Classic Story - Blog Posts

A Review of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Genre: Romance

Rate: 5/5

Summary: When Elizabeth Bennet first met Mr. Darcy, she couldn’t stand him for his pride. Neither did Mr. Darcy found her interesting enough to ask her for a dance. But many occasions brought them together again and again. At last, Mr. Darcy couldn’t help but fall in love with Elizabeth.

My Opinion: I don’t know where to begin. This novel is a classic and a masterpiece. I loved the use of satire in a most charming way possible. The first thing I noticed reading this book was that people were extremely nosy. They seemed to notice other people’s even the trifling matters of day to day life. I couldn’t help noticing how the mothers were all so anxious about their daughter’s marriage at the time. I loved Austen’s writing style very much. It was really funny and I laughed out loud at so many places (I’m even smiling to myself now thinking about some funny parts). Though it was a little draggy at the beginning, but I enjoyed almost every part of it. This book was worth all my time.

Favourite Characters: I can’t decide whom I like best among Jane, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Jane is such a sweetheart. Her values and point of views almost match mine. She is also a very responsible daughter and sister. I feel like, there is a warmth present in her which gives one comfort. Elizabeth is carefree and independent. She has a way of charming everyone and being friendly. She is very confident too. She handles her situation in a very tactful way. I specifically like the sisterly relationship between Jane and Elizabeth. My sister and I share a same kind of relationship. We too, like them, have each others confidence and shares every little thing. Now, what can I tell about Mr. Darcy! I loved him at the end as much as I hated him in the beginning. The best thing about him was that though he is proud, he learns.

Quote: “Do anything rather than marry without affection.”

Absent-Minded Man by Jerome K. Jerome

This is a humorous story about a man named McQuae who is inattentive to anything around him. He can’t remember invitation details, appointments and even the women he were engaged to. However, when he finally gets to marry a jolly woman named Leena, his friend, the writer thinks that it won’t last long as he will forget about her too. After a considerable time, the writer unexpectedly meets his old friend McQuae, drenched in water on a rainy day. McQuae as always informs that he has moved to the new place with Leena and has forgotten all about it. The writer very calmly takes his friend to a solicitor and finally restores him to his wife.

The story is hilarious. Some of the conversations made me laugh out loud. The first part of the story was narrated in second person, which is the rarest in English literature. This is the only story I’ve read which has this style of writing. So, I enjoyed learning something new.

I didn’t like the fact that the character of Leena was mostly in the shadow of her husband, McQuae, the protagonist of the story. Although she was explained as a cheerful woman, we don’t see her express any such action.

If I could change anything from the story I would have added more detailed information regarding Leena. So that the readers can have a clear idea of how she was able to live with a man like McQuae for so long.

Other than the aforementioned point, I found the story genuinely amusing. It shows that how absent mindedness can put someone in absurd situations. I, myself, often get distracted in many occasions. Now, I have started to focus more on my surroundings. This story has taught me a fine lesson.

I’ve actually wrote this for an assignment where I was supposed to write about a short story I liked. But unfortunately, the teacher is making us write a review on the story SHE tells us. I was so excited about this assignment in the beginning. Now, I’m devastated.

‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald [Book Review]

Rating: 5/5

Summary: The story is set in 1920′s and it is fully narrated in the first person. Nick Carraway moved in to the Long Island in hope of starting a new life. What he didn’t notice was that the mysterious, wealthy and the host of the best parties, Gatsby, is his neighbor. And one day, he received an invitation, (which is very rare as people went there without invitations) to one of Gatsby’s exclusive parties. Little by little, Nick got to know Gatsby more and he was definitely not the kind of person one presumed he was.

My Opinion: This is one of the books I will never forget. Beautifully written, this book has both luxury and romance in its best form. The story is very simple but gripping. I think, everyone should read this book as it is one of the best classics of American literature. It is humorous as much as heartbreaking. The characters are very developed and relatable. I could find similarities of those characters with the people I know. The ending of the book broke my heart, as it will break anyone’s. Still I’ll never stop recommending this book because the heartbreak is worth it.

Favourite Character: Gatsby is definitely my favourite character among all. His determination and hard work is truly inspiring. His loyalty to a friend and the sacrifice he was ready to make for a love made me fall in love with him. He deserved a lot more than this.

Favourite Quotes: “He smiled understandingly--much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.”