It’s always nice to see new books on the shelves of my favorite bookstore…especially during Christmastime! While I love nativity stories and Christmas picture books, it’s neat to see more Christmas or winter-oriented novels…for some reason, they don’t seem to be as common. Let’s check some of them out!
Can Christmas melt the ice around the heart of a young man threatened with disinheritance? Follow Richard Brockwell as he returns to his family home and faces the ghosts of his past.
Learn a story of giving and overcoming prejudice through this heartwarming novella about a group of strangers who arrive in a Welsh town in the dead of winter.
Write a story collaboratively. I recently did this with my group for Halloween and it was a great success! One week before Halloween, we decided to write a ghost story collectively by opening a Google Doc and making a list of who would start the story, who would go second, third, etc. We each could write as much or as little as we wanted, but we had to make sure we all got it done by Halloween.
First Line Prompts. Basically, someone generates the first line for a story, like “It was a dark and stormy night.”, and everybody in the group writes a story including that first line.
Last Line Prompts. Like the first line prompt activity, someone generates a possible last line of a story, such as “She never went into that house ever again.”, and everybody in the group includes that line at the end of their story.
Weekly Draw: Poetry, Short Story, or Screenplay? Each person randomly selects (virtually) which type of writing they will pursue that week. Will they try their hand at a poem, a short story, or the first few pages of a screenplay?
Picture Prompts. Each person selects a picture from a random collection provided by the initiator and writes a story, movie, or a poem using the picture as their topic.
Collective submission for recent calls for stories. Each person writes and submits something to the same publisher’s call for writing. This activity gives members of the group practice submitting their work for publication.
Story-sharing. The initiator can set aside some time at the beginning or conclusion of the meeting where members can each share something they are writing or books they are currently reading. This is a good opportunity for people to get feedback for their writing as well as receive book recommendations to help inspire future writing. Reading is, after all, one of the best ways to become better writers (and vice versa).
Poetry Workshop: each person reads some poetry and then writes a free verse, haiku, sonnet, limerick, or a villanelle. This could be a good opportunity for those who are not very familiar with different forms/structures of poetry to learn different ways of writing it.
NaNoWriMo Workshop. This month a few members of my group are trying to write a certain amount a day so that their stories can be finished by the end of November. So far, we are communicating by giving feedback on their work via Google Doc comments and messaging. While this is a good opportunity for members to write, set deadlines, and strive to meet them, it’s also nice for those who are not necessarily in the mood to write to read others’ work and practice their editing skills.
Storyboarding. While this is ideal for helping screenwriters, who may use sticky notes with different scenes scribbled on them, find out where to put certain scenes in their film, this can work for stories as well. What comes first? Should the story start at the end? Or should it be told linearly?
A-Z Story. I did this once in a creative writing undergrad class. We were invited to tell a story starting each sentence with the next word in the alphabet. It was pretty instrumental in helping me to find different words to tell a story and it actually helped me to do what I was not very good at: finishing a story.
POV Activity. Tell a well-known tale from the point of view of a character other than the protagonist. For example: the view of the Prince in Sleeping Beauty, through the eyes of Voldemort from Harry Potter, the inner monologue of Jane from Pride and Prejudice, etc.
Tense & Narration Switch Up. Give everybody the same prompt, but they each need to write it in a different tense (past, present, or future). This would also be fun if each person writes it from a different type of narration (such as first person, second person, or third person).
Write a version of a popular story/fairytale in a different genre. For example, what if Snow White was a princess in a dystopian society? What if the tale of Dracula was a historical fiction story set during WWII?
For more ideas, visit the teacher resources page for Purdue’s website here.
Hey guys! For now, doing reading vlogs on Youtube has just taken too much time, so for now I’m going to stick to the simplicity of the Reading Blog. Here are some of the stories/books that I’ve been imaginatively consuming this last month…
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
As a “remedy” for her mental illness, a young woman’s doctor husband locks her in her room, with the foreboding wallpaper that she watches to pass the time. But as she stares at it day and night, she soon feels that it is watching her. This short story has much in the way of psychological realism that voiced an underlying degression of sanity. Though it was a quick read, there was a lot of emotion, symbolism, and imagery packed into it, so I will probably read it again to understand more about what the shapes and images of the wallpaper represent to the speaker.
All Hallows Eve Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology)
I only read one and half stories from this book before it was due back at the library. I guess that there were just books I wanted to read that took precedence over this one, but I plan to continue on with it sometime later this year.
Women of the Woods Anthology
My biased opinion would say that the story “The Witch of Willow Wood” was my favorite—being my own—but I also enjoyed some of the other stories I read from this collection that set the mood for Halloween. Some of these stories were a bit disturbing—partly because I found myself reading them late at night and partly because of the gory/spooky content, but overall, I have liked the stories I’ve read and plan to finish reading the rest of them this month.
Gladiator (audiobook)
Being a fan of the movie, I downloaded this to listen to in my car since I’ve had a recent hankering to watch the film again but thought that maybe this time I would read the book and see how it compares. I wonder if the story was written after or before the movie, because the dialogue in the book was basically word for word and the descriptions sounded like they were taken from the movie (or vice versa). I think this book was based off of the movie, and the original pre-film book by Richard Watkins is still out there somewhere; still, I’m glad I was able to take this unique opportunity to listen to this classic sad yet inspirational tale instead of just watching it.
The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
I have yet to finish this book; it is getting quite interesting, but I have been reading other things while putting this one on hold for a bit. I decided to buy the book and return my other copy to the library, so I think procrastination has set it since I no longer have a “deadline”.
Without the Mask by Charlie Bird
I’ve also put this one on hold, mainly because the time I spent reading it during the slow days at work have now been replaced by seasonal business. So, hopefully I can some back to this one and finish it…How is he going to conclude this memoir?
A Hangman’s Diary by Franz Schmidt
This one I ordered from Thriftbooks, since I finally was able to get a free book with my points and this was one I have been wanting to read for quite a while. After skimming the beginning of “The Faithful Executioner” on Amazon, which was based off of this journal of a 16th century German executioner, I knew I wanted to read it. Not much has been said about the lives/humanity of the executioners themselves, just the victims that have died by their hand. I’ve always been interested in the history of prison reform, so it’s been very enlightening to read about the politics and procedures of law enforcement in this period of time when the justice system was still so rudimentary and botched. I’m only on page 34 and am still reviewing the customs and methods used to extract confessions but hope in this book to learn more about the life of Schmidt himself.
So those are the books I’ve read, am reading, and plan to read this coming month. If you have any feedback or suggestions for future reading, please let me know. Happy Reading everybody!
There were things I liked better in the movie and things I liked better in the book, but overall, I think there was an even judgment on my part between the what the portrayals of the book and the movie did well.
From Imdb.com
For those of you who are not familiar with the classic gothic tale, Rebecca is a story about a young woman who falls in love with an older gentleman named Maxim and begins her life as mistress of his sizable family estate of Manderley. Maxim’s first wife Rebecca had recently died under mysterious circumstances and the longer our protagonist resides at the manor, the more she feels the woman’s eerie presence grow stronger.
From Imdb.com
In the film, Lily James portrays the young protagonist—who, like in the book, remains nameless—and Maxim is played by Armie Hammer. I think they each did a good job, though I think Lily portrayed her character a bit more naïve than I originally imagined her character to be; it may have been due to the lack of first-person narration (absent except for at the film’s introduction and conclusion). I also think they casted Maxim a little younger than I previously imagined him; I thought he would have looked at least 25 or so years older than our protagonist.
From Imdb.com
From Imdb.com
As for the other characters, I liked the portrayal of Jack Favell—done by actor Sam Riley, who I enjoyed seeing again in scenes with Lily James after their hilariously compatible chemistry in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I also applauded the presentation of the psychotic Mrs. Davers performed by actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas. Her sallow countenance and her subtle hints at her sinister nature convinced me that this was one character who was portrayed right on the nose.
I also liked how we never see Rebecca’s face and have to imagine who she was based off of the stories Maxim and others told about her. It keeps us asking, “who’s narration is more reliable?” which adds depth to the overall mystery.
From Imdb.com
Book vs. Film Comparison
(interpretation based off of my reading of the abridged audiobook)
Beginning. There is a lot more exposition about the development of Maxim and his new wife’s relationship in the film versus the book. We see more of their courtship as well as some of the back history of our protagonist.
Ending. We also get a more closure-filled wrap-up instead of a hefty cliffhanger like we get in the book. The film concludes with the destruction of Manderley, but we also see what happens to Mrs. Danvers, Favell, Maxim, and our protagonist after its destruction.
From Imdb.com
Overall, I enjoyed this interpretation and would watch it again. I have yet to see the other film adaptations of Rebecca that have been previously done but I plan to watch them, not only because I am a fan of the story, but so I may make further comparisons about how people interpret this classic tale.
Content Advisory
Language:
2/5 (swearing a couple of times; words like “da*n”)
Sex:
2/5 (sensuality; one make out scene; sex is implied but not shown)
Violence/Gore:
2/5 (suspense; violence is more talked about than shown)
Earlier this month Fabled Collective published a new spooky anthology centered around women of the woods including witches, wanderers, and other mysterious beings. My story “The Witch of Willow Wood” is included along with 13 other stories involving fairytale spin-offs and original tales about gingerbread houses, bird-like necromancers, and many more tales set in or around woodlands. Get your copy via e-book or paperback in time for Halloween!
“Only the brave enter the woods—those who aren’t afraid of witches, shapeshifters, curses, and darkness. In this delightfully eerie anthology, only the fearless survive. These spooky, fantastic, and gothic tales will remind you that bedtime stories—those read in the dark—are for adults too.”
Wait Til Helen Comes, by Mary Downing Hahn: When I was in my preteens, my mom took us to the library at least once every couple of weeks. Between listening to Harry Potter and Goosebumps on tape, I found myself wandering through the middle school reader “ghost story” section quite often. I think this was when my curiosity and interest in the macabre/ghost stories began. While I always sought to find something new in this section, I was always happy to find this title. For years, the book never lost my interest. Simple, yet captivating, I liked that the protagonist was the one who was not necessarily haunted but sought to protect her willful and angry stepsister from this malevolent spirit all the same—despite her own fears of the ghost and her own distrust in her sister. Bonus: I guess in 2017 they made it into a movie! Who knew?
Artwork by Eden Celeste
“The Highwayman” Poem, by Alfred Noyes
This poem always cropped up throughout my life. I remember being introduced to it during my Anne of Green Gable movie phase. Sitting there listening to Megan Follows recite such a morbid, yet entrancing poem, I instantly became curious about it. Who wrote it? What was it truly about? Was it a true story? But I wouldn’t learn more about it until eighth grade when we would read it in class. This sounds awfully familiar, I thought, and then remembered where from. I didn’t think I could be captivated anymore by the words, cadence, and tragedy of the poem until my teacher played Loreena McKennitt’s musical adaptation of “The Highwayman”. After that class, whenever I was struggling for writing ideas or wanting something in the background while I wrote my gothic/ghost tales, I played this song or another one of McKennitt’s poetic adaptations. Fast-forward to 2015. During my eighteen months serving as a missionary for my church, I met a man who painted scenes from the bible and the Book of Mormon and also a series of paintings revolving around—of all things—the poem “The Highwayman”. This is one poem that will always continue to pop up because it is one of those timeless treasures.
Horror at the Haunted House, by Peg Kehret
A girl gets a job at a “haunted house” for Halloween to scare suspecting visitors, but of course she soon finds out that this house really is haunted and there is something far more nefarious afoot than scaring paying thrill-seekers. I don’t know what it is about this book, but it wasn’t the type that was a one-read-and-done kind of story. Being someone who wasn’t a big fan of reading at the time, it was a quick read that made me delighted to finally finish a book. Especially one that held a mystery, an engaging protagonist, and, of course, a ghost.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
This is the book that first piqued my interest in the Salem Witch trials and my interest in books by Elizabeth George Speare…maybe even my interest in the genre of historical fiction, too. Reading it left me with more questions: Did this really happen? Who were these people and why was there such fear about those who were innocent? What would I have done in this situation? Finding out that stories like these were based off of true events boggled my brain and I wanted to find out more!
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, by Linda Williams and illustrated by Megan Lloyd
There’s something about the prospect of floating inanimate objects following me that never fails to creep me out. And this book definitely paints the perfect picture of it, literally. I don’t think that the author and illustrator meant to creep readers out this much, but I sure was as a kid. However, I love the story about a stubborn old lady who bested such creepiness and how the authors invited readers to involve themselves in the story by “clap clapping” and making the sounds of the objects while reading the story. I’ve also always been a fan of illustrated books who hide little Easter eggs here and there at the beginning that will be showcased later in the book like this one does. Overall, I appreciate this book because it shows kids how to be brave in scary situations…especially when you are scared. For those curious children’s book readers, there’s a read-a-long version here.
Some movies just stick with you, even if they don’t have the best cinematography, effects, or even script. Below are some Halloween-related ones that I still watch every year. What underrated Halloween movies are your favorites?
Van Helsing (PG-13)
From Imdb.com
I don’t know if it’s the tragic almost-love story, the combination of some of my favorite gothic book characters, the studly Hugh Jackman—or a combination of all three—but I never seem to get tired of this movie. The action sequences, special effects (sort of), dramatic acting (mostly), and mystery embedded in this film made me wonder why I didn’t know about it until I found it playing on the Syfy channel one day back when we had cable. Sure, the storyline is a bit over the top and the cheesy one-liners can get the gag-reflexes going, not to mention some of the costumes are a bit impractical, but I think it’s still a pretty entertaining movie.
The Brothers Grimm (PG-13)
THE BROTHERS GRIMM, Heath Ledger, Matt Damon, 2005, (c) Dimension Films
This weird, grim (of course), disturbingly puzzling, almost Tim-Burton-esk plot never fails to keep me glued to the screen in anticipation. I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch Matt Damon and his “brother” Heath Ledger fight the forces of evil to save a German village from the twisted spells of a fairytale queen? I would advise you though, not to watch it right before going to sleep…unless you want some really warped dreams.
The Little Vampire (PG)
(Not the animated one)
From Imdb.com
I think the acting, costumes, Scottish scenery, and fun characters compensate for the cheesy special effects and storyline that viewers may make of this 2000 family film. Since I’m naturally a history buff, especially for the medieval & renaissance era, I appreciate the main character’s journey through the past to help a new vampire friend and his vampire family discover how they can become human again.
The Others (PG-13)
From Imdb.com
Though the cast is limited and the setting singular, I like the individual journeys the characters take in this film to discover how the recent supernatural occurrences in their home are tied to a past event that afflicted their family long ago. Plus, a twist to the story sums up the built-up suspense we see throughout the rest of the movie, which is always a suspenseful movie plus.
The Village (PG-13)
From Imdb.com
Despite how some of you might feel about M. Night Shyamalan (*cough* The Last Airbender *cough*), I’ve been a fan of his suspense dramas and the plot twists they provide. Though this film is a bit slow in some parts—and even though I already know what the end-twist is going to be each time I watch it—it’s one that still keeps me on the edge of my seat.
I can’t believe it took me this long to finally read this classic gothic tale (one that is so short, yet so captivating), but I’m happy I finally did…especially in time for the Netflix film adaption coming out this month! I would like to delve into the unabridged version eventually…but I hope I won’t be disappointed compared to this version.
Summary
A young woman falls in love with an older gentleman, whose wife Rebecca recently died under mysterious circumstances. However, things soon turn eerie when our protagonist arrives at the manor where Rebecca passed away and soon realizes that her presence has not entirely gone.
Likes
Reserved descriptions. While not a lot of people may not agree with me, the author never reveals the details of exactly what atrocities Rebecca had committed, just that she had committed them. The author’s refrain from certain descriptions helped me to infer for myself what kind of a person she truly was without necessarily telling me. I’ve always been a fan of authors who invite readers to fill in the gaps of a story with their imagination.
First-person narrative. The fact that the story is told from the POV of the new wife is the perfect omniscient choice, since it puts the reader and the protagonist in the same boat regarding what they know about the mystery surrounding Maxim, Rebecca, and their friends, servants, and neighbors.
Dislikes
Length. The only thing that really bugged me about the abridged version was how short it was. I knew an abridgment was going to be short, but the one I listened to was about half the length. I got to the abrupt ending and then asked, “where’s the rest of it?” wanting to know more. Still, I think this version is one used by teachers and readers who do not want an overabundance of information (like myself); just the solid beginning, middle, and end communicated.
Recommendation
Packed with great storytelling, mysterious characters, and a chilling mystery, I would recommend this book to lovers of gothic classics, suspense fans, and all-out mystery-readers. I would also recommend this to teachers who are introducing gothic literature to high school or college freshman. It is an easy read and contains quite a few gothic elements: romance, a gloomy setting, the supernatural, psychological terror, and mystery. For those of you who like listening to stories, especially gothic ones like this one, I listened to one of the versions in the public domain via YouTube. Actress Alex Kingston also narrates a version here.
(Disclaimer: This review contains SPOILERS. This is my own rating and my own personal opinions about the film)
Meet the charismatic, unconventional teenage sister of infamous detective Sherlock Holmes.
From Imdb.com
Upon finding her mother missing, who is the one person who has always been the one constant in her life, young Enola Holmes uses the crime-solving skills her mother has taught her to solve her disappearance. On her way she runs into a teenage lord named Tewkesbury who she finds is more trouble than he is worth. While he is escaping the oppression of his family’s conflicting expectations, there is also a madman hired to kill him. Enola soon discovers that her own story and that of the teenage lord are connected so does all she can to help solve the mysteries of each, even amidst the danger that has made her a target as well.
Dislikes
Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes. I’m kind of conflicted on this one. Maybe it’s because I already have the image of Robert Downing Jr. in my mind as the charismatic yet eccentric detective from the Guy Ritchie films, but I felt that Cavill’s performance was rather off. In contrast, I actually enjoyed Sam Claflin’s portrayal of Mycroft, who made his character so dislikeable, I found myself rooting for the toned-down and somewhat modest Sherlock portrayal. Well done, Claflin.
From Imdb.com
Breaking the third wall. This may be a necessary strategy to tell Enola’s story in the book, but it got distracting in the movie. I’m glad they toned down Enola’s constant dialogue with the camera as the film progressed, instead resorting to simply side-glancing at the audience during dramatic or emotional scenes. However, I found myself taken out of the story more than I would have liked as she broke from the story to tell us what she was thinking or was happening (even though we just saw it). It sort of cheesed up the story.
Convenience throughout the plot. It seemed like a lot of the events that occurred were more convenient than practical. Some examples include Enola’s advantages when fighting Linthorn, the fact that Enola found the one person who could sway the votes in favor of her mother’s goal for England’s future, and of course Tewkesbury’s “surprise” survival after the final confrontation with Linthorn and the Dowager. However, the story contained enough unclear clues to drive the plot, which kept me watching.
Likes
Millie Bobby Brown’s performance. I am unfamiliar with the other projects she has done (if any), but I liked what she did with this character. Enola’s immature yet intellectual attitude and courageous yet fearful nature at times was well-executed. For example, although lines or events in the story were cheesy at times, she didn’t allow any of that cheese to impact her performance of the unorthodox daughter of an even more unorthodox mother.
The love story that never (maybe) was. I both liked and disliked where the love story went; I appreciated the fact that a solid friendship seemed to have developed between Enola and Tewkesbury, yet I felt that the love story was lacking. While it seems important for the protagonist to shine her independent freedom in this movie, I kind of would have liked to see them get together in a more obvious light. But then again, they are just teenagers, so who it was nice to conclude with that mystery…quite fitting for a Holmes.
From Imdb.com
Cinematography. Stunning! The creators also picked beautiful/fitting settings for each scene. From an entertainment standpoint, there was not one setting I didn’t like or I thought believable for what was happening in the scene. The camera angles also brought believability and depth to each shot whether the scenes were filmed at an aerial view, from the back, or in a hodgepodge of drawings, photos, or flashbacks.
Costumes. I recently watched a YouTube review from Karolina Żebrowska about the historical accuracy of the costumes in this film and somewhat agree with her comment that they are “a complete mess, but also kind of fun” (0:14) timeline-wise. While the majority of the women’s costumes seemed to align with late 19th century standards, to me the men’s costumes looked more Edwardian (starched collars, etc.). But I’m a fan of costumes from both the 19th and the early 20th century so the costumes’ occasional lack of “historical accuracy” didn’t bug me too much.
From Imdb.com
Fun story.While it contained more elements of feminism than I would have liked, this film contained many ideas that were being newly advocated in the Victorian Era, ideas that may seem redundant to some (like myself). However, framing these ideas in the era in which many women and few men were for supporting made a memorable impact. The language was mild, the message about freedom was powerful, and though there was violence in parts (hence the PG-13 rating), scenes containing nudity or sexuality were absent.
Recommendation
Overall, I liked this movie. If you are looking for a fun literary spin-off film to watch with the family that you don’t want to take too seriously, nor worry about naughty scenes or bad language, then I recommend this one!
Happy Autumn! As you can probably guess, there were a lot of books/stories I delved into this month! I’ve listed them and their authors below. Feel free to read more detailed reviews of some of these books on my blog. Happy Reading!
Teaching the Literature Survey Course, by Gwynn Dujardin (et al)
The Literature Workshop, by Sheridan D. Blau
Teaching Literature, by Elaine Showalter
Why Literature?, by Cristina Vischer Bruns
TheBone Houses, by Emily Lloyd-Jones
The Lady and the Highwayman, by Sarah M. Eden
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
The Rope Trick, by Lloyd Alexander
A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Hallows Eve Collection
The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner
Without the Mask: Coming Out and Coming into God’s Light, by Charlie Bird
