Rose in Bloom

I was so excited when I got Rose in Bloom from the library; but somehow, it wasn't what I had expected. The charm had gone out of it for me. Now re-reading Eight Cousins (its prequel) was so much fun. I loved reading about Rose's developing relationships with her newly found relatives in that book, but somehow, Rose in Bloom was much too slow paced for me. I knew what was to come and I felt the it was dragged on a bit ( I know this is probably the effect of re-reading books ).

Rose has come back from a trip to Europe with her Uncle. Her seven cousins eagerly await her with something more than simply friendship. Over the years that we haven't seen Rose, she has become a woman; her cousins see her with new eyes and some hearts - or just one heart? - beat faster. Romance is in the air and soon the matchmaking begins. The aunts vie for her attention and favors, all wanting their son to be the one who wins the heiress. But do they love her for her? or is it her fortune that tempts them? By this time, Rose knows her aunts - and her cousins - well. Will her Uncle's experiment in training her to be a good woman become a success? Only time will tell.

Rose, once back with her cousins, begins again to use her influence towards doing good. Prince Charlie has lived up to his name and become the prince that he was destined to be - will he be the one who wins Rose? The cousins think so, and with no one else vying for her attention, Rose begins to think so as well. But Charlie is not the boy that she left behind; he has gotten into a bad set and is fast moving towards destruction. Can she save him before he falls over the edge? Will the book end in a happily ever after for Charlie and Rose?

Anne's House of Dreams

L. M. Montgomery's most beloved creation Anne. I can't say much that hasn't already been said. I love Anne and aspire to be like her; dream like her; love like her; live like her. She has always been one of the most powerful figures in literature for me due to her joyous nature and ever optimistic outlook on life.

Anne's House of Dreams, the fifth novel in The Anne Series, follows Anne on her journey into matrimony and the responsibilities that come with it.. After her marriage, Anne and Gilbert move to Four Winds Point where Gilbert is to take over the practice of his Uncle. Here Anne and Gilbert set up their 'house of dreams'; a place near the sea shore imbued with its mystery and charm. A new place means new 'kindred spirits' and wherever Anne goes, she is sure to attract many. The first of these is an old sailor by the name of Captain Jim.

"The old captain held out sinewy hand to Anne; they smiled at each other and were friends from that moment. Kindred spirit flashed recognition to kindred spirit."

Next we are introduced to Miss Cornelia Bryant. An inveterate man-hater who can never find anything good to say about any man. Somewhat odd (like the Mr. Harrison of previous novels) she is definitely a kindred spirit - or of the race that know Joseph as she calls it. Anne and her new home have begun to grow into a new and dear family.

What about a romance? Well, to start you off, here is one of Montgomery's flawless descriptions which hints at romance to come....

"The girl of the golden hair and sea-blue eyes was sitting on a boulder of the headland, half-hidden by a jutting rock ....... She was bareheaded, and her splendid hair, more than ever like Browning's "gorgeous snake," was bound about her head with a crimson ribbon. She wore a dress of some dark material, very plainly made; but swathed about her waist, outlining its fine curves, was a vivid girdle of red silk. Her hands, clasped over her knee, were brown and somewhat work-hardened; but the skin of her throat and cheeks was as white as cream. A flying gleam of sunset broke through a low-lying western cloud and fell across her hair. For a moment she seemed the spirit of the sea personified -- all its mystery, all its passion, all its elusive charm."

I love quoting Montgomery. Love it.

The novel has its fair share of romance, happy moments, tragedy and laughter. Be ready to shed a few tears and have a few laughs. Pick up a cup of steaming cocoa, wrap yourself in a warm blanket, and open up Anne's House of Dreams. Enjoy.

Eight Cousins

Eight Cousins, along with its sequel Rose in Bloom, is one of my favorite books by Louisa May Alcott. The depiction of family life and hope that is so pervasive in Alcott's novels doesn't fail one here. That one can always change, be better, be healthier and that love can do wonders is the message in most of her stories. I know that whenever I read her novels, despite the somewhat exaggerated goodness, I too see a better world through her eyes.

Eight Cousins centers around Rose; a young, recently orphaned girl who is thrust into a new world with relatives she barely knows. With the fear of a new guardian and seven new cousins, all boys, whom she has never met, Rose has grown to be constantly ill and tired. Will the arrival of the mysterious guardian and the companionship of her cousins help her heal? Those who have read a novel by Alcott must already know the answer. The novel promises a fun voyage through the ups and downs, surprises, and magic of Rose's new family life.........A MUST READ!

Moods

Young and inexperienced, Sylvia's chief flaw is that she is ruled by her moods. All her life decisions are made on the impulse of the moment without a care to propriety or prudence. She is the bane of her sister's existence who feels that she will never learn, and always be ruled by a whim.

Beautiful and endearing to those around her, it isn't a surprise when love quickly comes her way. Her childish and impetuous nature give her a vivid and colorful personality that is hard to dislike. She is one of those people who always manage to get their own way. As always, Louisa May Alcott put a moral in her novel, and Sylvia must learn a hard lesson before she can find the happiness of love.

I liked Sylvia, but at times I found it hard to believe how anyone so charming and beautiful  could be absolutely unconscious of it. I understand there are people with charm who are unconscious of it, but for someone with that mixture of beauty, charm, spirit and personality to be absolutely unaware of it, seemed doubtful. Especially with the fact that not one, but two men fall in love with her! The only explanation is that Sylvia is still a child, and she has many things to learn before she can make a success of her life. Her turbulent emotions and mood swings cause her, and others, a lot of heartache. She is forever fluctuating between ecstasy and despair.

Moods shows the serious side of love and how it is not always just pure joy and ecstasy. Sylvia finds true love the hard way, and she has to give up a lot before she sees it. The novel made me root for one character, then another till I didn't know what I wanted, so how could Sylvia?! But, through all the haze, she at last finds herself and the peace she had always wanted.

Behind a Mask or A Woman's Power

In Behind a Mask Louisa May Alcott takes a turn from her usual style. Known for writing the light family drama Little Women, Behind a Mask glimpses towards the darker side. The characters all seem charming in the beginning but we are left wondering how an author who can create such good characters as Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March can create a Jean Muir.

Louisa May Alcott, in her novels, focused a lot on morals. Her heroines are strong-minded young woman who, at the same time are feminine. Jean Muir, a governess, is at first shown as a meek, misunderstood girl of 18 - but she is not what she seems. She quickly instigates herself into the family, worming her way into the hearts of all the occupants. Even the most mistrusting soon succumb to her unique charm. Is she what she seems? Or does she have a dark purpose behind all that she does? What is behind the sweet, misunderstood mask of Jean Muir? Lucia, the fiance of the master of the house, has enough womanly instincts to see past Jean Muir's feminine wiles, but she lacks the scrutiny and cleverness of Jean Muir. She knows something is wrong but does not have enough insight into the matter, or quickness to do anything about it. Instead, she plays right into Jean's hands and becomes a catalyst for the inevitable reaction.

I really enjoyed reading Behind a Mask. I have always loved Louisa May Alcott's writing style and after reading this novel, I like her character portrayal even more. It was refreshing to see another side of human nature and to see how the less fortunate members of society may act. Set in England, the book appeals to me even more; especially since I love books set during the Victorian Era!