Carol's Comments December 2012

Carol’s Comments by Carol Rusinek

December 2012

          Hello, Everyone! Welcome to another issue of Carol’s Comments. I am a volunteer at the River Park Branch. For some odd reason, it took me forever to find the perfect book to kick off my Fall reading spree. After sampling dozens of titles ranging from Tina Fey’s Bossypants to Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright, nothing seemed to work.

          The only book that really intrigued me was Fifty Shames of Earl Grey, a very hilarious parody of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey which I ironically read during Banned Books Week. Unfortunately, it was far too risqué to review in this column.

          Just when I was about to give up hope of ever selecting the right book, one evening I watched Masterpiece Theatre’s splendid 1997 adaptation of The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. The film impressed me so much that I decided to read Collins’ original book. Published in 1860, The Woman in White is considered the first “sensation” novel because it combines the creepy elements of Gothic fiction with Victorian psychological realism. This forerunner of the modern thriller reminded me of a cross between Charlotte Bronte and Edgar Allan Poe. It is also one of the first novels to feature multiple narrators.

          The story centers around two sisters: Laura and Marian Fairlie who discover that they are eerily connected to a mysterious “Woman in White” Anne Catherick who bears a strong resemblance to the younger sister Laura.

          With the help of young artist Walter Hartright, the sisters are able to foil the nefarious plot concocted by the sinister Count Foscoe and Laura’s husband Sir Percival Glyde that could ruin them forever.

          Despite its length and 19^th century writing style, The Woman in White has a very complex and fascinating plot filled with intrigue, terror and madness. This chilling adventure is a terrific way to spend a gloomy autumn evening.

          After finishing The Woman in White and soon realizing that The Flight of Gemma Hardy still had a profound effect on me, I longed to re-inhabit Charlotte Bronte’s world. One Sunday, I read an article in The New York Times which stated that reimagining or updating literary classics wasn’t a recent phenomenon.

          One novel that may have started this trend was Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. Published in 1966, Rhys’ book is a prequel to Jane Eyre.      Set in 1830’s Jamaica, this spellbinding tale focuses on Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway, Edward Rochester’s first wife. Told through the perspectives of both Rochester and Antoinette, the story vividly describes the heroine’s rapid descent into madness. Despite its incomplete ending, Rhys’ deeply intense and passionate novel perfectly illustrates how unforeseen circumstances can drive anyone insane.

          While searching SJCPL’s online catalog for this book, I was pleasantly surprised to find a film version of Wide Sargasso Sea. This exceptionally beautiful 2006 BBC production successfully brings Jean Rhys’ novel to life. Stephen Greenhorn’s atmospheric and very mesmerizing screenplay adds essential plot and character development lacking in the original story. This very sensual film allows the viewer to witness Antoinette’s extreme anguish and eventual mental deterioration amidst a tropical paradise.

          When PBS aired Downton Abbey Series 2 again in early December, I suddenly realized that I watched it two times within 6 months! What fascinated  me most about Season 2 was the devastating effects of World War I on British society. I was particularly interested in the war’s dramatic impact on women.

          Although many novels like All Quiet on the Western Front and Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms realistically depict the horrors of war through the soldiers’ perspective, few books capture World War I’s destructiveness through a woman’s viewpoint.

          The landmark work chronicling World War I through a woman’s eyes is Testament of Youth, the heartbreaking memoir by Vera Brittain . Much like Downton Abbey’s Lady Sybil Crawley, Miss Brittain served as a nurse in the  Army Hospital Service and witnessed firsthand the war’s destructive cruelties as well as the utter decimation of England’s young men. The very lengthy autobiography also painstakingly and poignantly recounts how the author lost many loved ones including her fiancé.

          Regrettably, the St Joseph County Public Library doesn’t currently own a copy of this remarkable book.  However, it can be obtained from another library through interlibrary loan. Likewise, the wonderful 1979 BBC TV/ PBS miniseries starring Cheryl Campbell as Vera Brittain is presently unavailable in U.S. DVD format. Ultimately, Testament of Youth is a must read for anyone interested in the tragic aftermath of World War I.

          When I finished Brittain’s memoir, I still wanted read a fictionalized account of World War I’s dramatic impact on English everyday life. While skimming through The New York Times Book Review, I found an article suggesting that Life Class and its sequel Toby’s Room might appeal to Downton Abbey devotees. I immediately checked out Life Class from the library.

          Written by award winning British author Pat Barker, this fast paced novel centers on the complicated relationship between three art students: Paul Tarrant, Elinor Brooke and Kit Neville set against the backdrop of World War I. The book’s absorbing narrative successfully blends historical realism with romantic melodrama. I enjoyed Life Class so much that I plan to read the sequel Toby’s Room very soon.

          For more information about all the books and movies reviewed in my column, visit the SJCPL web site at www.libraryforlife.org . Thanks for reading!

Previously posted at the SJCPL blog