Micro Review 43

 

Once There Was a Bear by Jane Riordan (Farshore)

Most people who know me in real life know that I am a real Tigger fan, and that Mr Norfolkbookworm has a lot in common with Eeyore) so I was really nervous about this book - I really disliked the authorised sequel about 10 years ago and sequels/prequels/retellings of classic books have been hit and miss with me.

As ever the lure of a new book drew me in and my copy of Once there was a Bear arrived at the library for me just in time for the weekend. 

This was such a delight to read - it was an origins story explaining how Christopher Robin came to own the stuffed toys that accompanied him on his adventures. Each one was just perfect and so in keeping with their characteristics as described by A A Milne in 95 years ago. Even Pooh's hums made me smile.

I really hope that this books does well, it fits in with the originals and even explains how the gang came to live in Hundred Acre Wood.

This is proof that with love and care books can be added to classics but I wish that all of them were as great at this one - and I loved this one all the more because of Tigger's role in the book.

World Book Night 2021: Book Eighteen

 

Emma by Jane Austen (Penguin)

Own eBook

I came late to reading books by Jane Austen (and in fact only read Pride and Prejudice after the reimagining treatment it got in Longbourn!) but I have enjoyed them. I did think that Emma was going to be my nemesis however!

I found it very hard going, and none of the characters particularly likeable, but on researching the book I discovered that perhaps this was the point... Austen herself is supposed to have said "I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like" 

I am pleased that I stuck with it, and although it took me a long time to get to the end I came away in the end feeling that I had enjoyed the story, just not as much as some of her others. 

It must be said that for a while as I was reading the book all I could think of  was what Mr Woodehouse would have made of the pandemic. He doesn't like socialising that much, is a fan of plain food and enjoys boardgames so lockdown/shielding/social isolation would have been fine for him - especially if he could have had his elder daughter & her family home in the countryside rather than London. However I'm not sure that as a valetudinarian he'd have been in the best mental health for the last year...

Once my mind stopped taking off on these flights of fancy I'm pleased to have read Emma. I realise that as a WBN book this will be in audio form but as I have a bad habit of still falling asleep pretty much instantly to being read to I stuck to the print form for this one. I might even now look out a film or TV adaptation...