Book Review: Dawn of The Dreadfuls

Having come of age in the rebellious Sixties, I am predisposed to enjoy a book wherein women speak their mind, defy stereotypes and kick serious butt! Strong female characters are what drew me to Jane Austen, those independent souls who knew their own worth and refused to be stifled by the conventions of the day. It is that immutable sense of self that keeps me coming back to revisit their lives from time to time.
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I must admit, however, to some trepidation when approaching Quirk Classics' Pride and Prejudice and Zombies last year. While it was clearly not going to be my traditional rereading of a favourite classic, I was surprised to find I enjoyed it. Elizabeth Bennet was the same vital woman I admired in the original Pride and Prejudice, only this time she was able to wield a katana sword as easily as she did a sewing needle.

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I was, therefore, delighted to receive an Advance Reading Copy of Quirks Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Dawn of The Dreadfuls, a prequel to the above, written with tongue firmly in cheek by award-winning author and reporter, Steve Hockensmith. Set four years before P&P&Z, it takes us back to the root of the zombie plague. Elizabeth is a teenager leading a typical life in Regency England. All that changes when her father converts the greenhouse into a dojo and begins to train Elizabeth and her sisters to be warriors. Martial arts, nunchucks and muskets replace chatting, tatting and teatime.
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At first awkward and unenthusiastic, the Bennet daughters soon embrace their newfound skills and use them in defense of the countryside, under attack by voracious hordes of zombies. Along the way, Elizabeth attracts no less than two suitors, though her youth and inexperience have equipped her with little ability to respond in kind. From naïve child to empowered slayer of the Undead, Elizabeth’s transformation is swift and entertaining to follow.
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Unlike P&P&Z, there are no passages of Ms. Austen’s writing inserted into the text. This is all Steve Hockensmith and his wild imagination. Dawn of The Dreadfuls offers generous amounts of both action and romance, delivered with comedic accuracy and a good dose of irreverence. In the end, this is not a novel to take too seriously. Die-hard Austen fans may cringe at the notion, but for sheer escapist enjoyment, this book provides much humour and great entertainment, delivered with panache.

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Poking fun at life occasionally helps us gain perspective and insight…and are those not the very qualities that endeared Jane Austen to us from the beginning? What she would have made of the Quirk series will never be known, but she would no doubt wish us to continue watching life unfold around us and to explore its intricacies with honesty and awareness as she did. Any book that challenges our judgment and makes us think anew is a good one as far as I’m concerned…so I end by thanking Mr. Hockensmith, for adding yet another layer to my appreciation of the ultimately inimitable

Jane Austen.

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I am including a link to the Dawn of The Dreadfuls book page on Quirkclassics.com for those wanting more information.

http://quirkclassics.com/index.phg?q=dawnofthedreadfuls

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There are also 50 Quirk Classics Prize Packs to be won!

http://www.quirkclassics.com/index.phg?q=QuirkClassicsContestDODReviews

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Enjoy... and for an added treat, google Steve Hockensmith or check out his blog...

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A Vancouver Valentine's Day

A flower cannot blossom

without sunshine,
and a man cannot live

without love.

Max Muller,
Philologist 1823 - 1900

Guo Nian Hao

Wishing my friends

and loved ones

much happiness

and prosperity

in the

coming days...

Happy New Year to All.

Pass the Chocolates

As I did with Christmas, I'm recycling an article written in 1986. I am chastened to realize that in the intervening twenty-four years since writing this, I have come no further in my resolve to resist temptation...

....................Pass the Chocolates....................

No..this is not another piece about New Years' resolutions. I have never seriously considered making a New Years resolution, let alone keeping one. Such an admission forces me to reveal that perfection is not in my near future. I am told it does not even loom as a faint possibility. Indeed, if family opinion is to be believed, there is indication that I am overweight, under-disciplined, and severly addicted to chocolate.

While it is clear that a number of changes might be in order, I have not yet been foolish enough to attempt them. Self-improvement may be a noble goal, but I hold firmly to the belief that a few bad habits are good for you. Certainly, they are integral to my lifestyle. I see no point to a diet if it is not followed by a binge. I draw up long lists of chores that I proceed to ignore; and wouldn't dream of getting my jazzy new exercise outfit stained with sweat.

You can see that I take my bad habits seriously, but it wasn't always so easy for me. I learned the hard way that though a little self-indulgence is good for the soul, too much will have guilt taking all the fun out of it. It comes down to a question of perspective. There is really no need to eat the whole pie when half will suffice; and experience has taught me that if all the clocks in the house are set at different times, one of them is bound to suit me when I'm having trouble staying on schedule. Guilt does breed a certain ingenuity.

Rather than trying to overcome my shortcomings, I have melded them into a fascinating part of my personality. It is necessary to admit that this is a viewpoint not entirely shared by my husband. He has even gone so far as to suggest I give up junk food and get into -ugh- menu planning! To my credit, I decline to point out that he is not without a few faults of his own.

This fact does not distress me; instead, it serves to reinforce my belief that our individual quirks are essential to our well-being. Clearly, discipline is not natural to human beings. It is only our bad habits, after all, that set us apart from the animals. The quest for greater creature comforts has been our driving force since life began. Why, if it were not for Irish Cream cheesecake, we might never have gotten beyond the stage of digging for roots.

Did our ancestors make these tremendous advances in technology only to have us spurn them for the spartan lifestyle they worked so hard to improve? Far be it for me to squander these achievements. Self-denial is plainly an insult to those individuals who toiled endlessly to invent ice cream and escapist movies. I, for one, do not intend to let their hard work go to waste.

Give me a hot-fudge sundae over yogurt any day. Let me guzzle caffeine, and leave jogging in the rain to fanatics who don't know the value of a scorching fire and an old film on television. I can accept the fact that I am flawed; and if Jane Fonda will leave the cookie munching to me, I am content to leave the workout videos to her.

The brand new year will have to make do with the same old me. Would someone pass the chocolates, please?

Boxing Day

After weeks of frantic preparation, followed by the excitement of Christmas Day itself, I find it is Boxing Day I am most inclined to enjoy. Sated with turkey and chocolates, foggy from lack of sleep and relieved that I’ve pulled it off for another year, I fall happily into a day where nothing more is expected of me.

We set out for a walk, the cool, bracing air a perfect antidote for the lethargy that settles in on the heels of the holiday. This bright, chilly morning, we head to the Serpentine Fen with Meeghan, her small dog body aquiver with excitement at the scents and sounds that greet us. Overnight, the world has been transformed by frost. A white, icy mantle coats every surface, reflecting back prisms of light picked out by the winter sun. I stop often to examine the crystal drops suspended from every branch, and try vainly to capture their beauty with my camera.

High in a tree, we spot an eagle, quietly swiveling his head about in search of prey. Around us, the marshland teems with wildlife. Herons stake out their territory, and waterfowl lazily mingle on strips of deep water the frost did not touch. This is their sanctuary, and we give the birds a wide berth, aware that as considerate visitors, we must be on our best behaviour.

It is a restful outing. I am soothed by the simplicity of the day, rejuvenated by the cold wind that chases the last vestiges of the year’s worries from my head. I find myself looking ahead. There is promise in the air, and I am ready to let go of the old, to make room for whatever adventure awaits me…

A Christmas Wish

May the holiday season wrap you gently in contentment..may you view the world through the curious eyes of a child..and may every day greet you as a grand adventure waiting to begin.

For this Christmas...and for always...I wish you love.

In the Library

After my people and pets, books are my greatest treasures. I am fortunate enough to have amassed hundreds of them, and have spent many hours lured in by their irresistible richness. A peek into my home library will attest to that! With books, the whole world is laid at my feet in all its beauty and complexity. I can be anyone…go anywhere…experience lives entirely different from my own, and grow a little from the experience of trying on other peoples’ realities, however briefly.

Additionally, I have found a wonderful serendipity at work in the world of words. Sometimes the right book manages to find us at exactly the time we are in need of it. Such was the case last week when I happened upon Tara Frey’s, “Blogging for Bliss”. I’d been curious about blogs, but knew little about them. That all changed after reading this book. Its straightforward and concise information, coupled with yummy pictures and pages of inspiring bloggers and sites, was just the catalyst needed to lure me into the vibrant world of blogging. A site of my own was suddenly within reach.

So here I am in cyberspace, with my own virtual journal. I’m very excited, and a little nervous… but charged with creative energy and eager to see where this new adventure leads me. And all it took to get me to this wonderland was a book. No wonder I love them so much…

A Virtual Bouquet

On this gray Vancouver morning, I offer a bouquet of virtual flowers to brighten the day...

Water Lilies from Egypt..a Desert Rose from Kenya..and a Cornflower from my garden.

In The Studio

My studio is a

feast of creative

possibilities.

It is crammed full

with books, toys,

ephemera and the

accumulated

collections of a

lifetime.

I like nothing better

than to go there and

play. Although I don't

get to do that as

often as I'd like, I

love knowing it

awaits me. Like Virginia Woolf, I believe there really is nothing as nice as a room of one's own.

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Beginnings

I'm new to the world of blogging, and like any beginner, a little unsure where to start. Fortunately, being somewhat vague is not new to me.
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According to my husband and sons, my grasp of the moment can be tenuous at best. I'm given to much daydreaming, countless distractions and a tendency to lose my thoughts in mid-sentence. They tell me this as if it were a bad thing!

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I choose to think I'm just a little out of step with the rest of the world; it is hardly my fault that the world is often reluctant to wait and let me catch up.

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I am a dreamer...and unashamed of being one. In this hectic world, I take the time to pick daisies, to follow curious ideas, and meander endlessly inside my own mind. It is hardly earth-shattering if I lose focus for a moment...a quick shake of the head and I'm back to hear what you have to say! Surely a moment is not a lot to ask.

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I pause...I ponder...and I play, as the subtitle above suggests. For the major part of the day, I am adult, conscientious and responsible; but every now and then, I drift away, distracted by a silvery mass of clouds, or plop myself down on the curb to visit with a dog I've just met. These moments heal me, nurture me and make the real world more manageable once I'm back into it.

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I will continue on my dreamy way, seeing things that others miss and finding joy in small snatched moments. If you ask me, the world would be a better place if there were more dreamers like me....

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