ੈ✩‧₊˚ana ੈ✩‧₊˚ > Recent Status Updates

Wow, what a breath of fresh air after reading The Stranger and A Death in Venice. Cicero has a very positive view on aging, and this is a very enjoyable read so far. :)

Our man character is now at his hotel in Venice and has become infatuated with „noble Greek statue“ looking teenage boy with long curly hair. He watches him play with his best friend on the beach, and can tell that he’s popular amongst all the kids there.

Up to Chapter 3 Part 2 Update: The book opens in the early 1900s and centers on man named Gustav von Aschenbach, a successful writer who lives in Munich, and is now getting on in years. We learned that his childhood wasn’t particularly happy, and that he experienced much loneliness. As of now he has embarked on a trip to Italy. We’ll see how this goes haha (This is my first Thomas Mann book! Woohoo!🥳)

Update: We have just finished the first Cossack battle in the book and been informed that the Tartars have raided the Sech, so half of the army turns back to help the Cossacks that were captured by the Tartars, and the other half stays to free the Cossacks that were captured by the Poles in the battle. Taras was also told that his son has defected to the Poles‘ side because of his love for the governor‘s daughter

Up to Chapter 7 Update: WOW.!! The first 3 chapters are a bit slow to get through (not a lot of action, primarily world building and character descriptions) but I’m SO GLAD I stuck with it! The real meat of the story starts at chapter 6 and I’m SO EXCITED to see where this continues on to! Right now, the narrative is centered on two star-crossed lovers, a Cossack solider and the daughter of an enemy governor.

Part 2 Chapter 3 Update: While visiting Raymond’s friend’s beach house, Arthur (our narrator) has shot and killed an Arab man (who had initially followed Arthur, Raymond, and Marie the beach to avenge his sister’s mistreatment) on the beach, despite the man only having a knife. Then he spent 5 months in prison (in which his biggest yearn was for women & cigs) for murder and now his actual trail has just begun.

Honestly, seeing that after writing this book its author was put on trail for obscenity, I was expecting a much more scandalous book, but so far it’s really just harping on how unfulfilled Mrs. Bovary is and how her husband yearns for her. The most major development since my last update is that now they have a baby together

Chapters one and two were pretty slow to get through, but the book has picked up beautifully since then.

At long last, I’m finally reading a full Susan Sontag book. After having only completed the first chapter, I can already see why she has the acclaim she does :)

Part 2 Chapter 1 Update: Now we’ve learned that Madame Bovary is completely miserable living in the country, she says that she wishes for death, but also wishes to live in Paris. She has lost interest in her drawing and music practice because she doesn’t see the point in developing skills if she has no one to show them to. She’s also very lonely, even being tempted to converse with her servants but she refrains

I‘m now around chapter 7 and the narrative has shifted to following the life of the Bovary son‘s new wife. He adores her, but she resents him and the happiness she brings him, especially since he has no knowledge of shooting, fencing, or any other such areas that she values in a man. Where I‘ve left off, she has just finished a rather „thrilling“ dance with another man at a public dance hall. 👀😂

I have only finished the introduction and part of chapter one, but already we have touched on how there are many instances of female dominance within the animal kingdom, the feminist views of John Stuart Mill, and the sexist beliefs held by Aristotle, Plato, and St. Thomas Aquinas (Aquinas being one of the most famous catholic theologians in history). I‘m greatly enjoying this read so far!

Just finished chapter one- it was largely a description of the Bovary son‘s calm upbringing and how he lost interest in his work as a young adult and dropped out of school (studying medicine) in favor of playing cards & gallivanting around town (to no particular end other than enjoying his freedom).

*SPOILERS* Update: at this point in the story, Lolita’s mom is dead, and the narrator (Humbert Humbert) is the sole guardian of Lolita. He picks Lolita up from summer camp, tells her her mom is dead and then they drive around the U.S. exploring different states for over a year. While on this trip, Humbert claims that Lolita seduced him first and the sexual interactions between them only continued from there.

I’m very much looking forward to finishing The Stranger, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Bell Jar asap so I can move on to equally impactful, but more optimistic/upbeat titles💀💀😂 omg

Any recommendations are welcomed 💕

On chapter 15 now—Esther is in the metal hospital after attempting to unalive herself. I was grateful to read that her mom came to visit.

Halfway through chapter 12 — I know this book is largely autobiographical, and I just want to give Sylvia Plath a hug.

I’m on chapter nine now. The book has picked up so much since the first two chapters and plays on many themes of class, education, gender roles/expectations, sexuality, and self image.

I’m on chapter 5/20 - Esther is recovering from food poisoning from a work event (at her internship at a fashion magazine) and her office sent her a get well soon message

The certified emo classic continues haha🩷

I‘m mid chapter two and just learned our narrator had an Austrian grandmother. Austria being such a small country (in landmass), any mention of it in literature makes me so happy🩷

Chapter 26 - He’s now reached a sexual climax “around” the little girl (allegedly) without her noticing and now he’s contemplating marrying her mom in order to further have his way with her. The mom has left him a note confessing her love for him already. My horror only grows as the book continues.

Chapter 16 - the last several chapters have largely been descriptions of his longing/sexualization of this little girl. Can’t wait for this to be over. 💀

Just got to chapter 12 where the narrator arrives at a house with a young girl. Oh no.

I’m on chapter 5. The other shoe has dropped. 💀

I’m on chapter 4 right now. Given the premise of the book, I’m shocked by how much I like the book so far (mostly due to the author’s impressive vocabulary and literary techniques) but I feel on edge as I continue reading, anticipating the “other shoe to drop”.

I’m on chapter 3 rn—I just finished the plot set up and I think we are about to get to the meat of the book. As a hearing person, the depiction of the HOH experience shown in the book thus far has been very enriching 🩷 I love that this is written by a deaf author as well! I’m shocked to realize that this is the first novel by a deaf author that I’ve read. I definitely need to change that!

Love letters from Mozart, Goethe, Voltaire, George Washington, Henry the Great and more can be found in the first 50 pages🩷 I love that the author includes summaries of the lives/loves of those involved at the end of each letter as well.💕 Very cup-filling read for this beautiful snow day in Virginia.🩷