Today I’ll be looking at the two classic novels I read for the second Dueling Monsters readalong: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (which I read) and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (which I listened to). I had originally signed up to read The Picture of Dorian Gray but added the other so that I could more fairly proclaim a winner. Neither, thankfully, was the sort of scary I try to avoid, and I would recommend either for some good Halloween reading.
Tag Archives: historical fiction
Halloween for the Faint of Heart: “Mistress of the Art of Death”
I don’t do scary, creepy, or horrifying. Not in movies, not in books. If it will keep me up at night, I am not interested! So each year, when October comes around, I feel a little left out. What’s an easily scared reader to do amidst the Halloween frenzy?
This year, I’ve put together some of my favorite non-horror Halloween-appropriate reads. I’ll be sharing them over the next few days. If you, like me, are a bit faint of heart, stop back for some books that just might get you into the Halloween spirit. Welcome to the first installment of Halloween for the Faint of Heart!
First up, how about a little Medieval mystery? I don’t like contemporary mysteries; they feel too possible. But with historical mysteries, the time gap creates enough separation that I can enjoy the story without worrying.
One of my very favorite historical mystery series is Ariana Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death series. At present, there are four books: Mistress of the Art of Death, The Serpent’s Tale, Grave Goods, and A Murderous Procession. You could pick up any book and enjoy it, but in my opinion it’s best to start at the beginning. The plot lines and characters do build on one another from story to story.
Sunday Salon: A Giant Book and a Secret Project
This Sunday, I have two fun things to tell you about: a giant book and a secret project. The Giant Book I recently discovered that my sister and I have both been thinking about reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. After a brief discussion, we decided to read it together so we can provide …
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Readers of the World, I Need Your Help!
Okay, readers, I need your help. I’ve joined the World Party Reading Challenge, hosted by Packabook, who took over from Fizzy Thoughts. I’m really excited to read more world literature! But first…I have to find it. The challenge site offers suggestions for each month, which is a wonderful resource. Or, I could always turn to …
Thoughts on “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger
Holden Caulfield has been kicked out of multiple well-known boys’ schools. In fact, he begins his story just after he’s been expelled from Pencey, his latest, and is waiting out the final days of the term before Christmas holidays, when he will leave Pencey for good and return to New York City. One night, a few days before winter break begins, Holden decides he’s too “sad and lonesome” to wait the term out at Pencey. He packs his bags, gets on a train to New York, and spends the next few days killing time in the city, wandering from hotel to bar to museum, calling anyone he can think of, and avoiding his parents.
Holden’s voice is what made The Catcher in the Rye for me. It’s rambling and unfiltered and exaggerated, teeming with verbal idiosyncracies and reeking of Holden’s personality.