Jane Eyre

First Point of Order: This isn't a book review!

In addition to book reviews, we've decided to start reviewing the movies that we watch too!  And lets be honest, I don't think that I could ever get through the flowery language of Bronte.  Kristie could, but I couldn't.

Point Number Two: I liked it!  Actually we both liked it!  I do have a question about it however:

Was England really that bad back then?

Dickens, Bronte, Austin, et al, they all seem to basically say that unless you had money, you were pretty much treated like crap!  Its like living in Reagan's America in the 80's!  ZING!

Anyway, the movie starred and was brilliantly acted by Mia Wasikowska, who also played the daughter of two lesbian parents in The Kids are All Right.  The role of Rochester was played by Michael Fassbender.  I thought that he came across quite well as a grumpy aristocrat.  Rounding off the top roles was Judi Dench as Mrs Fairfax.

Without giving too much away to those who have never read the novel, or seen the BBC series, or watched this movie, or any other version...well, you get the point, there were a lot of adaptations of this novel.  It is a rags to riches story (actually, riches to rags to riches) of a girl named (spoiler alert!) Jane Eyre.  It follows her from her younger years where she is taken in by her aunt following the death of her parents (no, it isn't Batman).  The Aunt, being the child hater you'd expect in any Dickensian/Bronte novel, cast Jane out into an orphanage where she is beaten, deprived of food, scorned and ridiculed; again, very much like the Reagan years.  After leaving the orphanage, she takes a position as a governess for Rochester Fairfax, the romantic lead.

Not knowing anything about the story of Jane Eyre, I thought the story was, while depressing, very interesting.  And as I said earlier, I thought it was very well acted.

We give Jane Eyre 4/5 stars.

Ape House - Sara Gruen

A very bit disappointment after Water for Elephants.  While Gruen's writing style is still quite open and engaging (hence I finished the book), the story itself was somehow unusual and cliché.  Essentially, she tells the story of apes from a language lab who are kidnapped and made to perform on a reality television program.  Unusual, right?  However, the characters just seem so "stock".  The beautiful, insecure wife; the doting husband, the evil villain, the journalist who will do it all for a story etc., etc.

The Behaviour of Moths - Poppy Adams

I have an aversion to moths...their flitting about makes me nervous.  And they always want in the house!  As part of my aversion therapy, I thought to read this book ;).  While the moths didn't bug me (pun unintended) and their descriptions were somewhat interesting, the story itself was just okay.  It tells the tale of a recluse sister (Ginny) who has stayed behind on the family estate for years and studied moths.  Her sister returns home at one stage and this creates a great deal of distress for Ginny.  The family's history is revealed through Ginny's eyes and this sets the stage for what will happen between the two sisters.  A quick read, but I didn't come away loving this book.  Perhaps my aversion to moths was present in my subconscious...

Lost Highway - David Adams Richards

I've been remiss in my posting and am now catching up...  While David Adams Richards is unlikely to ever top the amazing Mercy Among the Children for me, Lost Highway is a an excellent read.  It's filled with all sorts of ethical dilemmas that keep you thinking.  Essentially, it stems around the idea of what happens when someone discovers the presence of a winning lottery ticket (not their's) and all the fallout that ensues when they try to claim it.  If you enjoy books with thought-provoking arguments, I think you'll enjoy this book.