anisha_inkspill's reviews
153 reviews

Nella Larsen’s story is beautifully told and a shows complicated dynamics between race and personal identity.  All the way through I could see something dreadful was ahead, and then it happened and I had to pause, recollect myself before carrying on. 

 I actually listened to an audiobook* which I can’t find here. 

It includes abridged versions of Emma, Persuasion and  Northanger Abbey, I enjoyed all and listened to all twice, and if I had the time I would listen to them again. 


*details of audiobook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66938394-jane-austen-collection-volume-2

 This is not a happy read, where grief becomes vengeance in the name of justice.
 
Troy has fallen, Hecuba has lost everything, where her grief is added to when she discovers a trusted friend had murdered her young defenceless son. In revenge she blinds this friend and kills his two sons, then she eloquently argues her action, this is what’s surprising, why this play is worth reading, even in the depths of her grief reasoning and rational do not fail her. 

 This has been in my Kindle library for a while, this did not disappoint and was an amazing read. This has everything I enjoy in a read, quirky, poignant and thought-provoking. I have so many favourite stories but all of them have moments that stand out. I thought some stories were brave, and its light-hearted style was an invitation to just sit back, absorb and enjoy. And enjoy I did. 

I really liked the surreal aspect but as a read, many of the Christian references went over me, and the translation in the public domain by Edwin Björkman gave me enough of a flavour to want to watch this. 

The poems are plain and what runs through most of them is stillness or nature. This occurs through a variety of themes, including resignation, loss, love or appreciation. I found some poems to be a poignant read, whilst others charmed or humoured me. 

 

With a laid back and chatty style, Lucy Worsley brings Jane Austen’s world to life. There was a lot here that piqued my interest, especially glimpses of historical and social context. Also, her hypothesis of random connections between the author’s life and her novels were also fascinating. What I liked the most about this is Worsley trying to show that Jane Austen is more than a writer of romance. 

 

18 pieces of varying length scattered with wonderful imagery.
 
 Reading these are like reading little pieces of hope, I couldn’t connect with all of them but the ones I did were comforting or wistful. 

 

Reading this for the second time, was as hard as the first. Through Hecuba’s agony, Euripides shows the senselessness of war. Her voice is also the voice of the surviving women, and its truly awful, but I’m still glad I read this. What stands out for me is the women’s strength. They have been through so much and yet they are not broken. 

TW & spoiler:

A very young child is murdered by the Greeks, they are worried that the child, Astyanax will grow up get vengeance. Hecuba (bravely) retorts that this is not the action of a civilised society. 

I enjoyed reading this collection of shorts. They are all punctuated with the same irony and quirkiness that delves under the surface. Their casual tone invites you to share an understanding of misunderstandings and prejudice that come with relationships between family, friends, siblings, lovers, employee and employer and the community. It delivers with quiet humour the imperfections of life and relationships.