I have been incredibly busy with school this semester. I’m a first-year transfer student, and University is kicking my butt. In the best way possible, however. Most of my classes have been very interesting and thought-provoking. I am so happy to be working towards my BS in Early Childhood Education finally, so I’m not complaining!
Regardless of my busy school schedule, I have been reading loads, thanks to my good friend Audible. In October, I read Dracula, Carmilla, Frankenstein, The Secret Commonwealth, and Wuthering Heights. I could write a blog post about each book, but as I mentioned above, I don’t have the time. I have read Dracula before, it is one of my top 5 favorite books, but I was feeling the pull of a gothic novel, so I thought another read-through would be nice. The other books I read were entirely new to me.
Carmilla was narrated beautifully on Audible. I cannot hype it enough. The music and voice actors are perfect, and it’s only two hours. I did not know that Carmilla predates Dracula as the first vampire novel. It’s a moody, gothic read. Rose Leslie (Ygritte on GoT) does the voice for the character of Laura, her voice is husky and sets the ideal tone. Phoebe Fox also has a beautiful voice, and the story itself is great. Carmilla was the free audible original for October, and I am thrilled to have discovered this gem.
Frankenstein was another favorite. I started reading this book a few years ago, but for some reason, I stopped. It’s the quintessential gothic novel, and it didn’t disappoint. It almost makes me hate the way Frankenstein’s monster is portrayed in Hollywood, much like Dracula. Their characters are diluted, and all that remains is a watered-down version of very complex characters. I can’t hate them, in truth, and I only ever do when comparing them to their original counterparts. Dan Stevens narrated this book, and he did an excellent job.
The Secret Commonwealth! I was so excited about this book, the second installment of the Book of Dust. I enjoyed it so much. I loved seeing adult Lyra and Pantalaimon, but like most people have been saying, the cliffhanger ending was somewhat of a letdown. It felt like we were wandering through much of the book, and when we were finally getting somewhere, the book ends. I think I enjoyed La Belle Sauvage more, but I am still excited to see what Phillip Pullman does next with this series.
The classic Wuthering Heights. I can’t believe I had never read this book. It is so good! I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. The intro made me laugh out loud. Everyone was so rude to Mr. Lockwood; I thought it was hilarious. And what was up with Heathcliff? The characters are so vile to each other, all you want to do is keep reading to find out why. It’s a tragic story, and I am happy that I finally read it. I finally understand all those Twilight mentions!
Each one of the novels above is heart-wrenching. They each shed light on humanity’s darker side, as well as the light that can shine through a single individual, and the world of difference it makes. I was a happy girl, listening to these stories while at work, commuting, or walking around campus.
The book I am currently reading is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I will dedicate a full blog post to that one because I’m finding it to be a bit of a conflicting read.
Have you read any of the books I mention? Let me know in the comments. Thank you for reading!
Jeannete x.
Wondrous Soul 