Countless recommendations for Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West drove me to read Mirror, Mirror by the same author. It was a sorely disappointing introduction to MacGuire.
Mirror, Mirror is the story retold of Snow-White, set in Renaissance Italy. Feature historical characters are Cesare Borgia of Machiavellian fame, and Lucrezia de Borgia whose historical references I knew little of, save Emily Starr and Dean Priest of Emily's Quest hung a portrait of her in their home, describing her as a pleasant aunt who would have a sweetmeat for you under her dress.
Mirror, Mirror is instead, a banal little tale weaving together trying to lend a coherence to the fairy tale in most arbitrary fashion. The famed looking glass, a two sided mirror allowing people to viewers to see into each other's worlds, was fashioned by the seven dwarves to study humans. Lusty Lucrezia is no vain stepmother, but a powerful beauty who owns the castle of Snow White's father and conspires to send him on a grail quest for the golden bough, three golden apples finally used to poison Snow White. Finally, Bianca de Nevere "Snow White"'s prince is the hunter Rannuccio who was first commanded to cut out her heart. His abrupt reappearance in the ending does little to justfiy his status as the story's hero.
The story is coupled with a most graphic representation and a-religious discussion of sexual matters. As if such brute realism is a mark of maturity!
Friday, May 26, 2006
Sunday, May 14, 2006
War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
(I began War and Peace in August 2005, reading through Book 1 before I departed for Paris. In October I picked up the book once more, re-reading it from beginning in French until Book 3, when I was peeved by the incessant military strategies and forced to return the novel. At Christmas, my friend gave me the Audrey Hepburn/Humphrey Bogart film, which made me exigent to finish the book so I could watch it. After exams in April 2006, I signed out the book and read speedily but pleasurably halfway. I was once again forced to return it when I moved out, and finally, in mid-May, I commenced reading again.
Despite the length of the book, the writing style is surprisingly undaunting. Leo Tolstoy writes as directly and simply as C. S. Lewis, making the book a far easier read than many classical authors such as Jane Austen or Dickens.)
I finished this last night/ this morning. This was a happy story. For a classic, I found the plot unpredictable. I love Tolstoy's ability to evoke the minute details of family life and human relationships. The final scenes showing the interaction of the two couples are real, admirable, vivid.
Princess Mary is my favourite character, whose quietness, tolerance and relentless affection I could relate to. I was joyous for her in her romance, finding its obstacles rich with revelation of her character and Nicolas's.
The novel pursues a really interesting idea - the portrayal of little details of humanity, of everyday life playing a part in the unfolding of history, like how (this is the analogy Tolstoy used) bees all enact a role in the larger scheme of the beehive. quite incredible how he demonstrates what is essentially a new *theory* of looking at history (as opposed to history which merely describes the actions of the ruler, he looks at many minor circumstances of different people which influence or are governed by the course of history) in a story with a fascinating plot.
Despite the length of the book, the writing style is surprisingly undaunting. Leo Tolstoy writes as directly and simply as C. S. Lewis, making the book a far easier read than many classical authors such as Jane Austen or Dickens.)
I finished this last night/ this morning. This was a happy story. For a classic, I found the plot unpredictable. I love Tolstoy's ability to evoke the minute details of family life and human relationships. The final scenes showing the interaction of the two couples are real, admirable, vivid.
Princess Mary is my favourite character, whose quietness, tolerance and relentless affection I could relate to. I was joyous for her in her romance, finding its obstacles rich with revelation of her character and Nicolas's.
The novel pursues a really interesting idea - the portrayal of little details of humanity, of everyday life playing a part in the unfolding of history, like how (this is the analogy Tolstoy used) bees all enact a role in the larger scheme of the beehive. quite incredible how he demonstrates what is essentially a new *theory* of looking at history (as opposed to history which merely describes the actions of the ruler, he looks at many minor circumstances of different people which influence or are governed by the course of history) in a story with a fascinating plot.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe
On a sunny summer day, I left the computer lab while it was processing and ran across Queen's Square Quad to revel in the library. I had two hours to kill before I needs check on my machine, so I found the children's section and collected Little Men, a french translation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, or The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe. I quickly perched myself by the window and began the "chapter book" I had wanted to read since "I saw the movie first.", and yet had felt secretly ashamed and childish to sign out.
This first "Narnia" book only took me an hour and a half, and was enjoyable and engrossing. Of course, I couldn't help envisioning the children of the movie: I loved little Lucy Pevensie and her staunch braveness, and had trouble reconciling the girl in the film with the blond in the novel.
It bothered me that Susan never really "did anything" in the fray. Father Christmas said that "Wars are ugly things for girls to be in," which can explain Susan's minimal involvement. Was she supposed to portray a different role - more traditionally female/domestic guidance for the group, maybe? Aren't wars ugly anyhow? C. S. Lewis was ready to acknowledge that Lucy is brave. Why this - is it supposed to be a sexist statement?
I had previously debated with friends over the extent to which the story is a Christian allegory. I found the references very pointed, as phrases like, "Daughter of Eve," "Son of Adam," denote. (For instance, in The Colour Purple, the story begins with "Dear God" and is first and foremost about religion). Father Christmas as well. I wonder what the "deep magic" and "deeper magic" would be.
As for Aslan's sacrifice to save edmund's life with his own was ... it was very nice. Edmund is a child who has realized the enormous consequence of his greed/temptation/mistake, and it would be cruel and heart wrenching and ... indicative of a very unbenevolent world if he was forever condemned for his sins. aslan's ressurection "made everything okay" too - aslan being wisdom ultimate of the story, if he didn't come back [just like how Gandalf came back and how i think Dumbledore will continue to have a presence in HP... opening a whole new can of worms here though.] Narnia would be a very dark world indeed. Aslan the lion doesn't lack in virtues of gentleness and humbleness associated with lambs.
Who is Lilith? What is the story behind her being Adam's first wife?
By the way, did you know C. S. Lewis's full name is Clive Staples Lewis? What a mouthful!
This first "Narnia" book only took me an hour and a half, and was enjoyable and engrossing. Of course, I couldn't help envisioning the children of the movie: I loved little Lucy Pevensie and her staunch braveness, and had trouble reconciling the girl in the film with the blond in the novel.
It bothered me that Susan never really "did anything" in the fray. Father Christmas said that "Wars are ugly things for girls to be in," which can explain Susan's minimal involvement. Was she supposed to portray a different role - more traditionally female/domestic guidance for the group, maybe? Aren't wars ugly anyhow? C. S. Lewis was ready to acknowledge that Lucy is brave. Why this - is it supposed to be a sexist statement?
I had previously debated with friends over the extent to which the story is a Christian allegory. I found the references very pointed, as phrases like, "Daughter of Eve," "Son of Adam," denote. (For instance, in The Colour Purple, the story begins with "Dear God" and is first and foremost about religion). Father Christmas as well. I wonder what the "deep magic" and "deeper magic" would be.
As for Aslan's sacrifice to save edmund's life with his own was ... it was very nice. Edmund is a child who has realized the enormous consequence of his greed/temptation/mistake, and it would be cruel and heart wrenching and ... indicative of a very unbenevolent world if he was forever condemned for his sins. aslan's ressurection "made everything okay" too - aslan being wisdom ultimate of the story, if he didn't come back [just like how Gandalf came back and how i think Dumbledore will continue to have a presence in HP... opening a whole new can of worms here though.] Narnia would be a very dark world indeed. Aslan the lion doesn't lack in virtues of gentleness and humbleness associated with lambs.
Who is Lilith? What is the story behind her being Adam's first wife?
By the way, did you know C. S. Lewis's full name is Clive Staples Lewis? What a mouthful!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
