**spoiler alert** Give it a chance. It takes a long time to build, but after it does, there is A LOT of action in this book, and interesting twists of**spoiler alert** Give it a chance. It takes a long time to build, but after it does, there is A LOT of action in this book, and interesting twists of plot and character. Oliver Twist is my favourite Dickens book so far for characters, but I was really surprised how these characters, flawed as so many of them were, did start to worm their way into my heart, and I was genuinely interested to see what happened to them. I wasn't even taken with Barnaby, at first, but as it went, I became very attached to him, and even began to cry at the thought that he would die in the end! I pressed on through almost twenty chapters in the last day of my reading just to find out his fate among all the other weaving and interesting subplots. And I cried for joy when he was freed! So refreshing to see a classic, especially about such horrific historical times, to end happily in almost every respect! I had a little bit of trouble getting into it in the first place, but an open mind, and a combination of reading, listening to an audiobook of it, and reading and listening at the same time, really helped me get over the first hump and get invested in the story! I actually believe the descriptive writing is very good in this one, and thought the straight-forward, while intriguing, plot, was refreshing, compared to some other Dickens novels, like Oliver, that seem to have a very meandering, aimless plot. I'm really not sure why this book hasn't received more attention among his classics. But if you aren't religious or into history this could be a boring read, but as I am both, it was gripping. I really couldn't stand the characters of Mrs. Varden and Miggs (at least until Mrs. Varden repents and changes), but I think we're supposed to detest them. Still sometimes it was tempting to skip pages when they were speaking! XD There really aren't a whole lot of "good" characters, morally speaking, though all the characters are "good" as in well thought out, motivated, and extremely expressive of their views in various ways. As a Protestant, it was painful sometimes to read of the failings of my own tradition, but I welcome it! I want to know the terrible historic details to prevent repeating these mistakes in the present. Catholics, Protestants, and every tribe of human under the sun have made BIG mistakes, and probably will continue to, but by learning about our pasts, and the types of mistakes our tribe is most prone to, we can work toward making things better in the future! Perhaps the only character I thought was a good fellow (besides innocent Barnaby and his faithful mother), was Mr. Gabriel Varden, who was downright loveable! I also really like, that amid the rebellious noise, secret societies, revolutions, and riots, we have Varden and Haredale as good friends, a Protestant and a Catholic respectively. It shows it can be done, and I would love to know more Catholics myself :) While the piece bitterly criticizes overzealous religious persons, I feel it criticizes not religion itself, as if the terrible things that happened were inevitable, but using Religion for Political gain, monetary gain, social gain, emotional abuse (as in the case of Mrs. Varden), or any other selfish purpose you can think of.
In the words of Gabriel Varden to his wife, "But recollect from this time that all good things perverted to evil purposes are worse than those which are naturally bad. A thoroughly wicked woman is wicked indeed. When religion goes wrong, she is very wrong for the same reason. Let us say no more about it, my dear."
This, I think, gets at the heart of the problem. Christianity itself, taking the teachings of Jesus on their own merit, goes against every selfish acquiring attitude there is. It's about humility, not superiority. So to use Christianity for personal gain is like spitting in its founder, Jesus', face! I think Dickens knew this well, as he highlights a similar theme in his criticism of Parochial schools and workhouses in Oliver Twist. How the very people claiming to be Christians and "caring" for the poor, were abusers, and not in any true sense Christian at all. It's harsh, for a Christian, to read, and I feel much of this nuance would be lost on someone who isn't of this religion. It's not a slam on belief in God period, but it certainly is a thunderous slam on hypocrites, whom Jesus called out very harshly himself! The progression from zealous Christians for religious freedom, a bill presented to the Senate, a restless crowd and a riot, the falling away of true decent Christians while hooligans and ragamuffins remained in the ranks, seeking only to do violence and vengeance, then how these savages became a swelling tribe of pirates on land, looting and destroying everything in their way, taking whatever they wanted, and burning not only Catholic establishments, but even Protestant houses in their madness!, shows how depraved this moment in history became, how completely removed from its original purpose and how truly demonic in nature it was, when we get all the way to these same rioters letting loose all the prisoners of a well-known jail, then setting fire to it so they couldn't be put away in prison themselves, then eventually burning themselves alive in the liquor they madly consumed, shows the ugliness of mankind! Let's not pretend any of us are better than the worst men in history. Everyone one of us is base: Protestant, Catholic, of some other Religion entirely, or Atheist. Charles Dickens wrote a sweeping, shocking, and beautiful tale based on true history to remind us all of the evil we are capable of, and to take the caution to do what lies at the heart of true Christianity...to love one another, whoever they are.
A quote from Mr. Haredale, chapter 79 "The men who learn endurance are they who call the whole world brother. I have turned from the world, and I pay the penalty."
Now excuse me while I read this story again! and annotate it for all the best pieces of writing I would like to read again and again, and the most poignant quotes!...more
A very easy 5 stars. This book really helped me through a intellectual, spiritual, and emotional crisis this year. For those who are agnostic about GoA very easy 5 stars. This book really helped me through a intellectual, spiritual, and emotional crisis this year. For those who are agnostic about God, materialists, and those Christians who struggle to bring together their spiritual beliefs and intellectual concerns, this book is balm to a wound. Even if you skeptical, and ESPECIALLY if you are skeptical, not of just this book, but everything, PLEASE give this book a read. You don't have to agree with everything to author posits to be DEEPLY healed by this book :) Hope for skeptics, peace for the anxious, life to weary bones....more
I love this story, and I really didn't know what to expect when I picked it up. I love White's nostalgic, cozy way of writing and that he doesn't shy aI love this story, and I really didn't know what to expect when I picked it up. I love White's nostalgic, cozy way of writing and that he doesn't shy away from talking about the realities of animals. It was very refreshing. For instance, our two heroes are a spider and a pig, two creatures most people would find repulsive. Yet as you read he highlights how these creatures are incredible, and how particularly, spiders are beyond beautiful! I loved the little bits of science I was getting about real life nature, without it ever feeling didactic or slogging down the story. An incredible blend of suspending disbelief and beautiful fantasy, reality and science, light-hearted children's fun, simplicity, and moving relationships. This really wasn't a book I expected to like, but I was very impressed and I would love to find more of these kinds of books for my future kids instead of all the watered-down super unrealistic always happy ending Disney versions of kid's stories (kinda like the movie)....more
What a fascinating book! To start off, don't give this to your kids to read, NOT FOR CHILDREN, there's a great deal of violence, a few cuss words (thoWhat a fascinating book! To start off, don't give this to your kids to read, NOT FOR CHILDREN, there's a great deal of violence, a few cuss words (though used appropriately), a bit more details on mating than I was comfortable with, and lots of death. But the most fascinating thing about it to me was that it was all told from the animals' perspectives, and the way ANIMALS ACTUALLY THINK AND BEHAVE. This is not Disney, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This did a world of good for me in breaking me from the false disney narrative I've been fed all my life about what animals think and feel, in ways I hadn't realized I'd been brainwashed. Most animals do not care about killing other animals, it's their way of life. This doesn't make them cruel, just living as they were made. Nature is rough, not butterflies and roses. But it's the sufferings and unique intelligence of these animals that makes me love them as characters even more! I felt for Tod, I felt for Copper, and I even felt for the hunter most of the time. There aren't really villains and heroes in this book. Just a fox, a dog, and a man who are trying to stay afloat, to live, to do what they find purpose in, and its the world around them that changes and takes that away from them. It is a sad ending, but I was a bit prepared for it. Copper's devotion and love for his Master even at the very end is so touching. And how can I love them both when they spent chapter after chapter trying to kill my favourite fox in the world?! Well written. I think the main point is that we all need to be useful and follow our purpose; without it 'the world isn't any place for a fox, a hound, or a human being'. Just a warning, there is A LOT of detail about hunting and tracking in this book, if that's not interesting to you, you may find it very boring. But I never thought I would find that interesting and was still pulled into the tracking world, because it is the reality of life for foxes and dogs. So if you want to read an adventure lead by your nose and not your eyes, hang on!...more
I did not expect to love this so much. For those who are not religious, let me just prefice, that a big part of why I enjoyed the book had a lot to do I did not expect to love this so much. For those who are not religious, let me just prefice, that a big part of why I enjoyed the book had a lot to do with its religious nature as well as riveting story but even if you're not into that I think you could thoroughly enjoy this. I was loving it just as a story, but by the ending I was hit profoundly with the lesson I believe Dickens was trying to teach and it gave a whole other level of depth to the story, suddenly so many scenes and comments characters made were flashing back in my mind and piecing things together in a much deeper way. In some ways, the story is like a much more accessible Shakespeare tale, in that the author has no fear of killing characters in order to make a point. The story is dismal and bleak most of the time, but hopeful with a message that we should look after the weak and troubled in life. Oliver is the poster child for poverty and innocence. He doesn't deserve any of the suffering that has come his way. He is pure and uncontaminated by all the corruption about him, and would rather die than steal. He prays that God will deliver him many times, and he does. Oliver's life has a happy ending. I think Charles Dickens really wanted to wake up the Christians of his day to "Love their Neighbour", as they might boast they do, but many were treating the poor terribly (that's an understatement). He exposed poverty and its vices without restraint to wake up the rich (many of whom did not know what was going on), and Christians, to take action, and love the needy, as he believed God did. It's interesting because Dickens is very critical of hypocritical Christians in the novel but not of God himself. He still believes he hears Oliver's prayers, which are answered more than once in the book. The last page had me crying as I thought about what I can do for the poor of our world today. Slight paraphrase of the ending (I had to read it a few times to get it so here it's a bit simplified) “If ever spirits of the Dead could come back to places they were loved in life, surely Agnes would here, because it was in a church, and she was weak and erring...” The implication that of all people, Christians should love the weak and the ERRING, those who are not perfect in other words, because "ahem" Christians aren't either. So much food for thought and I'd recommend to anyone Religious or not, because even without these profound thoughts, it is a moving and thrilling story! This is the longest book I've ever read yet and I read it faster than any other book as well! I'm definitely going to be checking out more Charles Dickens. ...more
Amazing book! This will be probably one of those "Guide to Life" books that actually gives what they promise. The writer is a Christian so if you're nAmazing book! This will be probably one of those "Guide to Life" books that actually gives what they promise. The writer is a Christian so if you're not you might roll your eyes, but I still think there is so much universal wisdom here it would be worth a read. Take what you like, don't take the rest. Both challenging and encouraging, shared in such a spirit of love, he shares how we are literally killing ourselves with hurry and stress, and gives practical, though sometimes challenging, practices to overcome our fast sink to heart-attacks and worse - a peaceless life. I'm not into self-help books because they are usually trendy rehashes of old news and tricks that didn't work in the first place. THIS is what it takes to live the good life, really. I will keep coming back to it because you can't possibly digest this mountain of wisdom in just one read. It is, after all, about practices....more
My new favourite book! My mother read this to me as a little girl and I liked it then, but this time around I LOVED it. Anne is truly a "kindred spiriMy new favourite book! My mother read this to me as a little girl and I liked it then, but this time around I LOVED it. Anne is truly a "kindred spirit". The level of beautiful poetry in the writing, it's ability to draw into the level of imagination Anne is famous for, the landscapes of Avonlea, and Lucy Maud Montgomery's knack for making you feel everything Anne does and cheer her on through all her successes no matter how small or big is enrapturing. This time, I let my imagination take the lead when reading this and I will never regret it. I never remembered all the tender breakthroughs in Marilla's life too, how she had changed because Anne, and how much she loved her as her own little girl. The moments with Anne and Matthew are so touching too. This is one I'm sure I will read again and again. I was so sorry it ended but I am looking forward to "Anne of Avonlea", though it almost feels a betrayal to the friend this book has made itself to me....more