My Victorian Year #8

I finished The Ladies Paradise by Emile Zola this week! I read a few chapters in Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope. I read a few chapters in Mary Barton. I predict that I will finish Mary Barton in the next few days. If all goes to plan, I should have my review published by next Saturday! Orley Farm I'm less optimistic about finishing this week because it is a LONG book. I'm not even sure I'm to the halfway mark yet.

Jane Eyre is one of my FAVORITE, FAVORITE, FAVORITE books. So I was super-excited to see that it has been adapted into a YA science fiction novel. The novel has been reset IN SPACE. I began reading it this week and it is wonderful so far!!!

Quotes from The Ladies' Paradies:

Mouret on selling:

"You can sell as much as you like when you know how to sell! There lies our success." (75) 

If he could have found a way of making the street run right through his shop, he would have done so. (236)

One of the customers:

You're right, there's no system in this shop. You lose your way, and do all sorts of silly things. (260)

Mouret on life and love:

'Of course, I've never lived so intensely...Ah! Don't laugh, old man, the moments when you seem to die of suffering are the briefest of all!' (322)

I don't have new quotes to share from Mary Barton. The action is quick and intense, but not quotable.

I'm not sure how many I have from Orley Farm. The past few chapters have all occurred on Christmas day; we've seen Christmas in three very different households.

Nobody holds a good opinion of a man who has a low opinion of himself.

Is not additional eating an ordinary Englishman’s ordinary idea of Christmas-day?

Felix Graham’s lot in this life, as regarded that share which his heart might have in it, was already marked out for him; — marked out for himself and by himself. The future wife of his bosom had already been selected, and was now in course of preparation for the duties of her future life. He was one of those few wise men who have determined not to take a partner in life at hazard, but to mould a young mind and character to those pursuits and modes of thought which may best fit a woman for the duties she will have to perform. What little it may be necessary to know of the earlier years of Mary Snow shall be told hereafter. Here it will be only necessary to say that she was an orphan, that as yet she was little more than a child, and that she owed her maintenance and the advantage of her education to the charity and love of her destined husband.

Christmas-day was always a time of very great trial to Mrs. Mason of Groby Park. It behoved her, as the wife of an old English country gentleman, to spread her board plenteously at that season, and in some sort to make an open house of it. But she could not bring herself to spread any board with plenty, and the idea of an open house would almost break her heart. Unlimited eating! There was something in the very sounds of such words which was appalling to the inner woman.

He always put off till some future day that great contest which he intended to wage and to win, and by which he hoped to bring it about that plenty should henceforward be the law of the land at Groby Park.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

My Victorian Year #7

I'm continuing to make some progress in each of my three Victorian novels.

The one I must finish first is The Ladies' Paradise by Emile Zola. I had not realized the due date for this inter-library loan was so soon! I have now read over half the book. Most of that being read in one day. Having something that good to read helped me get over my increasing frustration at the lack of figure skating coverage at the Olympics.

I have two quotes to share with you. In the first, Mouret describes himself:

'What! Do I enjoy myself! What's this nonsense you're saying? You're in a sorry state! Of course I enjoy myself, even when things go wrong, because then I'm furious at seeing them go wrong. I'm a passionate fellow; I don't take life calmly, and perhaps that's just why I'm interested in it.' (67)

In the second, Mouret's potential investor makes an observation about the Paradise:

'You sell cheaply in order to sell a lot and you sell a lot in order to sell cheaply....But you must sell, and I repeat my question: whom will you sell to? How do you hope to keep up such colossal sales? (74)

Mouret's answer, of course, is to sell to WOMEN. "You can sell as much as you like when you know how to sell! There lies our success." (75)

Mary Barton. I've read a few chapters this week. I would love to finish it this month as well.

It is the woes that cannot in any earthly way be escaped that admit least earthly comforting. Of all trite, worn-out, hollow mockeries of comfort that were ever uttered by people who will not take the trouble of sympathising with others, the one I dislike the most is the exhortation not to grieve over an event, "for it cannot be helped."

I mourn because what has occurred cannot be helped. The reason you give me for not grieving, is the very sole reason of my grief.

Oh! surest way of conversion to our faith, whatever it may be— regarding either small things, or great—when it is beheld as the actuating principle, from which we never swerve! When it is seen that, instead of overmuch profession, it is worked into the life, and moves every action!

Oh! how often I've been hurt, by being coldly told by persons not to trouble myself about their care, or sorrow, when I saw them in great grief, and wanted to be of comfort.

Our Lord Jesus was not above letting folk minister to Him, for He knew how happy it makes one to do aught for another. It's the happiest work on earth.

 Orley Farm. Oops! I didn't read a single chapter in that book this week. Oh well.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews