It's been over two months since my last post and I think I'll pay for it in my commentary on the last three books I've read. So I'll keep at least the first two brief as, while I remember them well, I've not thought about either much recently.
First Wharton's Age of Innocence.... I enjoyed this read. I think what I liked about it most was the fact that the ending was unexpected. It was an enjoyable love story however it did not feel all nicely tied up with a bow at the end as the Victorian novels I've been reading throughout this journey have felt. Interesting writing and more importantly solid character development is what I believe makes Age of Innocence a story which compels the reader to continue on. I am interested to see the Scorsese adaptation from 1993 to see if it holds a candle to the book. With Daniel Day-Lewis as Archer Newland I think that it may well stand a chance. I've not read any critical reviews of the film, but perhaps will give it a go this summer. I would certainly recommend the novel for terrific yet light summer reading.
Next on the agenda was James Fennimore Cooper's The Deerslayer. Published in 1841 it was the last of his Leatherstocking tales and functioned as a prequel to the other tales written. At first this book seemed endless, in fact I think it took me the better part of a month to read it. I was determined to get through it but must admit that it was slow starting and could not even be considered interesting until probably the last quarter of the novel. Cooper certainly captures the American "frontier" as it was at the inception of our nation. The conflict between the white colonists and the Native Americans was aptly depicted and was at times quite disturbing. In the end I was glad that I got through this piece. While long and at times tedious it presented me with an idea of American Literature during the mid 1800's and more importantly provided me with an example of a genre that I was unfamiliar with in the past. I am interested to read more of the Leatherstocking tales simply to explore more of Cooper's writing.
The last book I conquered was George Eliot's Adam Bede. I just finished this book last night and adored it. While it is yet another Victorian novel, and does in fact wrap itself up neatly with a bow at the end (and a marriage of course) I found the twists and turns in this novel to be genuine and not forced. First published in 1859, it was Eliot's first novel. I must note that George Eliot is a pseudonym for Mary Ann Evans a novelist, journalist and translator. She adopted the name George Eliot in order to have her writing taken seriously, and I'm sure, at the time, a male pseudonym provided her with certain liberties that she might not have received had publishers known she was in fact female.
Adam Bede is a terrific novel and has prompted me to want to read more of Eliot's work. She explores religion and the lives of estate tenants in an interesting, endearing and at times provocative manner. In some of the research I've done about this particular novel it is listed a work of historical fiction, and I can see how Adam Bede fits into this genre. One other aspect of the novel that I enjoyed was the voice of the narrator. At times, the narrator speaks directly to the reader, as a confidante, something that I find to be a compelling convention used by the author.
An excellent story, with well developed characters that the reader is almost forced to care for, and plot twists that are intricate and seemingly effortless make this novel a must read for any lover of Victorian literature, and more importantly good stories. I do promise, however I will not be taking on anything written between 1800 and 1900 for the remainder of the summer.
Until the next selection, which will be this evening.....
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