Wednesday, March 30

New Movie of the Week

The next movie of the week is going to be.....'Brother Bear':



 Yes, the cartoon with the bears. I know it's not a normal one for me to make Movie of the Week, but when I was contemplating what I wanted to watch and the commerical came on for 'Brother Bear 2', which I can't watch until I see the first one. 'Brother Bear' came out pretty much when I reached that age where I thought only little kids could watch little kid movies. Even though I secretly wanted to watch it, I didn't. Naturally I grew out of that phase and now I refound my love for kid movies. I enjoy them. Thats another reason why I decided to watch this film.




I'm super excited!!! Looks like such a cute movie. ^.^

<3 Carole Rae

Tuesday, March 29

Book Review: Castle of the Wolf

Author: Sandra Schwab
Title: Castle of the Wolf
Genre: Historical Romance, Paranormal, Gothic
Pages: 320
First Published: 2007
Where I Got It: Library

"Celia Fussell's father was dead, and she was reduced to the status of a poor relation in the house of her brother - the new baron - and his shrewish wife. A life of misery loomed ahead.

But, no. There was hope. Deep in the Black Forest, the Great Duchy of Baden, was Celia's inheritance. Among fir trees so dark they almost looked black, the Castle of Wolfenbach rose, a skeletal ruin adorned by gargoyles where even locals feared to tread. It was a fortress of solitude, of secrets, of old wounds and older mysteries. But it was hers. And only one thing stood in her way: it's former master, the hermit, the enigma...the man she was obliged to marry."

This book was not at all what I thought it would be. Well, I really had no idea what I was in for. I mostly picked this book out because of the cover and because it was set in early 1800s Germany. I was having a taste for the German culture. I had never heard of Sandra Schwab, so I was bound to be very critical when I opened to the first page. Also, it was marked as a 'Paranormal Romance', so this was another first for me.

It was a little slow to begin with, but my interest sparked about chapter 4 when Fenris arrived. Chapter 2 or something like gave a glimpse of him, but chapter 4 he made his grand entrance. I loved this character. He's deeply haunted by his past and by what he did to his family. He's not a typical character that I've seen so often. He's far from perfect. Far from it. When he was younger he ran away from home to join against the evil Napoleon. During the war he lost his leg. A jaw-dropper for me. Authors love to avoid having their characters have a huge physical disability.

I guess you could classify this as a Beauty-and-the-Beast remix, but it has much more depth than that. The story was very calm and didn't have too much going on until near the end, but if you pay close attention things are building and building. It was brilliant how she wrote the story. She had both main characters love fairy tales. Especially Celia. Celia has a nasty habit of thinking life is like a fairy tale. Her brother had yelled at her about this saying that "life is not a fairy-tale". I love how the author added little tid-bits of fairy-tales into the story.

I didn't see much of paranormal parts in it. The castle and the gargoyles are the only things of creepy material Sandra Schwab put in there. The gargoyles have some narrations scattered about the book, which I adored and I think added to the story.

To be honest, I ate this book up. I could hardly put it down. I found interesting and amazing. I saw myself in both characters. Honestly, the only thing I didn't like about the book was the lack of action. However, the author somehow made it so it wasn't boring. It was far from boring even though there was a lack of action occurring. I liked this book a lot and I have no choice but to grant this book 5 stars. I highly recommend it to those that love a love story or to those who love the time period. It shows a taste of Germany in the 19th century.



Leopold the Wise

I have GREAT news. Yesterday, I went to Lapeer with my mother (I had to get another license, because I lost mine) to get another license and to get....a GERBIL! Yes, I cashed my check and bought a gerbil and a cage and food. In total I spent about 53 dollars. Not too bad, but I decided too spend a little extra on the cage. I was unsure about what to name him though. I wanted to name him Leopold, but I was indecisive. The night before our travels I was reading 'Castle of the Wolf' and the main character's brother came to town and guess what his name is? Leopold! I had my sign. However, I've named him after King Leopold I of Belgium. I added 'the Wise' because he's intelligent! He figured out how to use everything within an hour. Plus he figured how to get out of the traveling box the guy put him in. 


King Leopold

Leopold the Wise!



<3 Carole Rae

Monday, March 28

Movie Review of 'Public Enemies'


Length: 140 mins
Released: 2009 (USA)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Rating: R-rated, gangster violence and language
Directed By: Michael Mann
Where I Got It: My Shelf (Gift from Daddy)


This movie follows one of the most notorious gangsters during the Great Depression: John Dillinger. It starts off when he was still an unknown gangster and he's busting out some of his pals from jail. The story goes on to cover his career in bank-robbing and his personal life. Also, it takes the view point on the man hired to kill or capture John: Melvin Purvis. Melvin Purvis is also known as one of the men who killed my favorite gangster Pretty Boy Floyd (who makes a cameo played by Channing Tatum). The story goes back and forth between Melvin's and John's point of view.

The film tries not to be biased, but personally I felt it was leaning towards Dillinger's side, which I was rooting for him the entire way. Yes, he robbed banks and yes he killed people, but he always gave money back to the poor. He was a gentlemen robber, who is so darn cute. It's hard to stay loyal to Pretty Boy Floyd.

The movie stars Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis, and Marion Cotillard as Miss Billie Frechette (John's true love). There are a lot of my favorite actors in this film like David Wenham (plays Faramir in Lord of the Ring), Giovanni Ribisi (played Medic Wade in Saving Private Ryan), Stephen Dorff, and so many others. Click here to check out more of the film.

Anyways, I was really excited about this film! In my history class we talked a little about John Dillinger and all the other gangsters, we heavily talked about Pretty Boy Floyd though. I will admit it, I love those original and true gangsters. I've always wanted to see this film, but it's been escaping me.

The first minute of the film, I was addicted. It was hard for me to pause it and go have dinner. Just the way Michael Mann put the film together was amazing. The casting was fantastic and how the scenes played out was perfect. Some of the dialog could have been written better, but besides that the film was seamless. I wasn't a big fan of Marion Cotillard who played Dillinger's love-bird. Maybe I'm just being picky. I did love Johnny as John. He played him the way he was suppose to be played.

In conclusion, I adored this movie! Now I even own it. It was fun and exciting and it tugged at my tear ducts. I believe that everyone should sometime in their life watch this film. You won't be disappointed. Allison was right...I would love this movie and so will you. I shall grant this movie 5 stars! =D























<3

Saturday, March 26

Book Giveaway at All Things Historical Fiction!

Go check out the AMAZING giveaway at All Things Historical Fiction. Click here to be transported to her blog and have a chance to win the book: 'To Be Queen' by Christy English. Good luck everyone!


PS- I'll be having a giveaway of my very own sooner or later. I just need to pick out what I want to give away and how I want to do it. I'll keep you updated! My giveaway will be occurring probably in April. ^.^

<3 Carole Rae

Friday, March 25

Another Book Review: Fools Crow by James Welch

Author: James Welch
Title: Fools Crow
Genre: Historical Fiction, Action, Western-ish
Pages: 400
First Published: 1987
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

"The year is 1870. Located in the Two Medicine Territory of northwestern Montana is the camp of the Lone Eaters, a small band of Blackfeet Indians. Their life consists of a timeless round of activity, deeply rooted in the land and the seasons and in reverence for the customs handed down from the Long Ago People. But the ever-increasing presence of the Napikwans-white men-threatens this existence. Fools Crow, a young warrior and medicine man of great vision, has seen the future. He knows his tribe must either fight a brave but futile war or surrender their lands and their way of life.
In 'Fools Crow', James Welch's magnificent stylistic gifts are deployed to full advantage, allied with a subject of tragic consequence: the lives and fate of his Blackfeet ancestors."

LOVE THIS BOOK! James Welch has left me speechless once again. It's hard to say all that I liked about this novel. Not only did it show you the lives of the Blackfeet, it sucked you in and made you feel like you were there. It's make you feel like your catching all this on camera. It was wonderfully written. In some twisted way it was like a soap opera, but more realistic. I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not...

The book is mostly about Fools Crow and his tribe. It starts off when Fools Crow was just named White Man's Dog and he's pretty much the tribe "loser", because he has no luck or anything. It starts off a little slow, but it picks up after a couple chapters. The story is wonderfully written. There are no words to describe it.

There were only two things I didn't like about this book. One, they killed my favorite character off...I can't say who it was, but I was VERY upset. It happens a lot though, my favorite character usually dies if it isn't the main character. If its a side character, the writer loves to kill him/her off. And two, I hate how Mr. Welch jumps the narration around in the middle of a chapter, it bugs me. I tend to get confused on who's thinking what for a moment. But that's it.

All-in-all, it was not let down. These type of stories tend to be very hard to write. You need a level of understanding of the culture and of the people who lived in those times. James Welch did a fantastic job! I think everyone should read this book. It shows more than one viewpoint of the issues in those days and it shows a different culture many people haven't been introduced to. I haven't found one that really makes me speechless like this novel did. I grant this book 5 stars! WOOT WOOT!

<3 Carole Rae

Book Review: My Wicked Marquess

(I'll admit it now, I love Gaelen Foley novels! A lot of people have negative views on them, but I simply adore them. They arn't just smutty historical romance books, they actually have some depth and complex storylines. I've read all her series and now I'm starting on her new series: Inferno Club series. 'My Wicked Marquess' is the first of the series.)

Author: Gaelen Foley
Title: My Wicked Marquess (1st in Inferno Series)
Genre: Historical Romance, Spy Thriller, Regency
Pages: 384
First Published: 2009
Where I Got It: Library

"To London's aristocracy, the Inferno Club is a scandalous society of men no proper young lady would acknowledge. But though they are publicly notorious, in private they are warriors who would do anything to protect king and country. The Marquess of Rotherstone has decided it's time to restore his family's good name. But as a member of the Inferno Club, he knows there's only one way to redeem himself in Society's eyes: Marry a lady of impeccable beauty and breeding whose reputation is spotless. Someone quite unlike Daphne Starling."

Okay, to start off I hate Daphne and other characters like her! Not only is she beauty and smart and everyone likes her. She's also kind and overall perfect. I hate perfect characters! Literally, I was driven mad by her perfectness. That comes with books like these. The herione and hero tend to be perfect. That's life, I guess. I personally like characters that are complex like Max, the hero. He's not all perfect and all that. He tends to be opposite of perfect.

I love how Gaelen Foley made this Order of St. Michael. It was very original! I love the thought she put into this Order and even how she wrote the book. The ending was an ending, but it leaves you dieing for the next book to see what happens. There were a lot of twists and turns, but it mainly focused on Max and Daphne. It was a pretty cute read for those who like romance and intrigue. For those who love Gaelen Foley, it's not her best work, but it's pretty decent. If you have nothing better else to read at the moment, check this book out. I grant this book *** stars. Daphne killed a star, sorry. =)

<3 CR

Wednesday, March 23

An Amazing Gift

This is a story I have to share. On the last day of my American History from 1845-Present Day class, Professor Hull asked us if we wanted a book from his collection. Now mind you, there was only 8 of us in the class. We all pretty much said yes (there was a couple people not present). He told us to write our addresses and he would send us a book. Also, he had us write down our favorite eras. I wrote '17 and 18th century France' and 'Tudor England'. Afterwards he threw us and his other classes a HUGE pizza party. Which I was only there for half an hour, because I went to another party with Megan.

If you can't tell already Professor Hull is an amazing teacher and man. He's like another grandpa. ^.^ I always loved going to his class. Not only did he teach us history, he made us think. Dates and years weren't his main points for us to learn, he wanted us to understand and process the information. We always talked about the social injustices not just in the past, but in today's society. The discussions even talked about the state of our government and all that touchy stuff. It was an amazing class! Professor Hull also showed us many movies, instead of reading every single page in the boring, ol' History book that we spent a fortune on.

On Friday I received a pretty big box from dear Professor Hull. I was so excited! I grabbed the nearest sharp object, which happened to be scissors. I would've probably used a fork if it had been sitting there. Once the box was open, I read the note he had written me. Then I gazed down at the books he sent me. I was baffled! I was convinced he would just send one or two books. I would have been content was just one or two. Even getting one was more than he had to give.

On the last day of class, we discussed how you should give things you love to people who care and cherish it as you did. When people die and leave all the things they loved behind, when your family goes through your things they don't appreciate it like you did. Many of your beloved objects tend to thrown away or just tossed to Goodwill. That's why he decided to give some books away (his house is swarming with books, so he says).

With that in mind, I decided to make mention of the books my favorite professor gave me. I love all my books the same, but I may cherish these more because they were gift from someone other than my wallet. Thank you Professor Hull!

Here's what he donated to my book collection:

  • 'The New Russians' by Hedrick Smith
  • 'The Autobiography of Henry VIII' by Margaret George
  • 'The Old Regime and the French Revolution' by Alexis De Tocqueville
  • 'Les Miserables' by Victor Hugo
  • 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy
  • 'Famous Letters: Messages and Thoughts that Shaped Our World' by Frank McLynn
^.^ 


Tuesday, March 22

New Movie of the week: Public Enemies

Hey everyone!
I have finally decided what the new movie of the week is going to be! It's going to be....'Public Enemies' starring the always wonderful Johnny Depp! ^.^ Originally, I wanted to see the 1960 movie 'Pretty Boy Floyd'. I've always had a historical crush on Pretty Boy. None of the libraries in my region have this movie, so I guess I'll have to wait. Boo, but I found the next close thing. It's not about Pretty Boy, but he does make an appearance. It is about another original gangster: John Dillinger. I'm super excited! Scroll down to see the trailer...





Saturday, March 19

Movie Review: Attila


Length: 177 mins
Released: 2001 (TV)
Genre: Action
Rating: unrated
Directed By: Dick Lowry
Where I Got It: Borrowed it from Library


'Attila' stars Gerard Butler as Attila and Powers Boothe plays Flavius Aetius. This movie is about the rise and fall of the Hun King. It starts off with Attila as a child being trained by his father. His father is killed in a raid from an another Hun group. It goes on to show Attila being adopted by his Uncle who is a king. Attila, since being a child, as had an ambitious and courageous spirit. After little Attila is all grown up, we are introduced to the cunning and witty Flavius Aetius who is Rome's finest general. However, he did something bad and was thrown in jail, but the Empress and her son allow him pardon so he can defeat Attila. The story goes on to show how these two power and witty men pull on the string of power and match each other word for word and action for action.

Mmmm, I love Gerard Butler. I think this movie was a foreshadow for him to be casted in '300'. It was a pretty good movie. It didn't get the recognition it deserved. Personally, I think it would've had a shot at winning a Golden Globe or an Oscar. Who knows. Butler and Powers did a wonder job! The other actors were just as great at their roles. I'm really glad this movie caught my eye.

The writing was good, the costumes were accurate, the actors did a fabulous job, and etc. The only negative thing I can think of right now is how they choose to end it. I liked it to a point, but it was missing something. I believe the whole movie was missing something....I can't pinpoint it. Maybe it was lacking more depth in the main characters or something. You'd have to see it, to see what I mean. However, it was a fantastic movie! I do suggest everyone who loves Gerard Butler or any of the actors to see it. Also, if you love that time period, go find it and see it. Out of five stars, I'm going to grant it....5 stars. Yes, five. ^.^

Would I Watch Again?:
Meh, probably.


 

Thursday, March 17

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and merry St. Patty's Day. Today is the day of green beer and little green men. It's not a day for just the Irish to celebrate, but for everyone to enjoy! I've seen more green today at my school and randomly on the street then I've seen in a long time. This is my first St. Patty's Day as a college kid, so of course I have to go to a party tonight. Don't worry, there will be no drinking. =D I hope everyone has a fun and SAFE St. Patty's Day. Here's a little historical tidbit about the man behind this day:



"Who Was the Man Behind St. Patrick's Day?
For starters, the real St. Patrick wasn't even Irish. He was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family with a townhouse, a country villa, and plenty of slaves.
What's more, Patrick professed no interest in Christianity as a young boy, Freeman noted.
At 16, Patrick's world turned: He was kidnapped and sent overseas to tend sheep as a slave in the chilly, mountainous countryside of Ireland for seven years. (See Ireland pictures.)
"It was just horrible for him," Freeman said. "But he got a religious conversion while he was there and became a very deeply believing Christian."

St. Patrick's Disembodied Voices
According to folklore, a voice came to Patrick in his dreams, telling him to escape. He found passage on a pirate ship back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family.
The voice then told him to go back to Ireland.
"He gets ordained as a priest from a bishop, and goes back and spends the rest of his life trying to convert the Irish to Christianity," Freeman said.
Patrick's work in Ireland was tough—he was constantly beaten by thugs, harassed by the Irish royalty, and admonished by his British superiors. After he died on March 17, 461, Patrick was largely forgotten.
But slowly, mythology grew around Patrick, and centuries later he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland, Freeman noted."

To learn more about this gloriously green day click here


<3 CR

Tuesday, March 15

Book Review: The Greatest Knight

(Elizabeth Chadwick must have written this book with magic. I am officially part of the club that LOVES this book....)

Author: Elizabeth Chadwick
Title: The Greatest Knight (William Marshall #1)
Genre: Historical Fiction, War
Pages: 552
First Published: 2006
Where I Got It: Library


"A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal blazes into history on the strength of his sword and the depth of his honor. Marshal's integrity sets him apart in the turbulent court of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, bringing fame and the promise of a wealthy heiress as well as enemies eager to plot his downfall. Elizabeth Chadwick has crafted a spellbinding tale about a forgotten hero, an ancestor of George Washington, an architect of the Magna Carta, and a legend of chivalry - the greatest knight of the Middle Ages."

*clears throat* Where to begin? At first I was a little daunted by the size of the book. Yes, I've had my fair share of large novels, but I usually know what I'm getting into before I pick up the book. I'll admit it...I never heard of William Marshal before. That's why I was little uneasy about the size of this book. I wasn't sure, but many people recommended this book for me to read. I'm so glad that listened.

Chadwick brought this tale of William Marshal to life. She once again gave life to long-dead hero. Everytime I opened the book, I felt like I was there. I felt like I was in the room as a squire or some maid. This book embodies how a Historical novel should be. It's not boring and it's not over the top. I loved William Marshal. Many people have stated this and I am now one of them. He was such a great guy. Loyalty was his code. He was a man ahead of his times. He may not have been able to read or write, but his ideas and manners far-reached many of the men of that time. That's why Queen Eleanor respected him and wanted him around.

There's nothing I can really say that's negative. I have forced my evil-and-mean side to come out. Umm, one of the only things I didn't like about this book was that....it ended. Haha. No but seriously, I didn't like the length that much and also I didn't like how it would change narrative out of the blue. I sometimes found myself confused, so I would have reread and figure out who's viewpoint I had drifted into. Other than that, I loved it. I grant this book 5*s. Woot woot!

<3 Carole Rae

Monday, March 14

Book Giveaway at The Maiden Court

The Maiden's Court is having a giveaway! Yayy! Go and submit your name to try and win India Black by Carol K. Carr. There's also an interesting article about Carol K. Carr. Check it out:

Sunday, March 13

News: Winter in the Blood Movie...

I had heard many a rumor about James Welch's novel 'Winter in the Blood' being transformed into a movie. I've been following these rumors like a cat following a piece of string. The conclusion is that it's TRUE! I'm super excited. If you don't know, I sing praises to the late James Welch's books. I loved Winter in the Blood a lot and now that I know 100% that it's becoming a movie, I'll be following the news just as tiredously as I am for 'The Hobbit' movie. Here's what I came up with so far:

For those that have read the book, they pretty much have the whole cast.
Chaske Spencer as "Virgil" First Raise (in the book, he didn't have a first name, I don't think)
David Morse as Airplane Man
Gary Farmer as Lame Bull
Julia Jones as Agnes
Lily Gladstone as Marlene

Alex and Andrew Smith are directing and writing the film. They are known for 'The Slaughter Rule' with Ryan Gosling, Amy Adams, and David Morse. Production is scheduled for spring or summer of 2011. It'll be a while before it hits theaters, but I'm willing to wait. *prays for time to go quickly*

Here's a little tid bit about James Welch:

"James Welch was born in Browning, Montana, in 1940 and was raised on the Blackfeet and Fort Belknap reservations. His father was Blackfeet, his mother Gros Ventre, each having Irish ancestors. In the mid 1960’s, the family settled in Harlem, Montana, just off the reservation.
From an early age, Welch dreamed of becoming a writer. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana and continued his study of creative writing in the university’s MFA program. Welch married Lois Monk, a professor of English and comparative literature in 1968.
His first book of poetry, Riding the Earthboy 40, was published in 1971. In addition to Winter in the Blood and The Death of Jim Loney, Welch also published Fools Crow, The Indian Lawyer, and The Heartsong of Charging Elk.
In addition to his published work, workshops and conferences, Welch taught at both the University of Washington and Cornell University. He was awarded a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1995. Welch died of lung cancer in 2003 at his home in Missoula"

You can find out more and follow this movie through: http://www.winterinthebloodfilm.com/ 



Saturday, March 12

New Movie of the Week: Attila

I just picked it up at the library. I didn't read what it was about or anything, I just checked it out and made it movie of the week. The movie is 'Attila' staring Powers Boothe, Simmone Jade Mackinnon, Tim Curry, Reg Rogers, and Gerard Butler. This one is about Attila the hun (Butler) and his quest to make Rome fall. Roman General Flavius Aetius (Boothe) is trying to continue Rome's superpower status. It's bound to be good. I hope it is...the review will be coming soon.



Here's the trailer:



Friday, March 11

Grey Owl: Movie Review and etc

Okay, I will admit I was not looking forward to seeing this movie. The summaries didn't give away too much about what the movie was about. However, I gave it a shot and it turned out to okay...


Length: 117 mins
Released: 1999
Genre: Drama, Adventure
Rating: PG-13, some nakey scenes and sensuality scenes
Directed By: Richard Attenborough
Where I Got It: Borrowed it from Library


Grey Owl stars the always attractive Pierce Brosnan who plays Archie Grey Owl. I was beaming ear-to-ear when I seen Nathaniel Arcand (who plays Ned White Bear). Now Archie is a trapper who claims to be a Native Canadian Indian. Pony, this Native American city-gal, somehow manages to let Archie take her to the wilderness and help him trap animals so he can pay off this store manager. Meanwhile, he's writing a book about his life in wild. Pony and Archie, naturally, fall in love while they are out in the wild. He finishes his book and sends it to get published. After his book is published he becomes a famous "Indian" and goes on tour and spreads the word that nature and beavers need to be saved. During this time, we discover the truth about Archie Grey Owl.

Mmmm, I didn't like the beginning at all. I was completely confused. I was confused until about half-way through the movie. Afterwards, I realized the movie-makers did it purposely, because he kept changing his story. One moment his dad was Scottish, then Indian, and so on and so on. I did love how Archie changed from being a trapper, to an animal lover because of Pony. The dialog wasn't the best and the storyline moved very fast at the beginning, within 10 mins, Archie and Pony were already in the wilderness. However, it was a pretty good movie. I loved the story, but there were some things that needed mending and fixing.

Overall, this movie is based off a real man and I loved how Nathaniel Arcand was in this :). There was some negative and positive points, but I do recommend people who love nature and love any story about Natives (like moi) should watch this film sometime in the future. I grant this movie 3 ***s. ^.^


Would I re-watch?: 
Probably not. 




<3

Tuesday, March 8

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Ahhh, today is the day of PÄ…czkis. Good thing I didn't have to work last night. I haven't made one of those things yet. Thank goodness. =D Stop at your nearest Tim Hortons and order some PÄ…czkis, they'll really appricate it. (*wink* *wink*) I don't have to work today, so yayy for me. The main reason for this post, was to wish everyone a happy fat tuesday! Eat as much as you can!!!!!

<3 Carole Rae

PS-For those not "lucky" enough to have a local Tim Hortons, I guess you can just get your PÄ…czkis elsewhere. ^.^

Saturday, March 5

La Dame Aux Camelias Review

(Okay. I finished 'La Dame Aux Camelias' by Alexandre Dumas fils. Which translates into 'The Lady of Camelias' by Alex Dumas Junior. It wasn't a horribly long book, only 200 pages or so. Firstly, there is a movie loosely based off this book called 'Camille' which was a wonderful movie. Also, there are many plays based off the book, which I would love to see.)

Author: Alexandre Dumas Fils
Title: La Dame Aux Camelias
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama, Classic
Pages: 256
First Published: 1844
Where I Got It: My shelf (Goodwill)


"In 1844 Dumas fils began an affair with Marie Duplessis, one of the most desirable courtesans in Paris. After Marie died of consumption on 1847 at the age of 23, Dumas turned their love affair into one of the greatest loves of all time. Armand casts caution to the winds as he pursues his passion for Marguerite, for whom love has become her only hope, her redemption even. But there is a price to pay. If all the world loves a lover, society calls passion to order."


When I began reading, I was a little confused Marguerite was dead already. I was baffled and a little upset that the story had already finished pretty much. However, I pushed myself to keep reading. It turns out Armand comes into the picture and he's all sad and depressed because his love is dead. Armand and the narrator becomes fast friends.  The narrator has Armand tell his and Marguerite's love story. After then the book did become better. Thank goodness.

I sort of fell for this story, I think it shows how sometimes love isn't perfect and it shows no matter how much you may love someone, you can't be together. It showed the realism of how different social classes could never be together.

Armand is the guy every girl wants, loyal, loving, dedicated, and is willing to put his reputation on the line for you. Marguerite maybe a courtesan, she does seem to have a heart-of-gold. I love the characters and how the story unfolds, even though I knew she was going to die at the end, I rooted for their love the whole way. I was hoping they would be together forever, but that's not reality. It's a wonderful read for those who want to read about true love. The only thing I didn't like about it was the beginning. I think that it confuses readers and it spoils how the story ends. I sort of know why he wrote the beginning like that (because he explains his reasons a tad bit), but I hate when books do that. Also, I despised the character Madame Prudence, she was just an annoying unneeded character (in my view).

I grant this book 4 stars. I do think everyone should either read the book or see the play of it. It's a story that will continue on for a long time. I will, of course, read this novel again.
^.^



Tuesday, March 1

Added a new video...

The band The Killers are my favorite band OF ALL TIME! And I finally added 'Mr.Brightside' by the Killers on the music video page. That song is my ultimate and timeless favorite. =D Go check it out...


<3CAROLE RAE

Grey Owl: Movie of the Week

I'm a little afraid to watch this...I'm not even sure what it's about. I couldn't decide what movie I wanted to review next, so I went to google and typed 'random movie generator' I found this interesting website that will randomly pick a movie for you: http://jchen123.mit.edu/rmg.html After a couple shots, I came to this one. I read a little bit about this movie and then I requested it at my library. Now I wait for it to come.



It's called 'Grey Owl' featuring Pierce Brosnan. Here's a trailer for it: