yearling

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) “For many days we had been tempest-tossed…the raging storm increased in fury until on the seventh day all hope was lost.” 

From these dire opening lines, a timeless story of adventure begins. One family will emerge alive from this terrible storm: the Robinsons—a Swiss pastor, his wife, and four sons, plus two dogs and a shipload of livestock. Inspired by Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, this heartwarming tale portrays a family’s struggle to create a new life on a strange and fantastic tropical island. There each boy must learn to utilize his own unique nature as their adventures lead to difficult challenges and amazing discoveries, including a puzzling message tied to an albatross’s leg. But it is in the ingenuity and authenticity of the family itself, and the natural wonders of this exotic land that have made The Swiss Family Robinson, first published at the beginning of the nineteenth century, one of the most enduring and imitated stories of shipwreck and survival.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

Similar to Robinson Crusoe, this nineteenth century novel tells the story of a family who is shipwrecked and their adventures. Now I'll be upfront and state that I HATE Robinson Crusoe, so I am really glad to report that while this book does have a few boring parts (which is why this is getting only four stars), it's nowhere near the level of Robinson Crusoe. 

The Robinson family has a huge amount of luck, as they are not only intelligent and hardy, but they are also able to procure most of the stuff aboard the ship, which is conveniently lodged on some rocks. Danger hits them throughout, but they are able to make a home for themselves. Ten years pass and they find another shipwreck survivor on a neighboring island. Eventually they are found by an actual ship and they are faced with a decision of returning back to Europe or staying on their private island alone. I definitely recommend picking this up and taking some time to read and enjoy it. 

You can purchase The Swiss Family Robinson through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Swiss Family Robinson? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

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Title: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Author: Howard Pyle

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 344 pages

Published: 1883 (original) 2004 (version I read)

Publisher: Sterling

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) He stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and in so doing became an undying symbol of virtue. But most important, Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men offer young readers more than enough adventure and thrills to keep them turning the pages. Who could resist the arrows flying, danger lurking, and medieval intrigue?

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

The reason this gets a four and not a five is that I found my attention wandering through some parts of the book. I really did enjoy these tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, but some of the dialogue (though accurate for the time depicted) was hard to get through and some of the quarterstaff fight scenes bored me. It's definitely worth a read, though, and I recommend it for anyone that has ever had any interest in Robin Hood.

You can purchase The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

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Title: Anna Karenina

Author: Leo Tolstoy

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 636 pages

Published: 1998 (version I read); 1873 (original)

Publisher: Public Domain Books

Brief Synopsis: (taken from Goodreads) Married to a powerful government minister, Anna Karenina is a beautiful woman who falls deeply in love with a wealthy army officer, the elegant Count Vronsky. Desperate to find truth and meaning in her life, she rashly defies the conventions of Russian society and leaves her husband and son to live with her lover. Condemned and ostracized by her peers and prone to fits of jealousy that alienate Vronsky, Anna finds herself unable to escape an increasingly hopeless situation.

Set against this tragic affair is the story of Konstantin Levin, a melancholy landowner whom Tolstoy based largely on himself. While Anna looks for happiness through love, Levin embarks on his own search for spiritual fulfillment through marriage, family, and hard work. Surrounding these two central plot threads are dozens of characters whom Tolstoy seamlessly weaves together, creating a breathtaking tapestry of nineteenth-century Russian society.

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

This is a very, very long book. I think that's one reason it took me so long to finish it. Well, mostly it took me so long because I kept putting it aside in order to read other, shorter books. I did enjoy the story. Anna Karenina was a very tragic figure in the book, and the entire story shows the decisions she makes and the effects these decisions have on not only her but on her family members and friends. 

There was a lot of philosophizing and political talk that frankly bored me. That's why, even though I enjoyed the story, I had to lower the amount of stars I was giving it. I fully admit to skimming some of this in later parts of the story. If you have a month to sit and focus on one book, Anna Karenina is definitely worth the read. 

You can purchase Anna Karenina through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Anna Karenina? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving

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Title: Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories

Author: Washington Irving

Genre: Classic Literature, Short Stories

Length: 256 pages

Published: 1999 (version I read); 1819 (original)

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) From the "Father of the American Short Story" comes a classic collection of well-loved tales sure to chill the faint of heart and thrill the brave-hearted. Ride with the headless horseman as he makes his rounds through "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," soon to be a major motion picture starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. Find out what happens when a lazy man falls asleep for 20 years and wakes up to a strange new world in "Rip Van Winkle." Dare to experience Gothic horror at its best in "The Spectre Bridegroom." With five gorgeously illustrated plates by Nenad Jakesevic, this celebrated anthology belongs on every family's bookshelf.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Everyone knows about the legend of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman, Ichabod Crane...They've even made a movie based on the legend, and most recently they've created a TV show based off of it. I've always known the loose basics of the tale, but never read the actual story. So I jumped at the chance to grab this off my library's shelves. 

I really enjoyed every story in this collection. Most of them were chilling, and even haunting. I could see myself curled up in front of the fire listening to someone tell these sometimes dark tales and feeling a cold chill go down my spine. 

Another bonus is that it was a super quick read (and thankfully not as dull as many classics can be), so you can easily read it in a day or two and move on to something else.

You can purchase Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories through Amazon in hard copy format. 

Have you read Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

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Title: Death Comes for the Archbishop

Author: Willa Cather

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 304 pages

Published: 1927 (original); 1990 (version I read)

Publisher: Vintage

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) There is something epic--and almost mythic--about this sparsely beautiful novel by Willa Cather, although the story it tells is that of a single human life, lived simply in the silence of the desert. In 1851 Father Jean Marie Latour comes as the Apostolic Vicar to New Mexico. What he finds is a vast territory of red hills and tortuous arroyos, American by law but Mexican and Indian in custom and belief. 

In the almost forty years that follow, Latour spreads his faith in the only way he knows--gently, although he must contend with an unforgiving landscape, derelict and sometimes openly rebellious priests, and his own loneliness. One of these events Cather gives us an indelible vision of life unfolding in a place where time itself seems suspended.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I just realized that I completely forgot to write up and post this review. Whoops!

This was an excellent tale of how a priest becomes Archbishop of a territory recently acquired by the United States. It really shows how Latour was able to spread his faith to the people of the region without disrespecting their native beliefs. 

The story starts out in Italy as a colleague of Latour's puts his name forward to several higher ranking Church officials as someone to take over this region. The remainder of the book follows Latour's time in New Mexico with the help of friends he makes along the way. It was an excellent story encompassing the forty years of Latour's reign as Bishop, and then Archbishop, of New Mexico. Definitely an enjoyable read.

You can purchase Death Comes for the Archbishop through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Death Comes for the Archbishop? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

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Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Author: Ken Kesey

Genre: Classic

Length: 281 pages

Published: 1962 (original) 2002 (copy I read)

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the seminal novel of the 1960s that has left an indelible mark on the literature of our time. Here is the unforgettable story of a mental ward and its inhabitants, especially the tyrannical Big Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the brawling, fun-loving new inmate who resolves to oppose her. We see the struggle through the eyes of Chief Bromden, the seemingly mute half-Indian patient who witnesses and understands McMurphy's heroic attempt to do battle with the awesome powers that keep them all imprisoned.

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

This one was rough for me. While I did end up liking the book, I had to mark this as three stars because I simply had the hardest time getting into it. I don't know if it's because I've been really distracted lately or if it's because I just didn't like Kesey's writing style, but it took me until around Part Three before I started really enjoying it.

The plot is good. The story is from the point of view of a half-Indian patient who everyone believes is deaf and mute. When a new patient comes in, he eventually opens up to him (McMurphy) and everyone is surprised to find that not only can he hear but that he is smarter than anyone has ever given him credit.

McMurphy enters into a battle of wills with Nurse Ratched, the head of the ward. As McMurphy and Chief Bromden eventually learn, the other wards are not nearly as awful as theirs but the nurses on those wards can't do much to help them as Nurse Ratched controls who is hired and fired, by making simple suggestions to the head of HR, her friend.

All in all, it was enjoyable, once I got over the hump of not getting into it enough to read more than a few pages at a time. 

You can purchase One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Title: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 272 pages

Published: 1850 (original) 2004 (version I read)

Publisher: Barnes and Noble Classics

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) America’s first psychological novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a dark tale of love, crime, and revenge set in colonial New England. It revolves around a single, forbidden act of passion that forever alters the lives of three members of a small Puritan community: Hester Prynne, an ardent and fierce woman who bears the punishment of her sin in humble silence; the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a respected public figure who is inwardly tormented by long-hidden guilt; and the malevolent Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband—a man who seethes with an Ahab-like lust for vengeance. The landscape of this classic novel is uniquely American, but the themes it explores are universal—the nature of sin, guilt, and penitence, the clash between our private and public selves, and the spiritual and psychological cost of living outside society. Constructed with the elegance of a Greek tragedy, The Scarlet Letter brilliantly illuminates the truth that lies deep within the human heart.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

The Scarlet Letter is one of those books that I've never read but I know and understand the majority of the storyline. (I've also never watched any of the movies made based off of the novel.) I've always managed to end up in the English classes in school that never read this book or a lot of the other classics. 

It is definitely a dark tale that shows a glimpse into a world that is not what we are used to today. The hardest part for me was the writing style, but I really try to ignore that with classics like this, as it's typical of the writing styles of the era in which the book was written. 

Warning!: the rest of the review has spoilers. I try really hard not to post spoiler so people can read the stories for themselves, but I feel this is an old enough book that has been made into several movies, that I can safely post a major spoiler. 

I did enjoy the story and felt heart-broken for both Hester and Pearl when the Reverend died. I was hoping they'd go off and be happy together elsewhere, but I should have definitely known better to hope for such an event. (Ever the romantic optimist...) I'm glad that Hawthorne added in the bit after the events on the scaffold that day to explain what is believed to have happened to Hester and Pearl. It was definitely nice to learn that they were able to have somewhat happy lives after they left New England.

If you're looking for a great classic to pick up, I'd definitely pick this one up.

You can purchase The Scarlet Letter through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Scarlet Letter? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Death in Venice by Thoms Mann

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Title: Death in Venice

Author: Thomas Mann

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 79 pages

Published: 1912 (original), 1986 (version I read)

Publisher: Buccaneer Books, Inc.

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Gustav von Aschenbach is a revered author whose work is known for its discipline & formal perfection. At his Venetian hotel he encounters the strikingly handsome young teenager Tadzio. Aschenbach is disturbed by his attraction to the boy. Although he watches Tadzio, he doesn't dare speak to him. Despite warnings of a cholera epidemic Aschenbach stays in Venice. He sacrifices his dignity & well-being to the immediate experience of beauty as embodied by Tadzio. After exchanging a significant look with the boy on the day of Tadzio's scheduled departure, Aschenbach dies of cholera. As in his other major works, Mann explores the role of the artist in society. The cerebral Aschenbach summons extraordinary discipline & endurance in his literary work, but his private desires overwhelm him.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This is a short, flowery tale of an older artist who travels to Venice for vacation. While at his hotel, he spies a young, "god-like" boy who throughout the tale he finds himself in love with. The two never speak, merely exchange fleeting glances.

The writing style is reminiscent to me of Henry James, especially considering that the ending is rather tragic. It's a nice, short story that really allows the reader to appreciate the main character's attraction to this young man.

You can purchase Death in Venice through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Death in Venice? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

A Death in the Family by James Agee

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Title: A Death in the Family

Author: James Agee

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 320 pages

Published: original: 1955; version I read: 1998

Publisher: Vintage

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) On a sultry summer night in 1915, Jay Follet leaves his house in Knoxville, Tennessee, to tend to his father, whom he believes is dying. The summons turns out to be a false alarm, but on his way back to his family, Jay has a car accident and is killed instantly. Dancing back and forth in time and braiding the viewpoints of Jay's wife, brother, and young son, Rufus, Agee creates an overwhelmingly powerful novel of innocence, tenderness, and loss that should be read aloud for the sheer music of its prose.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. A few pages in and I was in a "couldn't put it down" captivated trance. This novel is about grief and how it strikes the various members of a family, both immediate and extended, when a good man dies unexpectedly. 

I particularly enjoyed reading things from the perspective of the children: both so young and neither fully understanding what has happened. Agee intertwines the various perspectives, as well as flashbacks to the past, in an expert way, making the novel easy to read and easy to enjoy. All of the characters are easy to relate to, as well, which always helps in connecting with a book.

Grief affects everyone differently, and Agee definitely manages to show that difference to his readers. Sadly, the author never got to see his book in print, as it was published after his own unexpected death.

You can purchase A Death in the Family through Amazon in or Kindle format. 

Have you read A Death in the Family? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Candide by Voltaire

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Title: Candide

Author: Voltaire

Genre: Classic Literature, Satire

Length: 122 pages

Published: 1981 (originally 1759)

Publisher: Bantam Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Brought up in the household of a powerful Baron, Candide is an open-minded young man, whose tutor, Pangloss, has instilled in him the belief that 'all is for the best'. But when his love for the Baron's rosy-cheeked daughter is discovered, Candide is cast out to make his own way in the world.

And so he and his various companions begin a breathless tour of Europe, South America and Asia, as an outrageous series of disasters befall them - earthquakes, syphilis, a brush with the Inquisition, murder - sorely testing the young hero's optimism.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I've always found that older classic novels are harder to read - mostly because of the vernacular used, the way language/slang/etc have changed in the last couple hundred years, etc.; so I wasn't really sure what to expect when I picked up Candide. When I saw the length, I was like, OK this has promise to be a very easy, quick read. And it was. I literally read it in a couple hours. 

I've always heard people mention Voltaire and thought that his writing would be dull. But that was not the case! This book was witty, humorous, philosophical, and definitely not the dry literature I thought it would be. Definitely pick this up if you want a quick, witty read!

You can purchase Candide through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Candide? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

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Title: The Metamorphosis

Author: Franz Kafka

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 201 pages

Published: 1972

Publisher: Bantam Classics

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) "As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was laying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes." 

With this startling, bizarre, yet surprisingly funny first opening, Kafka begins his masterpiece, The Metamorphosis.
It is the story of a young man who, transformed overnight into a giant beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. A harrowing -- though absurdly comic -- meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, The Metamorphosis has taken its place as one of the most widely read and influential works of twentieth-century fiction. 

As W.H. Auden wrote, "Kafka is important to us because his predicament is the predicament of modern man."

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

First, I'm going to admit that I only read the story. There are over 100 pages of essays by other people discussing the story. I chose to skip over those. 

This wasn't a bad tale. It was comical at first, and then slowly morphed into a horrible tragedy. Poor Gregor Samsa wakes one morning as a giant insect. He can understand his family, but they can not understand him. In their fear, they keep him locked to his room, opening it only twice daily to feed and clean the room. I did enjoy it for the most part, but the ending was fairly dark, though Mr. and Mrs. Samsa, as well as their daughter, Grete, are happy at the outcome. 

You can purchase The Metamorphosis through Amazon in hard copy format. 

Have you read The Metamorphosis? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

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Title: The Portrait of a Lady

Author: Henry James

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 624 pages

Published: 1991

Publisher: Everyman's Library

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Isabel Archer's main aim in life is to protect her independence. She is not interested in settling down and compromising her freedom for the sake of marriage. However, on a trip around Europe with her aunt, she finds herself captivated by the charming Gilbert Osmond, who is very interested in the idea of adding Isabel to his collection of beautiful artworks...

My Review:

I give this book a 2 out of 5. 

The synopsis above is short, sweet, and to the point. Unlike this book. I like most books I read, I mean I gave Lolita three stars and that had an absolutely disgusting plot. So for me to give this two stars? Yeah, it's that dull, and the complete opposite of The Portrait of a Lady. 

First off, paragraphs that are longer than a page...well, let's just say YAWN. I will admit, I skimmed a lot of these paragraphs. I found that reading mostly the dialogue and a few sentences of the paragraphs allowed me to completely grasp the story. I definitely enjoy Henry James in much shorter format. 600+ pages of "Will Isabel ever marry?" is just too much. Yes, the time when James was writing was a much different time, so the writing style of that time is a lot different from now, but it made for a long, dull book.

Seriously, if you ever have trouble sleeping, read this book. I read it in about a month's time, but only because I really buckled down and had to force myself to. 

The storyline itself was good, it was more the writing style that I hated. True to every James story I've read, he leaves the ending sort of wide open and leaves the reader with questions. The beginning is filled with the usual "meet the cast" chapters. The middle felt like a whole lot of nothing. There really wasn't anything to mark the passage of time, except maybe a random sentence in the middle of an opening paragraph (or in the middle of a chapter!) to say how much time has passed. I felt like the book could have been separated into a few different acts. Act I: Isabel's arrival to England and her meeting of Mr. Osmond in Rome; Act II: a year or two later where we meet Pansy Osmond, find out about Isabel's marriage, deal with the courting of Pansy Osmond; and Act III: Isabel's return to England and the events that occur there. At least if the novel had been separated like that, it would have clearly marked the passage of time.

The last few chapters are where all the action happens. Not action as in bombs blowing up or anything. But the discovery of Isabel that her marriage was basically a sham (sorry for the spoiler!). You see how absolutely unhappy Isabel is in her marriage and wish she could get out of it. She returns to England, against her husband's wishes, because her dear cousin, Ralph is on his death-bed. While there she gets one last visit from one of her prior suitors, Caspar Goodwood. He still loves her. They speak, they kiss, she flees. Two days later, he goes to find her at her friend's home in London. She's returned to Rome.

And the story ends there leaving the reader to wonder if Isabel returns to Rome to be with her horrible husband or to take the first steps in divorcing him. You also have to remember that Isabel had promised her dear stepdaughter, Pansy, that she would come back. Caspar is left to wait, once again, for his one true love. And the reader is left with questions that will never be answered.

Sometimes it's nice to have an open-ended conclusion to a story. I personally like to feel that Isabel went back to Rome to tell her husband off, divorce him and return to Caspar's waiting embrace. But somehow, I doubt that's what James wanted for his characters. He seems to have a penchant for ending his stories tragically.

Mostly, I'm rating this so low because it's really a very long book with a barely interesting plot, and it's very, very dull. 

You can purchase The Portrait of a Lady through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Portrait of a Lady? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels by Henry James

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Title: The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels

Author: Henry James

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 451 Pages

Published: 1962

Publisher: Signet Classics

Brief Synopsis: A collection of 6 short stories by Henry James. Stories include: The Altar of the Dead, The Aspern Papers, The Beast in the Jungle, Daisy Miller, An International Episode, and The Turn of the Screw.

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

The rating above is an overall rating based on my enjoyment of all six of the short stories in this collection. I have gone through each short story individually. There seems to be a trend towards the tragic ending with each of these stories.

The Altar of the Dead:
A man (Stransom) meets a woman in a church, where he lights candles for his Dead. She lights but one candle. For years, they barely speak but always meet at the church. Eventually he discovers who she lights her candle for: an old friend of his whom he had a massive falling out with. Stransom and the woman have a falling out due to his not wishing to light a candle for her former love.

This was pretty short story, but I liked it. It ended sadly, as most of these stories seem to end, but it was probably the most fitting end to the tale. I give this one a 4 out of 5.

The Aspern Papers:
This one took a little while to get into. The beginning was confusing, but eventually the mystery started to unravel In this story, a young man is looking for papers from a long-dead poet, Aspern. He goes to live with an elderly woman and her niece in order to try to take hold of these papers. The elderly woman had been the poet's lover in her youth.

Once I did get into the story, I enjoyed the conversations between Tita (the niece) and the young man. The elderly woman was definitely suspicious of him and even hid the papers in her mattress. The ending wasn't exactly happy, which made it very realistic. I give this one a 3 out of 5. 

The Beast in the Jungle: 
The story of May Bartram and John Marcher, who had met ten years prior and become reacquainted. Marcher had confessed a secret to May that something was coming that he wouldn't be able to control - a beast in the jungle, so to speak. When they become reacquainted, they spend much time discussing said beast until May falls ill.

In the end, Marcher learns what the Beast in the Jungle truly is, and that May met that Beast, while he failed to grasp it. All in all, not a bad story. I give The Beast in the Jungle a 4 out of 5.
Daisy Miller: 
An American man named Winterbourne has spent a long time in Europe, so he's become accustomed to European ways. When he meets young Miss Daisy Miller, he is quite taken with her despite her shockingly candid speech and her flirtatious ways. The story starts out in Vevey, Switzerland, where they first come across each other. He takes her to see the castle there and, despite her protests, he then must leave to handle business. He promises that he'll meet up with her in Italy when he visits his aunt.

The second part of the story shows when Winterbourne and Daisy meet up again in Italy. He learns that she flirts with all sorts of men, most especially one man named Giovanelli. She spends her days flirting with and leading on both Giovanelli and Winterbourne, and becomes the talk of the town. Eventually Daisy and her mother are no longer invited to parties, much to Daisy's chagrin.

I enjoyed this story quite a bit, and although it ended rather sadly, it was probably the best way to end it. I give Daisy Miller a 4 out of 5. 

An International Episode: 
It took me a little bit to get into this one. It starts out with two English gentlemen arriving in New York City. One of these young men is a lord. Through a man they met on the ship, they meet Mr. Westgate, who sends them to Newport where his wife and her younger sister are. The second part of the story shows the two Englishmen back in London and Mrs. Westgate and her sister, Bessie, are visiting London. Their paths cross again. Lord Lambeth is taken with young Bessie, despite his companion's warnings to not get involved. 

I found the first part of this story rather dull, but the second part was much more interesting and somewhat amusing. I felt bad for Lord Lambeth when Bessie turned him down after he proposed to her. I found the banter between Bessie and Lambeth amusing. I'd probably rate this particular story a 3 out of 5. 

The Turn of the Screw: 
A young woman becomes governess to two orphaned children: visions of loveliness and perfection. However, she begins to see the ghost of their former governess as well as the ghost of the Master's manservant. She is under strict orders not to disrupt the Master for any reason, and so undertakes to determine what these ghosts desire of her charges alone. 

I found this tale chilling. The governess finds herself dealing with two ethereal children, and two sinister ghosts. Her only confidant is the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose; as the children's uncle wishes to not be bothered about his niece and nephew. I was saddened for the children who had lost their parents, and the fact that their only living relative wanted nothing to do with them. The ending was absolutely spine-tingling. 

The beginning of the story starts out with a group of people being read the manuscript written by the governess regarding her experiences with these children. Despite the fact that I was left with the desire to hear this group's reaction to the governess' tale, I still give The Turn of the Screw a 5 out of 5. 

You can purchase The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

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Title: Lolita

Author: Vladimir Nabokov

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 317 pages

Published: Original: 1955; Version I read: 1989

Publisher: Original: Olympia Press; Version I read: Vintage

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Awe and exhilaration—along with heartbreak and mordant wit—abound in Lolita, Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America. Most of all, it is a meditation on love—love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation.

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

I read this book for the first and only time last summer. The name "Lolita" is strewn throughout pop culture, and I'd always wondered about it. They've made a couple of movies based on the novel, but I've never seen them. I will be honest and state that I probably never will, either.
The subject matter disgusted me. I had to read this book in seriously short bursts, practically forcing myself to finish it. It's filled with descriptive prose and, honestly, the main character (and narrator), Humbert Humbert, is a pedophile. He fell in love with the 12 year old daughter of his landlady, married the landlady so he could stay near his "Lolita", and finally, after an accident which kills Lolita's mother, manages to take off on a road trip throughout America with Lolita, posing as her father.

And then they consummate their love. Because, yes, this girl has a crush on him, too, at least at first. Eventually she tires of him and manages to escape his clutches. I cheered when she got away. And yet he continued to prose on about how he much he missed, loved, and desired her. 

Unless you can distance yourself from the truth of Humbert's relationship with Lolita, I don't really recommend picking this up to read.  

You can purchase Lolita through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Lolita? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.