Wroxton Reading

So I've been in Wroxton for about a month now. As I am reading Henry Fielding's Tom Jones, I have had little time to read for pleasure (actually, none).

However, on the long plane rides to and from Lima, Peru, and on the plane ride to London, I was reading Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey. I made the unfortunate mistake of choosing the second book in the series... oops... so it took me awhile to really get into it. Many things were referenced from what I assume was the first book, and there were so many characters and places that it was a little bit overwhelming. I don't recommend jumping into the series mid-way as I seem to have accidentally done.

The worst summary I have ever written:
Kushiel's Avatar takes place in what seems like an alternate universe (I have no idea how much of it, if any, is actually based on any historical events whatsover, although there is an element of fantasy or myth that makes it seem like the only similarities are the shapes of the continents... ) It is about a woman who has some kind of spot on her eye which marks her as Kushiel's Chosen. Because I came in midway, I am confused about who Kushiel is - an angel? a saint? a god? It seems to me to be some combination of the first and the third; there are temples to him to which she goes to pray. But anyways, it's not important. Phédre, the main character, is on a quest to free an old childhood friend from a fate that keeps him bound as an eternal servant as Master of the Straits (between England and France, which have different names that I don't remember). Phédre is also contacted by an old mentor/enemy whose son has gone missing, and she is asked to investigate and rescue this son.

However, I do find the plot very captivating and the characters are interesting, once you get grips on who is who. I didn't like the narrator's style at first; it seemed a little over dramatic, seemed to slow down the pace of the novel a little bit because it has an elegant, reflective style, but now that I am one third of the way through, it no longer bothers me. Perhaps I was so addicted to the book because the character embarks on many journeys, which, as the novel progresses, become longer and longer. I just stopped reading as she was about to go to Africa... and the only reason I stopped was because I have to focus on schoolwork, and I have to read Tom Jones, if I am going to read anything at all.

Now, on to Tom Jones, to which I can do much more justice.

I am reading this book for my 18th Century Lit class. It is apparently the first English novel and was a response to the censorship of the theatre that came about in the 18th century because of John Gay's Beggar's Opera. The book is ridiculously long, and somewhat tedious to get through, but I must confess that I absolutely adore the mastery of words which Fielding - and many other authors of the time period - command. As usual when I read a book of such merit, I find myself inspired and have been longing to write (in particular to work on my novel, Linden).

Tom Jones follows the life of a bastard who was placed, under mysterious circumnstances, in the bed of Squire Allworthy, whose name suggests his character. Jones grows up to be somewhat wild and a little bit eager towards women, but his heart is always in the right place (which sometimes gets him into trouble, such as when he sells his Bible in order to lend money to a friend). He is indeed a lovable character, and so of course his neighbor, the good Sophia Western, has set her eyes upon him. He soon falls in love with her but circumstances prevent their love from uniting them. The book is about his journey towards deserving Sophia Western, for though he is a good person at heart, he needs to mature a bit.

The way that Fielding handles these scenes between Tom and Sophia is so beautiful, one can't help but let out an 'awww'. This is as romance should be.

Unfortunately, despite Fielding's wonderful turn of phrase, he sometimes digresses into some moral commentary which, though not like a sermon, bogs down the plot a little. The writing is old-fashioned and dense, and it is difficult to read more than twenty or so pages before feeling tired. Despite this, it is worth it to work through it because the story and the characters truly are noteworthy and admirable and should set a good example to any. (That said, I am a little bit behind on the reading because, while I do enjoy reading about the characters, the book is a bit difficult to get through).