Born amongst the 'Millennials' generation it must be said that one of my favorite series are the Harry Potter books. Written in a way that makes you feel as though you are in the midst of a world of magic, mystery and intrigue J.K. Rowling created an instant hit when she first put pen to napkin in that London train. The books nearly flew off the shelves and even still, years after their original publication, children everywhere are reading the books and watching the movies as well. It's not everyone that can create a bestseller the first time they try and yet, in the young adult genre, it would seem Rowling has done just that.
Set in a world not far removed from our own, the Harry Potter books chronicle the story of a young boy who has grown up without parents, without love and without friends. Yet there is something strange about this boy, 'The Boy Who Lived.' He is more than just another 11-year-old, he's ready to set off on a brand new adventure that any 11-year-old (or older for that matter) would be envious of. The world of magic, of mystical creatures and of friends who will stick by you no matter the cost is one that anyone would love to experience.
Of course things can't all be perfect for Harry Potter, Hermione and Ron. There is danger in any world and when you are the only survivor of an execution by one who has been known as the most powerful wizard in the world, there are bound to be enemies made. Yet the danger, the battles and the situations of life or death simply make this story even more capable of drawing you in and making you wish for a world where all of these things could be right around the corner.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Jane Austen, Standing the Test of Time
Though Jane Austen herself has been gone from this world for many, many years, her words still live on in her books, now named as classics. The lives of characters such as Eliza and Jane Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Emma Woodhouse, Elinor Dashwood and more will continue to inspire generations to come with their unique outlooks on life and the ways that each and every one of these characters seems to literally leap off the page and into our minds, our hearts, and our lives.
Each time that you open a Jane Austen novel it is difficult to believe that you are not somehow living in the midst of the 1700's in England. A time when things were simpler, when outspoken women were considered an oddity and an era when chivalry was most certainly not dead. The world seemed a much more intriguing place when one could spend the days roaming the countryside and falling in love, getting into scrapes and still coming out at the top of the heap.
Some of the best books ever written were written during this time. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma are some of the most creative stories ever written and it was all done during an era when women were not believed capable of writing a novel or truly accomplishing tasks of any kind unless it were housework or minding the children. Still, Jane Austen managed to break the mold, much as her characters are wont to do, and not only wrote several books, but was able to publish them as well. If ever anyone is in search of a good book, the name Jane Austen is the first they should hear.
Each time that you open a Jane Austen novel it is difficult to believe that you are not somehow living in the midst of the 1700's in England. A time when things were simpler, when outspoken women were considered an oddity and an era when chivalry was most certainly not dead. The world seemed a much more intriguing place when one could spend the days roaming the countryside and falling in love, getting into scrapes and still coming out at the top of the heap.
Some of the best books ever written were written during this time. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma are some of the most creative stories ever written and it was all done during an era when women were not believed capable of writing a novel or truly accomplishing tasks of any kind unless it were housework or minding the children. Still, Jane Austen managed to break the mold, much as her characters are wont to do, and not only wrote several books, but was able to publish them as well. If ever anyone is in search of a good book, the name Jane Austen is the first they should hear.
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