Austen, Jane - Persuasion

Errr... thanks to strange inability to concentrate on anything for over five minutes, I honestly don't remember very much of what goes on. So, no real impression of the character of either Anne Elliott or Captain Wentworth, sadly.

It did seem like something I would have liked, given the entire lost love angle. I also really desperately wanted for someone to ask me what I was reading so I could hold it up and say, "Oh, just a Regency."

I was incredibly surprised at Louisa Musgrove's fate -- it seems like much more action than normally takes place in an Austen book, but perhaps I say that because I have only read three. I also squeed over Captain Wentworth's letter in the end. I find it interesting that many of the climactic moments in Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice are told or happen because of letters.

Er. Anyhow. Perhaps I will have more intelligent comments when I reread it sometime.

ETA:
coffeeandink's review

Emma Bull, War for the Oaks

I haven't read this in years. My very first thought was something like, wow she spends a lot of time describing everyone's clothes! And: Wow, this was written in the eighties, wasn't it?

I still absolutely adore the phouka. I think he fits in with the Fool/Trickster type character that I like so much.

That said, a lot of it read like a first novel -- the sort of Mary-Sue-ish specialness about Eddi, her amazing skill with music and her ability to change the minds of the Seelie Court and the Lady while gaining magical powers of her own (sort of) remind me a great deal of the discussion in oracne's LJ a while back about the visitor to foreign culture gaining some sort of nifty martial art prowess.

I wonder if I would have noticed this if I had reread more frequently? Hrm.

(no subject)

The inability to concentrate continues. I've started at least ten different books over the past few weeks and finished a grand total of two. ARGH.

My rats are now taking antibiotics. It's nice to know that there is a vet around here who treats rats and thinks they are cute and adorable and things like that ^_^. People get immediate bonus points from me if they flatter my rats, hee hee.

Helped a friend with her thesis yesterday and felt rather good about that. People keep telling me I should go into editing or something, but then, I figure, I might be in that mindset for everything I read. Some things I like to keep apart from work.

Happy news: Going to Hawaii the last weekend of May! This is my dad's harebrained scheme -- do you know how hard (and expensive) it is to get tickets to Hawaii on Memorial Day weekend on two weeks notice?! I figured my dad had some sort of business thing there and asked my mom if she wanted to go. Then he probably thought, wow, that's right after Ning's school ends, so she could just join us there and fly back! Now let's call Jei (that's me) and ask her! It was a bit of a hassle... apparently everyone and their mother at work is off that weekend, but the bosses are being incredibly nice and letting me take Sat. off despite the lack of people at work. So I'll be in Hawaii for a wonderful five days with my family ^_^. My entire family. At the same time. It's a minor miracle.

Last time I saw my family, it was my dad, then my mom (right after my dad left), then a weekend with my mom and my dad, then right after they left, my sister showed up! I always feel kind of strange admitting that yeah, in general I rather enjoy spending time with my family. I mean, naturally they can drive me up the wall (my parents in particular... I get along fairly well with my sister), but family vacations are usually a fun time to goof off and mug in front of the camera and stuff. Plus, Hawaii! Partially makes up for not being able to go home this summer.