Review: The Vespertine
Title: The Vespertine
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Release Date: March 7, 2011
Pages: 304
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books
Format: Galley via NetGalley
There are three things that will ALWAYS make me pick up a book: 1) historical setting. 2) female main character. 3) Love interest who is an artist/musician/bohemian-type person. Being drawn to these types of stories, I have read many of them, some good, some very opposite of good. And I am glad to report that The Vespertine is great.
I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book at first. It’s told through narrative flashbacks of Amelia van der Broeck’s disastrous summer spent in Baltimore. The first couple of chapters are pretty Debbie Downer-y and I was concerned that the entire book would be told in a very gray tone. But as soon as the story of Amelia’s time in Baltimore launched, I was hooked.
The basic story is that Amelia, a teenage girl from Maine, is sent to Baltimore by her middle class brother so she can find a husband in proper society. Sponsored by the Stewarts, a middle class, but well-connected family who have a spunky, vivacious daughter, Zora, Amelia is introduced to Baltimore society. Amelia and Zora become fast friends and quickly find themselves falling in love.
After Amelia reveals to Zora and her group of friends that she has visions during sunset, the girls insist on having their fortunes read. When Amelia’s visions begin to come true, and the girls tell others of her gift, women from all walks of life start calling on Amelia.
In the midst of this, Amelia has met Nathaniel, an artist who is beneath her station in society, and she is completely intoxicated by him. Their connection is fiery, passionate, and where many teen girls’ first love only seem like a deep connection, Amelia and Nathaniel’s bond is truly elemental–she has visions in fire and he comes to her in the wind. (Btw, Chapter 15 is HOT HOT HOT.) I was a little concerned he was going to be a Wickham, but luckily, he is only the good parts of Wickham if you know what I mean.
But when one of Amelia’s darker visions comes true, tragedy strikes in a big way and only brings more tragedy with it. Sent away from Baltimore full of shame, guilt, and heartache, she returns to Maine, but continues to have visions that could potentially wreak havoc on those around her.
Although all of this happens very near the end of the book, a twist on literally the last page will let you breathe a sigh of relief even though all of the story lines don’t completely resolve. I definitely suggest this book to anyone who has eyes and the ability to read the English language.
I am So Over February
I don’t know about y’all, but this month has just been brutal. And I’m not saying that because I associate February with Valentine’s Day and I’m all jaded and anti-love–that’s not it at all. In fact, I don’t really have a particular feeling about Valentine’s Day at all. The reason I am dunzo with this awful month is because it’s brought nothing good–work has been crazy, the weather has sucked, I’ve been a weird emotional wreck for both valid and not-so-valid reasons, and Justin Bieber cut his hair.
There wasn’t even really anything good offered by pop culture! Sure, it’s award season, but it’s been pretty stale. Well, okay, Arcade Fire did win a Grammy and that was exciting, but that excitement has abated. And there was new Banksy and that was fun, but now that’s kind of over too. Not even the (short) month-long promise of $5 foot-longs at Subway has lifted my spirits. I now realize that I haven’t partaken in the $5 foot-longs at Subway this month. Perhaps that’s my problem.
Anyway, not that I want to wish time away, but I cannot wait for this horrible month to end. Because then it will be March.
Ahhhh, March. You better be good.
Top 10 Tuesday: Book to Movie Adaptations
I am super excited about this week’s (and my first!) Top 10 Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) because it combines two of my favorite things–books and movies! And better than that, I’m talking about my favorite film adaptations of books.
Considering that outside of work, the things I do most are read and watch movies, I like to think that I’m quite well-versed in this particular topic. So I’ve listed my favorites in a countdown fashion, added my comments on why I like the adaptation, and the trailer for you to check out if you feel so inclined.
10. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson (Film: 2008)
Based on a book that was quite scandalous when it was released in 1938, this film is just adorable and stars Amy Adams, Lee Pace, Frances McDormand, and Ciaran Hines in it. So good.
9. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby (Film: 2000)
John Cusack + Nick Hornby = Happy Bethie
8. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishigaro (Film: 2010)
This book is heart-achingly beautiful, and despite the film’s great cast (Keira Knightley, Carrie Mulligan, and Andrew Garfield), I was very afraid that the film wouldn’t quite capture the detached, yet intense emotion. I’m so glad I was wrong!
7. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling (Film: 2001)
Despite the fact that this isn’t favorite of the films in this series, I think the first movie really did a great job of capturing the overwhelming wonder and magic of the wizarding world when Harry is first introduced to it.
6. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson (Film: 1998)
I’m pretty sure that Terry Gilliam and Johnny Depp were born to adapt this crazy, fascinating, gonzo book into a film.
5. Clueless, based on Emma by Jane Austen (Film: 1995)
Alright, Emma is my least favorite Austen novel, but I love Clueless–it’s a smart adaptation that actually makes the Emma character (Alicia Silverstone’s Cher) likable! And there’s her closet. Her closet is maybe the stand-out star of the film.
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (Film: 2009)
Each of the films in the Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy is very well-done, but the first is the one that I enjoyed the most, despite the fact that is varies a lot from the novel. Yes, it is subtitled, but they really don’t distract from what is happening on screen–and if you’ve read the book, you don’t even really need to read the subtitles. 🙂
3. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (Film: 1999)
Mansfield Park is hands-down my fave Austen book, and I adore this particular adaptation of it.
2. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (Film: 2005)
Directed by Liev Schreiber and starring Elijah Wood and Eugene Hutz (lead singer of Gogol Bordello), this adaptation is truly fantastic. Beautiful, surprising, funny, emotional–it’s great. If you’ve never read Foer, read him. Like, right now.
1. Romeo + Juliet by William Shakespeare (Film: 1996)
Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation is just amazing. Each time I watch it I find something else to admire about the film–and this is coming from a girl who doesn’t love the story of Romeo and Juliet (I prefer the Sassy Gay Friend version). I love the use of Radiohead’s “Talk Show Host” as Romeo’s theme, I love the choice to portray Mercutio as in love with Romeo, and I LOVE the use of Lurhmann’s trademark over-saturated coloration in the film. Although a lot of people hate it, I think the modern setting and clothing and weapons coupled with the Elizabeth language is just…perfect.
Thanks for stoppin’ by, and feel free to tell me your favorite book to movie adaptations in comments!
Review: Vixen
Title: Vixen
Author: Jillian Larkin
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Page Count: 421
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
This book is absolutely addictive. Larkin’s sultry, tawdry, beautifully detailed 1920s Chicago drew me in immediately, and made me wish that I could be right there with Gloria, Clara, and Lorraine, witnessing the glory days of speakeasies and feeling the dangerous thrill of mingling with gangsters, musicians, and flappers.
Each chapter alternates between Gloria, Clara, and Lorraine, who all have very different motivations, but, in a way, the same goal–they all feel trapped in their lives and what to be something more they who they appear to be–they want to be who they really are.
Seventeen-year-old society girl Gloria wants to shirk her responsibilities for a life as a real flapper and a singer in a speakeasy. She’s sick of having to put up with her nouveau riche family or her powerful, over-bearing fiancé–especially when she meets black jazz musician Jerome Johnson.
Clara, Gloria’s wild cousin, has been to NYC and lived as a flapper, but has been tremendously hurt by a man she calls The Cad. After a particularly crazy night, she finds herself forced to leave New York and shipped to Chicago to stay with her aunt and cousin. Instead of rebelling against this plan, she goes along with it so that she can escape her flapper days and reinvent herself.
Then there’s Lorraine, Gloria’s reckless, jealous best friend, who wants all the things that Gloria has–beauty, talent, charm, a powerful fiancé, and gorgeous male best friend. She wants it so much that she allows her jealousy to overcome her and decides that she will overshadow Gloria, no matter the cost.
Not that I want to pick a favorite of the girls, but I found myself most loving Clara, the flapper running from her past by pretending to be a girl from the country visiting her rich and perfect younger cousin. Although that story arc would have been enough by itself, she also meets Marcus Eastman, Gloria’s male best friend and the object of Lorraine’s desire, who is just the right combination of bad boy charm and genuine sweetness.
Vixen is chalk full of drama, back-stabbing, ulterior motives, and forbidden loves. Overall, this book, with its film noir qualities and jazz lingo (Really, why don’t we use the term “cat’s pajamas” anymore?) isthe cat’s pajamas. It’s fun and dramatic and smolderingly sexy, and definitely a series that I will continue to read.
Banksy is Just the Best
Last week, the high-and-mighty people who are the Academy had the gall to tell guerilla street artist Banksy that he would be barred from going onstage at the Oscars if his film Exit through the Gift Shop wins the Oscar for Best Documentary. Why you ask? Because wearing a monkey mask onstage at the Oscars is down right undignified.
This week, Banksy decided to respond to the Academy in an equally undignified style–by creating new street art in LA.
Yesterday, the Internet was a-twitter with reports of new Banksy street art in LA–specifically a child soldier whose gun shoots crayons and a Charlie Brown smoking a cigarette and holding a gas can, a la old-school Eminem.
Read more…
Bethany Larson 