Rachel's Corner
The books I've chosen to review for this issue have in common that they make you feel good and are, in one way or another, beautifully written. As before, there's one book written by Swedish Astrid Lindgren — this time it's my favorite book written by her.
Sense and Sensibility
By Jane Austen
Rachel's Rating: PG
Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are sisters and the main characters in this story, which takes place in England a couple of centuries ago. When their father dies, the family estate is passed to their half-brother John. The sisters, along with their mother and little sister, have to move to a cottage belonging to a distant relative. John had promised his father to look after his half-sisters, but John's wife Fanny is greedy and selfish and persuades him that he has no financial obligation to his half-sisters.
Before the Dashwoods move out of their old home, John and Fanny comes to stay there with them. Fanny has a brother, Edward, who visits. He and Elinor are attracted to each other, but Edward's mother wants him to make a career and marry a woman of high rank, not someone like Elinor. So Mrs Dashwood decides that she will move out with her daughters, and that's how they end up in the cottage.
In the area lives Colonel Brandon, 35, who is quiet and reserved and becomes attracted to Marianne, who is not pleased. After some time, Marianne happens to meet a young man, John Willoughby, and she falls madly in love. Elinor, who is reserved, serious and careful, is worried by how uncareful, gullible and unguarded Marianne is. Marianne on the other hand is angry that Elinor is questioning her and Willoughby's love for each other.
As with any romance novel of this kind, love is difficult. There are many roadbumps on the way towards true love and lifelong happiness. Austen's novels are filled with strong women, and so is this. Elinor and Marianne are very different, but they both have to learn things about themselves and about life before they can become truly happy.
Sense and Sensibility has been adapted for television and film several times. My personal favorite is the film from 1995, directed by Ang Lee and starring Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant and Kate Winslet.
The Brothers Lionheart
By Astrid Lindgren
Rachel's Rating: G
This is a beautiful story about two young brothers and their love for each other, about death, tyranny, betrayal but also loyalty, courage and hope. It starts in our world but quickly transfers us to another world which looks like a beautiful and happy place at first, but then reveals evil.
Karl Lion is 9 years old and deadly ill. He learns that he won't live much longer. His older brother Jonatan, 13, does whatever he can to care for and comfort him. Jonatan is the perfect guy; everyone loves him. He looks like a fairytale prince and acts like one as well. The two of them live with their mother. One day there's a fire in their house. Jonatan saves Karl by taking him on his back and jumping from the window. Jonatan dies, and Karl misses him terribly until he finally dies too because of his disease. He ends up in Nangijala, a world that Jonatan has told stories about. And Jonatan is waiting for him.
At first their life at the Riders Farm in the Cherry Valley is peaceful and fantastic. They have their own horses, Karl can ride and swim and is no longer ill. But their happy new life suddenly turns dark and dangerous. The evil Tengil from Karmanjaka has occupied the Thorn Rose Valley on the other side of the mountains. A resistance movement has been started in the Cherry Valley, led by Sofia with the messenger doves. But there's a traitor in the valley.
Jonatan has to leave to free the leader of the resistance movement who has been captured by Tengil. And Karl is once again left alone.
This is by far my favorite book written by Astrid Lindgren; actually it's one of my all-time favourite books. It's so beautifully written, and the Cherry Valley is just the perfect place to live (in the beginning). And Jonatan is of course the perfect big brother, the kind of brother that anyone would like to have.
About A Boy
By Nick Hornby
Rachel's Rating: PG
Will is a 36-year-old bachelor. He has never had to have a job, thanks to royalties from a Christmas song his father wrote. This means he has a lot of free time, which he fills with TV shows, visits to the music store and evenings at the pub trying to find attractive women to date.
Marcus is a 12-year-old boy. He is bullied at school and lives with his mother, who is suicidal.
The two of them meet as a result of Will inventing an imaginary son and starting going to single parents meetings. The relationship between them is strained to start with, but soon they become friends, despite the age difference, and they start learning things from each other.
This is a feel-good novel (which has also been adapted for a film starring Hugh Grant) that I enjoyed a lot. The characters become so real because they could be anyone around you — or you could even see parts of yourself in them. It's a story about getting to know yourself, what you want and what to do to get there — and what not to do as well. It's about growing up, in a number of ways, and being confident in who you are. A true feel-good novel.