Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Tess Derbyfield is the oldest daughter of peasants in a village in England. Her father learns their family is descended from a noble family. Tess' parents decide to send her to "claim kin" with the d'Urbervilles in a nearby town.

Once Tess arrives, she learns the d'Urbervilles bought the name and title and they are not related. However, Alec d'Urberville takes a shine to Tess and gives her a job managing the family's poultry farm. Alec eventually "has his way" with
Tess. She soon returns to her parents home and has a child who dies a week after birth.

Tess eventually winds up working on a dairy farm, where she meets Angel Clare. After persuasion, Tess agrees to marry him. After the wedding, Angel confesses an affair he'd been involved in. So Tess confesses her past. With the double standard of the day, Angel is unable to accept it. They separate while Angel tries to come to terms with her past.

Angel goes to Brazil to find good farm land. Tess tries to fend for herself until Angel sends for her. But life is hard for the rural poor and Tess has hard times to come.

The Search

The Search by Iris Johansen

Sarah Patrick is part of a search and rescue team. She is coerced by billionaire John Logan to help him find one of his employees who has been kidnapped. Logan is running a top secret science lab when the villian, Rudznik, blows it up in revenge for past history.

As far as mysteries go, this one was OK. There wasn't alot of mystery, but it was interesting to see how the story played out. Johansen doles out the secrets of the science lab and Sarah's past slowly to keep you wondering.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Mr. Utterson is concerned with the welfare of his old friend and client Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll has favorably remembered Mr. Hyde in his will in case of death or his disappearance. Mr. Utterson is alarmed and begins to investigate Mr. Hyde who soon turns out to be a most disagreeable character. Mr. Utterson believes that Mr. Hyde has a hold over Dr. Jekyll that is forcing the doctor to follow Mr. Hyde's demands.

It is learned that Dr. Jekyll has become interested in the conflicting natures within men. He has created a potion that allows him to commit acts that he would otherwise not have the courage to do. But as time goes on these acts become more and more savage.

Booking Through Thursday-Hero

Booking through Thursday

You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character? And why?

I love Gus McCrae. He's one of the funniest characters I've come across. Plus, he's hell-bent to do the heroic thing. He's a tough as nails ex-Texas Ranger who has fought banditos, desperados, and Indians.

And Don Quixote is funny in a sad way. Totally bonkers, but he has the Rocky Horror attitude---don't dream it, be it.

The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hester Prynne lives in colonial New England. In 1642, she has in illegitimate child. Hester refuses to tell who the father is. She had come to America to await her husband. When he does join her, she is standing on the court steps with an "A" emblazoned on her chest as punishment for her crime.

Her husband begins calling himself Roger Chillingworth. He is now practicing medicine and moves in with the sickly Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. He suspects a connection between Dimmesdale and Hester and sets out to discover what it is.

Unread Authors Challenge--Completed

I finished the Unread Authors Challenge. This is the one I mixed the books up with the Fall into Reading Challenge back in December. My final list was
1.) Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
2.) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
3.) The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
4.) Rose's Garden by Carrie Brown
5.) Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
6.) A Widow for One Year by John Irving

I have to say I liked them all.

Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Until I read this book, I didn't realize how much is changed for the movies. The monster is not named Frankenstein. He is simply called "The Monster." He's brought to life by chemicals, not electricity. But he did want a mate. I always thought that was just a reason for a sequel.

Victor Frankenstein is a young university student who becomes obsessed with learning the secrets of nature. After two years of study, he discovers "the cause and generation of life." After another two years, he brings his creation to life. But it is hideous and Victor flees from it. When he returns to his room the monster is gone. And on his wanderings, the monster begins to kill people because he is feared and can't make human contact because of his appearance.

The story is told in a series of letters from an explorer, Robert Walton to his sister. He finds Victor and rescues him from the frozen north seas. Victor relates his story to Walton.

The first half of the book was difficult to get through. Victor Frankenstein goes through a lot of "woe is me" until he really begins to tell Walton the story of the monster. Once it gets to that point it gets much easier. You begin to understand the motives for the murders and actually begin to feel sorry for the monster.