Nocturnes

 I read The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly and I liked it so I decided to read this short story collection.  It was all right.  Frankly, I was hoping for more.  I plan to read the sequel to it though.  The story that really stood out was The Reflecting Eye about a detective trying to find out the reason for why a girl’s photograph is in a mailbox by a house that was a crime scene.  The detective and another man in the story had their children killed so they’re naturally upset and want to solve the case.  I also liked The Inkpot Monkey about a mediocre author and the inkpot that helps him finally become a good writer.  It reminded me of Little Shop of Horrors in the best way.    The first story The Cancer Cowboy Rides was good as well.  It reminded me of Stephen King about a man who passes on an evil disease to people who come his way.

Mrs. Warren's Profession

This was a controversial play when it first staged.  It only lasted a night.  It’s about a daughter who never really has known her mother.  She just begins to know her and is horrified that her mother owns a brothel.  Also, the boy she is interested in is her half-brother.  This play deals with hypocrisy as the girl didn’t mind her mother paying for her education but from a brothel well that’s different.  I didn’t pick a side when I was reading as I could see where both women come from.  I was shocked when I found out that my library didn’t have a George Bernard Shaw play in their collection.  Shouldn’t he be mandatory to libraries?  

The Wings of the Dove

This Henry James book is good but way too long.  It was around 500 pages and I felt that it could have trimmed down a bit as the audience already gets the point of the novel after a while. It is about Kate and Merton, a couple that keeps their relationship private.  Kate knows that the wealthy Milly Theale is ill.  She tells Merton to get into Milly’s world seeing fortune ahead.  However, things don’t go exactly as planned.  I watched a BBC version of this from the 70’s and it was all right.   

Jane Eyre

I haven’t read this book for six years so it needed a revisit.  It’s still brilliant and there’s no question of it being a classic that has endured time.  Hollywood hasn’t figured out how to do a great version of this yet.  The William Hurt version I watched recently was a dud.  There was no mystery to Mr. Rochester in that movie.   Jane Eyre is the story of a homely girl becoming a governess and her relationship with her master Mr. Rochester.  Yet there’s one major drawback his crazy wife in the attic.  Women didn’t really have many options at the time of Jane Eyre time though.  It was either Mr. Rochester or Mr. Rivers.  I have to admit Mr. Rochester is far more interesting.   My older sister told me that Charlotte’s Villette is pretty good too so I purchased that recently.