Jane Austen....Not so much

In high school we had book upon book forced upon us, several of which are the 'classics.'  I know for a fact that Wuthering Heights, The Great Gatsby and Price and Prejudice were all shoved at me.  I never read these books.  I even went so far as to refuse to pay for them, because I did not want them.  Imagine my teacher's surprise when on the due date for fees, not only did I refuse to pay for it, but I didn't want it.

They were dumbfounded.  I mean come on, first I was living with a single parent, then I was living by myself.  I didn't have $14 to blow on a shitty book.  They told me it accounted for a large part of my grade.  I told them I knew where the library was.  They told me we would be reading it for the quarter.  I asked if it really mattered where I got the book or even if I read it, so long as I wrote the paper and passed the tests.  They didn't really have an answer to that.  From then on I was not required to buy the books.  I never did read them either.  I know the basic plot lines and in depth character analysis, thanks to cliff notes and the internet.

And true to form, I wrote all the papers, passed all the tests and passed Advanced English Jr year and AP English senior year with one of the highest grades in my class.

Being the upstanding adult I am now (I know you just choked on your drink in response and really, that's not polite!) I thought I should give these another try.  After reading a fictional memoir of Jane Austen's life I thought hey, that books looks good (P&P) I think I'll read it.  Read it I did.  While I like the basic story line and think Mr. Bennet was a hoot, I'm not really inclined to read anymore of Austen's books.  The language is horrendous.

I know that's supposed to be part of the charm, but this book was PAINFUL.  It took me two weeks to read.  I can read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in one day.  Maybe I'm too young, or it's something about my generation.  I know it's supposed to be witty and charming, but I just found it dumb.

I am going to give the Great Gatsby and Jane Eyre a try, but I'm really put off Austen at this point.  Since then I have read 'Heaven is for real,' 'Ruby' and 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.'  I think I'll hit the Great Gatsby next and maybe in another 20 books or so I will have worked up the courage to sludge through another Austen novel and see if I can fall in love with one despite the language.

Oh and just for a daily dose of giddy; The babyhawk giveaway that I did a short blog blurb on the other day? I totally frickin won it.  I now have to do the other things I promised god and myself I would do if I ever was blessed with a babyhawk.  This includes pink hair, a nose piercing and a new tattoo.

Fluffimama out.