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Sunday, April 28, 2019

Books of 2019 - January to April

Happy Easter to all! Hopefully everyone's was wonderful (and nobody noticed my bowing out). Ahem. I know that my blogging has been rather sporadic lately - I apologize.
Anyways, as usual, when I cannot think of anything to blog, but have been neglecting the old thing, I blog about books. So - here are some books (reviewed in brief) that I have read so far this year. (And if anyone is curious why I rate the endings of fiction - as someone did ask about this last time - it's because I cannot stand good books with bad endings personally, or badly-done endings, probably more so than any other part of the book being done badly.)
The Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength)
by C.S. Lewis
This was one of the best books series/trilogies I have ever read. It was enjoyable. It was intense. It was light and comic. It was profoundly allegorical. It had such lovable characters. It had such gripping plot. It had settings like I'd never seen anywhere before, and described so vibrantly so as to almost arouse a physical taste and sight and smell of them, truly. When I heard it was a space story, I suppose it would be like every other space story - dark and stars and spaceships and weapons and military and alien civilizations and all the sorts of boring black and silver tech aesthetics that accompany most space stories now. But was I wrong. The first two particularly had such well-developed settings that I was almost drowning in qualia.
For the plots, Perelandra easily wins the crown - all of them had good plots, but Perelandra's was great. The first one's plot seems like nothing to get excited over if you just read a summary of it, but in the book it is quite splendid and leads you on quite well. The last one took some time to get started up on its plot, that's for sure, but once it finally did, its plot might have been better than Perelandra even.
The characters were great, particularly the recurring link, Professor Elwin Ransom (who, by the way, I now have a stuffed owl named after). The Scot in the third book (don't ask me to spell his name, please) would be a candidate for one of the most amusing characters in classic literature I've read. And the characterization of Merlin in the third book was quite fascinating and definitely unexpected.
My Favorite Character - Prof. Ransom, of course.
Writing Style - I'd say a pretty easy 5/5 stars.
Morality - 4/5 stars. It's definitely for adults because of certain discussions therein, but they're quite enlightening and definitely profoundly insighted.
The Ending - 4.5/5 stars. It was quite a close, and the scene at Belbury near the end was utterly terrifying. Not to mention, the resolve of the main character's family conflict was such a relief after a whole book of back and forth stress over it.
Overall Rating - About 4.5/5 stars as well. I would actually give it that fifth star if not for a rather slow beginning in the third book (which was good anyways... just a bit less enthralling than the first two books and their beginnings).
The Lost Arts of Modern Civilization
by Mitchell Kalpakgian
This book was a collection of essays detailing some beautiful traditional cultural practices that have disappeared in modern days. Some of the subjects focused on included dressing well, letter-writing, courtship, pleasing people, and hospitality. It was definitely enjoyable, but it was rather sad because everything in it was, I'm afraid, rather true - so many practices have been neglected for no good reason nowadays, and those practices helped society and the next generation blossom. It really is a shame. But anyway, the book was very good if you enjoy the essay style (I like it well enough, though I would have probably preferred a full-on book rather than short essays collected together).
Writing Style - 3/5 stars. I really wish the book was longer.
Morality - 5/5 stars.
Overall Rating - Probably 4/5 stars.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
by Baroness Orczy
Unlike the others above, I had actually read this one before - numerous times. And it is probably my favorite book, if I had to pick just one. The allegory, the romance, the setting, the characters, the writing style, and the sheer beauty of the book (plus the wonderfully pleasant scarlet and gold binding on our copy) is just sigh-inducing, like a melodic overture to an opera or something poetic like that.
My Favorite Character - Sir Percy Blakeny, Esquire.
Writing Style - Absolutely amazing - 5/5 stars at least for my personal preferences, and still at least 4/5 for technicalities.
Morality - Only 4/5 stars for minor swearing.
Overall Rating - 5/5 star. It is possibly my favorite book, after all.
Anyone who has read and wishes to see a movie of The Scarlet Pimpernel should really seek out the  B&W Leslie Howard version - it's really the only one that's true to the story.
The Power of Silence
by Cardinal Sarah
I'm still reading this one in addition to My Imitation of Christ, but it's quite a book. It really makes one stop and think - as it's supposed to. The book chronicles how one can truly find inner potential, particularly spiritual potential merely by closing off the noise and distraction of the outside world for sessions. It is, as Cardinal Sarah points out, nearly impossible to have a tenable relationship with God in a world as loud and rushed and ours is, so silence is really necessary to maintain any sort of spiritual motivation or progress, particularly in developing the virtues and prayer life. It's been a very good book so far, and I hope to finish it soon after Lent.
Writing Style - 3/5 stars for my personal preference (I don't really like the interview style), but the efficiency and technical prowess of it is more like 5/5.
Overall Rating - So far, 4/5 at least, but I'm not terribly far in.
Overall, so far this year has had nothing but very good, very formidable, and very high-ranking books in my own opinion. I definitely encourage the reading of them, particularly The Space Trilogy and The Power of Silence. What did you think? Have you read any of these? Do you want to? What are you reading right now? What's on your list for the future? How was your Easter-Tide?

10 comments:

  1. Oh how lovely! I've read The Space Trilogy and The Scarlet Pimpernel (both of which are masterpieces, I agree), but I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for the others. Currently, I'm reading nothing but a Lord Peter mystery...which I've neglected sorely all month, really should get back to the charming gentleman...and a 20s history.

    Our Easter Triduum was lovely, and the Octave has been nice as well, though it's been quite busy. How was yours, m'dear?

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    1. They are quite splendid, si, certo! But you do need to read Lost Arts of Modern Civilization - I have a feeling that you particularly would enjoy it. Ooh, Lord Peter, you say...? I still need to catch up with that gent - I'm afraid I always seem to have another date, and I haven't hit the library in a while...

      Splendida! That's great! Mine was also lovely - got to go to my first Tridentine Easter Vigil Mass, which was absolutely beautiful.

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  2. *Not so spontaneous spontaneous commenter appears again*
    Hmmm, I have only ever started the space Trilogy, and it was a long time ago so I must confess I found it quite boring. I think I have been convinced to try again though sometime.... As to the second and last, they also sound like something I need to add to my read list! If you had to pick between the two, which would you suggest more?
    As to the third one, I've already read it, but it's totally worth reading again!
    ¡Gracias parra post!

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    1. Well, you must pick it up again, because it really is one of the best fictions that has ever been written, really - it is extremely profound (much more than the Narnia series even, I find), and the descriptions and writing style are absolutely enriching in their vividness.
      Hmm. I would say that I would probably suggest The Power of Silence more, but you personally would probably enjoy Lost Arts more.
      Haha, si, certissimo!

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  3. Books are always a wonderful topic, :) I like that you rate on morality, that's so helpful for me :)

    Ahh! I love the Scarlet Pimpernel! It's been one of my favorites since I read it in high school :) I'll have to check out that movie adaptation - I have the other adaptation with Ian McKellen, and while it is a rather nice movie, it's got some nasty unnecessary content in there...*sigh* Hollywood....

    I really should have picked up The Power of Silence for Lent this year. I have a feeling my Lent would have been much more productive had I done that...oh well.

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    1. Thanks! Okay, good, thanks for the feedback! In that case, I shall continue to do so (before now, I have not).

      Me too! It really is just one of the best books. Si, certo, please do, because - while he doesn't really look the part - Leslie Howard's acting of Percy Blakeny is absolutely sensational, and the movie is mostly pretty true to the book (and has no unnecessary content of that ilk). I do still wish to watch the Ian Mckellen one eventually, though, so thanks for the warning!

      I know how you feel... I intended to finish or mostly finish it in Lent and only ended up getting about halfway through.

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  4. I so need to read the Space Trilogy and Scarlet Pimpernel .. and that second book looks soo good! Will be checking it out ;D

    keturahskorner.blogspot.com

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    1. Si, certo - please do! They are some of the best fiction you will ever read if you are so inclined. And, yes, "Lost Arts" is quite splendid. I most thoroughly recommend it.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. Out of the Silent Planet was my favourite out of the trilogy. I recently finished Lewis' Till we have Faces, and I highly recommend it.
    It's been ages since I've read (or listened to, or watched) The Scarlet Pimpernel. Though I find myself being reminded of the Scarlet Pimpernel when I read Lord Peter Wimsey books.
    Happy belated Easter!

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    1. It was definitely one amazing book, si, certo. Yes, I keep hearing that that one is good - I just haven't gotten my hands on it yet, unfortunately. I need to, though - the Space Trilogy really boosted my respect for Lewis' writing, and I can't wait to read more.
      Hmm. Well that's one score for Lord Peter, then - that's yet another book I need to find...
      Happy Easter to you as well!

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