-
Continue reading →: David Copperfield: Escapism and Books
Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield is, in many respects, autobiographical. Readers see the protagonist in bleak situations, many of which take root in things the author himself experienced–child abuse, poverty, instances when it was difficult to count one’s blessings. As a reader and writer, the following paragraph stood out to me.…
-
Continue reading →: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten
Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls—the book title was clever. I’m not sure what I expected to find once I started reading. This is a good thing. Any book title is used to draw readers in: it makes them want to lift the cover and glance at the first page, where…
-
Continue reading →: David Copperfield: Contrast of Summer and WinterParagraphs can be so telling. Here, I’m going to compare two passages from David Copperfield that made their way into my reading journal because of their devastating depth. Here is the first: When my mother is out of breath and rests herself in an elbow-chair, I watch her winding her…
-
Continue reading →: David Copperfield: Intro
The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery. This is the original title of Charles Dickens’ eighth novel, published in serial form in the year 1850. Now sold as a 700-page book, it was originally released in 19 monthly one-shilling installments. This makes…
-
Continue reading →: On Dusty Bookshelves
Last year in August, I started a reading journal. It is literally a list of books I read and when I finish them. As the list started to grow over passing weeks, I realized that when I pay attention–real attention–to what a book is saying, there is a lot between…
-
Continue reading →: A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
I was looking for a lighthearted read to end the year of 2017. Perfectly suited for the job, A Study in Charlotte turned out to be a clever and captivating spinoff of Sherlock Holmes. Parallels to the classic mystery books give it a sense of familiarity–“I’ve read this before!”–while the…
-
Continue reading →: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Merry Christmas! I hope you’ve had a blessed day! Every year at around this time, I read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It is my favorite book, because Scrooge’s experiences with the Ghosts of Christmas make me reflect on my own life. The link between his story and our lives…
-
Continue reading →: 12/22/2017
i believe in honesty – x is x and y is y – like frost on snowy days, and also in the off-key notes that every artist plays, half-developed photographs, barely thought out rhymes, and in the bizarre colors that you see when you take time.
-
Continue reading →: New Plans for The Autumn Prince
This year has not been my greatest writing-wise. I finished one draft of a novel I’m happy with; everything else turned out to be a mess. Perhaps 2017 has been too emotionally loaded for me to connect with characters. Maybe it’s more optimistic: it could be that I’ve improved so…
-
Continue reading →: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Every couple of years, I find myself in the mood once more to read the Harry Potter series. The story never gets old; it’s earned itself a special place in my heart. I think people are still drawn to these books because they feel like home. When thousands of people…
-
Continue reading →: The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola
The Belly of Paris is a unique, fast-paced novel about justice, revolution, and hunger. It is the third book in a 20-part series titled Les Rougon-Macqyart. The series examines two branches of a family: the respectable (legitimate) side, and the disreputable (illegitimate.) The third installment follows Florent Quenu, a French…
-
Continue reading →: Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
Occasionally we find books so beautifully written that it seems the style, not the plot, keeps us turning pages. Though translated from its original French, Swann’s Way did not lose its beauty in the process: every sentence reads like a verse from an old, nostalgic poem. As an example: Meanwhile…
Hello,
I’m Mariella
Welcome to my cozy corner of the internet. This blog will be dedicated to all things books and reading, which happen to be my obsessions. Note the faint scent of coffee in the air; coffee is a must for me.
I will be sharing book reviews for reads that I enjoy. I’ll also be posting updates about my life as an indie author. Since I’m exploring the classics, expect the occasional poem or short piece as I experiment.
For centuries, land-bound descendants of Merpeople have been confined to hidden districts. Read The Sea Rose and sequel The Sea King if you wish to read their stories.
Join the fun!
Subscribe so that you don’t miss out on a book review or spontaneous poem!
Recent posts
Miss Marjorie Brahms, daughter of a mysterious wizard known by the townsfolk as Bamoy, is having a bizarre autumn. Her father, Johann, had reasons for purchasing an abandoned house situated in the middle of a graveyard in which to raise his family. That did not mean that evil spirits could never find them.
Mariella Hunt 