Pride and Prejudice: Book vs. Movie

After I finished reading Pride and Prejudice, I absolutely had to watch the movie. I had seen it before, but this time, I saw it in a completely different light because I knew all the background behind what the characters were saying. The movie does a good job of telling the story, but due to time constraints, it can not express everything as fully as the book does. As expected, the movie does deviate from the book in some parts, but I did not find any of its deviations offensive to the story. The main story line remained the same and there were parts that were verbatim from the book. I think I enjoyed the movie more once I had read the book than when I had watched it previously.

Whoever chose Simon Woods to portray Mr. Bingley did an excellent job. He acted just like the Mr. Bingley in the book and looked sufficiently like what I would have imagined him to look like. The other characters were also suitable to their counterparts in the book.

As almost always is the case, I liked the book better than the movie. However, this movie is still quite good and even more enjoyable now that I have read the book.

An Echo of Hope by Dianna Crawford

She might be named Hope, but Hope Underwood gave up on marrying her true love, Michael Flanagan, years ago. After waiting seven years for Michael to return to Reardon Valley, Hope reluctantly married Ezra Underwood and later gave birth to her son, Timmy. When Ezra is killed in the war, Hope continues to live with her in-laws, the Underwoods, and tries to build a loving home for her son. The day that the soldiers of the war return to Reardon Valley is filled with joy and homecoming, but the messenger that brings Ezra's last letters to Hope and the Underwoods is none other than Sergeant Michael Flanagan. His very appearance causes not only a stirring in Hope's heart, but also a stirring of anger and prejudice in the community. Will Michael be able to overcome his father's reputation and establish himself as a man worthy of Hope Underwood? It's not going to be an easy task, but Love always finds a way.

An Echo of Hope is well-named by the author. At the beginning, it seems that there is barely an echo of hope remaining for Michael and Hope's love. At one point it seemed like there was no way the main characters could ever be together without leaving where they live. Yet, the author found a way to bring them together in a satisfying resolution that was neither cliché nor unrealistic. I loved it. While I would not consider this a mystery, there is an element of drama in the plot that keeps the reader guessing who did it, why it was done and what will happen next? This helped to keep the pace of the story moving and made for a delightful read.

Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist

Essie surrendered her life to God years ago. With that surrender came the acceptance of her singleness. Now, at age 34, Essie is considered to be an old maid and is content helping with her father's business, running the Corsicana Velocipede Club and spending time with her loved ones. When her father hires Tony Bryant, Essie's under-control world begins to spin out of control – especially when Tony asks for permission to court her! But Essie and Tony both harbor secrets. Essie made a horrible mistake in her past and Tony hides his very identity. Can Essie and Tony both gather the courage to reveal their darkest secrets before the secrets destroy them?

Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist is the sequel to Courting Trouble and I admit, of the two books, I liked this one better. The plot was filled with romance and at the same time had characters that challenged the reader to grow closer to God. I certainly admired Essie's dedication to God and her understanding that her worth came from God – not a man. She found contentment in her singleness and was willing to stay that way until God decided otherwise. Gist's writing style was catchy, fun and humorous. Mrs. Lockhart's character was absolutely charming. I loved the way she quoted romance novels to make her point. Overall, a good book that I would recommend for a permanent library. I will definitely be reading it again.

Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler (Revised)

Nicole Michelin lives in fear. She avoids airplanes, motorcycles, her past and Japan – the land where her mother died. She lives in fear of her grandmother's death and only finds solace in her fish and her writing. Her online column at the Pretty Fishy Website attracts the attention of one Harrison Michaels. As Nicole and Harrison correspond, he reveals that he knew her as a child and that their parents were friends. Nicole is intrigued, but very hesitant when Harrison suggests that she visit him in Japan. After all, that would require riding in an airplane. Ultimately, this story is about confronting fear and experiencing liberty.

I quite liked the main character narrating the story. The author gave her a unique and pleasing sense of humor. Unfortunately, I was quite dissatisfied with the book. I try to not be overly critical in my book reviews, but there were some issues that bothered me. The synopsis of this book made it sound like a romance. There was little to none. There was potential in the concept, but the author chose not to execute it. Also, I noticed at that author slipped from present tense to past tense writing at points where it should not have been done. I can understand the change if the the narrator were to begin recounting an event from her past. However, this particular slip was not made at such a point. This made for uncomfortable reading. But my biggest complaint about the book is that it stopped right in the middle of her visit to Japan. There was no epilogue, no sequel. Just a bunch of openness and things that were unresolved. (Her relationship with Harrison, her relationship with her father, etc.)

Sorting Through the Clutter

I like to buy books on sale!

I've bought a lot of books.  Unfortunately, I've never read at least a third of them.  I have some books that I've read over and over because I know they are going to be good.  They are going to draw me in and capture my attention. And then there's those that I bought with good intentions and just never got around to reading for whatever reason...

So, I'm making an effort to read some of the books that I've bought and just never had time to read.  Some of them are old and probably obscure. I plan to post reviews of them on here anyway. Eventually, my goal will be to have a book shelf full of extremely good books. Not only do I not have the bookshelf yet, but I have alot of books to weed through.  Some of them may not survive the cut.  But, I'm done with clutter.

Organization makes me happy.  :)

Love Is A Flame: Stories of What Happens When Love Is Rekindled

Love is A Flame contains the diverse stories of marriage experiences from both men and women. I was pleasantly surprised at the stories in this book. I had expected some of them to just be corny. However, for the most part, they were interesting and conveyed important life lessons. Most stories were only three or four pages long. I usually read several of them in a single sitting. At the end of each story, there is a small note from James Stuart Bell, the man who compiled the book. In these notes, Bell simply gives a little counseling about whatever topic was discussed. I think this is an excellent book for any Christian in a marriage relationship. It certainly gives enough advice that there is bound to be something that anyone could benefit from.

The stories in this book were quite diverse. Some were sobering, some were humorous. Some were difficult, some were light. Some of my personal favorites included: Our Honeymoon and the Dangers of the Demon Brew, The Krikat Caper, It Began in the Nursery and The Only Sure Foundation.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."