Thursday, September 3, 2009

Braddy Cries a Single Tear for This Poor, Fallen World

Last summer I picked up a novel called The Thirteenth Tale. I'd had my eyes on this book for a long time - something about the cover design just caught my attention and wouldn't let it go.


When I finally read the book... well, it's a new favorite of mine. A reclusive book collector named Margaret is commissioned to write the biography of eccentric novelist Vida Winters. While composing the material she will turn into Vida's last book, Margaret stays at the mansion where Vida has gone into seclusion. Both Margaret and Vida lost a twin sister early in their lives, and each is haunted by their twin's absence as though by an actual ghost. The twins' presence can be felt all throughout the mansion and even follow Margaret when she travels into the English countryside to visit Vida's childhood home.

Between the giant, empty mansion and the omnipresent ghosts, the book feels a lot like Wuthering Heights.

And I mean that in a good way. Personally, I've always liked Wuthering Heights. It's not my favorite book, but it's a heck of a lot better than drivel like Jane Eyre, which every effin' high school kid is forced to read under threat of receiving a failing English grade. Some kids very wisely choose to fail anyway.

Anyway, though, Wuthering Heights is pretty good. And The Thirteenth Tale is exactly the kind of book to excite interest in a classic work of literature like Wuthering Heights. If only there was some way to reignite people’s interest in literature of this nature. If only SOMETHING could help young people see just how great a good book can...

Wait, what is this crap?! "Bella and Edward's Favorite Book"?!?!

No. No way. Shoot my effin' eyeballs out. This isn’t worth it.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

We have some chatting to do! What is wrong with Jane Eyre? I enjoyed it much more than Wuthering Heights. Do you think it is the female vs. the male perspective? I can't believe the Wuthering Heights cover either! Ack!

Unknown said...

That cover is the scariest thing I've ever seen! Now they're using a fictional endorsement to promote an old classic? Why?!? and Though I've never read it, it has to be better than Jane Eyre. I've never understood that book.

Manelle said...

You want to shoot your eyeballs out because the cover design is so lame right? Yea, I knew it. Who wouldn't.