From Russia, With Love by Ian Fleming

Summary:
Because of his involvement in foiling the plots of Le Chiffre(Casino Royale), Mr. Big (Live and Let Die), and Hugo Drax (Moonraker), James Bond has been declared an enemy of the Soviet Union. They've issued a death warrant for him and started a plot to both kill and discredit him.

Tatiana Romanova is called up by her superiors to help trap Bond.  She claims to want to defect because she fell in love with Bond's photo in his file.  Unbeknownst to her, there is a much larger plot and it involves Bond's death.

Tempted with the thought of a young girl falling in love with him via a picture and with the promise of a Russian Cypher, James heads out to Istanbul, Turkey to recover them both.  Along the way they have to dodge death threats and a serial killer who only kills at the full moon.


Response:
The first 11 chapters are missing Bond entirely.  We spend time in mother Russia and learning about SMERSH and how their organization works.  It feels to me a lot like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles in which there is very little of Sherlock Holmes because the author didn't want to write about that character any more.  I wonder if Ian Fleming was also growing tired of James Bond at this point.

I find it very interesting to see Bond mourning the loss of his relationship with Tiffany Case, from the previous novel in the series.  We learn that she left him for an American ambassador and has returned to her home country.  He is nursing this broken heart when he's told of the Russian Girl's obsession with him.  Which leads him to ponder whether or not he can follow through with his mission.  Can he pretend to return affection when he, himself is so injured.

Also we see again, as in Live and Let Die, that Bond has a certain amount of fear when flying. Certainly he was on plane in Diamonds Are Forever, but it seems that he fears small planes and flying through storms.  You see him reason through his fear, "how old is the plane?"  "has the pilot had enough flight training?" etc.  It's nice to know that he's not this indestructible archetype that is presented in the movies.

I was disappointed with the negative treatment of females by Darko Kerim and I don't feel that the female lead character is nearly as strong as in the previous novels.  She needs to be protected and is merely a pawn in everyone else's larger game.

Diamond's Are Forever by Ian Fleming

Summary:
James Bond, 007 is sent to infiltrate a diamond smuggling ring.  The ring started in the mines in Sierra Leone and ends in the United States. Bond's mission is to travel down the pipeline to uncover those responsible. Tiffany Case, is his first contact in the pipeline operated by "the Spangled Mob."  Together they follow the pipeline from London to New York and then to Las Vegas. 

Seraffimo Spang suspects that Bond may not be who he claims to be and has him captured and tortured. Tiffany's help him escape from Spectreville aboard a and assisted by Leiter, Bond and Case escape.  They kill Spang in the process and shut down half of the pipeline.  Bond and Tiffany board the Queen Elizabeth to travel to London. But Wint and Kidd kidnap Case while en route.  They plan to kill her and throw her overboard but Bond rescues her.  


Response:

Felix Leiter isn't dead!  I'm so glad he recovered from that shark attack in Live and Let die.  Because of his missing arm and leg, he's had to resign from the FBI, but he has a new job with the Pinkertons and is able to help Bond with his Mafia case.

Unlike the movie, there is no Blofeld or Howard Hughes type character.  There is no oil rig and no space attack on nuclear weapons.  There is still a scene with a mud bath, but in a totally different context.

I'm actually very pleased with the character of Tiffany Case and I'm continually surprised with the level of independence Fleming gives to his female characters.  I'm very sorry that this didn't translate over to the films.  We actually see Bond fall in love with another woman (after Vesper) and treat her well.

Moonraker by Ian Fleming

Summary:
Called in by M, on a personal favor, to expose a cheat at Blades, James Bond finds himself going to head to head with Hugo Drax.  Sir Drax is the current war hero who seems to have England's national security at heart.  Bond easily defeats Drax in the card game and all seems to be resolved until a mysterious double murder takes place at Drax's facility.

In the interest of national security, and because of M's intuition, James Bond is sent to ensure that the Moonraker project is completed without any further complications.  While investigating the double murder with MI5 undercover agent, Gala Brand, they discover that Drax is former Nazi masquerading as an Englishman so he can release a nuclear bomb on London.

In their attempt to thwart Drax's plan, Gala and James are captured and tied up under the rocket so that they will be killed when it launches.  They're able to escape and come up with a plan to re-route the rocket.  Their plan is not only successful, they kill the enemy scientists in the process.

Response:
Another strong female character from Ian Fleming.  If it weren't for Gala Brand, Bond would have never figured out Drax's plan nor would he have been able to reprogram the gyros to save London.  She's the first woman where Bond finds himself worried that he's taking a relationship seriously.  Unfortunately, she's already engaged to be married and they only have a brief flirtation while saving England.

I was surprised that this novel did not involve an Ark in Space as was shown in the movie.  In fact, the novel never left English soil.  Jaws is nowhere to be found in the villain's henchmen either.  Elements of this novel are more in keeping with some of the plots in Die Another Day.

Three novels into this series and I find that, even though more than 60 years has passed since it was written, we're still concerned with the same things.  Countries are concerned about their national security and finding counter methods to defend their borders.  Readers are also concerned about the traitor in our midst:  Casino Royal - Vesper Lynd, English woman blackmailed into betraying her county. Live and Let Die - Mr. Big, an American who is recruited by the Russians to undermine American interests.  Moonraker - Hugo Drax, English Mother/German Father who sides with Germany in WWII and then returns to England to exact revenge.

It's really quite fascinating to read these novels in the historical context.  Though I find the language both sexist and incredibly racist at times, it gives a snapshot of the concerns and fears of the people at that point in time.  The novels were successful because they incorporated both fantastic and realistic elements into a single narrative.

Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming

Summary:

James Bond is sent by M to New York City to investigate gold coins that have been turning up in Harlem and Florida. While in New York, Bond is reunited with Felix Leiter. The villain, "Mr Big"is an agent of SMERSH and is smuggling the gold by placing it in the bottom of fish tanks holding poisonous tropical fish. He is also holding a woman, named Solitaire, against her will because she has the ability to read the future and tell when people are lying. Solitaire saves Bond by lying to her captor and then later joins bond on a train to St. Petersburg, Florida.

In Florida,  Solitaire is taken captive again and Felix is partially eaten by a shark while investigating. This sends Bond to investigate the enemy's warehouse himself.  He is attacked in the warehouse by the "Robber" but is able to escape.  The discovery of the fish tanks leads bond to Jamaica where he meets Quarrel.   

who gives Bond training in scuba diving which allows Bond to swim through shark- and barracuda-infested waters to Mr Big's island.   Bond is then able to foil the enemy's plan, rescue Solitaire, and escape to safety.

Response:

I was quite surprised at the differences between this book and the movie.  First of all, I felt that Solitaire was much more independent in the book and Bond was less of a rake.  In the film, Bond tricks a virginal Solitaire into sleeping with him which winds up taking away her power of foresight.  In the novel, not only does not sleep with her on page but there isn't this terrible connection between her virginity and her power of foresight.  I will refrain from commenting on this with a feminist view point but it did make me very glad to see the this did not originate with Ian Fleming.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how Bond is shown building up his strength for his mission.  He spends a week swimming and training before entering the villains lair.  You just don't see this part of Bond in the films at all - he's almost this superhero kind of spy who can literally do anything and everything with very little effort.  In the novels, he has to study and learn about each mission which makes it much more realistic even when the story elements stretch to fantasy.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming

Summary:
James Bond, 007, is fed-up with the Secret Service and is contemplating tendering his resignation when he runs into Countess Theresa "Tracy" di Vincenzo whipping through the streets of France in her car.  He saves her from committing suicide and her father attempts to force him to marry her.   Bond clearly states that he is not the marrying kind, nor is Tracy in the healthy mindset necessary for such an undertaking.

Back in England, Bond gets a lead on Blofeld's whereabouts and poses as Sir Hilary Bray in order to convince Blofeld to leave Switzerland.  While at the mountain resort Blofeld has been using for his headquarters, Bond encounters several young English women who are undergoing treatment for agricultural allergies.  Unbeknownst to the women, they're being brainwashed to use chemical warfare on Britain's agriculture.

Bond is able to stop Blofeld in time, but the villain escapes to fight another day.

Response:
Second in the so-called Blofeld Trilogy, I wish I had read these books in order. There are many references to previous adventures - including Casino Royale and Thunderball - that I understood because of the films, but still felt like I was missing some important information.

I was surprised by how closely the film followed the novel but was surprised by the emotional aspect of Bond.  After sleeping with Ruby, his internal monologue expresses regret at having to lie to her to get information. We see him seriously questioning why he does what he does and what he wants for his future.  In the film, it's very difficult to see this internal struggle.
Personally, I prefer the Character of Tracy Bond in the movie.  She's much more independent and I understand why Bond would marry her.  In the book, she's more of a secondary character who lets men make decisions for her. She's described in terms of how Bond reacts to her and not about her as an individual at all.

Written during the same time that the first Bond film, Dr. No, was being filmed, there's a sly reference to this film in the novel.  While dining at Piz Gloria, Irma Bunt tells Bond that they get all kinds of celebrities.  She then points out actress, Ursula Andress.

Louise de la Valliere by Alexandre Dumas

Summary:

Now that the turbulence has passed, we're able to see what life at court is really like for the next generation.  Instead of wrestling for power in war, we find the members of the court vying for position through romantic intrigues and political maneuverings.  Focusing more on the Vicomte de Bragelonne and his peers, we're seeing that the older generation has become dissatisfied with the new order, but only Athos is content to retire to his property.

Response:

The poor Vicomte de Bragelonne, has been utterly heartbroken and I find it difficult to be angry with Louise de la Valliere.   On the one hand, she didn't realize she wasn't actually in love with Raoul until she fell completely in love with the King.  The King, never having really been loved by a woman, is immediately drawn to Louise.    I am, however, angry with Princess Henrietta for suggesting Louise as a possible cover for the illicit affair she was having with the King.  Without this suggestion, the King would not have been in a position to overhear Louise's confession of love and she might have gone on to marry Raoul after all.  Though, if she wasn't actually in love with the Vicomte then perhaps this was all for the best.

The Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later

Summary:

Ten years after the close of Twenty Years After, and thirty years after the events at the end of The Three Musketeers, We find that d'Artagnan has lost his position as the Captain of the Musketeers and has been demoted back to Lieutenant.  He is a personal body guard to the King and has become very disenchanted with his lot in life.   The Cardinal rules over Louis with an iron fist to the point that Louis is unable to help his friend, Charles II, to reclaim his throne in England.

Aramis is now the Bishop of Vanne, Porthos is aiding him in his political machinations, and Athos is desperately trying to control the budding romance between his son and Louise de la Valliere while fulfilling a promise he made ten years earlier.

D'Artagnan asks for leave to retire from the Musketeers and undertakes the task of returning Charles II to his father's throne in England.  Unbeknownst to him, Athos is attempting the very same thing.  Soon all is resolved and Charles is returned to power.

Response:

I was surprised to see D'Artagnan so quickly demoted after the events of the previous novel and concerned about the weakness of the King.  But was greatly impressed at the way Dumas bends his story to fit the historical framework.

Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas

Summary:
Twenty Years after the events of The Three Musketeers, France has a new King, a new Cardinal, and d'Artagnan hasn't progressed past his promotion to Lieutenant in the Musketeers.  The four friends, d'Artagnan, Aramis, Athos, and Porthos, went their separate ways in the end of The Three Musketeers, but are reunited only to discover they're on separate sides of the intrigues at court.

Athos is now a father and living comfortably on his estates in the country.  He takes an interest in the political intrigues against Cardinal Mazarin and then  goes to England to help King Charles I fight for his kingdom during the English Revolution.

Aramis is an Abbe, but is experiencing a case of the "grass is greener."  While a Musketeer he dreamed of joining the church.  Now a member of the clergy, he dreams of his days as a Musketeer.  Aramis joins Athos in his quest to help the British Monarchy.

Porthos is a widower and has come to realize that all his riches are useless without someone with whom to share them.  He's persuaded by d'Artagnan to work for Cardinal Mazarin for the spirit of the adventure and a promise of a baronetcy.

Response:

I was slightly disappointed to find that d'Artagnan hadn't progressed much past the final pages of The Three Musketeers.  There's a new cardinal and a new king, but he seems lost without his friends around.  He goes to seek them and discovers that Aramis and Athos are on the opposite side of the political unrest in France.  They actively support the deposed king of England and are endeavoring to have Charles reinstated.  D'Artagnan and Porthos are the agents of the Cardinal who only supports Charles' efforts in words.

One of the more touching scenes in my opinion is the failed rescue attempt for King Charles.  Clearly, we know that history and that there is no hope for Charles, but with every turn of the page I hoped Dumas would write an alternative ending.  I wanted the Musketeers to succeed and possible have a fake executed in Charles' place.  But, alas, Dumas stays true to the facts and we are left with this beautiful scene of Athos trapped under the gallows during the execution.  It's something I would love to see in a film one day - if it hasn't already been attempted.

I'm looking forward to the next few novels and the further adventures of these men.  Though I read a spoiler the other day that makes me hope it was wrong.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Summary:D'Artagnan arrives in Paris, on a yellow horse, to make his fortune but finds himself caught up in the political intrigue at the court of King Louis XIII.  Foiling attempts by Milady de Winter lands him permanently on her bad side and thwarts the plans of the Cardinal Richelieu.  With the help of his new friends, the Three Musketeers, d'Artagnan is able to navigate these tumultuous times and win his heart's desire - a Lieutenant's Commission with the Musketeers.


Response:The Three Musketeers has always been one of my favorite novels.  I read it for the first time after seeing the Disney Movie, starring Chris O'Donnell, at the age 12.  I remember it being entertaining and immediately declaring it my favorite.  Though, looking back now, I think this had more to do with the film than the actual book.  Over the years I've reread it several times and find something new each time.  When I read it at 20, I laughed out loud at some parts. At 27, the historical aspect of the stories intrigued me and I realized there was actually witty banter between the friends.  At 33, I'm more interested in views on women and the characterization of Milady de Winter and Constance.  Obviously, this says more about me as the reader than it does about the author or the time period in which it was written.

Based on real life events and  Les mémoires de M. d'Artagnan, by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras, d'Artagnan is an interesting character, to say the least.  In the first novel of the d'Artagnan Romances, by Dumas, he's portrayed as headstrong and, at times, impulsive but also very clever in his dealings with the royal court.  There are events in the novel which make me think d'Artagnan is simply an asshole and yet we see how loyal he is to his friends.  He's an imperfect character much in the same way that we are imperfect people and I love this about the novel.

An event, that I think will be revisited in the next novel of the series, Twenty Years After, will be the advantage taken with Milady de Winter.  While searching for his lady love, d'Artagnan becomes enamored of  Milady de Winter.  When he learns that she is actually in love with the Comte des Wardes, and is merely stringing him along at Richelieu's orders, d'Artagnan disguises himself as des Wardes and sleeps with Milady.  It's in this manner that he learns Milady's true identity and her terrible secret.   Even though *Spoiler Alert* Milady is executed at the end of the novel, d'Artagnan will have to face consequences for this action, possibly at the hands of des Wardes.

Changeless by Gail Carriger

After reading Soulless, Book 1 in the Parasol Protectorate series, I simply had to pick up Book 2 and, again, I have not been disappointed. Gail Carriger has the ability to write a fantastic story that just draws you in.  (I'm already starting on book 3, Blameless.)

I am very pleased with this series. The characters are engaging and well rounded.  It's like the child of an Austen novel and insert your favorite vampire/werewolf novel here (Except that one - you know which one I mean).  I would reccommend this to anyone looking for an intelligent and fun series. 

***Note: if you have not read Soulless or Changeless, there may be spoilers in this post.  Also, the links to Changeless on Amazon contain several major spoilers***

Changeless opens with Alexia immersed in her new life as Muhjah to Queen Victoria and wife to Lord Maccon.  She has to deal with Werewolf politics and a strange type of plague of Humanity upon the Supernatural set.  Her investigation takes her to Scotland where she becomes acquainted with Lord Maccon's former pack.  Spies, assassination attempts, and a passel of bickering women follow her.

My new favorite character is Madame Lefoux.  She dresses in men's clothing, loves to tinker with technology, and has great chemistry with Alexia.  I love how, even with her association with Lord Akeldama, Alexia is completely oblivious to Madame Lefoux's attraction to her.  I kind of see her as Alexia's Q, supplying her with all sorts of fun gadgets and an interesting ally.  What I love most about her is that she refuses to play by society's rules.  Alexia doesn't care for most of the societal rules, but she is still guided by them, and while she greatly admires Madame Lefoux's practical clothing choices, I don't think she could bring herself to "cross the line" that much.

I won't spoil too much, but I just have to say that the ending broke my heart.  Throughout the entire book, we see how much Lord and Lady Maccon truly care for one another and the ending just made me weep openly.  It was quite fortunate that I was reading into the wee hours of the morning and my roommate didn't see me sobbing over the pages.   

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 29

Summary:

In April, the Confederacy surrenders and the war is over but it's not until two weeks later that the news reaches Tara.  Neighbors start to return to what's left of their homes and Scarlett is simply glad because she won't have to worry about thieves anymore.  The Fontaine boys return and stop in to visit Tara.  They discuss the problems of marriage now that the war is over and everyone is left with nothing.

Cathleen Calvert comes by a few days later to announce her marriage plans with the Yankee overseer at her parents farm.  She is unable to accept congratulations as she is only marrying him out of necessity.  Melanie seems to understand instinctively and scolds Scarlett when she asks if Cathleen could possibly be in love with the overseer.

Katiebug's Response:

Scarlett can't get her head around Cathleen marrying the overseer for security.  Even though her own marriage to Charles wasn't for love and she's convinced that Ashley really loves her and not his wife, it seems that Love is the only plausible reason for marriage in Scarlett's mind.  Melanie, of course, understands the emotional complexity of the situation.  Which really makes me think Scarlett has the emotional depth of a puddle.  She is a strong willed woman and her instinct to survive will get everyone through the lean times.  But she helps these people out of loyalty and duty rather than love and generosity as Melanie would.  The two together will make a strong and powerful pair.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 28

Summary:

Cold weather sets in and Scarlett realizes that her claims of the worst being over were premature.  The neighbors have less to share, though they all do their best to help one another.  Pork is able to trade, steal, or buy necessities from neighbors and towns with the money from the dead Yankee's pockets.    Scarlett starts to have a recurring nightmare and takes to sleeping in the bed with Melanie so she can be awoken when the dream is upon her.

Christmas brings Frank Kennedy and a troop of soldiers to Tara's door.  They were sent by the Confederate Army to secure provisions from the citizens.  The troop is able to share news of Atlanta and Frank reveals that citizens have started to rebuild the city.  Aunt PittyPat's home is still standing and it is suggested that she will return soon as well, but no one has news of Ashley. 

While the residents at Tara don't have much to share, they treat the soldiers to a Christmas celebration.  It's during dinner that Scarlett notices how happy Suellen is with Frank and when Frank asks Scarlett for permission to propose marriage to Suellen she wholeheartedly agrees.  She even arranges for the two to have privacy during the proposal.

Katiebug's Response:

Like Scarlett, it's been easy to forget there's a war going on elsewhere in the country.  The commissary troop serves as a reminder of the desperation facing the entire Confederacy in the last days of fighting.  But their visit also serves as a direct contrast to their lives before the war started.  Normal life events aren't going to be as easy as they were before.  Men will not be able to support wives without an income or livelihood.  The slaves will not come back to help work the fields and the farms are going to be reclaimed by the wilderness in less than a season.  The aristocracy will be reduced to the same socioeconomic level as their white trash neighbors.  Still, people are going to fall in love and life is going to move on.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 27

Summary:

A meager but filling breakfast is interrupted by Sally Fontaine spreading the news that "the Yankees are coming."  Everyone freezes for a moment and Wade's worst fears are realized.  Scarlett digs down deep into her anger and starts ordering the residents at Tara to scatter the livestock and hide what they can before disappearing into the swamps.  It's Melanie that reacts the fastest and jumps onto their lone horse to drive the cows into the swamp.  Scarlett races back inside to hide whatever valuables they can and gather up Melanie's baby.  She has a clear path to escape but Tara calls to her and she refuses to leave.

The Yankee soldiers overturn everything in the house and take everything of value.  It's only when Scarlett sees they've appropriated Charles' sword, that is her son's only birthright, that she protests.  The Sergeant she appeals to allows her to keep the sword much to the chagrin of the lowly soldier that had claimed it.  Before leaving, the Yankees burn all of the cotton they'd managed to save over the summer and a fire is started in Tara's Kitchen.

Refusing to give up, Scarlett rushes into the kitchen to fight the flames.  Just when she thinks she is beaten the door to the kitchen opens and Melanie is there to aid her.  Together they fight back the fire and save the house.  Scarlett awakens on the porch, she had passed out in the smoke, with her head in Melanie's lap and she realizes that she has a new found respect for her sister-in-law.

Katiebug's Reaction:
We're seeing the continued development of mutual respect and friendship between Melanie and Scarlett.  When Scarlett starts barking orders, to save whatever provisions they have, it's Melanie that jumps to action.  We see that Melanie is not as weak as Scarlett has always supposed her to be and has almost as strong of a will as Scarlett herself.  Scarlett is not the only one that can adapt to a new south.

Melanie further proves herself to be as stubborn as Scarlett when she returns to help fight the fire left by the Yankees.  I think this is what Scarlett is coming to admire in her relative, even though she still feels she's a rival for Ashley's affections.  Together, though, these women will be able to withstand anything this new and dangerous world has to throw at them.

With the cotton gone, the residents at Tara have no source of income.  I suspect this will be a problem later when it comes time to pay taxes on the property.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 26

Summary:

Scarlett is two weeks at home when a massive and infected foot blister renders her unable to work.  She has come to the realization that her father is never going to return to his normal self and the responsibility of taking care of the family has fallen to her shoulders.  Just when she is lost in her own thoughts she hears hooves on the road to Tara and looks up to see a lone Yankee soldier making his way into the house.  She arms herself with Charles' pistol and heads downstairs.  It's the sight of her mother's sewing box in foreign hands that drives her to action, but it's his threat to her safety that causes her to pull the trigger.

Roused from her sickbed by the shot, Melanie makes her way to the stairs with Charles' saber.  Scarlett and Melanie have a mutual moment of understanding and admiration before Melanie soothes the invalids with a quick lie.  They agree to clean up the body and not let anyone know of the murder.  Rifling through his pockets and knapsack, they find gold pieces and green union dollar bills.  But it's really the gain of his horse that is an answer to everyone's silent prayer.

Mobile once more, Scarlett sets out to investigate the neighborhood.  She finds the Fontaines at their home, Mimosa, and discovers they still have plenty of provisions to share.  Grandma Fontaine suggests that Scarlett pick what remains of the cotton in Tara's fields and, though Scarlett balks at the idea, Grandma Fontaine shames her into doing what must be done to survive.  Before she starts for home, Grandma Fontaine takes Scarlett aside and asks about Ellen.  Scarlett reveals the whole history and confesses that she's faced the worst that can happen.  Grandma shares with Scarlett that she, too, had faced the worst in her past and that it had caused her to fear nothing in her life.

Scarlett, Dilcey, and Prissy are the only ones to successfully work at picking the cotton.  Even Melanie attempts to work through her sickness while the others in the household make excuses to stay inside.  With the cotton picked, money in her pocket, and fresh provisions from the neighbors Scarlett feels that the worst is over and she can start climbing out of the despair surrounding Tara.

Katiebug's Response:

The mutual respect between Scarlett and Melanie continues to grow.  I'm really liking how Melanie is being displayed as a stronger character than in previous chapters.  First it really highlights how desperate things are for the women at home during the war.  Second, it makes her more well rounded and makes me believe this book is really about a strong friendship rather than a romance with Rhett.

The scene with the Fontaines reminded me that while this area is mostly settled it is nothing like it is today.  Only one generation back from Scarlett the farmland was wilderness and these people are holding on to what they've been able to carve out of it.  It puts the Civil War in a different perspective for me and I can understand why these people believed in "the cause."

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 25

Summary:

Waking up with the first hangover of her life, Scarlett goes to join her father for breakfast only to find that his mind is far more gone than she had suspected.  He is, in fact, waiting for the deceased Mrs. O'Hara to joing them at the table and won't allow anyone to start without her.  Mammy discourges Scarlett from correcting him and it's then that she realizes the full responsibility waiting for her at Tara.  Unable to express her distress, Scarlett is too abrupt with the remaning servants and orders them to scavenge from the neighboring farms.  When they protest, she declares that anyone at Tara, the O'Hara's included, not willing to work can leave.

Scarlett finds her way to Twelve Oaks only to find that it, too, has been burned to the ground.  She start to think of Ashley and how he will feel about this turn of events but pushes away her feelings to focus on foraging.   She finds a small vegatable patch in the slave quaters where she is suddenly overcome with hunger and attacks a radish.  The introduction of food into her hungover and mostly empty stomache is too much and causes her to wretch.  It's only then, alone in the field, that she allows herself to mourn everything that's been lost.  Then she makes the choice to move forward and utters the vow that she'll "never be hungry again."

In the subsequent months we learn just how isolated Tara has become and how the war seems like a horrible memory or someone else's problem.  Everyone complains and begs to Scarlett for more to eat.  Everyone that is except Melanie.  She is willing to give up her share so that others won't starve.  Melanie is kind and sympathetic while Scarlett is hard and uncaring.  People gravitate to Melanie for comfort and Scarlett finds Melly's kindness more annoying than all the begging and complaining from the others.

Scarlett begins to feel that everything is completely changed and that everything her mother tried to teach her was useless.  She is irritated with her family, her child, and most of all Melanie.  But her feelings for Tara are still strong and she finally realizes what he father meant all those years ago when he told her the O'Hara's have a tie to the land.  She recognizes that she is willing to fight or do anything to hold onto this piece of land.

Katiebug's Response:

I think it's interesting that Scarlett and Melanie have taken up the Caregiver and Caretaker roles in Tara.  Scarlett is focused on keeping everyone alive at any cost, even at the expense of kindness, while Melanie is focused on making sure everyone is able to remain in positive spirits despite the ruins around them.  It's almost as if Scarlett is immitating her Father's role and Melanie her Mother's.  Though Scarlett is far more effective than Gerald and Melanie isn't really running everything behind Scarlett's back.

I can't imagine the stress that Scarlett must be experiencing right now.  She has her mother's nature to care for everyone even at the detriment of herself, but she has her father's stubbornness interwoven with it. So she has the capacity to want to care for everyone but not the kindness to explain her actions.  Everything that she has known is gone and she has to figure out how to survive in this new world.  And it's not just her survival that's depending on this learning curve, it's her entire family and Ashley's.  Had Rhett come back with her, she would have made it his problem and probably fought him every step of the way. 

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 24

Summary:
Scarlett awakens in the wagon the next morning and recalls the trials and tribulations of the previous evening after Rhett abandoned them.  For a moment, she fears that Melanie has died in the night but then sees her breathing.  Looking around them, she recognizes the Mallory place though it has been burned to the ground by the Yankees.  As they travel along the road to Tara, they discover all of their neighbor's homes have met the same fate and Scarlett starts to worry that Tara has also been a victim of the war.  A cow is found along the way and it seems that at least they've had some small luck on this fool's errand.

Scarlett, Prissy, Wade, Melanie and her baby all arrive at Tara to discover that while the building still stands, the heart is gone out of Tara.  Ellen, who'd been sick with Typhoid, had died the previous day leaving Mr. O'Hara lost in his grief.  The news comes as a shock and Scarlett almost loses her composure, but pushes aside her own grief to take care of the remaining family.  After taking stock of the remaining assets at Tara, she learns what has taken place in her absence.  While the Yankees are responsible for the destruction of the fields and their livelihood, they are also responsible for the survival of her sisters and her childhood home as the Yankees used Tara for their headquarters when they learned the residents were too ill to be moved.

She immediately takes charge in the absence of Ellen's leadership and makes sure everyone has something to eat and her father has some whisky.  She has a little herself, to calm her nerves, and proceeds to get drunk as she goes through the house.  Scarlett checks in on her sisters and catches up with Dilcey and Mammy.  Mammy explains how Ellen and the girls became sick, but it's Dilcey who reveals Ellen's final words: "Philippe."  Faced with daunting circumstances, Scarlett begins to make plans to break up the family and send her sisters to live with her mother's family but realizes that it would be admitting defeat.  O'Hara's never surrender and Scarlett will not be the first.  Her doubts and fears start to creep in, but she forces them all away saying she will think of it "tomorrow" and then proceeds to pass out.

Katiebug's Response:
We're beginning to see Scarlett's pattern of not dealing with things that bother her.  It seems to be how she can cope in the face of all this devastation.  She knows that she should mourn her mother, but there are so many people relying on her to be strong that she pushes it down.  Falling apart is not going to help anyone survive.  I have a feeling that this is going to come back to bite her eventually.  Though with this much calamity the only way she might be able to get through it is to be completely numb.

I think it's interesting how she steps right in to fill the head of household role.  Her father isn't capable in his grief and her sisters are still unconscious upstairs.  A few loyal servants have stayed with the family to nurse them through and Scarlett is maybe too gruff with them in her misplaced anger.  She'd been thinking that Tara would be her safe haven and has discovered it will be just as difficult as things were in Atlanta.  While hard work is not in her nature, I think she will excel at the challenges this new world presents.

I also think it's sad that Ellen's last words were for her long lost lover and that Gerald has lost his mind with grief at her death.  They had a partnership that worked but her heart always belonged to another.  I begin to wonder if a similar fate will befall Scarlett.

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 23

Summary:
Prissy is able to locate Rhett Butler and convinces him to steal a horse and carriage to help Scarlett and Melanie.  He shows up with a decrepit old nag and barely a wagon, but Scarlett is grateful nonetheless.  As they are carrying Melanie out of the house and to the wagon, she demands they stop for a picture of her brother and his sword.  Safely in their escape vehicle they wind their way through the war-torn streets of Atlanta.  Scarlett is truly frightened as they make their way through what seems like Hell, itself, but Rhett is encouraged by the dangerous surroundings and continues to chide her.  When Rhett asks her where she wants to go, her only answer is Tara, even though they know the Yankees have cut off that route of escape.  Once they are safely out of Atlanta, and the horse can rest for a bit, Rhett makes his gallant exit to join the rest of the Confederate soldiers.  Despite Scarlett's protestations he leaves her to care for Melanie and the rest, but not, of course, before he tells her that he does love her and makes one last pass.


Response:
I have to say that for all Scarlett has accomplished in the last few chapters, she is perfectly ready to throw it all to the wayside as she delights in the comfort of having a man next to her.  Perhaps "delights" is the wrong word for this.  It just seems that when things are truly frightening, she doesn't draw strength from within herself as she did for the birth of Melanie's son.  She is perfectly happy to let Rhett take care of her.  Which, I think, is exactly the reason why he leaves her to join the Army. 

He knows that she is as independant as he is and her sudden dependance on him, coupled with his own guilt about the "cause," persuades him it's time to leave.  It's with the realization that she won't have a man to protect her as she makes her way back to Tara, that Scarlett bullies up her own strength and tells Rhett off.  Even though she cries at the seemingly hopeless situation, she has recovered the fighting spirit she so willingly set aside when Rhett shows up with the horse.  And I think Rhett knew that was the only way they would all survive.  He could certainly help defend Melanie, Prissy, Wade and the baby on the road to Tara but only if Scarlett was at full capacity and the events of the previous chapters had left her drained of her fight.  He gave her a reason to be angry, again, and brought her back to herself.  And maybe he even realized that a man on the journey would be more of a hindrance, should they encounter Yankees, than a help.  A group of women with small children might not draw as much attention as a potential Confederate spy.

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 22

Summary:
After failing to find help, Scarlett is left to deliver Melanie's baby alone.  Melanie endures hours of labor in the heat of an Atlanta summer, she attempts to stifle her cries of pain until Scarlett assures her she doesn't have to be brave.  The actual birth of Melanie and Ashley's child is not documented in the chapter but we're told that it was a trying ordeal for Scarlett.  She is just starting to recover in the shadows of the porch when an explosion near Five Points brings her to her feet.  Convinced the Yankees have progressed that far and will certainly kill anyone that comes across their path, Scarlett struggles to find a means of escape for her charges.  It's then that she remembers Rhett Butler and sends Prissy to find him by any means necessary.

Katiebug's Response:
This chapter moves slowly and definitely gives the reader that feeling of waiting for a baby to be born.  For all of the panic and urgency that goes with childbirth there is a lot of waiting for something to happen.  It amazes me that Scarlett continues to stay and honor her promises; that she is able to stifle her fear and be strong for Melanie.  She hates being stuck there and is very afraid that the Yankees will kill them all, but she stays with Melanie and refuses to let anything upset her rival during her labor pains.  She has fully taken over the role of caregiver.

Then, in her moment of dire need, she turns to Rhett for help.  She knows her limitations and knows the capabilites of others will help her achieve her goals.  In this instance, she knows that she needs to get out of Atlanta and after their last meeting Rhett wouldn't be likely to help her alone.  But with the message that the beloved Mrs. Wilkes has had her baby and needs to be evacuated, Scarlett is sure that Rhett will come to their aid.  We're seeing how her powers of manipulation are useful for more than flirting and new clothes.

The Kindle Touch



photo from Amazon.com



For Christmas, my amazing sister purchased the Kindle Touch for me.  She knew that I'd been looking over e-readers and hadn't committed to one yet.  I'd put the Kindle on my Amazon wish list, for obvious reasons, and with the addition of using the Kindle with my public library I was perfectly happy with my selection.  I honestly didn't expect to receive it as a gift, since everyone said they were scaling back this year, and have continued to be delightfully surprised with its features.

1) It is incredibly easy to get books.  Perhaps a little too easy.  I've already purchased 5 e-books in the last two weeks, two of which I already own in regular book form.

2) Portability is a key factor.  I downloaded a copy of Gone with the Wind so I could resume my chapter by chapter posts on here.  There really isn't a "I forgot to bring x, y, or z book" excuse anymore as long as you remember to bring the Kindle itself.

3) Highlighting passages and posting to social media.  I'm re-reading my favorite book, A Passage to India by E.M Forster, and can post my favorite quotes for my friends to see and discuss as I am reading the book.  I don't have to remember to write it down and post it later, which inevitably never happens.  I wonder if there is a way to post to Blogger from the device...

4) Amazon allows Prime members to borrow one book a month for free.  As I am already an Amazon Prime member for the TV show and shipping benefit, this works out well for me.

5) Library Books - I have not yet attempted to use this feature, but I am looking forward to utilizing my local library once again.  I had stopped because I honestly never found the time to go pick out books and then make sure I returned them on time.  Working two jobs kind of puts a kink in one's free time.  So as much as I enjoyed supporting my local library with my late fees, it really wasn't beneficial for me.  But now....

And there are other features I haven't tried, like the text-to-speech or the MP3 capability.  But I am sure they are equally as amazing.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Summary:
After being rescued from District 13, Katniss struggles to deal with the responsibility that comes with being the figurehead for an entire revolution.  While the rebels are waging war, district by district, Katniss is filming propaganda videos to air in the capitol, encouraging people to join their cause.  The Capitol is airing its own films featuring interviews with Peeta, who wasn't able to escape in the District 13 hovercraft with the others.  Katniss is unable to sustain her role as the Mockingjay knowing how Peeta is suffering at the hands of President Snow, so another rescue mission is launched and returns successful.  But President Snow has one more surprise for Katniss: he's brainwashed Peeta into thinking she's evil.

Response (Spoilers):
I can honestly say that the end of this novel made me cry like a five year old with a skinned knee.  Suzanne Collins does not shy away from the harsh realities of war and I commend her for that.  There is also a certain amount of hope for the characters.  That part that made me cry, the death of her sister.  It could be because I have such a close relationship with my own sister and could completely understand what Katniss must be feeling, but I also think Collins does an excellent job of portraying her character's grief.

I was glad to have a little more interaction between Gale and Katniss in this novel.  It helped to develop that friendship/relationship for me and I honestly believed she was torn between her feelings for Gale and Peeta.  Though, I have to maintain that Gale's affection for Katniss seems to always be motivated by jealousy whereas Peeta's comes from a genuine place.  Even in the end, when Katniss has completely shut down and can't function, Gale abandons her for a shiny new job in a different district while Peeta is the one who comes back to be with her.

I wish there had been a little more conversation about Katniss' decision to kill President Coin, or even President Coin's true motives.  I will agree that the decision to continue the Hunger Games, but with only Capitol Children this time, was a huge motivator for Katniss' actions.  It really made the point that President Coin wasn't looking for a total revolution, just a change in power.  But we don't see the trial where Katniss' fate is decided, just her continued breakdown after the death of her sister and abandonment by her mother.

Overall, I think this was an excellent end to the trilogy.  I think a few additional chapters would have tied it up even better, but I wasn't disappointed in the ending.  The series, as a whole, deals with difficult subject matter and I wouldn't recommend it for young children without some sort of conversation or guided reading.  But it is an excellent way to teach younger generations about the reality of war and freedoms.  Always an entertaining read for those of us who are older.  I was captivated by the story and cared very much for the individual characters.