Dracula...

So Dracula.
I had never read it before now and didn't quite know what to expect by it. Least to say, I haven't been disappointed per say. It had a slow start, an achingly slow start. But then I started caring about whether Jonathon actually got away, and if he lived. I didn't know quite how to feel about the doctor's passages at first, but upon a second reading, I also found his patient to be quite amusing. The concept of gaining life based on the number of lives he had consumed was so... Dracula.

I also liked reading where Dracula detailed his family history to Jonathon, and reading all of the footnotes along the way. Some of the places where the "slips" were pointed out, I wouldn't have really noticed without the footnotes at first read.

Plus, this book gives us the opportunity to talk about Transylvania, and I love castles.

I remember growing up, the one Dracula I can remember is Count from Sesame street, and an episode of Scooby-Doo with a vampire, but honestly, I can't remember many others until Hotel Transylvania came out not long ago.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest, it should prove to be a really interesting book, and probably the only horror story I really like.

Let me just run into that brick wall of prejudice

So... let's get this out of the way. Mr. Douchey was rather clever.

Now, while I appreciated the cleverness of that name, that's about all that really hit me. While its definitely an interesting Youtube series, I'm certainly hoping its a parody.

I took the time to read a few other blog posts before writing mine. I agree with Amber, Charlotte was not depicted well at all, and the racial stereotype was just glaringly awful considering they're the same age in this telling.

I agree with Sean, that Lydia is a glaringly obnoxious, and I shall add, twit. She's awful. Truly awful.

I started wishing that the series was over about 15 episodes in as well, mainly because it started driving me crazy just how bad the stereotypes were. Like seriously? Is there nothing better to do than make Pride and Prejudice so overly stereotypical that we jump from "What if he's gay?" to "What if he's a serial killer?" to ever better "What if he's a gay serial killer?".

After about half an hour of banging my head on my keyboard in frustration over how obnoxious the characters were, I found I needed a break. I spent a half an hour watching Red vx. Blue to try and get their voices out of my head, as well as the migraine which had slowly formed. I then got a glass of wine, and started back up again.

(Side-note! This is skip-able!) I, however, must go back. In episode seven I believe, Lizzie vents about the dance between those who catch the bouquet and those who catch the garter. I must say, I'm so very glad I've never seen that dance at a wedding before. I started thinking about it because my mother called to tell me about my cousin's wedding that is coming up. (End side note)

Also, drunk Lydia. I really expected that honestly, and then Charlotte starts becoming a munching Debbie-Downer. Gosh does she get hangry.

Then later, the "no he doesn't like me" argument in episode 33. It happens to irritate me most of all. Also, I kept appreciating Jane's character. I think she was the only one I really started enjoying at all, even if it wasn't much with this series.

Also... living with a bunch of swimmers, not all of them are chiseled and beautiful creatures, but the weak beer is pretty close (Also, most of the ones I know like the many flavors of Smirnoff's vodka).

"My mother has taken nuts to a new level."

I identify so much with that one statement.

Then, I started noticing how accurate the imitations of Mrs. Bennet are in the modern sense of Pride and Prejudice.

Anyways. I need to stop Internet venting before I become another of these Lizzie Bennets who rant on the internet.

Romance Sells, Old School Values Still Prevail

I'll be honest. I've never watched, read or really thought I would enjoy Pride or Prejudice, but after I started reading it over break, I couldn't put it down. I ended up reading the entire thing in one day.

My first comment, upon reaching our Vol I Chapter XVII checkpoint was one of confusion. Why on earth does Darcy have to be such an ass? I also found myself really agreeing with Elizabeth's views on Bingley's sisters, and the general behaviors of people.

I suppose this book makes me think of my upbringing, and how manners were such an important thing, and how people perceive you and your family is such an important thing, no matter the time. Even though I'm twenty-one and about to move out, the perception that we're well-mannered and well-behaved always is still very apparent to me.

"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

This quote also reminds me a lot of how I grew up, as vanity more describes the need for good outward appearances than pride. I have no trouble being silly and goofing off with friends, laughing and not regarding the opinions of others because I know that there are some things you just don't do, and there are some things that you can do. My mother on the other hand, alike her mother, believe that best behavior in public is always necessary. Sometimes this makes me wonder how any of them handled my brother and I in our quite normal, crazy toddler years.

I also started thinking of why so many people like this book. I do agree Jane Austen's way of writing does encourage a person to really think about society and how absurd it can be. I also think it encourages us to think about class, and what it really means to have class versus having grace. As shows up in what we have already read, just because you are of high class doesn't mean you have good grace, and just because you aren't of high class doesn't mean you can't have good grace.

I'm also led to think about all the descriptors that were used for me growing up, that even now represent how much women should be seen a certain way. I was a tom-boy, just because I preferred to play football at recess and not house. I was too nerdy, because I liked model rockets. I wasn't girly enough, because my first interaction with the boy I really liked, was, according to my "friend" I was supposed to kiss him and show off my chest. Suffice to say I didn't do that, and still don't understand why they thought it was appropriate for 12 year olds.

This book was a fantastic look, in my opinion, at romance, a woman’s place in the world, class and behavior, as well as family.