Top 100 books challenge: 41. Anne Of Green Gables

Many people were quite surprised when I said that I hadn't read Anne of Green Gables. Especially as it was also a popular television series. Like many other books it had been on my ‘to read’ list for a long time, and I am pleased that I finally got round to reading it.

Like most people I am sure I fell in love with the orphaned Anne (spelt with an ‘e’ don’t ever forget!) The way she sees joy and beauty in everything around her was so lovely, and her vivid imagination and talkativeness meant that I could really picture Green Gables.  Anne takes much joy in life and adapts quickly, thriving in the close-knit farming village and her adopted family of siblings Matthew and Marilla. Her talkativeness initially drives the prim,  Marilla to distraction, although Matthew falls for her charm immediately. Anne says that they are 'kindred spirits'.

I loved the way Anne looked for kindred spirits everywhere, and her silly mistakes also made me giggle. In particular when she serves her friend wine, thinking it is raspberry drink, and ends up getting her drunk. Anne gets into many scrapes, but this brings life and laughter to Green Gables, and soon Matthew and Marilla can’t imagine life without her.

Anne of Green Gables reminded me of my childhood, when I could make dens, and play games with friends using my overactive imagination. I also got into many scrapes, much to the despair of my mum, which is why I love Anne so much.

I really enjoyed living Anne’s life with her. Throughout the book you go on a roller coaster ride, and experience the ups and downs with Anne. When I go to the end I felt sad that it was over, until I realised that there are more books in the series.

I also really liked Gilbert Blythe! Especially when he gave up the school so Anne could have it and stay home to look after Marilla. Poor Gilbert, Anne held one massive grudge against him, for the carrot comment! When writing this blog I googled Gilbert Blythe, and found this list of why no man will ever live up to him. Have a look and see if you agree.

Rating 9.5/10

*12 Reasons No Man Will Ever Live Up To Gilbert Blythe*
1. He is cocky and confident. It annoys Anne at the beginning, especially when he teasingly calls her “Carrots.”

2. He’s persistent. Throughout the entire first book, he continuously shows his regard for Anne, even as she coldly rebuffs him.

3. He’s heroic. He rescues Anne from a pond.

4. He’s not only very smart, but he also respects Anne’s intelligence. The two compete for scholarships, good-naturedly, on his part.

5. He’s selfless. When Anne’s father-figure, Matthew, dies, Gilbert gives up his teaching position in Avonlea so that Anne can work close to home.

6. He’s patient, even when, during college, Anne is refusing to recognise the fact that she is in love with him.

7. He is ardent. When Anne refuses his proposal, he says: “Your friendship can’t satisfy me, Anne. I want your love.

8. He is hard-working. After Anne rejects him, instead of throwing himself into a rebound relationship  he instead concentrates on work and wins a scholarship to attend medical school.

9. He is a good communicator. Anne and Gilbert spend a few years apart after getting engaged, and he writes her long letters.

10. He grows up to be an excellent doctor and everyone in the community admires and respects him

11. He is an amazing father, kind and patient and attentive to all of his children.

12. He is affectionate throughout his entire marriage to Anne, calling her “Anne-girl” and buying her flowers.

(Slight spoiler alerts

for the other books - but I am excited to read them!)

Bath Half Marathon - almost giving up!

At the weekend I hit the wall. Not literally (though that wouldn’t surprise many of you who know who accident prone and uncoordinated I am). No, I hit the runners wall. The mental block where I couldn’t get past a certain amount of miles. I despaired, vowed to quit and flopped on the sofa with a tub of icecream.

Hang on, I will back up a bit, and fill you in on the half marathon training and gym sessions so far!

I had been feeling pretty pleased with myself, as I thought training was going well. I could comfortably run three miles, and at the end felt I could carry on a bit. I was not setting any records for speed, completing my nice safe little route along the sea front in about 35 minutes. But I felt good, and positive that I would be able to complete the demanding 13 miles with more training.

Gym seemed to be going ok as well. Though I now understand people that have told me running on a treadmill is really boring. When I first started training for the half marathon I thought I would prefer to run inside on the treadmill, away from cars, pedestrians and the unpredictable British weather. However 40 minutes later I had listened to almost all the songs on my iPod and I was bored! This taught me two things - 1. I need to buy more songs for my iPod, and 2. I needed to run outside.

Along with cardio training and weights at the gym I went to my first Legs, Bums and Tums class with my friend Ams. To be honest I don’t really know what I was expecting, maybe a relaxed class with some funky moves and a bit of stretching? Well, couldn’t be further from the truth! This class was hard...with a capital H! But I found myself enjoying it (while sharing painful looks with Ams when the flexible instructor showed us what to do!) Afterwards I hurt, but it was a good pain, and I knew I had done a good workout! I plan to go to this class every Wednesday now, to work on strengthening and toning.

So we come to Sunday, when inspired by my recent workout success I decided to put myself to the test and complete a further run. Four or five miles will be no problem - I thought. I also decided to mix it up a bit, and follow a completely different route. I set off, and was keeping a good pace. I started to flag about half way round, and thought this must be because I had passed over the three mile mark. However, on checking my pedometer I was annoyed to see that I had actually only run three miles! I felt very down heartened, and sat on a bench for a rest, quickly deciding that I would never be able to do it, and what was the point?!

After walking home my mood went further downhill. I felt gutted that I had not been able to run far, and also annoyed about the amount of training I had put in at the gym. My main goals when joining the gym were to get fit, and to tone up. I couldn’t see any difference in my figure or fitness, even though Joe insisted it was working. In my mind nothing had changed, and I was putting all this effort in for nothing.

The next day, when I had time to calm down and think rationally I decided that I was not a quitter and I would complete the half marathon! A quick stop at a sports shop to buy pretty new running clothes and a pep talk from London marathon runner Sarah helped boost my mood, and I am now more determined than ever to do this!

So my aims for the next few months of training are:
*Do one (two if I have the time) short run in the week, of around three miles, following my nice little route along the seafront so I build up confidence.
*Do one longer run at the weekend, slowly building up the distance.
*13 miles is a long way, but it is also a long way off. Focus on the 10k run I am doing in July, and train for that first (thanks Sarah for tip!)
*Don’t beat myself up if I need to stop for a rest on the way round the longer runs, or walk for a bit. I will still be covering more miles.
*Carry on with cardio training and building up strength in the gym. Legs, Bums and Tums each Wednesday and trying some new classes. Ams has already got me booked in to try TRX and kettlebells (gulp).

So there you go! Wish me luck and keep following my progress here!

Top 100 books challenge: 86. Vicky Angel

I have always been a massive Jacqueline Wilson fan. I loved the Tracy Beaker books when I was younger, and also the Girls in Love series. I was even lucky enough to meet Jacqueline Wilson a few years ago, when she appeared at the Bath Children's Literature Festival, and I interviewed her. She was so lovely! I even waited in line with girls aged 9 and 10 to get her to sign my old battered copy of Tracy Beaker! But I had not read Vicky Angel, and when I saw it on the list I was excited to embrace my inner child, and read it.

The thing I like about Jacqueline Wilson is that she is not afraid to cover issues like death in her books. She may be writing for children, but death affects them too. Children view death in a different way to adults, and this book shows how a child copes.

Vicky Angel is the story of Jade, who loses her best friend Vicky in a tragic road accident, which she believes is her fault. She wishes that she could see Vicky again, and lo and behold she does, as she appears as a ghost. However she is always there, stopping Jade from getting on with her life and making new friends. Keeping the guilt that Jade feels alive.

The idea of ghosts is really interesting. Some people believe in them, and feel people once they have passed away. Some scoff at the idea, and believe once you are dead that is it. Vicky Angel is told from the view point of a child in year nine at school. It shows that Jade is so desperate not to lose Vicky. Whether Vicky is there as
a ghost, or whether she is just a fragment of Jade's mind is never revealed. You are left to make up your own mind.

I enjoyed this book. It was easy to read (probably as it is a children's book!) and I finished it in a day. It was also nice to take a trip down memory lane with one of Jacqueline Wilson's books. The style is so familiar.

Rating: 8/10

Top 100 books challenge: 8. Nineteen Eighty-Four

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, just never seemed to get round to it. So I was pleased to see it on the list, and keen to get stuck in. And, I wasn't disappointed.....I loved it!

Nineteen Eighty-Four is a world where Big Brother controls everything. Your every move is watched by the telescreens, and the Thought Police are on hand to make sure you don't step out of line. No one can be themselves, they are told what to think and believe, and whatever Big Brother says is true. It is crazy to think of a world like that. For me the craziest thing is that there is no freedom of speech, and that newspapers and books are altered, depending on what Big Brother wants, and which place the country is at war with.

The story follows Winston Smith, whose job it is to rewrite articles, so that the current historical record supports the party lines. He has dreams of rebelling against Big Brother, and living his own life free from dictatorship. This happens when he meets Julia, but he is captured and 'reeducated' by the Ministry.

The world in which Nineteen Eighty Four is set is a scary place, where you must follow what the party says, and not step out of line. Those that dare think for themselves, or disagree with what is said meet a sticky end....with many being vaporized. These people just disappear, and all evidence of them is wiped from records.

Through this book I found out what Room 101 is - a scary place where they use your worst nightmare against you, to make you confess to crimes you haven't committed, and commit to worship and love Big Brother. Winston's biggest fear is rats. Mine would be singing cherries (only some of you reading this will get this!) Imagine being in a room full of singing cherries *shudder*. I would confess to anything to get away from them!!

I loved this book, found it hard to put down. That is why I am awarding it the best score yet out of all the books on the list!

Rating: 9.5/10