"The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings." - Kate Chopin, The Awakening
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The Awakening by Kate Chopin has been on my radar for a long time and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint!
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Set in New Orleans in the 1890's, it tells the story of a "young married woman's abandonment of her family, and her awakening to desires and passions that threaten to consume her". For me, this book's beauty is in its prose. It's beautifully written - sensuous, evocative and a feast for the senses.
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Unsurprisingly, it created a scandal upon publication and was banished for many years. Chopin was devastated over its rejection and died before its value was realised. It certainly deserves its place amongst classic feminist literature.
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If you're going to buy a copy, I highly recommend an edition which includes Marilynne Robinson's introduction. She writes a fascinating background and analysis.
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#theawakening #katechopin #bookish #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #instabook #igreads #bookaddict #instareads #booknerd #bookstagramfeature #booksarelife #bookstagram #read #reading #ilovereading #booksbooksbooks
Bitter Greens is the rich and elaborate retelling of the fairytale Rapunzel. When these retellings are done well, they're spellbinding. Kate Forsyth has done it well! The only criticism is that it was perhaps a teeny bit too long.
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"Three women, three lives, three stories, braided together to create a compelling tale of desire, obsession, black magic and the redemptive power of love."
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Anyone else have a favourite fairytale retelling? Or another favourite Kate Forsyth book?
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Have a great weekend everyone!
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#bittergreens #kateforsyth #fairytaleretelling #bookish #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #instabook #igreads #bookaddict #instareads #booknerd #bookstagramfeature #booksarelife #bookstagram #read #reading #ilovereading #booksbooksbooks
More bookish serendipity! I follow a few book bloggers and one of my favourites is Barb from Leaves & Pages. She reads and reviews the kinds of books I like - lesser-known and all but forgotten 20th century authors.
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Her latest post is about "The Visitors" written by Mary McMinnies in 1958. She gave it a 10/10 and called it "a hidden gem if ever there was one". Naturally, I had to get my hands on a copy! 😁 I tracked one down from the UK and ordered it immediately. This was yesterday. So, today I was doing my usual charity shop browse, and guess what I found! Yep. That's right.
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...and there's more... When I opened it at home, a yellowing newspaper fluttered out. The May 1960 edition of Broadsheet: a monthly review for World Book Members. It includes an article about their author of the month, Mary McMinnies. I love the thought that the previous owner was a fan, probably a big reader and that he/she kept this book and newspaper together all these years. I think that's a good omen! Can't wait to read this book!
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#marymcminnies #thevisitors #vintagebooks #bookish #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #instabook #igreads #bookaddict #instareads #booknerd #bookstagramfeature #booksarelife #bookstagram #read #reading #ilovereading #booksbooksbooks
