Udolfo, the Abbey, and the Affair

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted.  I feel very neglectful.  It's not that I was posting everyday before, but at least once a week.  The good thing is that I have been doing a lot of reading.  I've read the last two Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire books and am eagerly anticipating the next one that is due out in May of 2012.  I've read two more in the Pink Carnation series, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, and The Orchid Affair.  In addition to these, I find myself still plugging along with The Mysteries of Udolpho. I am a fairly fast reader, but this one is taking me awhile.  That's not to say that I'm not enjoying it. 

The interesting thing about The Mysteries of Udolpho is that by chance, it is popping up everywhere in the other books that I'm reading.  I should mention that I have also started Northanger Abbey, in which Austen parodies Radcliffe's gothic novel.  This was completely unkown to me when I checked Northanger Abbey out of the library.  In addition to this, in the book I've just finished, The Orchid Affair, one of the novel's characters is reading Romance of the Forest, yet another gothic novel by Radcliffe.
As if these conincidences were not serendipitous enough, I did a quick check on the word serendipitous, only to find that it was first used by Horace Walpole, himself the author of what is considered the first gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, which novel has been much on my mind of late due to the appearance of a character named Fouche' in The Orchid Affair, who was inspired by the real life Joseph Fouche', Duke of Otranto.  So very, very many connections.

An interesting fact regarding Ann Radcliffe: Despite extensive, and I mean extensive, descriptions of the French and Italian landscape in Udolpho, she had not yet travelled to the European continent. In fact, she never saw Italy in her lifetime. Her descriptive details of the landscape are, at times, overwhelming, but all the more impressive when considering they were inspired solely through her imagination and the artwork of Claude Lorrain and Salvator Rosa.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily is another fun installment in The Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig. Initially I found the books in this series a little silly and a bit predictable, but nevertheless, enjoyed reading them. However, over the course of the series, the books just keep getting better and I really look forward to each new installment.

Before beginning this one, I was not looking as forward to reading it mostly because I had read that it took place in India and I was reluctant for them to leave England.
But as it turns out, I loved the setting. It was romantic and exotic and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm inspired to find other novels set in early 19th century India. I think I'll give M.M Kaye a try as the main character mentions her name throughout the book.
Has anyone out there read any M.M Kaye novels? I would love to hear from you.

Friday Book Beginnings

From A Few More Pages:
How to participate: There's nothing quite like the anticipation that comes from cracking open a book for the first time! Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Title: The Betryal of the Blood Lily
Author: Lauren Willig

The food of love isn't music, it's grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches.

This is the sixth bok in the Pink Carnation Series.

From A Few More Pages:
How to participate: There's nothing quite like the anticipation that comes from cracking open a book for the first time! Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Title: The Mysteries of Udolpho
Author: Ann Radcliffe

"On the pleasant banks of the Garonne, in the province of Gascony, stood, in the year 1584, the chateau of Monsieur St.Aubert".

So far I am really enjoying this book. As you can maybe tell from the first line, the novel has fairly lengthy descriptions of scenery and setting which are setting up the atmosphere of the novel well, but I am in a hurry to get to the juicy parts of this gothic tale! I keep reminding myself to enjoy it all but I have been too eager to read this one. At 25 pages in, I'm getting glimpses of what's to come and I think I'm really going to enjoy it!

Friday Book Beginnings

From A Few More Pages:
How to participate: There's nothing quite like the anticipation that comes from cracking open a book for the first time! Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Title: The Keep
Author: Jennifer Egan

"The castle was falling apart, but at 2am under a useless moon, Danny couldn't see this."

I think it's a good start. I'm intrigued by old castles so right away I'm interested in hearing more about it.

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig

The fourth installment in the Pink Carnation series, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, is by far my favorite. This one picks up the story of two characters which have previously played minor roles in the series, and the little we do know of them makes them, for the most part, un-likeable.

Mary Alsdale is beautiful, and beguiling. She's the sister that in the previous book, The Deception of the Emerald Ring, devised an advantageous elopement for herself, only to be thwarted by her younger sister (who mistakenly ends up in the elopement carriage and then has the fortunate accident of being seen there with Mary's fiancée, Geoffrey, Lord Pinchingdale, who does the honorable thing and marries the little sister) thus humiliating Mary in front of society.

Sebastian, Lord Vaughn, is first introduced to us in the second book as an English nobleman and a mysterious widower, recently back from the continent.  Whether he is the cruel and dangerous French spy, The Black Tulip, is the question everybody is asking. The Pink Carnation enlists Vaughn's help in recruiting Mary to unmask the Black Tulip, as the Tulip seems to have a penchant for dark haired, pale skinned beauties.

For the most part what ensues is hardly surprising, except for the twist at the end, but it's the story of these two, previously less-than-sympathetic characters which I enjoyed most. From reading the reviews it seems they are mixed. Some people really did not want a story about Lord Vaughn and Mary but for me they are by far the most interesting characters in the series and I would love to see more of them, particularly Lord Vaugh, in future books, although that doesn't seem likely as while each book takes up the thread of the adventures of the Pink Carnation, they each involve new characters which assist the Carnation.

The books in this series are pure fun, and I really look forward to the next one.

Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

Everything Beautiful Began After is an enthralling story of three young expats who meet while living in Athens, Greece.
George, an American from Kentucky, grew up in New England boarding schools virtually parentless. He's a lover of ancient languages and Bach.
Rebecca is an artist who was abandoned by her mother at a very young age, and never knew her father. She has come to Athens in order to escape her small, French town and discover herself and her talent.
Henry is an archaelogist from Wales who lives with immense sadness and guilt due to a horrible accident in his past.
This story deals with these 3 strangers and their journey together after meeting in this ancient city, and how their love and friendship deeply affect them and carry them through some very difficult times.
I thought this was a beautifully written tale of life and love and loss-- and love again. It came highly, highly recommended by the host of Bookfoolery and Babble.