Wuthering Nights by Emily Bronte and I.J. Miller

WUTHERING NIGHTS

Romantics everywhere have been enthralled by Emily Bronte's classic novel of the tragic love between beautiful, spirited Catherine Earnshaw and dark, brooding Heathcliff. The restrained desire between these two star-crossed lovers has always smoldered on the page. And now it ignites into an uncontrollable blaze. In WUTHERING NIGHTS, writer I.J. Miller reimagines this timeless story to reveal the passion between Catherine and Heathcliff--in all its forbidden glory.

Set against the stark, raw beauty of the English moors, Heathcliff, an abandoned orphan, recognizes his soulmate in wild, impulsive Catherine, the only woman who can tame his self-destructive nature. And Catherine cannot deny the all-consuming desire she feels for him, despite his low birth. Together they engage in a fiery affair--one that will possess them, enslave them, and change their destinies forever... (taken from publishers website)

Book Details:

Title: Wuthering Nights, Author: Emily Bronte and I.J. Miller, ISBN: 9781455573028 Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, Formats Available: e-book released January 29, 2013 $3.99 Trade Paperback will be available April 23, 2013 $14.99 How I Read It: e-book from Publisher via NetGalley, Rating: Wrong, just plain Wrong

My Thoughts:

First Thought upon finishing the novel: What did I just read?

Obviously, I knew that this was an erotic retelling of the beloved Bronte classic, Wuthering Heights so I was expecting some steamy scenes between Heathcliff and Catherine, Heathcliff and Isabella, Catherine and Edgar, even possibly Hareton and Cathy.

What I wasn’t expecting was the following:

Mrs. Linton (as in the mother of Edgar and Isabella) and a servant— Not quite so shocking and actually would have been a bit funny if the servant would have been Joseph.

Heathcliff and Nelly- Seriously! Seriously? Seriously!—I could see Nelly and Hindley having it off as the 1970 film adaptation explored Nelly have feelings for Hindley but Heathcliff and Nelly…I don’t think so.

Heathcliff and Isabella and Nelly in Heathcliff’s dungeon of dirty tricks—This was so out there in left field that I skipped over it

While this claims to be a retelling, I found that the characters are mainly comprised of Mr. Miller’s reimagining of them, which, in a sense, has stripped them of their original qualities. It’s almost as if I have fallen down a naughty rabbit hole where the essence of Wuthering Heights has been made into a topsy-turvy porno.

As a lover of Wuthering Heights, I was curious to read Wuthering Nights. I truly wanted to love this book, or at least like it, and while there were parts that I liked such as Hareton and Cathy’s story being told at the end of the novel, I found that this was not the book for me.

I have to say that this was the worst book that I have ever read. I.J. Miller has taken Heathcliff, the idyllic Byronic hero, and turned him into a perverted nutcase that holds no trace of Emily Bronte’s Heathcliff save for his name. Perhaps Mr. Miller should reread Wuthering Heights and realize that Miss Bronte relied on the atmospheric moods of the tumultuous Yorkshire moors to tell the story of Heathcliff and Catherine rather than a dirty dungeon of doom. By taking out the atmosphere of Wuthering Heights, Wuthering Nights has lost its core. The only way for me to describe this book is 50 Shades of Wrong…

There are some books that you wish you could unread and, for me, Wuthering Nights is one of them.

**review also posted on Royal Reviews

Jane Eyre Dvd Winner

 

The winner of the1969 adaptation of Jane Eyre is Diane D. Congratulations, I will be emailing you shortly.

 

Jane Eyre DVD Giveaway

When I am not devouring the work of Jane Austen, I am reading/watching Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. And since Valentine’s Day is approaching on the 14^th and my birthday is on the 19th, I thought this would be the perfect time host a few giveaways.

The first giveaway is the 1969 adaptation of Jane Eyre.

Charlotte Bronte’s classic Victorian novel comes to life under the skillful direction of Delbert Mann. Adapted in the Masterpiece Theatre style of television. Susannah York stars as Jane Eyre, the orphaned girl who secures a position as a governess to the ward of Edward Rochester (George C. Scott), lord of an English manor called “Thornfield”. When Jane and the moody and tyrannical Rochester fall in love and agree to marry, his dark and sinister past comes to the surface and crashes down on both Rochester and the innocent Jane. (from the back of the movie cover)

As this is a Region 1 DVD, the giveaway is only open to residents of the US and Canada.

Giveaway Ends, February 17.

To enter please leave your name and a valid email address

Just for fun:

Do you have a favorite movie version of Jane Eyre? Was there a certain actor/actress that embodied your version of Rochester/Jane?

Best Wishes and Good Luck,

Angela

Monday’s Wonderings…Miss Austen’s thoughts on Richard III

 

Jane Austen…The Young Historian 

Earliest surviving portrait of Richard III

When it was announced on September 12, 2012 that a skeleton had been discovered in the ruins of the Greyfriars church I was ecstatic. I waited, impatiently, until finally on February 4, 2013 the remains, through DNA analysis, were identified as Richard III.

As someone who has devoted many years studying this period of English history and the life (and death) of King Richard III, I was thoroughly and utterly excited to watch this historic discovery play out.

Being a Ricardian, I am of the belief that Richard III was innocent of the accusations lobbed against him. However, there are many who believe him to be the villain that William Shakespeare portrayed him as in his play Richard III.

Richard III, like Henry VIII, is a one of the few English kings that people continue to have differing opinions about and at the age of fifteen Jane Austen voiced her opinion about the late king in her piece of juvenilia, The History of England, dated 26 November 1791.

Richard the 3d

The Character of this Prince had been in general very severely treated by Historians, but as he was a York, I am rather inclined to suppose him a very respectable Man. It has indeed been confidently asserted that he killed his two Nephews & his Wife, but it has also been declared that he did not kill his two Nephews, which I am inclined to believe true; & if this is the case, it may also be affirmed that he did not kill his Wife, for if Perkin Warbeck was really the Duke of York, why might not Lambert Simnel be the Widow of Richard. Whether innocent or guilty, he did not reign long in peace, for Henry Tudor Earl of Richmond as great a Villain as ever lived, made a great fuss about getting the Crown & having killed the King at the battle of Bosworth, he succeeded to it.

-The History of England from the reign of Henry the 4^th to the death of Charles the 1^st

By a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant Historian.

A page from the original manuscript of The History of England referring to Richard III as well as a miniature watercolor representation of Richard III painted by Jane Austen’s sister, Cassandra.

To view, and read, the original manuscript of Jane Austen’s The History of England, please visit The British Library’s interactive online Gallery HERE

Facial Reconstruction of Richard III

Whether you are a Ricardian, or one who adheres to Shakespeare’s portrayal of Richard, or one who has just discovered Richard III, I encourage you to explore the following websites. (Please note that both websites show photographs of the remains of Richard III. I would recommend checking out the content of the websites before allowing young children to view them)

The University of Leicester’s website: The Search for Richard III by the University of Leicester

The Richard III Society

The Phantom of Pemberley: A P&P Murder Mystery by Regina Jeffers

Happily married for over a year and more in love than ever, Darcy and Elizabeth can’t imagine anything interrupting their bliss-filled days. Then an intense snowstorm strands a group of travelers at Pemberley, and terrifying accidents and mysterious deaths begin to plague the manor. Everyone seems convinced that it is the work of a phan-tom—a Shadow Man who is haunting the Darcy family’s grand estate.

Darcy and Elizabeth believe the truth is much more menacing and that someone is trying to murder them. But Pem-berley is filled with family guests as well as the unexpected travelers—any one of whom could be the culprit—so unraveling the mystery of the murderer’s identity forces the newlyweds to trust each other’s strengths and work together.

Written in the style of the era and including Austen’s romantic playfulness and sardonic humor, this suspense-packed sequel to Pride and Prejudice recasts Darcy and Elizabeth as a husband-and-wife detective team who must solve the mystery at Pemberley and catch the murderer—before it’s too late. (from the back of the book)

Book Details:

Title: The Phantom of Pemberley: A Pride & Prejudice Murder Mystery, Author: Regina Jeffers, ISBN: 978-1-56975-845-8, Publisher: Ulysses Press, Format: Trade Paperback, $14.95, Source: Received from Author

My Thoughts:

A winter storm forces Pemberley to open its door to a slew of eccentric characters. Although the storm is not the only thing that the Darcy’s have to worry about, a mentally disturbed person is intent on making Mr. Darcy suffer. To do that, he knows that he must destroy Pemberley, one death at a time.

Ok, where to start…

I was intrigued that this was a P&P murder mystery. The way the plot unfolds and the mystery unravels gave it a CSI feel with Darcy playing detective—did I like that aspect? It was okay, but I will not wax poetically about it. Plus, I knew who the phantom was from early on.

The characters…well…since Pemberley became travelers rest there was an overflow of characters. Some were intriguing and added substance to the plot, while others seemed to be placeholders until something of interest came along.

The romance. Someone is creeping around Pemberley and Darcy and Elizabeth still find time to jump into bed. Seriously, I mean like every few pages they are tumbling into bed. It felt really out of place and a bit odd considering there is a murderer on the loose. Spoiler alert: Highlight to read Even Georgiana finds love in this book. And guess who it is. Colonel Fitzwilliam. Disturbed by that? Yeah, I was too.

While I enjoyed Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, this book wasn’t nearly as thrilling.

Buy or borrow? Definitely borrow this one.

 

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

A DARING ESCAPE

Penelope Creed will do anything to avoid marrying her repulsive cousin. Dressed in boy’s clothing, she’s fleeing from London when she’s discovered by Sir Richard Wyndham, himself on the verge of the most momentous decision of his life.

AND A HEROIC RESCUE

When Sir Richard encounters the lovely young fugitive, he knows he can’t allow her to travel to the countryside all alone, so he offers himself as her protector. As it happens, at the very moment Sir Richard could use an escape of his own…(from the back of the book)

Title: The Corinthian, Author: Georgette Heyer, ISBN: 978-1-4022-1769-2, Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca, Format: Trade Paperback, $13.99, Source: Personal book collection, Rating: 4.5 Crowns

My thoughts:

Penelope Creed will not marry her fish-faced cousin. She has decided that she will make her way to her childhood friend who she believes will marry her. Escaping out the window, she unexpectedly lands in the arms of a Corinthian.

Sir Richard Wyndham is a true Corinthian who gives Beau Brummell a run for his money. Inebriated and in need of an escape from a forced marriage he discovers what he believes to be a young boy dangling from a sheet making his escape from a window. However, he soon discovers that Pen is no boy but a very intriguing woman and he is determined to aid her on her journey.

Throughout their journey they endure a carriage wreck, Pen befriends a thief, they discover a missing diamond necklace, and find that someone they know has been murdered.

Filled with wicked wit and delivered in a cunning style, The Corinthian has become my favorite Heyer novel. While Pen is a bit young and naïve, I found her to be endearing and quite entertaining. She was so eager to have an adventure that it became infectious. Richard was an amazingly portrayed Corinthian, he fit the bill right down to boxing at Gentleman Jacksons. Charming and sophisticated with just the right amount of rogue, Richard was a fun read. And I loved the way his character came off.

The only problem I had with this novel was that it ended way too soon. It truly was one of those novels I did not want to see end. Fans of Jane Austen will delight in Heyer’s Regeny romps.

The Sunday Salon…Winter Reading

 There is nothing better than a hot cuppa tea and good book (and a pair of fingerless gloves) on a cold winters day. And I must say, I am tired of the snow and ice and more ice although it has offered the perfect opportunity to curl up with a few good books and catch up on my reading. (It wasn’t like I was going anywhere)
I finally finished The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers (review to come) as well as a rereading of Darcy and Fitzwilliam by Karen V. Wasylowski. Both books were definitely unique takes on P&P and I had immense fun exploring the worlds they created. I had intended to start Sons and Daughters, the follow up to Darcy and Fitzwilliam, although I forgot to pack the book. (They need to make a suitcase just for books, if they already have one I need to find it.)
I did manage to bring along The Journey by Jane Hahn (review to come), which quickly became one of my favorite P&P retellings. The Watsons has finally been checked off my tbr list as I read it for  a Jane Austen course a dear friend is teaching. Sadly, that was all the Austen-inspired novels that were in my bag.
However, I did manage to make a dent in my Georgette Heyer books. I started and finished The  Convenient Marriage, The Corinthian, and a rereading of Sylvester (I also listened to the audiobook read by Richard Armitage for the tenth time). And I am currently reading Cotillion. (reviews to come)
I am hoping to read through the rest of my Georgette Heyer books (I have 5 left to read as well as a biography of the author) then start North and South. I also have a few new Austen-inspired books that I received in a book gift basket.

Have you caught up on your tbr list?