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Ahh, Shakespeare! How I love thee! So I decided to pick up Macbeth, mainly because of the the superstition that surrounds it. Don't you dare utter the name in a theater! Instead, it is referred to as "the Scottish play." Intrigued, I decided to find out for myself what all the fuss was about.
Macbeth is a brave general in King Duncan's Scottish army. While returning from the battlefield with his friend Banquo, Macbeth encounters Three Witches who prophesize three things: 1) Macbeth will be thane of Cawdor, 2) Macbeth will be king, 3) Banquo will not be king, but his children will be. When Macbeth meets up with King Duncan, he discovers that he has indeed been promoted to thane of Cawdor. The King then informs Macbeth that he will be spending the night in his castle. So Macbeth rushes home to alert Lady Macbeth about the King's arrival and also about the prophesies. Lady Macbeth realizes that her husband is too kind and will never have the courage to get what he wants. Thus, she suggests killing the King in his sleep and blaming the murder on his servants, ensuring that Macbeth will ascend to the throne. This plan is carried out, but with misgivings on Macbeth's part. Soon the Witches' second prophecy also comes true and Macbeth is crowned King. But rather than enjoy the luxuries of his position, he is constantly haunted by the consequences of his actions.
I enjoyed Macbeth very much, although it is not my favorite Shakespeare play. I was especially impressed by the way in which Shakespeare conveyed the spooky surroundings and how well they tied in with the plot. If you are looking for a quick classic, Macbeth is a good option; I finished it in about 2 days, and probably could have finished it more quickly if I hadn't been so busy. My only complaint would be that as I got closer and closer to the end, the plot line became more and more predictable, but it was still an enjoyable read. I also made it easier on myself by reading Barron's Simply Shakespeare edition, which provides modern line translations.
The Lake is one of those stories which I would classify as plausible fiction. What would happen if we found a real Fountain of Youth, one that would eradicate disease? What would the political and social consequences be, and how would the proper authorities go about dealing with them? This is the premise of the story. The protagonist, Jeff, is at the center of the action, acting as a liason between the water company that owns Crowley Lake (the source of the magic water) and the government. His romantic interest, Kate, is an Irish reporter who doesn't quite understand why everyone being healthy is so bad. Along the way, the reader meets various other characters who are all affected by the magic water in some way or another.
While I enjoyed thinking about the concept presented in The Lake, the writing itself was not very engaging. I felt as if the main characters lacked depth, and while new characters were constantly being introduced, Crawford failed to adequately develop them. Because of this, as paradoxical as it may seem, the plot was good, but the story fell flat.
Note: This book was sent to me by the author for review through the third party Bostick Communications.
Again, a classic. I do love my classics, and I'll post this review just in case someone wants to know my opinion.
As the title indicates, this book is a collection of Stevenson's short stories, the main one being Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The story begins with the protagonist, Mr. Utterson, discovering a creature known as Mr. Hyde committing certain atrocities. He further investigates and links the man to his good friend, Dr. Jekyll. He soon discovers that Dr. Jekyll has succeeded in creating an alter ego in Mr. Hyde that allows him to seperate his good and evil inclinations and house them in seperate bodies. What happens next is truly horrifying, but you must read the book to find out; I'm afraid I may give too much away if I keep explaining. I must admit that I have not read Stevenson before, and I was pleasantly surprised by his ability to depict horror without boring or disgusting me, as modern horror literature often seems to do. For those who enjoy mild horror, not quite Poe-level, Stevenson would be a good fit.
The other stories are quite good, although none as good as Dr. Jekyll, in my opinion. One story in particular that I did enjoy was The Misadventures of John Nicholson. I was quite amused by the many misfortunes that the poor protagonist had to suffer through; it would be perfect for those looking for a quick and light read. A Lodging for the Night was also funny, but in a more satirical way. My only complaint would be the dialect used in Thrawn Janet, it was difficult to decipher at times, especially with the additional slang terms. But otherwise, I really enjoyed this collection of short stories and would recomment them to everyone.
No Good Like It Is tells the journey of Lieutenant Dobey Walls through the Civil War and, when the war ends, to find his family. On the way he encounters Native Americans, slaves, and even love.
For me, this book was hard to get through. For someone who already knows a great deal about the Civil War, it would be perfect, but for someone who knows just the basics, like me, it's simply too jargon-filled and complicated to follow. Although the writing style was not bad by any means, the content of the book simply didn't capture my interest. I also felt like too much time was wasted on fighting scenes. Although this is a great read for Civil War history buffs, it might prove too difficult of a challenge for the average reader.
Note: This book was sent to me by the author for review through the third party Bostick Communications.
