Nikoline's Choice . . . A bit of Ancestory

So this picture isn't actually the cover of the book, but it's about a pioneer girl and her family (one of which happens to be a little sister). So I thought the picture was appropriate. The best part about this book is . . . drum roll please . . . it's about my ancestors! That's right. It's written by my great-great Aunt Margaret Maw, who I played in the wonderful musical In Our Lovely Deseret. I never knew I had a writer in the family. But I was given these books (it's a three part series) as a graduation gift when I left USU. What a fabulous gift. Possibly the best ever. The books are fictional but it's pretty obvious the Ma and Pa of the book are my great-great grandparents who migrated from Denmark when they joined the Church. In fact there's an inscription on the title page that reads "To Beulah, a grand daughter of the Ma and Pa of this book. Margaret Maw 1947." Beulah is my dad's mother.

It was such a fun easy read. And I already am planning on reading these stories to my children when they are little. I had the blessing of growing up just farms away from the setting of this story, Deseret, Utah; but my children won't be so lucky. So in order to give them an idea of what their ancestors had to do I'll have to read them these books. Then when we visit Delta it will be like putting a place to the story.

It just amazes me how much my great-great-grandpa Nels gave up for the Church. I always knew he had so much Faith and it breaks my heart that so many of his descendants have wondered. I remember a distinct moment on my mission when I thought of this great man and was sure I made him proud. Which is funny because Lena (the main character, Margaret) is always saying her father warns her not to be proud. But my favorite of his quotes was the idea that a bathtub is "the ways of Babylon creeping in." Too funny. Another laugh out loud moment was when he swore to give up coffee after President Taylor came to town and talked about the Word of Wisdom. But a couple weeks later ol' Pa was drinking his coffee again. Guess it's always ran in the family to battle the Word of Wisdom. Just amazes me that he can give up his family, his home, and his money for the Church but not his coffee! What a Petersen.

The story has it sad moments. Pa losses his first claim (or farm) when he forgets to pay the fee on the land. The family lends out their horses for the winter and losses over half of them. Their good friend dies shortly after his family finally joins him from Denmark. And every member of the family sacrifices all their earnings to send Lena to the Academy in Provo. That scene nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Overall it was a great read, but I might be prejudice. I'll have to admit the writing is nothing great. A good kids story, easy for an independent reader. My favorite part about it is I googled some of the titles and found out copies are up on Amazon for $85 to $110. I've got a real treasure on my hands. And I wouldn't give it up for a million bucks.

Couldn't put this one down

I love contemporary fiction. And this one caught my eye almost a year ago. I finally broke down and bought it when I saw my sister-in-law reading it over the holiday. And I'm so glad I did. What a great read. I just wish I could come up with a story so fascinating. I can't even count how many times I yipped and hollered out loud. Ben was getting a kick out of me. I just couldn't stop reading it all day. Every third page made me yelp or laugh. I really wonder how people come up with such compelling stories. I know the author must have done a lot of research about circus life in the 1930's. That's what stops me from being a writer, I just couldn't do all that research, and I'm not that creative either. I'd have to stick to non-fiction writing. And even that requires some research. Someday . . .

Anyway, about the book. Well, I don't even know what to say because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. Not that anyone really reads this blog anyway. As for a literary critique. Great narrator. The voice and tone of the book really pull you in as you read. Good mix of humor and suspense. And I really love that it's an old man telling a story, as he says "I remember it like it was yesterday, hell I remember it better than yesterday." Not only does this story pull you into the circus life, but the chapters where you sit in the nursing home with old man Jacob, you just really feel for the elderly. You realize they're people with great stories and large emotions.

I will say it's a little racy at times. Never for more than a page. Not that that makes it okay. I just wanted to give a fair warning to anyone interested in reading it. Deep down though Jacob's a classy guy. With a real good heart. As for the antagonist. I hate that they give him a mental disorder, as if to say that's the reason for his poor temperament. I know plenty of people with red hot tempers who aren't in need of psychiatric help. And I know plenty of stand up people in need of psychiatric help who are just plain delightful. So I guess in the end it shouldn't bother me. But it did just a little bit. I have nothing else to say. Other than it's a must read, super entertaining, delightfully thrilling; it just doesn't stop surprising you until you turn the last page.

My Dear Friend Tess

I finally finished Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I was almost done when I left my book at my friend Marie's house. I had to wait a whole week to finish the final chapters. When I turned the last page I think I said to myself (out loud, cause I do talk to myself) "Good job Mr. Hardy!" It was such a great read. I was told the basic plot before I began reading it. I knew it was about a girl who was raped, then fell in love, and when she told her new love about her past he left her. But there were still plenty of surprises. Parts that actually made me gasp, grunt, and laugh out loud. I only had about 15 pages left to read today, but those last 15 pages just totally shocked and thrilled me. I really think the story line is fabulous. And I can't help but wonder if it wasn't a little before it's time. It just seems like most Romantic/Victorian novels I've read in the past are nothing like this one. Yet the writing really puts it in its time. Easy to read, beautiful prose.

My favorite such prose is found on page 100 of Volume II, just after Angel St Clare finds out about her past. The narrator says, "With all his attempted independence of judgment this advanced and well-meaning young man, a sample product of the last five-and-twenty years, was yet the slave to custom and conventionality when surprised back into his early teachings. . . In considering what Tess was not, he overlooked what she was, and forgot that the defective can be more than the entire." It also goes on to say that no prophet had told him (or anyone for that matter) that Tess's rape was not her sin. It just kills me that during that time period rape really was considered the sin of an innocent woman. Just blows my mind. Especially because Angel confesses to having spent a night himself with another woman, this confession relieves Tess and so she tells him about the situation with her monstrous cousin, Alec D'Urberville, and Clare packs up and leaves her! It just flabbergasts me.

But the ending even flabbergasts me more than that. I love it. This one will definitely be on my list of the top 50. It may rank in the 40's, but it will be there. I wonder if Hardy has another classic I can read. I also wonder what his religious affiliations were. I would assume he was raised Christian, but deep down was rather atheist. Much like Angel Clare. I think it's really ironic that Tess runs into Alec years after the rape and he has become a devout Christian. Much to the thanks of Angel's father. When she meets him again I couldn't decide if I liked him or not. Forgiveness is a hard thing. When finishing this book, I tried to think of all the religious symbolism of this novel, but it wasn't until I looked up themes on Sparknotes.com (my professors would be ashamed) that I realized Justice is a huge underlying theme. And to think I over looked it, Justice has always been one of my favorite themes. It seems to appear in a lot of classic novels, Shakespeare, Dickens, they all used it. So why wouldn't Mr. Hardy. But the role Justice plays in his novel is quite different from other novels I've read. He seems to think Justice is a cruel joke the pagan gods seem to play on those that suffer. Christianity teaches that those who suffer will receive happiness in the life after this one, but Tess's family seems to have no happiness in sight, and for her punishments are large (even in the after life she will face a "Just" punishment). But I will say Alec gets what he deserves. And I love it! The D'Urbervilles really seem to have a family curse that follows them around.