Well, I jumped up and down and made all sorts of celebratory sounds when I finished Vanity Fair this evening... not at all because I didn't enjoy the book, just that it was so long! I'm not accustomed to reading that length of book in one month.
I really loved the book, and found it gripping if not suspenseful! Maybe some may disagree? I loved Thackeray's extensive vocabulary and his wise, sometimes tangetial asides as the all-knowing storyteller were insightful.
We must bring up character names. Lord Tapeworm? Ladies Hornblower and Sheepshanks? Lord Heehaw? And there's another really good one which I can't remember... but Monica and I were just talking about it today so I'm sure she'll tell us!
The author seemed partial to all his characters, and although some were definately better people than others, there were times when he seemed to favour the bad... Rebecca Sharp/Crawley. Or maybe just admire her spunk and intelligence and sympathize with her?
Please tell us what you think of this book (or another of Thackeray's novels if you read a different one!) I can't wait to hear your thoughts!!!
Here's a few quotes I liked:
" This, dear friends and companions, is my amiable object- to walk with you through the Fair, to examine the shops and shows there; and that we should all come home after the flare, and the noise, and the gaity, and be perfectly miserable in private."
"Time has deat kindly with that stout officer, as it does ordinarily with men who have good stomachs and good tempers, and are not perplexed overmuch by fatigue of the brain". {Said of Colonol Sir Michael O'Dowd}
***
I'm all tuckered out from a few curling games this evening! I was invited by my sister and brother in law to play with them in a "bonspiel" at the local curling club. We played three games and won one of them! And I got a parking ticket. Grr.
One reason Daniel is good for me is that he is sensible and never lets me park in a spot where I could get a ticket even when I say "but it's only for a couple minutes", or "but I've never had a probem here before", or in this case "it is a residential parking spot but the houses around it are under construction so no one will care". Turns out they do. Maybe I shouldn't drive anywhere when Daniel is away for the weekend.
Have a good day wherever you are!
xo
First things first... Sir Huddlestone Fuddlestone. I mean, really!? And there was a brief mention of a Mr. Noodle.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book. It was a slow read, but I loved his writing and as Shanna mentioned, the omniscient narrator was most insightful, and amusing. I had some difficulty keeping some of the characters straight, but I think this is mostly due to some careless skimming on my part when it mentioned new names that I believed (wrongly) would not play much of a part in the tale.
Ah how could I forget Sir Huddlestone Fuddlestone! Who was/is your favourite character? If there was a Hero/ Heroine- who would it be in your opinion?
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued with Lord Tapeworm??? Knowing that he's a character in this book gives me something to look forward to during the next 13 months till I have the opportunity to read Vanity Fair.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't play a leading role, unfortunately!
DeleteIn my opinion, there was no hero or heroine of the overall novel, but the most upstanding character in my eyes was Lady Jane, (was Lady Jane Sheepshanks before she married the younger Sir Pitt).
ReplyDelete