Happy National Poetry Month!

I am doing something exciting for this year's National Poetry Month. I am attempting to write poetry every day for the month of April. Perhaps some days I'll be revisiting previous poems or adding a stanza to the previous day's work. At the end of the month I'll share the best thing I wrote in April.
I'm inviting my college friends to join me and I thought I would extend the invitation to you as well. I'll share my best poem on my blog and would love it if you link your work in the comments. National Poetry Month isn't just about appreciating great poetry that's come before. It's also about being brave enough to try your own hand at poetry.
So who of you will join me? Let's make this a productive month of reading, writing, and searching our souls.

Reading Challenges- Sherlock Holmes

I see blogs hosting reading challenges all the time, I've even participated in a few. However, I really want to host my own now.
I've been reading so much Sherlock Holmes, the originals and pastiches and talking to others that either have been as well, or want to start. This is why I suddenly want to host a Sherlock Holmes reading challenge.
Obviously there are several obstacles such as getting the word out and the question: Who wants to start a reading challenge in February?
Perhaps I'll wait and make this a summer reading challenge, in the meantime I'll put out some feelers to see if there is any interest in such an undertaking. Think of it as sort of a book club for those that are enamoured with the great detective.
The exact parameters still have to be determined, but probably the standard 4-6 books and I'll probably include movies as well.
What do you guys think?

Review: Sense and Sensibility (1995)

I don't want to get beaten up... but in many ways I prefer the 2008 film to this version of Sense and Sensibility, this is no comment on the acting- the cast is fabulous- simply the fact that the longer, episodic form of the 2008 version gave the story breathing room and allowed for more of the book to be adapted. There were many moments where I thought "Yes, but then in the book ____ happens" or "They didn't ____."

Emma Thompson is dazzling as the quietly struggling Elinor (one of my favorite Austen characters played by one of my favorite actresses), and her screenplay does use a lot of Austen's own lush language to her advantage. Even though her screenplay is limited by the time allowance for the feature film format, she gives great characterization to all the characters. Kate Winslet is excellent as Marianne, very young, which is perfect for the character. There are also some moments where she seems a little bratty, especially toward Elinor, but that fits well and helps create and interesting dynamic between the sisters. Gemma Jones is also admirable in the role of Mrs. Dashwood. She is, as the book describes her, very similar to Marianne in many ways and seems almost half in love with Willoughby herself.

As far as the menfolk go (oh no, I'm getting to the shallow part of my review quicker than I had intended...), Greg Wise is believably dashing as Willoughby and very likable. There are slight hints of his hiding something, but for the most part it is very unexpected in the film when his previous indiscretions come to light. Hugh Grant is classically awkward, but it works very well for the character of Edward Ferrers and his bumbling attempts at communication with Elinor are very sweet and endearing. Alan Rickman is by far the most fabulous of the men in this film. He is passionate, long suffering, and so darn honorable. His facial expressions tell so much emotion, though he is reserved. He is also very pretty, in a totally manly way.

The supporting cast was also very strong. Hugh Laurie makes a brief, but humorous appearance as Mr. Palmer and Imelda Staunton plays his ever chatting wife, Charlotte. Imogen Stubbs as Lucy Steele comes across as calculating and slightly evil- I like this interpretation. Her little chick fight with Fanny, played by Harriet Walter is highly amusing. James Fleet is a good fit as John Dashwood, Elinor and Marianne's hen-pecked half brother. However, I will always prefer Mark Gatiss in the role. Perhaps it is because I like gingers, perhaps it is because I like Mark Gatiss. Who can tell?

Overall, a good adaptation, even if it is a little too condensed. There are some very lush outdoor scenes and some nice interiors as well for those that enjoy historical buildings and furnishings. The only thing it lacked that I so enjoyed in the 2008 version is a sense of darkness and bleakness in the visuals in the beginning. The atmosphere of uncertainty wasn't as obvious, nor was the desperation of the Dashwoods' financial situation. Still, it was enjoyable and is definitely worth the watching, especially if you don't have the time to dedicate to the 2008 mini-series.

However- I must say that in the movie poster Kate Winslet's hair looks like a weird curl helmet, it's much prettier than that in the movie.

I almost forgot: Everything Austen Challenge

Whoops, I've neglected this challenge for a while. I can't remember if this is my 3/6 or my 4/6 project. As this challenge is for everything Austen, Austen inspired crafts and such are fair game. Well, I made this reticule a little while back and forgot to post it. It's sort of my interpretation of those bags all such heroines carry their necessities in in every film adaptation. The tapered bottom and drawstring/wrist strap is a pretty standard look, I made it my own by making a knit overlay I wove out of some lovely purple yarn. It's fully lined and up on one of my Etsy shops here. There are more pictures on the site.
I swore I would finally finish Mansfield Park for this challenge... guh, I haven't yet. It's the one novel of Austen's I've never been able to get into.

NaNoWrimo Day 26

I'm almost caught up to my suggested word count! Now there are only about 8,000 words to go until I reach 50,000. Yay.
I can't believe I was such a downer the other day. Unbelievably I still have a little bit of plot to write and have written very little word count padding crap so far this year.
Truthfully, it was a gamble this year, I picked my plot only a week before starting but being a planner with a new story has proved to be better than last year's story even though the characters had been brewing in my head for a while- I was still mostly a "pantster" in terms of preparation.
I'll be revealing my killer soon. Again, it's probably wrong, but I'm very excited. In fact, this deserves an epic and mysterious image:

Rolling Into Day Six

Tonight the Literary Society held a writing workshop. Our turn out wasn't spectacular, but it was better than expected. We all contributed writing prompts to a bowl and started the night by sitting around talking about what we're working on (or not as the case may be, then we pulled from the bowl of plots and took a minute to write a few sentences about it.
One girl has obviously not been taking enough creative writing classes, she seemed liberated by the idea that an essay format was not expected. We all felt a little liberated actually.
After the initial prompt exercise one of my friends and I excused ourselves to a separate "quiet writing room" to work alone. I brought my laptop and broke 10,000 words, my goal for the night.
Later, when I got home I found I wanted to keep working and I've been writing for a little while now, breaking 12,000. There was a quotation by Geoff Nicholas I heard once that equates writing to drinking and I think it's always important to leave the table while you could still maybe write a little more. Sometimes if I let ideas and words fester for a little while it's easier to put them all down later.
Surprises so far? I, the plotless wonder has actually constructed a pretty tight story (maybe a little too tight, so I still might have a little issue with word count). Some interesting gender dynamics have occurred unintentionally. My protagonist walks that fine line where she could either become a great force against crime or be quite a good criminal herself- she picks more pockets and locks than I originally anticipated. I like her though. She also reminds me a lot of her sister in some ways.
Oh, yes, her sister. While I was plotting out my protagonist's back story (even if it won't all be revealed in this particular story I like to have it well fleshed out) and while I was wondering about her siblings a character from last year's NaNo (the only good thing from that story) burst in and told me she was my protagonist's sister. I'm unutterably pleased with this. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to use this character due to some botch-ups in last year's story, but she fits so well in this "world", family and genre I believe. Maybe she'll appear in the sequel.
Now, it's two a.m., I must get to bed.
I am also swearing off NaNo for the next 24 hours to catch up on school work.

End of Day 4 and The Things I do for Journalism

I'm at about 8 and a half thousand words, still pretty well on track, I have to take Saturday off from NaNo to catch up on papers for my literature classes (maybe next year I should independent study NaNo). So tomorrow I'll be catching up on some reading from said classes and then spending the evening at a writing night with friends upping my word count.
The performing arts department at the college is doing an experiment where they are taking away people's cell phones for 24 hours and they're going to tally all the missed calls and texts that accumulate. My Forensic Speech coach was heading up the campaign, but I was holding firm because I have to commute and need to keep in touch with people for various projects. I'm not on my phone alot and I've unintentionally gone periods of time without my phone (left on the charger, etc), but with a long drive ahead of me tonight, I just didn't want to give up that security.
However, I have the opportunity to interview someone in a few weeks (more on that later) and I like to be well researched on the person I interview. So, I have to read their book asap- my forensics coach happened to have a copy of that book. Basically, I had to exchange my cell phone. As I said to the other editors, "the things I do for the paper..." no one offered to give up their phone as a sign of solidarity.
This interview is very exciting and intimidating, but I'm glad I get the chance to do it. It will look fabulous in a portfolio. I don't want to let out too many details at this time, but I should be able to post a copy of the final article here after it's in print- unlike some college papers, the school doesn't hold the rights to our articles, they let us retain them (thank you!) so it should all be on the up and up, but I'll make sure. Even if I listed the name of the person I get to interview, I doubt many would know it off the top of their head, but my excessive geekery makes this way better than interviewing a pop star or anything like that.
More updates on NaNo and the paper soon.

As Day 2 Turns to Day 3

I just broke 6000 words, I'm about two days ahead on my word count and feeling pretty good. I'm already getting nervous about having enough plot though. I'm just over 10% into my story and I'm about to have the first murder, or rather the first body discovered. So that means that 80% of the story will be my hero team solving the murder/dealing with a few subplots I've come up with, leaving 10% of the story for denouement.
That seems like a decent breakdown, but I have to think of a few more external roadblocks to delay my protagonist from solving the murder because I don't want her to be plodding along, unable to figure it out. She has to be extremely quick, I see her as Holmesian figure (further explanation of her character is a few posts down under "National Novel Writing Month Preparations"), with a similar way of processing and using logic. However, in the character's timeline this is her first brush with solving a mystery and I've decided I really would like to write more stories about her and her sidekick that show her mature as a detective and develop in other ways as well- not all of them positive.
I've decided that if I finish a bit prematurely this year, I can start working on the next story, I've already scribbled down a few ideas for future adventures in my notebook. In the editing process I can go back and bulk it up.
Friday I plan on having some solid writing time while I sit at the laundromat, but Saturday I'm taking off from NaNo to work on my literary comparison paper due Monday and my paper on satire in Troilus and Cressida that's due the 17th. I need to bump that one up on my priorities list. When papers are assigned 5 or more weeks in advance it ruins my time budgeting. I always think I have loads of time. With a more constricted frame I am more aware of when I need to work.
I think that's another reason why NaNo is a good exercise for me- in spite of the somewhat negative reputation it has in some circles, it can be the perfect impetus for you to finally finish something. I do believe that nearly anyone can be a writer, but that doesn't mean everyone should. Incidentally, according to a page about "Icons of England," Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde during a six day cocaine binge. He probably would have loved NaNo, but it might have killed him if he were high for 30 days straight. Still, the point is that quickly written first drafts aren't always a bad thing, that's evidence of that. And no, I in no way advocate "writing under the influence" I'm just making a point.

Now, now, now!

I grow extremely impatient to start my NaNo project. I have outlines, character sketches and am already developing a nervous tick. They say ability to delay gratification is a sign of maturity. For my entire life people have been telling me I'm mature for my age, oh if only they could see me now.
When I sit and think about my story, my knee starts jiggling up and down because I'm so excited. That's a good sign, I wasn't nearly as excited last year. Perhaps it's macabre to be this excited at the prospect of writing about murder, but I just decided who my killer is tonight. That's very exciting. I had chocolate to celebrate and wrote a few more character outlines.
Now that I have the main plot skeleton figured out, I've been adding in fun things, sub-plots other relationships the characters have. There needs to be a hearty amount of *stuff* in my story- I learned that the hard way last year.
Mostly I'm extremely excited about my characters, especially my "hero team" if you will. I'm actually planning the next two books. I know, it's called "getting ahead of yourself," but it's nice to be this excited. I'm not usually this... confident about my stories or this infatuated with my characters. Not to sound snotty, but I've always steered away from anything that could be called 'genre fiction' due to some bad reading experiences. However, I feel a great sense of liberation in having some parameters to gauge my story by, and yet I feel there is a lot I can do to test those parameters and become a better writer through the process.
I'll be honest, I don't even know how to describe the story I wrote last year, except as depressing and convoluted. I have high hopes for my story this year being suspenseful, witty, sexy, and exciting. Much better adjectives.
In two weeks when I start having a novel identity crisis feel free to refer me back to this post. It will be hellish, but I intend to surface from it relatively un-scorched.
I have to go shopping for NaNo supplies this weekend. Yes it does require supplies. Specifically I'll be looking for fake mustaches and a bubble pipe to cheer myself up at low moments. I also need a new robe for those cold nights that turn into morning while I tap furiously on my laptop. Something I've been looking for for a while is a small digital voice recorder to put idea on- I always have a notebook, but when driving or running across campus I'd like to have a recorder for convenience and time efficiency.
I wish you all well in your similar preparations for the '30 days and nights of literary abandon.' If you haven't committed yet this year, what are you waiting for? The worst that could happen is that you don't make 50,000. I had to quit Script Frenzy in April, it was fine, they didn't even beat me much.

Budgeting My Time

I've been awkwardly stalled on my Austen and Lawrence reading challenges for the last two months, so I'm gracefully bowing out of them until mid-December when I finish this semester and am not reading for three literature classes.
However, I think I am going to do NaNoWriMo again this year. I had to quit ScriptFrenzy, but there are a few stories I've been sketching out that I really need to push myself to bang out into a solid draft. Knowing myself, I need to write to keep myself balanced (mentally and emotionally) and I haven't been doing it lately. I need to make myself do it because I feel the frustration of unexpressed words building up in me which makes me grumpy and, eventually, depressed.
There are several stories I'm between, not sure which one I'll NaNo- I have a story I wrote a while back but basically completely scrapped, over the sumer I made an outline that restructured it completely and even changed out some characters. There's also my short story, "Target Girl"- I think that could be expanded, as well as a few random ideas I've been kicking around in an abstract way.
Reading is incredibly important and I know I'll never have enough time in my life to read all the great books I ought to- there being created much faster than I can read them and so many were created before my birth- but in the end, I want to write a few great books that are worthy of someone else's overly ambitious reading list.
For a while, books were a great majority of my life and I'm at the point where I'm trying to balance out the time I spend reading with that I spend writing and also the time I spend doing. I think in the end this is a much healthier attitude toward books. I shouldn't only live them.
But, I digress, expect many updates about the story I choose as NaNo gears up.

It's Almost That Time of Year Again

September 25th kicks off Banned Books Week once again! That does cheer me up greatly. From the 25th to October 2nd (all of the week) I'll be posting my thoughts on various banned books I have read each day. Join me in celebrating by adding your thoughts or reviewing some on your own blog.
Visit the official website for events and information (check out their map to see where books have been challenged or banned around you)
Or visit the ALA's site where lists of commonly banned books can be found.

Teaser Tuesday: Sons and Lovers

It's slow going through Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. Here's an interesting passage from the end of the first chapter (page 26 in my edition):

Mrs. Morel knew him too well to look at him. As she unfastened her brooch at the mirror, she smiled faintly to see her face all smeared with the yellow dust of lilies. She brushed it off, and lay down. For some time her mind continued snapping and jetting sparks, but she was asleep before her husband awoke from the first sleep of his drunkenness.

I'm comparing Gertrude Morel to Connie Chatterley of Lady Chatterley's Lover as I read- I've read excerpts of L.C.L. before. It's interesting that Lawrence seems so fascinated by marriage from a woman's point of view, especially about a woman's view on a bad marriage. A theme of going into marriage with one set of expectations and finding disappointment in marriage, in the person you thought you loved pervades his text. Lawrence is quite obsessed with these ideas as a matter of fact. He also plays a lot with class and the lifestyles of an emerging, industrial workforce and that of the somewhat antiquated nobility and the upper class in general.

Busy Little Bookworm

Interestingly, my relationship with books has changed somewhat significantly since I started this blog almost a year ago. In a way, books used to be a larger part of my life- instead of going places and experiencing things, I would read about it.
For many reasons, I think this change is a good thing. I'm finally striking a balance between living life and reading life. I've also found that when I'm out living, I become a very slow reader.
As strange (and increasingly reflective) as this blogging project has become, I'd like to thank all my followers and semi-regular readers for sticking around and even commenting sometimes. Now that the summer is over, here is what you have to look forward to for September:

-My review of Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence (I swear Traxy, I just started it today!)
-My review of Mansfield Park for the Everything Austen II Challenge
-Anecdotes and rants from my foray into being an editor on a college paper and being the president of the campus literary society.
-Banned Books Week!
-Possibly some more lessons learned on the archery range (hopefully not painful ones)

I'm not going to be too ambitious, my work, class, and extracurricular schedule is ambitious enough this fall, but I like working my writing muscles a little here and hopefully entertaining anyone that stops by.

Sherlock Assurance

My Masterpiece newsletter for August (yes there is such a thing and of course I signed up for it) assures me that the new Sherlock is coming to PBS... sometime in 2010. That narrows it down.
Word on the street- or internet- is that the series made up of three episodes was so successful that a second series may be on the way next year. It always creates mixed emotions in an American Anglophile to hear about exciting projects in the works, you're glad to hear about them, but a little anxious over the amount of time you'll have to wait, the slightly illegal online videos you may have to resort to, and/or the money you'll have to lay down to get the DVDs if that is the only method of watching left. Personally, watching something online doesn't remove the possibility that I'll buy something. I'm more apt to make the purchase if I've seen something and already know I like it. Jane Eyre 2006 and North and South were two series I watched online and then purchased.
I'll be back on Tuesday with a teaser from Possession. I don't know if I'm suddenly in the right mind set, but I'm really starting to progress with and enjoy my reading of that novel. I'll also have an entry for my new series of reviews I'm calling "Notorious Reads" that I'll be continuing with through Banned Books Week in September. This particular read will also double as my first review for my DH Lawrence Challenge.

Jane Bites Back: A Review

I got talked into reading this by several friends:

Jane Austen, everyone's favorite spinster aunt likes to unwind by having a glass of wine, petting her cat Tom, reading, and of course drinking blood straight from the jugular. No, she didn't die in 1817, she was turned into a vampire by a mysterious man. Since then she came to the US, has been moving from town to town every few years to avoid suspicion and counting the rejection notices on her novel "Constance." No one has wanted to publish it for the past 200 years and Jane fears she may have lost her touch and run out of stories.
She's resigned herself to running a bookshop in upstate NY and rebuffing the advances of cute locals until a publisher suddenly accepts her manuscript and an unwelcome visitor from the past arrives.

I'm not really onboard with the whole vampire thing, but I loved the idea of hearing what Jane would have to say (so to speak) about the Austen-mania and spinoffs of recent years. A friend assured me it was full of literary jokes that I would appreciate and they were very humorous.
In spite of the years, Jane was still a little old fashioned, she still had some standards and ideals especially in regard to reading material and foul language. Her sidekick Lucy is a great character, though some of her reactions are a little strange later on in the story. The figure from Jane's past is very intruiging and though set up as a character that brings trouble, he turns out to be multi-dimmensional and even sympathetic at moments.
Overall, it was well thought out and had many great literary cameos. It was also great to have a novel written by an Austen Guy, the men that appreciate Austen are more likely to emphasize the satiric wit of Austen more than the romance. Ford made good insights into Jane, though the cat owning, wine and chocolate consuming 40 ish woman angle was a bit of a cliche. At least she wasn't a wussy, sparkly vampire.
The perfect quick read for anyone that loves Austen and vampires. Not to spoil anything but fans of Charlotte Bronte may be somewhat offended by some scenes of the book. I thought they were good fun, I love both Jane and Charlotte.

Review: The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen

Syrie James has taken on the task of filling in the mysterious history of Jane Austen's love life. No, not a youthful romance such as Tom Lefroy of Becoming Jane but one that was briefly mentioned by Jane's sister Cassandra to their niece.
James sets up the story as with a scholarly preface and adds footnotes to create a convincing illusion of an actual historical document that has been discovered and released for public perusal (I know, if only...). This was a nice touch, helping you to lose yourself in the fantasy a bit more. However, my expectations for anyone attempting to write as Jane Austen herself are incredibly high. Her voice is so distinctive and so many attempt to emulate her style and fail miserably that I must admit I'm a bit stubborn about the idea. James did better than I expected though I did hope for a little more of Jane's biting wit in her observations of people and situations. Though I understand that it is supposed to be her confessions about a lost love, it was a little sentimental at moments. I'm not sure if Jane would have allowed herself the indulgence, at least not without a little sarcasm as sauce to it.
There are a few funny moments of course, especially where James weaves in characters that Jane will later adapt into her famous novels (the Mr. Collins figure for example), that I enjoyed. She also made the romantic plot surrounding Jane reflect Sense and Sensibility. That I must applaud her for- I love Pride and Prejudice, but the way pop-culture treats it, you'd think that was the only novel she wrote. Too many sequels, adaptations, and biopics use the P&P structure and it bores me to death after a while. It was refreshing to see her first published novel receive some attention and it is completely plausible that she would use inspiration from real people and events in her stories.
Though not perfect, the novel was a quick read and engaging tale for any Janeite to enjoy. James also gives an interesting thought for her audience to ponder: "Do you mean to say, that if I believe in your story as you have told it, then it is as good as if it were true?" A message that perhaps echoes the importance of literature throughout history and Jane Austen's own feelings about fiction. (Just look a Henry Tilney's defence of novels in Northanger Abbey). Just because a story is made up doesn't mean it's less important or that we feel differently about it, nor does it mean that it isn't truthful. This question is also perhaps a self conscious nod to the novel itself, though it is almost entirely without factual support, it doesn't mean readers should enjoy it less, they should revel in the possibility of what might have been.
I'll give it a B+, a valiant effort, but doesn't quite hit the perfect chord when it comes to voicing Miss Austen.
1/6 for my Everything Austen Challenge

Everything Austen 2

I know I barely scraped in under the wire for my "All About the Brontes" Challenge, but this is Jane, I quote her daily, I've read all of her novel... except Mansfield Park, which I've never finished, and a few sequels, some of which were atrocious, and seen film adaptations of all her novels.
So, I'm going to do it. I missed the Challenge 1, but I'll come in strong in this second one. Here are the six reading/watching/crafting tasks I will tackle between July 1 and January 1:
1.Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (I will finish it this time, in spite of Fanny)
2. The Lost Memoir of Jane Austen by Syrie James
3. Cassandra and Jane by Jill Pitkeathley
4. Sense and Sensibility 1995
5. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
6. I will be designing and sewing a regency style reticule based off of period sketches (I think it's really cool that crafts are an option for the challenge)

Who knows, maybe I'll pick up a few more along the way, but these are what I'm committing to.

Jane Eyre 2006

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. I read it several years ago, and while I Capture the Castle is my go to comfort read, I have never felt such a strong connection to a literary character as I have felt towards Jane.
The Bronte sisters always made me a little skeptical, my only experience with them was Emily's Wuthering Heights which I found melodramatic. In spite of everyone telling me I would love Jane Eyre, I was hesitant. Then I saw this film a fews years back. It inspired me to read the novel and spurred me toward one of my most profound literary relationships.
That being said, I thought I would go back and watch it again now that I have read and fallen in love with the novel to see if it still lived up to expectations. For me, it did. Though of course a few details are altered slightly, various parts of the plot are lengthened or shortened, etc. it creates a very clear picture of why Jane is so lovable and why her story is so important. It also creates an environment that makes some of Charlotte Bronte's slightly peculiar "other worldly" elements make sense.
Ruth Wilson is wonderful as Jane, not beautiful, but passionate and driven by and inner strength and sense of morality. Toby Stephens plays a beastly, but lovable Rochester, and I'm sure I speak for most of woman-kind when I say I'd be his governess any day. The two have a great chemistry and communicate so much to the camera with their facial expression, they barely need speak. However, when they do, it is a screenplay by Sandy Welch who also leant her pen to the highly watchable North and South from 2004. She pulls very well from within Bronte's novel, but of course some of Jane's narrations and introspective thoughts are sadly missed, but Wilson's acting and Susanna White's direction helps make up for it. The supporting cast was strong, Tara Fitgerald was very abomidable as Mrs. Reed and Georgie Henley was very well cast as the young Jane Eyre.
If you're a Jane skeptic or a Jane lover, you will enjoy this adaptation.

Review: Wuthering Heights 2003

A red flag goes up when I see that MTV produced a modern version of Wuthering Heights. Still, I'm no literary snob so I gave this film a try. After a viewing, I can say that my first instincts were correct.
Though the basics of the story still remain; a family takes in a homeless child who does not get along with their son, the father dies, etc. I think it was cavalier to call this piece Wuthering Heights, it would have been more accurate to choose an original title and say "inspired by."
There are several moments with shameless advertising for MTV itself, the character "Heath" makes his fortune by becoming a rock star thanks to Isabel (played by Katherine Heigl) posting his tracks on MTV's website. The musical performances by Mike Vogel in the role of Heath are not bad, I'd rather hear him sing than speak the awkward, stilted dialogue given to him by screenwriter Max Enscoe. Emily Bronte's lyrical and lush language is completely lost.
Many elements and changes didn't sit well with me. They portrayed "Cate", the Cathy character as a confused victim and Heath as a tortured artist. Both are brutal characters in the novel, selfish, and though you sympathize with them they aren't sainted. One reason you especially dislike Heathcliff in the novel is his treatment of Isabella and the subplot involving his schemes using the children of the family. In this movie Cate does have a baby (that is Heath's, not her peeping tom husband Edward), and in the end, after she dies we see Heath raising their daughter as a noble figure of a good father and Cate watches over them and Edward still watches Wuthering Heights through his telescope.
The movie dripped with teen angst and unnatural moments, though most of the actors did their best it was impossible to become emotionally invested in the senseless melodrama that emerged. I think most of the teens they were pandering to could probably grasp an accurate adaptation of the book. This version takes away the complex and morally challenging aspects of the novel and makes Heathcliff and Cathy "nice." I don't mean to sound unnecessarily brutal, but I literally laughed during the last 15 minutes of the movie. If you want a fresh version of Wuthering Heights that tries something new but respects the story and doesn't skirt around the characters' bad traits, try the 2009 version shown on Masterpiece Classic last year starring Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley. A fantastic cast and script with many gripping scenes. Or for a very compelling modern story based off Bronte's novel, try Sparkhouse from a few years back, it makes changes and plays with gender roles in an unexpected way, and it didn't call itself "Wuthering Heights" because of that, though it has more of the book's spirit in it than this movie.
This is 3/4 for my All About the Brontes Challenge. I know, I've been neglecting my challenges lately, but I still have a month for my last entry in this one and the rest of the year for my "What's in a Name?" Challenge.

April 1st, a Day Crowded With Incident

In a literary sense this is an exciting day; April first marks the kick-off of Script Frenzy, April is also National Poetry Month (please perform RAPs Random Acts of Poetry!)
It is also a day of pranks and lampoonery. Google has not forgotten that tradition with this entry on their official blog: A different kind of company name. I must applaud them for this as well as their attention to detail. Have you Topeka'd today?
Let the Script Writing and Poetry Reading begin! Visit the websites: Poetry.org and Script Frenzy