Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley

Hello, everyone! How was your week? The truth is that I have only been thinking about vacations, even though I'm not sure when that will be. Anyway, today it's Friday and so we have our two bookish memes.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

Today, I'm featuring Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which is a super-famous comic book from 1986. This is one of the comic books that I've been meaning to read for years as it's so influential. For both Book Beginnings and Friday 56 I will be focusing on the first issue of the series.

Book Beginnings

"I've got the home stretch all to myself when readings stop making sense, I switch to manual -- But the computer crosses its own circuits and refuses to let go. I coax it"

This graphic novel begins with a Bruce Wayne that has stopped being Batman for almost a decade. His urge to dress up again and fight crime hasn't gone and he's trying his best to substitute the thrill with other activities. The first panels, that these words come from, show us that Bruce Wayne is taking part in races.

Friday 56

"This should be agony. I should be a mass of aching muscle -- broken, spent, unable to move. And, were I an older man, I surely would... But I'm a man of thirty -- of twenty again. The rain on my chest is a baptism -- I'm born again..."   

In the 56% of the first issue, Batman is back! At this point, Bruce Wayne is supposed to be in his 50s, even though it hasn't been explicitly mentioned. However, when he moves as Batman again he feel younger again. The way he thinks reminds me a bit of Rorschach from Watchmen. Also, the last line "I'm born again" reminds me of another comic Daredevil: Born Again that was written by the same author in the same year as The Dark Knight Returns. 

What are some of your favourite comic books? 

What are some memorable quotes from the books you are currently reading?  

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Love, Rosie, by Cecelia Ahern

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I'm finally beginning to understand that it's summer and I can't wait for the time when I can go to the beach. Anyway, last Sunday, I did a little experiment on myself. To be more precise on my TBR list. I wrote a discussion article on how to declutter your TBR list and I had to try it out. The results were impressive, and it was also a great chance to discover books that I've been meaning to read. So, on today's bookish memes, we are going to take a look at one book I found deep on my TBR list. 

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

So, this week we're looking at some snippets from Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern. According to Goodreads, I placed this book on my TBR list in 2015 and 5 years later, I've yet to read it. But I have a confession to make: I have watched the movie adaptation. I don't really mind spoilers, so it's not going to be a problem for me. Anyway, now that I'm reminded of it, maybe it's time to finally read it. 

Book Beginnings

"To Alex

You are invited to my 7th birthday party on Tuesday the 8th of April in my house"

This novel is supposed to be epistolary, so the story is told in notes, letters, texts, and emails. I'm curious to find out how this form of narrative will work in a modern setting. However, it sounds interesting. From the beginning, we learn that the protagonists are childhood friends, so it's definitely going to be a friends to lovers trope.

Friday 56

"Divorced_1: ...Does your kid look like your ex?

Buttercup: Well thankfully she's not his so, no, she doesn't.

LonelyLady: My goodness, did he know?

Buttercup: Of course he did, I had my daughter years before I met him.

Wildflower: Oh well that's a shame, thought we were onto something good there."

Ok, I'm lost! I arrived at 56% on my Kindle. It seems like I am in the middle of a chat room conversation. I don't know who is who, but my guess is that Buttercup is Rosie. Anyway, the snippet promises a lot of drama, which is always good in a read!

Have you read Love, Rosie? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Slade House by David Mitchell

Hello, everyone! How have you been? I'm busy as ever, but there was no chance I would miss another week of blogging. The previous week, I didn't have the chance to post anything. This one, at least I managed to post another KpopXBooks instalment, this time about the music of SHINee. But with work and the finals for the journalism seminar I was attending I thought I'd lose the Friday memes. Even though I'm a little late, I decided to do them even on a Saturday.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I'm featuring a book by my favourite author, David Mitchell. I've just realized that the release of his upcoming novel is just one month away and I can hardly wait! For the bookish memes, I've chosen Slade House, which is a short horror novel that consists of five interconnected "short stories". You can read in more detail about it on my review. 

Book Beginnings

"Whatever Mum's saying's drowned out by the grimy roar if the bus pulling away, revealing a pub called The Fox and Hounds. The sign shows three beagles cornering a fox. They're about to pounce and rip it apart."

Although I've read this book more than once, I've never realized how grim the imagery at the very beginning really is. Now that I've read it, without continuing to the rest of the page, I believe that it unconsciously sets the right tone for a horror(ish) novel. Of course, we don't learn anything about Nathan and his mother.

Friday 56

"Who gives a shit honestly? I turn off the radio, get out and lock my car. Same space as seven days ago, smack bang outside The Fox and Hounds. What a god-awful day."

So, this snippet from page 56 is from the second short story that takes place 9 years after the first story. The protagonist is different and you can easily understand that by the writing style. Let me fangirl a little and just admire the versatility of David Mitchell's writing. He's done it many times before, but it never ceases to amaze me. This inspector arrives at the same pub, since it is close to the Slade House.

Have you read Slade House? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I have to admit that mine was another hectic one. One of the challenges I face as a freelancer is that no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to make a proper schedule. Once I've settled a bit, more work always pops up and it's always "urgent", so I end up working everyday until late. But today it's Friday and I think I'll have a weekend after a long time (yay)! So, let's do our Friday bookish memes ✨

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I'm featuring a book that I got this week. Last Sunday, on my discussion post, I was talking about how we can diversify our reading. Therefore, I did a small experiment to see how many of the last 10 books I've read were written by female authors. I was disappointed by the answer and now I'm determined to fill my summer reading list with books written by women (although I'm currently reading Highfire). So, I chose to begin with Girl, Stop Apologizing because we all need some motivation sometimes. I have heard mixed things about this books, but I can't wait to read it to find out what I think about it.  

Book Beginnings

"Excuses disguise themselves as any number of things. Some people believe them with all their hearts. They really do think they’re not enough or that they don’t have time or that they’re not a “goal kind of person.” They don’t realize that every time they hold on to these beliefs, not only do they rob themselves of motivation—they give up before they even start. Let’s stop doing that. What are the excuses you’ve been believing? Chances are, one or more of these ideas has lived inside your head as justification for why you’re not able to pursue and chase your dreams. I hope that by digging into what the most common excuses are and why we don’t actually have to give them any power, you’ll be able to break the shackles currently holding you back."

So, this is the introduction of the first part of the book, which is called "Excuses to Let Go of". I guess that this part will explain various excuses that we all make, but in reality stop us from developing and achieving what we are capable of. That's certainly a good way of motivating someone!

Friday 56

"So that was my goal, and the underlying reasoning for it was something I remember thinking at a really early age: When I’m in charge, I can live whatever life I want. When you visualize your future, you have to know where it is you’re trying to get to, and you have to give yourself some motivation to keep you on course. Said another way, you have to know your why. Why does it matter to you?"

Reading this paragraph, I have to admit that I agree with it. However, I haven't read the book and I don't know the context. But if I had to judge from these two snippets, I would expect that this book will make me feel empowered.

Have you read Girl, Stop Apologizing? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Highfire by Eoin Colfer

Hello, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful week! Last Sunday I wrote a post where I discuss my favourite book genres. You can go read it and vote for your favourite ones! Anyway, it's Friday, so it's time for our weekly bookish memes.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I have chosen to feature the book I'm going to start reading next. I have yet to finish The Memory Police, but I have already picked my next read. Do you ever do that? Anyway, the book is Highfire and it's written by Eoin Colfer. I am a huge fan of the Artemis Fowl series and I have to admit that I'm very excited about this one. Highfire though is an adult novel, and I'm curious to see what Eoin Colfer does in this book!

Book Beginnings

"Vern did not trust humans was the long and short of it. Not a single one. He had known many in his life, even liked a few, but in the end they all sold him out to the angry mob."

So... the protagonist of this book is a dragon. Let's take a moment to appreciate that this is an ADULT novel with a dragon protagonist. I'm already into it! I can't wait to read what actually happens in the book.

From the writing style, I can already tell that it's the typical of Eoin Colfer. This makes me believe that Highfire is going to be hilarious.

Friday 56

"Without a doubt the favorite hours in Squib’s jam-packed schedule were those he spent in Vern’s company. He never tired of staring at the dragon’s person, trying to memorize every scale and armored plate, seeing as photographs were absolutely forbidden. This scrutinizing pissed the dragon off a little, but he tolerated it so long as Squib kept the vodka martinis coming."

This snippet is from 56% of the ebook. I have absolutely no idea what's going on. Is Squib a second character? We do learn though the Vern has a soft spot for vodka martinis, so yay for character development (?).  

Have you read Highfire? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

Hello, everyone! How are you? This has been a pretty hectic week, although I still managed to write a review for Howards End. But today it is Friday, and it's time for our weekly bookish memes (yay!). 

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week's book is The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. I'm almost half way through it, and I have to admit that I'm enjoying it. If you've been following this blog, you already know that Yoko Ogawa has written some of my favourite books. As it seems, this book might end up there as well. Until I finish though, I'll share with you some snippets.

Book Beginnings

"I sometimes wonder what was disappeared first—among all the things that have vanished from the island."

So, the premise of this book is that random things are vanishing from everyone's memories. It could happen at any moment. For example, one morning, you wake up and realize that you have no recollection of what a bird is.

This opening sentence manages to perfectly express the premise. We are on an island and things are disappearing. It's intriguing enough to want to learn more.

Friday 56

 “The disappearance of the calendars means that we no longer have any use for days and dates. You know what happens if we keep things around us that should have gone away.” He flipped through the pages at random but apparently had no interest in what was written on them. “We need to get rid of this right away.”

The memory police deals with all the objects that need disappearing, and also that people who still remember everything. Who decides what will disappear next? I guess I will learn later on in this book. This snippet is from 56% of my ebook and it's an intense scene.

Have you read The Memory Police? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Naoko, by Keigo Higashino

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I am finally done with Howards End (it took me a while) and I'm ready to dig into The Police Thief  by Yoko Ogawa. I'll probably share some snippets from it with you the following week! For now, let's take a look at today's memes.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

As I've told you above, I will feature The Memory Police next week, as I want to first dig into it. For today, I have chosen a great Japanese mystery novel. If you like this genre, then you should get acquainted with the work of Keigo Higashino. Naoko was a book recommended to me by a friend and I was instantly fascinated by its story. Even though there is a paranormal element to it, it still is very realisting, thus making it a chilling read. I hope that the quotes from it will give you an idea.

Book Beginnings:

"He didn't see it coming. At all."

This is definitely one of those beginnings, where your attention is instantly captured. Many mysteries follow this technique but I can't complain - it works every single time! There is no better way to put you in a mystery mood, than an opening line that states that something is wrong.

Friday 56:

""Your husband is a murderer!" he cried out.

Everyone in the hall froze still and then time began to move forward as if frame by frame. Mrs. Kajikawa was about to burst into tears and Mrs. Yamamoto held her by the shoulders as she led her out the door. A few people stared at Fujisaki  while others did their best to keep their eyes averted.

It was hard for Heisuke to read the mood of the group.One thing that was certain was that nobody felt redeemed at all by Fujisaki's words. He had clearly gone too far. The group's feelings of solidarity had begun to crumble, and a slight chill pervaded the atmosphere. The elderly woman in the front row looked distinctly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, nobody could go so far as to reproach Fujisaki. All they could do was pretend that they hadn't heard what he'd said." 

So, the protagonist - Heisuke - has lost his wife in a bus accident. At the same accident many other people passed away, and one of them was the driver. The wife of the driver tries to apologize to the survivors, but faces the above reaction. This snippet is a great example of Higashino's writing style. Grief is a big part of Naoko and in the novel we get to see many expressions of this feeling. 

Have you read Naoko? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - A Lover's Discourse, by Roland Barthes

Hello, everyone! Happy May 😊🌸 What have you been reading this week? Today, it's Friday, so you know what this means! It's time for the two fun weekly memes :)

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I have chosen to show you some snippets from a book I've recently read and reviewed. It's called A Lover's Discourse and it was written by Roland Barthes. In essence, A Lover's Discourse is an essay on the language that a lover uses to describe all the nuances of love. It is an interesting and thought-provoking book, even though it's not the easiest read you'll find. 

Anyway, I hope that these snippets will convince you to give it a try!

Book Beginnings:

"The necessity for this book is to be found in the following consideration: that the lover's discourse is today of an extreme solitude. This discourse is spoken, perhaps, by thousands of subjects (who knows?), but warranted by no one; it is completely forsaken by the surrounding languages: ignored, disparaged, or derided by them, severed not only from authority but also from the mechanisms of authority (sciences, techniques, arts)."

This is actually a small part before even the prologue of the book, but it explains perfectly what this book is about. It consists of small chapters, each one explaining a different feeling/expression.

Friday 56:

(Fulfillment means an abolition of inheritances: "...Joy has no need of heirs or of children - Joy wants itself, wants eternity, the repetition of the same things, wants everything to remain eternally the same." The fulfilled lover has no need to write, to transmit, to reproduce.)

So, page 56 only included the above sentence, so here you have it. The truth is that this book is very quotable and I was sure that no matter the page I would turn, I would find something I had underlined. Indeed, the last part of this paragraph was underlined.

Anyway, this way the book of the week. Have you read A Lover's Discourse? What do you think of these quote?

Share with me some quotes from the books you are currently reading! 

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata

Hello, everyone! What have you been reading this week? Today, it's Friday, so you know what this means! It's time for the two fun weekly memes :)

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I'm presenting you with Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. I'm really into Japanese literature and I was eager to read this book. It is quirky, somewhat dark, but very enjoyable. It is certainly something completely different from what you've been reading. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the quotes from the book!

Book Beginnings:

"A convenience store is a world of sound. From the tinkle of the door chime to the voices of TV celebrities advertising new products over the in-store cable networks, to the calls of the store workers, the beeps of the bar code scanner, the rustle of customers picking up items and placing them in baskets, and the clacking of heels walking around the store. It all blends into the convenience store sound that ceaselessly caresses my eardrums."

In this opening paragraph, we get a very quick description of what a convenience store sounds like. To the protagonist, the convenience store is her sanctuary and so she feels the most comfortable when she is surrounded by these sounds. Of course, later on her life will be turned upside down, but this place is very important.

Friday 56:

"When something was strange, everyone thought they had the right to come stomping in all over your life to figure out why. I found that arrogant and infuriating, not to mention a pain in the neck. Sometimes I even wanted to hit them with a shovel to shut them up, like I did that time in elementary school"

So, in this paragraph taken from page 56 from this book, we discover more about the protagonist's character. This character has a rare condition where she can't understand emotions and her doesn't possess empathy. From a young age she failed to connect to people and so was always socially awkward. Now, she is much older and people keep asking her why she's not married and why she keeps working in a convenience store. (Now that I'm talking about this book, I'm feeling like I should write a review about it).

Anyway, this way the book of the week. Have you read Convenience Store Woman? What do you think of these quote?

Share with me some quotes from the books you are currently reading! 

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Howards End, by E.M. Foster

Hello, everyone! I hope that lockdown is going well for you. What have you been reading? Today, I return to two Friday fun weekly memes, which I enjoy very much.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

So, this week I have chosen Howards End, by E.M.Foster. This book has been sitting on my shelf for a long time, but I always felt hesitant on picking it up. However, I have just started reading this classic and I have to admit that I'm already hooked.

Book Beginning:

"One may as well begin with Helen's letter to her sister."

I found this opening line very peculiar, to be honest. The first chapter is a series of letters from one sister to another. In those letters, we get to know some basic things about characters that will play a part in the story later on. But if I judge from the other E.M. Foster book I have read (A Room with a View), then this opening line is a good example of his writing style.

Page 56:

“Ruskin had visited Torcello by this time, and was ordering his gondoliers to take him to Murano.  It occurred to him, as he glided over the whispering lagoons, that the power of Nature could not be shortened by the folly, nor her beauty altogether saddened by the misery, of such as Leonard.”

Page 56 takes us in a chapter that introduces us to Leonard - one of the main heroes of the book. In this chapter, we get to know who Leonard and what his situation in life is. He believes that he can break the barrier of his middle-class life through a deeper understanding of the arts and literature. For this reason, he reads Ruskin in this chapter. I rather liked the way that E.M. Foster used the narration of this book in his own narration. I found it unique and refreshing.

Have you read Howards End? Which of classics sits on your TBR list for a long time?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams

Hello, everyone! I hope you are well and reading interesting things. Today, I'm participating in two fun weekly memes, which I'm very excited about.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

So, this week I'm presenting you with the book The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams. It is the second installment of the book series Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and it is a hilarious book.

Book Beginning:

"The story so far:

In the beginning the Universe was created.

This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

Ok, so I ended up sharing three sentences. However, I wanted you to understand the writing of this book. It has plenty of laugh out loud moments, and it captures you from the very beginning (which as we know is called the Big Bang). Anyway, let's see what page 56 holds for us! 

Page 56:

“Delay?” he cried. “Have you seen the world outside this ship? It’s a wasteland, a desert. Civilization’s been and gone, man. There are no lemon-soaked paper napkins on the way from anywhere!”

“The statistical likelihood,” continued the autopilot primly, “is that other civilizations will arise. There will one day be lemon-soaked paper napkins. Till then there will be a short delay. Please return to your seat.”

Page 56 takes us in the middle of the action. It's a strange place and a strange situation that Zaphod Beeblebrox finds himself in. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series is funny because it features some of the more absurd situations, and this particular scene is definitely one of them.

Have you read any of the books of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series? Which was one of the funniest books you have read?

Confession Saturday: Dear Jane Eyre

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

This week, my letter will be addressed to none other than Jane Eyre, the beloved protagonist of the novel with the same name by Charlotte Bronte. I've always felt a great admiration for Jane, you might even say that she is one of my role models. 

Dear Jane,

I admire you! From the very beginning, you had a difficult life. Nothing was given to you and the way your aunt and cousins treated you was just awful. But you worked hard and you became a woman of her own mind. You never hesitated to speak out your mind and how beautiful it proved to be!

You got mixed in a really complicated situation with Mr. Rochester. You fell in love and you almost reached happiness, but reality hit you and you had to make an important decision. This is one of the things that I try to adopt in my life. You could stay with Mr. Rochester and become his mistress, but instead you chose to leave him, although he begged you to stay. I love the way that you demanded what was right to you. You were certainly hurt, but you followed your beliefs. 

The strength of your mind wasn't born by your status or your riches. You were determined enough to cultivate yourself. And being a woman in that time was difficult. I love how you had the courage to say to your lover and employer the courage to say that you are "a free human with an independent will". I wish I can be more like you in the future.

Yours,

Aeriko 

Confession Saturday: Dear Arthur Dent

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

Today I'll write a letter to Arthur Dent from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979) by Douglas Adams. This is probably the funniest book I've read and I've just finished a funny books themed read. Arthur finds himself in the center of many peculiar and most of the times surreal situations.

Dear Arthur,

first of all, let me tell you how lucky you've been! The Earth was destroyed and you were one of the few humans (was it only you and Trillian?) that managed to get away in time. The circumstances that made you friends with Ford proved to be the starting point of many great adventures.

It was a shock to see your whole planet being destroyed. It must have been one of the hardest feelings! I'm sure that the home-sickness you felt at that point was unbearable. And being surrounded by unknown things wasn't the greatest help you could have. 

But a tiny bit of myself is jealous of you! You've seen wonders, the space, other planets. You even learnt the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything! Ok, nobody knows how to use this answer, but you've learnt it. And the mice? You saw their true form, you managed to discover their motives, who would have thought!

At times, I felt that you were the only sane person in your travels, although I have a soft spot for Marvin, as well. How did dinner go at the End of the Universe?

Yours,

Aeriko

P.S. Don't forget your towel!  

Confession Saturday: Dear Victor Frankenstein

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

This Saturday I'll be writing to Victor Frankenstein, the science student and creator of the well-known monster from the novel Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley. I have to admit that I don't like him that much and I'll explain all of my reasons in the letter below.

Dear Victor Frankenstein,

you are irresponsible! You had a hypothesis and you wanted to test it, but you weren't willing to deal with the consequences. You managed to give life to a new body, thing which is admirable when it's studied alone. But instead of protecting this creature and guiding it, or even trying to figure out what to do with it, you decided to just ignore it, let it flee and go on with your life. You only didn't consider one little detail: this creature had feelings and thoughts. He was like a baby and would learn anything that you would judge fit to teach him. 

Another thing you didn't consider at all was what would this creature do when it would be given its new life. This was something that you should have planned carefully before the experiment. It was only natural that no-one would accept it and that it would have to face racism and discrimination, even hatred. And when eventually these things happened you weren't there to take his side.

Are you still surprised that he wanted to hurt you? I consider it a good thing to try new experiments and have science move on, but sometimes you just have to be ready to deal with the consequences. In this case, you didn't handle well at all. This is the reason why it turned out as it did. Would you abandon a child? Probably not, then why should you abandon your own creation? It came in this world without its own will and this world neither understood him nor wanted him. That wasn't fair.

Yours,

Aeriko

Confession Saturday: Dear Cadence

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

This week I'm going to write a letter to Cadence, the young protagonist of the book We Were Liars (2014) by E. Lockhart. This is a thrilling novel with a lot of twists and turns and you can't really see the end coming.

Dear Cadence,

your situation is grave. I don't even know where to begin, but you definitely need psychological help.

The trauma you had to get over was impossible, to be honest. I would lose it as well if I were in your position. It might be a relief though that you couldn't really remember anything. Or maybe it was what it made it even worse because when you finally remembered, it came as a second shock. And it was a shock for all of us. 

You should have planned the whole mission differently. You should have left a little room for mistakes and alternations of the last moment. I can't propose anything better, but I'm sure that if the four of you had thought about it more thoroughly then you would have succeeded. 

I'm not sure how I feel about you. I guess I like you, but my compassion is stronger. 

Yours,

Aeriko

Confession Saturday: Dear Lady Chatterley

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

Today I'll write a letter to Lady Constance Chatterley from Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928) by D.H. Lawrence. She is a woman in an unsatisfactory marriage and has the courage to fight for what she wants. 

Dear Connie,

first of all, we have the same name. This doesn't happen often in literature, so I was so happy when I found out about it. And in a novel I've read numerous times and I love.

I'm not sure that I like what you did. Cheating is always cheating, no matter why it happened. Your husband is so cold towards you and your marriage is clearly not a happy one. But divorce wasn't easy at the time and there was also the differences in classes. This brings me to the thing that I like about you. You stood up for what you wanted. You needed contact, you needed to feel wanted and loved and when you found those feelings you didn't let them go. Again, I'm not saying that what you did was right, but you did offer some of the most sensual scenes in literature.

I don't know what I would do if I were in your position. I admire that you were brave enough, especially towards the end, but I don't know if I would be like that. I hope you didn't lose what you had with Mellors as the time went by.

Yours,

Konna 

Confession Saturday: Dear Captain Wentworth

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a new weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

As I've already told you this year I'm taking part in Austen in August. I'm currently reading Mansfield Park, but today I've chosen to write to one of my favourite male characters. Captain Frederick Wentworth is the male protagonist of the Jane Austen's novel Persuasion (1818). He is a complex character and undoubtedly one of the most popular of the Austen's gentlemen. 

Dear Captain Wentworth, 

Dear Frederick,

You ruined me! Along with Mr Darcy, you are the ones to blame for my high expectations in male behaviour. But every time I read your story I can't help feeling admiration for you.

I like the fact that you are not perfect. You are loyal and caring and emotional, but you are also vindictive and careless. Anne hurt you and so when you saw her again you wanted her to understand that you moved on and you wanted to underline the fact that you were a very desirable bachelor. You thought that it was only a harmless flirt, but you were holding your feelings against Anne. I believe that you meant for her to see you and you wanted her to feel the pain. It was fortunate that no-one got hurt from your behaviour. This thing made you real, a human being with real emotions.

It's a little ironic to write a letter to you since one of your most famous actions is the letter you wrote to Anne. I can't even count the times I've read it. I hope someday I'll get one just like that.

Yours,

Aeriko  

Confession Saturday: Dear Rosie

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a new weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

New: I've just added a Linky Tool to Confession Saturday, be sure to leave your links there! You can submit your links throughout the whole week.

This week I'm writing a letter to Rosie from the novel The Rosie Project (2013). She is an interesting female character and she makes a great couple with Don. I still haven't read the second book The Rosie Effect, but my expectations are set high.

Dear Rosie,

I'm really torn between liking you and disliking you. Although you are interesting and I'd like to be your friend I can't stand the way you behave!

You are the smart type, the one that studies psychology, but you hate to act like it, I really like this fact about you. But I hate it when you act cool. No, you are not a femme fatale. You got close to Don for only a reason, to get his help in order to find your biological father. Yet there is this strange attraction, but you still insist on playing it cool. What were you thinking? That Don would get it? He needed a Wife Project, did you seriously believe that he would know how to react?

At least you got your happy ending. Or did you? I'm a little afraid of reading what happened next. Please don't make me hate you. Please!

Yours,

Aeriko 

Confession Saturday: Dear Mark Watney

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a new weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

New: I've just added a Linky Tool to Confession Saturday, be sure to leave your links there! You can submit your links throughout the whole week.

This week I'm writing a letter to Mark Watney from The Martian (2014) by Andy Weir. I loved this novel and a big reason for this was Mark's character. So, there you have it..

Dear Mark,

How did you manage not to go insane? You were lucky enough and crafty, in order to survive, but you were alone for so long! And Mars isn't exactly the most human-friendly place on the galaxy. I mean, after this adventure I would expect you to have some mental issues, but you still managed to remain the same. 

Although the situation you found yourself into, you never lost your courage and you humour and I believe that this is the reason why you did so well in the end. You were in a place that could kill you in a lot of different ways, you were in danger of starving to death, you had to improvise several times and you had to listen to disco and only to disco for a long, long time.

You're a hero!

Yours,

Aeriko