Again, thanks to IRC, I managed to finish TESS D'URBERVILLES, which I started on New Year's morning this year, on the account of waking up far too early for everyone (with the exception of Christine, who never slept), and finding it on the bookshelf. I managed to finish the first part (literally, since the book is divided into parts) and a few more pages before others awoke.
If I started the book for the lack of something else better to do (didn't bring my laptop), then I mostly finished it out of perseverance and the knowledge that this is a work of classic so there must be something worthwhile in there. However, enough time and culture has passed since the days when this book was first published to have abolished any sense of empathy I may have had with the female protagonist. I skimmed most of the last parts, mostly with a pronounced feeling of "I don't understand this!" --I am acutely aware that I don't have enough knowledge of the historical and social-cultural background to place the work in a more illuminating context. I am also aware of how much a woman's standing in society has changed over the years, even if the details escape me. However, there's nothing quite so frustrating as seeing Tess showing signs of characteristics that I admire and then proceed to ruin them beyond redemption by caving in a crucial moment. (Naturally wishy-washy, is one thing, but seeing someone who could be so much more but isn't -- that sense of wasted potential -- always makes me want to flail in wild indignation.) The prose is very pretty, complete with many literary allusions, though the symbolism is a bit heavy-handed (think Nathaniel Hawthorn, with the sun coming out of the clouds type scenario). There's also the fact that Tess is more melodramatic than Mike in full throes of the Mood, and I spent a few entertaining moments imagining how they'd get on. (Answer: they wouldn't.)
It's possible that I'd like this book more if I had the right kind of life experience. Goodness knows that I didn't think much of THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD the first time I read it, but now it's one of my favorite books. (Own a copy; bought a fairly new copy at a library sale -- best quarter I've ever spent.)
On the other front, I don't think I've talked about the BBC version of Sherlock yet. I'm glad there's going to be more, because in my very biased opinions it'd be a crying shame if there were ever only three episodes made, especially with the content of the third episode. It. Was. Brilliant. I didn't not expect that bit with the painting and the astronomy at all, and while I have liked a great many detective shows where I can predict things down to the murder's motive, any show that can genuinely surprise me will automatically get bumped up on my "favorites" list. So while Merlin suffered a gradual decline in interest that never recovered and Pushing Daisies went the full circle (bored, interested, bored) (but my God the set is pretty -- or at least has a distinct enough flair that I will never get tired of looking at it -- that much hasn't changed), Sherlock had me wanting to re-watch things. Although it is not currently at the same list as Avatar: the Last Airbender, Due South, and Doctor Who yet -- there has only been three episodes. What can I say? I'm looking forward to the next season.
I have a box of crackers (Milton's original multi-grain) that smells vaguely of mushrooms but are insanely addictive. Must be the sesame seeds.
I also have a fresh vial of fruit fly embryos, but I left that in lab.
Geez, is January over already?
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