Classics Club Readathon

The Classics Club Readathon is here! Unfortunately, I won't be able to dedicate the whole day to reading literary gems, but I'll spend as much time as I can indulging in snippets of genius here and there.

After much indecision and abrupt changing of mind on my part, I've finally decided on The Warden by Anthony Trollope.

Funnily enough, the novel's successor, Barchester Towers, has been sitting on my shelf for far too long. I bought it thinking it wasn't necessary to read the series in chronological order, but some astute reviews on Trollope convinced me otherwise. Once my painful ban on book buying was lifted, The Warden was one of my first purchases. I can't wait to properly dig in, so to speak, and only hope that I like Trollope as much as I hope I will.

I might not update this post again during the readathon and opt instead to focus on the literature. Nevertheless, I'll try to share a few thoughts on twitter. Yet even as I write this, fatigue is quickly setting in, so I best get going.

Happy reading, fellow Classic Club members! I look forward to hearing about your reading choices. So many wonderful classics, so little time....

A Victorian Celebration: Wrapping Up

Despite what the absence of posts related to this summer's Victorian Celebration might suggest, I did actually read for this event. In fact, I was so preoccupied with my nineteenth-century reading that I opted to stick my nose between the pages rather than sit down to write on my silly little blog. 

The Victorian period is my golden age, my belle epoque. So I truly appreciated Allie giving me an excuse to revel in this beloved era. I've read some fantastic literature, some old and some new (to me). A summary of what I got up to over the past several weeks is just ahead. But first...

 London 1888 -- I adore Victorian photography!

And now we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde: This play has more gravitas than The Importance of Being Earnest, but I loved what Wilde had to say about the hypocrisy of polite society in late Victorian England.

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon: My reading provided me with yet another fascinating Lady. How I would like to be a Lady! But to the point...this nineteenth-century mystery is full of murder, deception and madness. I can't wait to read more from this genre.

Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning: In a word, stunning! This collection of poems Barrett Browning wrote for her husband, fellow poet Robert Browning, are passionate and poignant. I read some of the letters this literary couple wrote to one another for my MA research, so I'm somewhat familiar with the details of their courtship and marriage. It was fun tracing biographical elements in these sonnets.

The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: I have now read every Bronte novel. Wahoo! This isn't Charlotte's finest work. I struggled through the first chunk of the novel, but its strong second half made the effort worthwhile. Now that I've finished all the Bronte novels, I'll be moving on to biographies and juvenilia. 

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool: Not yet finished, but I've been reading small doses of this intriguing work of non-fiction here and there. Pool's book elucidates all those little details of nineteenth-century life present in Victorian fiction that, over the years, have become enigmatic to the majority of twenty-first-century readers. Some of the information is a refresher course in what I already know and some sections are enlightening. I'm looking forward to discovering what else this text has in store for me.

Increasing my breadth of reading was a New Year's resolution of mine, so I'm proud of the range I managed --even when sticking within the parameters of the Victorian period. Two novels, one play, one collection of poetry and one work of non-fiction. Success! I'll be sharing more about these texts in future posts.

Although the Victorian event has concluded, I won't be straying too far from it in the immediate future. My dad, sister and I will be reading Bleak House together. The truth: I'm a wee bit nervous about it. I'll also be participating in Adam's Austen in August event. Austen + The Victorians = Fantastic Summer!

What have you been reading? Any tips on how best to approach a beast like Bleak House?

Victorian Artists: Sir Edwin Landseer

Dignity and Impudence 1839

I wrote my MA dissertation on dogs in nineteenth-century literature, and since then animals seem to pop up everywhere in my reading. Actually, they were most likely always there, but now I take notice of them. 

Throughout the Victorian Celebration, this trend has continued. Animals act as symbols that signify the wider themes in Lady Audley's Secret and The Professor. A labrador is an important character in the Sarah Waters novel I just finished earlier this evening (not Victorian, but still), while Sonnets from the Portuguese brings to mind the affectionate relationship Elizabeth Barrett Browning had with her spaniel Flush and how that's mirrored in her poetry.

So, I obeyed the sudden inclination to look through some Landseer artwork.

Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873) produced an incredible array of paintings featuring domestic animals and wildlife during the Victorian period -- in fact, he was commissioned to paint several portraits of Queen Victoria and the rest of the royal family, pets included. Although he is best remembered today for his lion sculptures that adorn Trafalgar Square, it's his portraits of animal that are, to me, the most poignant. 

Some of his representations are rather fanciful and anthropomorphic by twenty-first century standards (and some are disturbingly violent), but I feel he truly captured the spirit and individuality of animals. Landseer's work transcends the portrayal of animals as mere accessories to their aristocratic masters. I'm looking forward to finding out more about him and other nineteenth-century artists as I continue my fascinating research on the Victorians.

Here's a small sample of his paintings...

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert 

at Home at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England 1843

The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner 1837

The Arab Tent 1866

 Laying Down the Law 1840

 The Monkey Who Had Seen the World 1827

And this last one makes me smile. It reminds me of my own terrier who is always begging for food with a similar pleading expression. It's as if he's saying, 'Please, sir, I want some more.' 

Macaw, Love Birds, Terrier, and Spaniel Puppies

Belonging to Her Majesty 1839

P.S. Just scouted out this book containing Landseer's private drawings. I want it!

A Victorian Celebration: Commencement

It's here! It's here! Graciously hosted by Allie, A Victorian Celebration is a two-month reading event focusing on the era that I love best. As I've slowly been recovering from the horrid reading rut, the arrival of the Victorian Celebration couldn't have had better timing. Bring on the Dickens, the Eliot, the Wilde!

There are loads of tidbits I'm hoping to share with you during the next two months: why I adore the Victorians, some fantastic authors that have been largely forgotten by the reading public in recent years, fantastic film adaptations set during Victoria's reign, the cultural legacy of Victorians outside of literacy and more.

I love the passion of Jane Eyre, Charles Dickens's gift for caricature and the brilliant witticisms of the incomparable Oscar Wilde. I can't read too much about repressed sexuality and the griminess of nineteenth-century London. But there's so much more to the Victorians than this small handful of authors and hackneyed stereotypes. The Victorians provide a veritable goldmine of intriguing knowledge: the deeper one digs for treasure, the more gems one finds. I'm excited to share parts of my Victorian journey here -- a journey that I think will last a lifetime.

Meanwhile, I wanted to document some of the texts I'm hoping to dig into for the event. I may not get to all of these, or I may simply change my mind about what I want to read. Nor will I be exclusively reading from this time period for the next two months either. Still, a list will hopefully help me to stay focused when every Victorian book on my shelf calls to me -- they dominate my humble little library and it's easy to become a bit confused when trying to decide on just one. 

Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant

Margaret Oliphant is a prime example of a Victorian author who has fallen by the wayside. A prolific writer, she was reportedly a favorite of Queen Victoria. This novel about a young girl who sweeps into her father's house to rule the roost (and, by extension, the community itself) after he mother passes away is a book I've been wanting to read for a while.

Plays by Oscar Wilde

Hail to the master of the epigram! 

Oscar Wilde plays just glow, in my opinion. He somehow convinces me that all of life's difficulties can be resolved in two hours if one would just make the effort. The parties, romance and humor don't hurt either. Having read his two most popular plays, I want to read Lady Windermere's Fan and/or A Woman of No Importance.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

People tend to characterize Victorian fiction by its lengthy tangents (read, 800-plus pages) on poverty, suffering and death. But the truth is the Victorians fully embraced stories of fantastic adventure, particularly in the later years of the century. I've read (and loved!) such texts by H. Rider Haggard, but I haven't yet experienced the more popular tale of life on the high seas by Haggard's contemporary Robert Louis Stevenson.

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

In sensation fiction, deliberately provocative subjects such as adultery, madness, bigamy, murder, etc. receive a melodramatic treatment -- as if the subject matter itself wasn't dramatic enough! Although books in the genre were bestsellers during the Victorian period (especially in the 60s and 70s), critics condemned many of these texts as literary tripe. Only recently have Lady Audley's Secret, novels by Wilkie Collins and others been introduced to the canon.

Short Fiction by Elizabeth Gaskell

Elizabeth Gaskell rocks. She just does. Though they are drastically different, both North and South and Cranford are included among my exclusive list of favorites. But I'm dying to explore the mass of short fiction she left behind. From novellas and short stories to her Gothic Tales, Gaskell produced a vast array of literature beyond her novels.

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool

I'll be perusing these insights on nineteenth-century life as I read my selected works of fiction. Contextualizing the literature by gaining a better understanding of the times always enhances the reading experience for me. 

 I think that's more than enough to get me started on this long-awaited event. Now where to start? That's the tricky part. Which Victorians will you be reading during June and July? How's it going so far?

If you'd like to join the fun, go here for details. Happy Reading!

Her Fearful Symmetry: When a Setting Steals the Show

'What is more basic than the need to be known? It is the entirety of intimacy, the elixir of love, this knowing.'

Betting on Audrey Niffenegger's second novel was a gamble. Readers whose taste and judgment I admire both loved and loathed Her Fearful Symmetry. In the end, the pull of a Neo-Victorian ghost story set in and around a historical London cemetery was too strong for me to resist.

Unfortunately this gamble didn't pay off. Oh, I wanted so badly to like it, to love it even, to sing its praises to readers all around. I tried, I really tried, but Her Fearful Symmetry left me feeling cold and indifferent.

As seen in the author's wildly popular debut novel The Time Traveler's Wife, Niffenegger's writing has a mystical quality. It draws you in and almost makes you feel as though you're floating about the narrative, just as Elspeth's ghost flits around the London flat she's left to her twin nieces, and every once in a while I'd come across a phrase that stunned me (see above).

But a novel needs more than pretty prose to work as a whole. It needs compelling characters, and in this aspect Niffenegger failed to live up to her authorial potential. The Time Traveler's Wife had me rooting for its protagonists within moments of opening the pages. With all their strengths and flaws, I fell in love with Clare and Henry as quickly as they fell in love with each other. Full engagement with a single character in Her Fearful Symmetry eluded me.

Somewhere I heard the novel described as a testament to the enduring power of love. If by love one means supreme selfishness, deceit and possession, then yes, love abounds in the world of Her Fearful Symmetry. Every relationship, both familial and romantic, seemed twisted and warped to such an extent that it put me off the text as a whole. The majority of the characters chased after the travesty of intimacy. The semblance of love masked the dishonesty and secrecy that underpinned the narrative. That any character professed to have captured this intangible 'knowing' left me baffled. The so-called twists, which any observant reader will see coming a mile away, only enhanced my antipathy. All in all, Her Fearful Symmetry left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Highgate Cemetery is the saving grace in this novel. Established in 1839, the North London cemetery houses the graves of several notable figures: George Eliot, George Henry Lewes, Karl Marx, Ellen Wood, Stella Gibbons, and many members of the Rossetti and Dickens families, among others.

Niffenegger did her research on Highgate Cemetery -- she volunteered as a tour guide in preparation for the novel -- and it shows. For a place that houses the dead, Highgate is teeming with life. The vivid descriptions of this famous Victorian site, infused with a Gothic atmosphere, make Highgate Cemetery a character in its own right. Indeed, it's the star of the show. The sections in which the author takes the reader on a virtual tour, providing an informative and engrossing history of Highgate, were far and away my favorite bits of Her Fearful Symmetry. If only Niffenegger had given Highgate Cemetery its own story and cast aside these unsavory characters! Still, Highgate's presence made the writer's sophomore effort worth reading for me and were almost enough to make me enjoy the text as a whole.

Almost.

Methinks I see a visit to Highgate Cemetery in my future, and I'm also keen to read up on its fascinating history. I'll be sure to stop by the next time I'm in London. It's wonderful to see so many work to preserve this site of Victorian cultural significance!

The Woman in White Readalong

I've barely made a dent in my spring reading plans. Life has got in the way, cruelly pushing literary perusal to the back burner. And yet...

I just can't resist joining in The Woman in White Readalong hosted by Reading Rambo. This wildly popular sensation novel is calling me, and I find myself headed towards the proverbial white light. Joining the cyber-discussion of Wilkie Collins's most beloved text will be great fun, and the month-long schedule will still allow me to progress with my spring reading plans. Perfect!

To kick off the event, bloggers are meant to share their preconceptions about The Woman in White and its author. I probably know a bit more about this 1859 novel than many of the participants, because I've started it twice before and [gasp] never finished it. On my second attempt I was approaching the halfway point before jumping ship. Oh, the shame!

I wouldn't wish anybody to attribute my inattention to Collins's writing. In fact, on both occasions I found the The Woman in White to be intriguing and engaging, and on both occasions the multiple distractions of daily life managed to interrupt my experience. This time, however, I'm determined to succeed!

The readalong has come at an opportune time, because Wilkie Collins has been on this reader's mind quite a bit in recent months. The bohemian lifestyle of this benchmark Victorian writer (a great friend of Charles Dickens) has been a fascinating topic of research. I recently posted about how Collins secretly maintained relationships with two women under separate households. Coincidentally, the bigamy plot permeated the sensation genre for which Collins became famous, though I haven't seen any signs of it in his own fiction. Isn't it funny how art imitates life?

Not too long ago I also completed my first Wilkie Collins novel. Heart and Science was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this lesser-known work compares to the decidedly more famous Woman in White. Contained within a sub-plot of Heart and Science was a compelling depiction of vivisection (experimentation on live animals) -- a practice fiercely debated in the late-Victorian period. From what I've heard, The Woman in White also features representations of animals, a key area of interest for me. Do they anticipate Collins's later fascination with animal welfare? I'm excited to discover more work from this celebrated nineteenth-century writer. 

If you've read The Woman in White, what did you think of it? If you haven't read the novel, but are interested in doing so, consider joining the readalong!

British Bites: Victoria Sponge Cake

My culinary creation

When I hosted a discussion of Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford for my Book Club, I wanted to recreate an authentically English experience. In short, a tea party was clearly the order of the day. I pulled out my mother's minute teacups and saucers and purchased a variety of teas: fruit, peppermint, camomile and a basic black. Can I tell you how thrilled I was to find Tetley's tea in my local American grocery store? Premium Early Grey is very fancy and all, but sometimes I like to stick with what I know.

My dilemma consisted of determining which classic English food I should make to accompany the tea. My first thought was to bake scones, an idea that was quickly scratched when I discovered what a lengthy process it is to make clotted cream. Why can't I buy that here?! Then I had an epiphany: Victoria sponge cake! When I discovered during my online research that the Victoria sponge is so called because it was popular during that monarch's reign in the nineteenth century, I was sold. It fit in perfectly with a reading of Cranford, a text that perfectly evokes a sense of rural community in Victorian England.

My cake was a success! I followed this recipe from BBC Food, and it was delicious -- though I say it myself. It seemed to go down well with the Book Club, as many of my fellow readers gobbled up two servings. True, they might have accepted proffered cake slices merely as a matter of politeness, stuffing whole chunks into their handbags to spare my feelings. My family, on the other hand, wouldn't withhold the truth. They loved it too. Christian, my brother, even requested I whip up another Victoria sponge cake for his birthday party this weekend. I consider that a success!

So, I happily pass on the recipe for this glorious confection to you, with the modifications I made to accommodate American cooking.

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

milk to loosen

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of two 7-inch cake tins with wax paper. (I used a 9-inch cake pan, and it still turned out well.) Grease tins with cooking spray and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.  

Beat butter and sugar until it becomes pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture. Add milk as needed. (I think I used a few tablespoons.) The batter should be thick, with a consistency that is closer to, say, a cream cheese frosting than a traditional cake batter. 

Divide batter into the cake tins, and bake for 20-25 minutes. After taking cakes out of the oven, allow them to cool for approximately 5 minutes before removing from the tins and peeling off wax paper. Then let them cool completely.

The beauty of the Victoria sponge cake is that you can choose your filling. Traditionally, it has a cream and raspberry filling. I slathered on store-bought Smucker's raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream. You could also use strawberry jam, fresh fruit, lemon curd, etc. Once the cakes have been sandwiched together with the filling, liberally dust the top with powdered sugar. It makes 10-12 servings. If you're like me, you'll add a large dollop of whipped cream to each slice upon serving. That extra creaminess is worth maxing out your weekly saturated fat allowance.

That's it. Do you see how easy that is to make? (If this reluctant baker can do it, you most certainly can.) It's simple but tasty. If you like cake half as much as I do, you will be in dessert heaven with the Victoria sponge!  I highly recommend whipping one up the next time you're crave a delectable treat. You won't be disappointed.

The Classics Club

I'm thrilled to announce that I will be participating in The Classics Club, recently established (and hosted) by Jillian at A Room of One's Own. After much deliberation, I have finally formed a list of 100 works of fiction I hope to have read in six years time. I have also whipped up short little lists of poetry, drama and non-fiction selections to be read alongside my fictional titles. You can view my page dedicated to the project to see my chosen texts.

Making The List required great restraint on my part, because it quickly turned into a Bookish Bucket List. I reminded myself that I didn't need to include every book I'd like to read before I die in this five-year plan. Giving books I already own the priority has helped me to narrow things down significantly.

I've also tried to give my project a sense of balance. True, the majority of my chosen texts are from favourite time period: the long nineteenth century. This was deliberate, as I really want to delve deeper into my beloved Victorian and Romantic eras. Nevertheless, the list ranges chronologically from the Renaissance to the contemporary. There are numerous children's books, and I've attempted to include some American and French authors into my reading. Some are tried-and-true classics, while other selections are non-canonical. In some cases, I'm attempting to include an author's entire oeuvre (e.g., Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the complete Sherlock Holmes), and I'm also adding one or two texts from authors with whom I've yet to be acquainted (Flannery O'Connor, Nathaniel Hawthorne). I think this list represents the breadth of reading I hoped to achieve. Bring on the literary adventure!

I have no intention of reading exclusively from this list over the next six years -- it may even alter as time goes by. Rather, the purpose of my participation in The Classics Club is to focus my reading and give me an opportunity to discuss literature with people who share a similar love of the classics. I'll be sharing my literary opinions and reading experiences along the way. While it's aimed primarily at bloggers, anybody is welcome. Please consider joining in the fun. (Click here for more information.) Happy reading, everybody!

The Magical 11: Benedict Cumberbatch and Other Tidbits

Cassandra from Literary Stars and Preethi from Lace, Etc. recently tagged me, urging me to complete The Magical 11 blog post. In it, we are meant to share eleven random facts about ourselves, as well as answer the eleven questions set forth by the tagger.

11 Fun Facts

1. Like most of Britain, I have a crush on Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch (pictured above). I'm still waiting for America to catch on to this obsession. Wake up, patriots! He's the next big thing.

2. Reader's confession: I'm not keen on reading poetry. However, I love listening to it as it's read aloud. This, I firmly believe, is how poetry is meant to be experienced. It's music to the ears.

3. Geek alert: my reader friends and I love a man with (and this is a direct quote) 'a sexy reading voice.' Yep, we're nerds like that. Before you make fun, I dare you not to melt while listening to Benedict Cumberbatch's recitation of John Keats's 'Ode to a Nightingale.' Never underestimate the power of the Sexy Reading Voice.

4. Apparition would undoubtedly be my superpower of choice. Wouldn't it be fabulous to go wherever one wanted in an instant? No expensive flight fees, no customs and immigration, no jet lag. I get giddy just thinking about it.

5. I love romantic comedies, but the genre has degenerated into tripe in recent years. What happened to witty classics like When Harry Met Sally?

6. I plan on naming any future children after beloved authors and/or literary characters. I've done this with my pets since I was a wee girl (RIP Watson the Hamster).

7. I refuse to eat anything that lived in water. The flavour that results is too awful for me to stomach. I was even put off vegetarian sushi because of the seaweed. Ick.

8. I've dreamt of a Jane Austen-inspired wedding dress since I was fifteen. At this point, I wonder if I want the dress more than the husband. Something along the lines of this:

9. I prefer to watch television series on dvd, when I can watch an entire season in one go. My current favourite is Parks and Recreation. It's similar to The Office (U.S. version) but far more consistent. I highly recommend watching it.

10. People seem to have a lot of preconceptions about the Marquis de Sade, but I maintain his fiction is unintentionally hilarious.

11. I'm obsessed with literary travel destinations. Right now I'm dreaming up a visit to Louisa May Alcott's home. I fell in love with Orchard House as a twelve-year-old and have been dying to see it for myself ever since I learned it was a 'real' place.

Orchard House

Cassandra's Questions

1. If you could live in any age (present day included) you wanted to, which would you choose? Definitely the present day! While my obsession with all things Victorian has been well documented, the 1800s weren't the best time to be a woman: you couldn't vote, legally lost your property upon marriage, your husband could beat you and there were no tampons (sorry about the TMI, but facts are facts). Yes, the dresses were fabulous, but could a perpetual sloucher like me endure the constricting corsets? Probably not. If they ever invent a time machine, though, Victorian London is where I'll head first for a day on the town.Then I'd attend a Regency Ball in the evening.

2. Is there a literary character you identify with?
Yes! Depending on my mood and the situation wherein I find myself I am: Elizabeth Bennet, Anne Shirley, Jane Eyre, Lucy Honeychurch, Hermione Granger, Agnes Grey, Anne Elliot, Margaret Hale, Jo March, etc., .etc., etc. I hope to grow into an Aunt Betsey Trotwood as times goes by.

 I wouldn't mind being Lucy Honeychurch in this particular moment

3. The world is divided into two different kinds of people: those who plan their own funerals and those who don't. To which do you belong?
I am firmly placed in the latter category. I confess I find the idea of planning one's funeral without any particular impetus rather morbid. It's a little too Harry Burns for my taste (see my reference to When Harry Met Sally above). 

4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?
Right now, I'd like to live in both England and America, popping back and forth whenever I pleased. Unfortunately, such a lifestyle is rather expensive.

5. How do you manage the balance between reading and going out?
The trick, I think, is to acquire friends who read. Then nights at the pub become hours-long conversations about literature and other fascinating topics. If anything, time spent with friends encourages me to read even more.

6. What is your favourite quote? 
'The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.' I adore these words from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. At the time they were obviously intended to defend the author's use of the rising form of the novel. But I still think they're as applicable today, though in a different sense. People don't seem to read like they formerly did. I'm grateful that blogging has connected me with other avid readers.

7. The eternal question: which is better, Oxford or Cambridge?
Oxford. I've visited Oxford a couple of times and have been absolutely enchanted with it, whereas I haven't experienced Cambridge yet. Random tidbit: I came across the most hilarious street name in Oxford: Toot Hill Butts. The jokes that could be made about that one...

8. Is there a song which has special meaning to you?
Ooh, this is a tricky one. Going along with my discussion of pond hopping above, I would say 'Transatlanticism' by Death Cab for Cutie. It's a fabulous, underrated song.

9. What is your favourite quote?
I'm thrilled to get another shot at this question. Jane Eyre is full of memorable quotes, but I particularly love when Jane asserts the following:

This Jane Eyre necklace on etsy is fabulous

Also, I love Polonious's word in Hamlet: 'This above all: to thine own self be true.' Words to live by.

10. Romantic comedy or thriller?

I already answered that one above, but I will expound upon it by saying that, as a naturally anxious person, tense thrillers and horror films are my personal hell. I expend a great deal of effort to calm myself, why would I then pay money to undo all my hard work?

11. Why do you read? 

I read, because literature is my life. My education, travel opportunities, life experiences and dear friends have often been the result of my love of literature, the consequence to my pursuit of it. I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't read the books I've read -- and will read!

Preethi's Questions

1. What is your favourite song from high school? Ooh, tough one. I'd have to say 'I Love You' by Sarah McLachlan. It was a favourite as soon as I heard it on my teenage drama of choice, Roswell.

2. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be? I want to go everywhere! In Europe, I'm dying to go to Vienna, and I still haven't been to Edinburgh. Worldwide, I'd say Africa. I have this vision of myself arrayed in khaki and a wide-brimmed hat, pulling out the binoculars on a safari. But I'm slightly allergic to mosquitoes. It could be tricky to pull off.

Oh, this would be fabulous!

3. What would be your ideal birthday gift? A library. Or a puppy. Or a one-way plane ticket to England. I'd happily accept any of the above.

4. What is your favourite time of day? Just before sunset. I love the cooling temperatures at this time of day in the summer, the soft light and the long shadows that fall over everything.

5. What is your favourite article of clothing? I have great sentimental attachment to my University of Leeds hoodie.

6. What is your favourite thing to drink? Coke! Oh, how I love it. Unfortunately, I had a stomach ulcer some years ago that will flare up at the slightest provocation. Caffeine, consequently, is a rare treat for me.

7. What is one skill you'd like to learn? I love classical music, particularly pieces which feature strings and the piano. I play the latter quite poorly, but I'd love to learn to play the cello. It's on The Bucket List!

8. What was your favourite summer job? My favourite summer job was lounging during the day and having sleepovers at night. Somehow I missed out on the summer job rite of passage.

9. What was your favourite childhood cartoon? Duck Tales. Oh, I wanted to be Webby and swim in Uncle Scrooge's sea of gold. Funnily enough, I never understood the majority of the lyrics to the opening song apart from the emphatic 'Duck Tales' that came at the end of each line. Also, Alvin and the Chipmunks. I still love listening to the Chipmunk Christmas Album. I don't care what anybody says, they're cute!

10. What's your favourite family memory (either growing up or recently)? I love vacations with my family. We're all slighty -- and I think adorably -- neurotic, so vacations really bring out the melodramatics. I have memories of getting lost in Hawaii, because my dad was bewildered by Honolulu's one-way roads, my brother declaring that he wanted his Disneyworld souvenir to be a battleaxe, my mum getting upset when my dad purchased samurai swords at a flea market for a ridiculous sum (that are now gathering dust somewhere in our house). Family vacations are always memorable if somewhat insane.

At a luau on the island of Oahu

11. Do you like nicknames? Yes, we go a bit crazy for nicknames in our family. I have been called the following throughout the years: Di, Nana, Dinana, Dinananana and Diana Banana. Di is my diminutive of choice, but it drives me nuts when people I don't particularly like call me that -- one has to be a friend or family member before I'll allow them the privilege. We also have an array of nicknames for Percy: Perceval P. Pup (my dad's invention), Pooker, Pooker Pooh, Pooks, Perc, Persnickety, The Perconator, The Poodler, and so on. I could continue, but I won't subject anybody to a full catalogue.

I won't tag anybody, since Cassandra tagged many of our fellow blogging friends. But I'd love to hear any answers to these questions in the comments below!

Heart and Science by Wilkie Collins

Heart and Science is my first experience with Wilkie Collins. As a Victorianist, I've been meaning to familiarize myself with this key novelist of the period for some time. Collins is well known for his novels The Woman in White and The Moonstone, where I originally meant to start, but the illustration of Victorian scientific debates in Heart and Science quickly drew my attention. I actually began this novel ages ago (and briefly commented on it in a previous post), but the expiration of my university library privileges meant that I was forced to return the book partially read. Luckily, I was able to acquire a copy from another library, finally allowing me to see this intriguing plot to the end.

The novel revolves around the recently orphaned Carmina Graywell. Raised in Italy, she returns to England where she will be under of the guardianship of her paternal aunt Mrs. Gallilee. Ovid Vere, Mrs. Gallilee's son by a previous marriage, immediately falls in love with his benevolent cousin and the two quickly become engaged. Unbeknownst to Ovid or Carmina, Mrs. Gallilee is on the brink of financial ruin. Dependent on the vast sum of money that is allocated to her while Carmina remains under her care, she maliciously resolves to tear the pair apart through manipulative methods of subterfuge in order to retain access to Carmina's inheritance.

Knowing that the bulk of Wilkie Collins texts are classified as sensation fiction, I was expecting the plot to be more...well, blatantly sensational. True, there are faintings fits and bouts of madness galore. But for the most part, the conflicts between the characters are fought through subtextuality. Mrs. Gallilee will tell the family's governess Miss Minerva A, by which she really means B. Miss Minerva, realizing that Mrs. Gallilee is hinting at B though she says A, will respond with C, by which she really means D. It can render passages of dialogue a bit confusing at times, but the manifestation of such passive-aggressive tension is also very interesting for the reader.

Wilkie Collins

Because Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens were great friends and colleagues, I idly wondered before diving into Heart and Science if Collins's representation of women would coincide with that of his BFF. As I've expressed before, Dickens's heroines aren't the multi-faceted women I would like to see in fiction. Rather, many of them (e.g., Lucy Manette in A Tale of Two Cities) seem to be an incarnation of his angel-of-the-house fantasy. I'm happy to report that Carmina Graywell didn't fall into that category for me. She is unbelievably kind, continually placing a faith in others that could be foolhardy but instead wins her friends wherever she goes. When the situation calls for it, however, she stands up for herself. She defies Mrs. Gallilee in spite of the threats her aunt employs in an effort to subdue her. But Carmina won't be subdued. She is an illustration of how a Victorian heroine can be traditionally feminine yet strong.

As I mentioned above, I was initially drawn to Heart and Science for its engagement with Victorian science. Vivisection, experimentation on living animals, was widely practiced and hotly debated at the time. Dr. Benjulia, a friend of Mrs. Gallilee's, becomes interested in family affairs as a result of his fixation on brain disease. He also secretly practices vivisection in his laboratory, hoarding an array of unfortunate animals for the purpose. Chapter 32 is a discussion of vivisection, in which Collins carefully inserts many of the arguments against this cruel practice. Benjulia's words on the subject, and why he chooses to indulge in vivisection, are chilling:

Have I no feeling, as you call it? My last experiments on a monkey horrified me. His cries of suffering, his gestures of entreaty, were like the cries and gestures of a child. I would have given the world to put him out of his misery. But I went on. In the glorious cause I went on. My hands turned cold -- my heart ached -- I thought of a child I sometimes play with -- I suffered -- I resisted -- I went on. All for Knowledge! all for Knowledge! (p. 191)

I loved the exploration, one still relevant today, of what we are willing to sacrifice for the advancement of science and technology. Are we paying too great a price?

These analyses aside, Heart and Science is a fast-paced, enjoyable read. It left me eager to explore more of Wilkie Collins's texts as well as sensation fiction by female authors, namely Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon and East Lynne by Ellen Wood. I'm interested to see how the genre is represented by women. Are the generic trends essentially the same, or do they differ based on the gender of the author? If you've read them, I'd love to hear what you think as well as any sensation fiction recommendations!