An Assembly Such as This

So this book review is a part of that challenge I made for myself a year ago. The one in which I promised to review every book and film based on Pride and Prejudice book and movie. (For more on that go here.)

Too bad!

An Assembly Such as This (Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman book #1), by Pamela Aidan, is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice…with a twist. In this version, we get the view of Pride and Prejudice from Darcy’s point of view.

And I have to say I have never, ever been a fan of these fleshed out fan-fics, you know the one’s where people decide to put a new twist on a perfectly good story, but I must say I loved this.

Yep, I was not expecting to like this book, but I just loved it and didn’t want to put it down.

You see the reason that it was so good was first of all the author, Aidan, really paid close attention to Pride and Prejudice and made sure that her book stayed as close as possible to the novel. The book spans from the first assembly in which Darcy snubs Elizabeth and ends when he returns to London, taking Bingley in tow.

It really shows the progression of Darcy’s interests in Elizabeth, as we have that view into his brain.

I also love how the author focuses a lot of time on Darcy and Georgina’s relationship. In Pride and Prejudice, you know he is a great older brother, but it is nice seeing much more of his care, attention, and affection.

But the main reasons why I loved this book…the Bingley and Darcy friendship.

In the original text, we know the two are close friends but all we really see is Mr. Darcy trying to take care of his friend, removing him from Jane and then encouraging him to come back. In Aidan’s book, we get to see the every day parts of friendship. The things they have in common, discussing issues they have with their families, their views on what’s popular at the time, etc. It’s nice to see that side if Darcy, as well as seeing that he isn’t always telling Bingley what to do.

Yep, they are best friends, through and through.

If I had to pick out something that I didn’t like about this book, I would have to say my only issue is the stiffness in Darcy’s personal thoughts.

In the book Pride and Prejudice, we are hardly ever in his head, so of course he is always stiff and proper, following the way people acted during that time. He only relaxes when we get to Pemberly, as that is his home and he feels comfortable there. However, Aidan always has him stiff and rigid. Even when he is talking to himself and thinking. I would have preferred him to be a bit more relaxed as it is in his private thoughts, but to be honest it is so minute, that it doesn’t really matter. All in all, it was a great book and I am looking forward to reading its sequel.

For more books based on Pride and Prejudice, go to Definitely Not Mr. Darcy

For more on Pride and Prejudice, go to The After Party

For more on Mr. Darcy, go to First Impressions

For more on my favorite books, go to Dreaming of the Sandman

For more of my favorite quotes, go to 25 More Films of Christmas

Push All the Buttons!

This is very sad, but true. I am extremely inept when it comes to most video games. Growing up, my parents wouldn’t buy us our own systems, we had to save up our own money. But I didn’t have an allowance and trying to save money from my birthday and Christmas when the two are like six months apart was too much for me. I spent it instead on books, movies, and barbies.

So even though I grew up with a ton of guy friends who were all gamers, I suck. I mean Tetris I am amazing at, but that’s it. Halo or any other shooting game, I suck as my vision always gets knocked around and I can’t see what I’m aiming at. Like my head gets pointed up at the sky or down at the floor and I can’t get it into its right position. Any racing game I crash and die. My ex-boyfriend and were playing Lego Pirates of the Caribbean and I was actually pretty good as Will Turner.

So anyways, since I know I will suck and lose I just press random buttons and hope for the best. And you know it sometimes isn’t all bad. Like this one time I was playing  an X-Men game ands was Mystique and I kept beating all my friends, because I would press random buttons and she would kick and shoot her gun like at the same time. It was pretty sweet.

Apologies

So remember that plan I set out way back in May that I was going to spend all summer reviewing Pride & Prejudice, a thing I thought would carry on into the fall? Well things didn’t go exactly as planned. As the old saying goes

To be honest this is my motto as when I have a plan, life always gets in the way and throws a curve ball. It makes me feel like the creators of Jurassic Park. I have this plan, this vision, but then…

Life finds a way and screws up all my plans. Although having Jeff Goldblum would be nice 😉 I’m not saying that my summer turned out bad because of these changes, it just caused my original plans to be discarded for the moment.

So this summer a friend of mine invited me to be in these three 30–minute Shakespeare plays that her new community theatre production was putting on (As You Like It, King Lear, & Comedy of Errors). This took up mid–May to Mid–July. This was not enough to shove Jane Austen and my blog to the wayside, I was also working on a blog with my mother based on The Cat Who series. We would read the books, review them, make recipes out of the cookbook that goes with the series, photograph them, and then blog about it. (if interested check out The Cat Who Wrote a Blog) In combination to this, my niece came down to visit staying from mid-June to the end of July. And the Pièce de résistance, I got a boyfriend.

I know, I know. You are all probably wondering how that happened. I still don’t know myself. But somehow it did. And no he is not an Austenite, but there is always time to remedy that.

Just kidding. I’m not going to take it that far.

So we are going to call him Michael. And he has a lot of great qualities;  respectful, intelligent, cute ;), has an amazing taste in books and movies; and just someone I can talk to. Most importantly…

Anyways I’ll take more about him later. And I haven’t been completely slacking off. However, with school, work, clubs, and volunteering my writings will be once again very sporadic. But, never fear Horrorfest II is still coming and will be here. I am very excited for it!!! I loved doing Horrorfest and want it to be a yearly thing, as continue as long as I can think of 31 horror/suspense films. So while things never go exactly as we want it, there is still many pleasant surprises on the way.

I Wouldn’t Change You, Darling: Shrek 2 (2004)

Romantic Moment #6

Shrek 2 (2004)

I know what you’re thinking. Shrek? Really? She’s picking Shrek to write about? Shrek has romantic moments? The first animated romantic moment, and she chooses Shrek?

Now I know, it does sound strange, but bare with me. This movie has strong romantic qualities. Trust me.

Now I absolutely loved this movie as a kid; I remember going to see it for my birthday when I turned 12. I absolutely had to see this film because 1) had Puss in boots and 2) I loved the original film. I really liked this one too, and ended up memorizing all the songs.

So Shrek 2 picks up where the first one left off. Shrek and Fiona are honeymooning, and later return home only to be greeted by a convoy sent by Fiona’s parents inviting them to visit. Shrek and Fiona are on the outs about going, but Fiona ultimately convinces Shrek to go.

The pair are accompanied by Donkey, and arrive in a Hollywoodish kingdom; Far, Far, Away. [I still remember the go-gurt commercials for this movie]

Not everything goes swimmingly as Fiona’s parents are shocked at her appearance and choice of husband. We also find out that there is an Evil Fairy Godmother who wants Fiona to get with her son Prince Charming so he can rule after the king croaks (punny right?). [I’ve never really understood that plot point. If Fairy Godmother has so much power and magic couldn’t she just create a kingdom for her son? There must be some kind of magic law against it. Whatever.]

The fights between Shrek and Fiona’s father escalate and it starts to bring up issues between Shrek and Fiona. Fiona tells Shrek that she made a lot of changes for him, he could try and do something for her.

Shrek goes out to the fairy godmother to try and get happiness for him and Fiona; joined now by Puss in Boots. Shrek takes a potion that changes him and Fiona into “beauty divine” human forms. [Well, Fiona back into her old form]

There is adventuring, previous characters from the first film are brought back, betrayal, mistaken identity; will Shrek be able to get his own happily ever after?

Most Romantic Moment: I Want You to Be You

Shrek has defeated Evil Fairy Godmother and has finally been reunited with Fiona. He tells her that if they hurry and  kiss before Midnight they can stay like this forever. After midnight they will be ogres forever.

Shrek: Fiona. ls this what you want? To be this way forever?
Princess Fiona: What? 
Shrek: Because if you kiss me now…we can stay like this. 
Princess Fiona: You’d do that? For me? 
Shrek: Yes.

So romantic

The fact that Shrek is willing to give up everything he loves about being an ogre is so sweet and romantic:

Donkey: Shrek? You drink that, there’s no going back. 
Shrek: l know.
Donkey: No more wallowing in the mud? 
Shrek: l know. 
Donkey: No more itchy butt crack?
Shrek: l know!
Donkey: But you love being an ogre
Shrek:  l know! But I love Fiona more.

He’s willing to sacrifice what makes him happy to make the one he loves happy, to give her everything. But the romantic moment is not over. It gets even better:

Fiona: I want what any princess wants. To live happily ever after…with the ogre l married.

So romantic

Even sweeter, She doesn’t want him to have to change for her, as she knows that he would never be the same, just a shadow of his formal self. The fact that he was willing to change and give up all his old ways was good enough for her. Plus Fiona is happy and comfortable in what she is.

Together again!

I would have posted a video on this moment, but unfortunately I couldn’t find one. Sorry! You’re just going to have to watch it on your own!

And Shrek 2

To start Romance is in the Air from the beginning, go to Boom Box of Love: Say Anything (1989)

For the previous post, go to Wanna Grow Old With You: The Wedding Singer (1998)

For more fairy tales, go to You Should Write A Book

For more animated films, go to I’m No Warrior, I’m an Assistant Pig-Keeper: The Black Cauldron (1985)

I Only Want To Be With You: Romance is in the Air

So like I celebrated Halloween, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day; I’m also going to do a series of posts in honor of Valentine’s Day. (Like I mentioned before, I love holidays!)

At first I was going to do 14 posts on romantic movies, but I thought that would be too hard, (too difficult of decisions to make). Then I thought I would do 14 posts on love songs, but I wasn’t sure about doing that either.

Hmm…

Finally I decided that I would do 14 of the most romantic moments in film and TV. And in doing so, just pick the first 14 that come to mind.

Hope you all enjoy.

For more holiday posts, go to Looking Back, Moving Forward