RandomClassic

The Robe | Lloyd C. Douglas

(thru ch10) No idea what is going on with this whacky cover 😂

Whew, a lot of drama in this week's chapters!!! Marcellus is on the mend, but determined that there has to be some kind of logical/non-spiritual reason for everything that has happened to him. I really loved meeting Benjamin, and the whole section where he is closely questioning M as to whether or not Jesus was really, truly dead is goosebumpy, knowing that His followers are now ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) claiming that He is alive!!

Demetrius has now given up freedom TWICE to save Marcellus - once when he chose not to run away, and once when he refused Gallio's certificate of freedom. I was really amazed by this level of love and friendship - I'm not sure that I would be able to do that.

Any thoughts/complaints/intrigue from this week's reading? These chapters are lonnnng!!!! 4d

TheAromaofBooks #RandomClassic - @BarkingMadRead @julieclair @Lcsmcat @TheBookHippie @UwannaPublishme 4d

TheBookHippie I bailed already 😬 4d

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TheAromaofBooks @TheBookHippie - No worries, pretty much everyone who “signed up“ for this month said they were probably weren't going to finish 😂 Do you want me to take you off the tag list for this one? 3d

TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks yes I‘ll see you all next book 🤣 3d

TheAromaofBooks @TheBookHippie - Sounds good!!! 😆 3d

UwannaPublishme Like you, I loved the chapters about Benjamin. I‘m looking forward to finding out more about his connection with the Apostles. He must have one! I was very wary about Demetrius telling Theodosia the whole story about Marcellus and the strange mysticism of the robe and then Marcellus‘ father spilling all the beans to Tiberius (who seems like quite a slimy character). I feel that one of these confidences will surely backfire on Marcellus. 3d

UwannaPublishme I thought the author did a good job of portraying M‘s mental agony over his role in the tragic event. And also in using the robe that Marcellus was so fearful of, as the element that healed him. 3d

41 likes8 comments

TheAromaofBooks

Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751 ... | Robert Louis Stevenson

so-so

I kind of fell of the bandwagon with posting on this one. Things have been a little crazy!!!

In the end, this book was just okay for me. There were parts that were interesting, but there was also way too much wandering around aimlessly - I never was sure what the actual point of this story was. Plus, I didn't particularly warm to David, who seemed conceited and not overly bright haha Some of the adventures were fun, but I didn't enjoy this ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) as much as I have some of Stevenson's other stories. I also felt like I was missing a lot of background since even my Wiki-crash course on the Jacobean revolution didn't help me much 😂

Thanks for reading along with me!!! Today I started The Robe (great first chapter!!) and am hoping to post about it every weekend, about five chapters/week. May's #RandomClassic will be East of Eden!! 3w

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @julieclair @Lcsmcat @Read4life 3w

BarkingMadRead I gave it a meh as well. It was so random and then wrapped up so neatly 🙄 3w

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Lcsmcat I found this one fell flat for me too. It‘s an “I‘m glad I read it so I can check it off my list, but I won‘t be revisiting it” choice for me. Thanks for being the impetus for me to read this. 3w

Lcsmcat @BarkingMadRead In a way it wrapped up neatly, but I also found the ending to be lacking some details. I wasn‘t sure just what happened there at the very end. Did RLS write himself into a corner where, having made the reader admire this outlaw, he couldn‘t do the Victorian thing and have receive his “just deserts” but he also couldn‘t let him be celebrated? It felt very awkward to me. 3w

julieclair I got so far behind on this one that I kind of gave up. But I do want to finish it at some point, so I can check it off my list as @Lcsmcat says. 3w

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead @Lcsmcat @julieclair - I had also found the ending to be both too tidy but strangely abrupt. What kind of final sentence to a book is “The hand of Providence brought me in my drifting to the very doors of the British Linen Company's bank.“ !?!?!?! Apparently, there is a sequel to Kidnapped that begins as soon as this book ends. If, like myself, you don't care enough to read about David for entire other book, there is a summary ⬇ 2w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) on Wiki. It sounds like more of the same, except with 💖 💕 💘ROMANCE 💘 💕 💖 😂

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catriona_(novel) 2w

Lcsmcat @TheAromaofBooks I think I‘ll pass on the sequel, even in summary. Thanks for taking one for the team. 😂 2w

julieclair That last line!! 🤣🤣 2w

64 likes10 comments

TheAromaofBooks

The Robe | Lloyd C. Douglas

I'm not sure how many of you will be interested in April's #RandomClassic as it does center around Christianity, although I'm not sure I would exactly call it a religious book. Historical fiction published in 1942, this book topped the best seller list for months. The main story is about one of the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus and his journey, but there are a lot of other threads woven in. If anyone wants to read along, let me know!!

TheAromaofBooks @AnneCecilie @BarbaraJean @BarkingMadRead @Bklover @BookingitwithSandra @Bookwormjillk @catiewithac @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @Clare-Dragonfly @CoverToCoverGirl @Cuilin @eeclayton @janeycanuck @julieclair @Lcsmcat @Librarybelle @Meshell1313 @Read4life @SamAnne @TheBookHippie 1mo

CatLass007 I really would like to read this one but there‘s a months long wait at my library. 1mo

BarkingMadRead I got it, we will see how long I last 🤣 it sounds interesting though! 1mo

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TheBookHippie I put it on hold will see how long I last 🙃 1mo

TheAromaofBooks @CatLass007 - Oh bummer!! It's an older book so it's very inexpensive on Kindle if that's an option for you. 1mo

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead - I read it way back in the mists of time, like maybe in high school, and actually remember it being rather adventurous, kind of romantic in the old-school sense of the word haha But the chapters are looonnnngg!!!! 1mo

CatLass007 I can‘t read ebooks because of eye strain. I wanted to listen to the audiobook but that‘s the one with the months-long wait. @TheAromaofBooks (edited) 1mo

julieclair I‘m hoping to read it. April is shaping up to be a crazy month for me. 1mo

Crazeedi I read way back when, it was so good 1mo

Librarybelle I‘ll pass on this one - have not read the book, but I‘ve seen the movie! The Sister who taught my Latin classes in high school was all about Hollywood films like this. 😂 I am planning to come back for May‘s book! 1mo

Lcsmcat I‘m not sure if I‘ll get to this one or not, but tag me and I‘ll follow along if I can. 1mo

Bklover I don‘t think I‘ll make it for The Robe, but I‘d like to reread East of Eden with you all!❤️ 1mo

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead @julieclair @Lcsmcat @TheBookHippie - I have all of you down for April's tag list, but as always, no hard feelings if you decide it's not for you after you start 😂 1mo

BarkingMadRead 🤣🤣🤣 1mo

ChelseaM6010 I‘ll pass on this one but will be back for East of Eden! 🙂 1mo

UwannaPublishme Oops… just saw this. Can you count me in too? Loved the movie and just downloaded the ebook on my Kindle. 3w

TheAromaofBooks @UwannaPublishme - Of course!!! I'm glad to have you along!!! ❤ 2w

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TheAromaofBooks

Evelina: Or the History of A Young Lady's Entrance into the World | Frances Burney

pick

This #RandomClassic gets a soft pick from me. I actually loved Evelina and enjoyed much of the writing, but some of the scenes where we had to listen to obnoxious people being obnoxious just went on wayyyy too long. Still, parts were quite funny and overall this one was a lot of fun.

Thank you all for reading along with me!!

TheAromaofBooks @AnneCecilie @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @Clare-Dragonfly @Daisey @Deblovestoread @janeycanuck @julieclair @Librarybelle @rubyslippersreads @TheBookHippie 1mo

Librarybelle 😁❤️ I loved it! It was nice to go to over the top silly while also reading #TheBros . 1mo

TheBookHippie I enjoyed this. I finished it up this weekend on audio while cooking. 🙃 1mo

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Kitta Where are the books in the background from 😍 1mo

TheAromaofBooks @Kitta - Those are Chiltern editions. Aren't they gorgeous?? They have gilt-edges, too! 😍 1mo

rubyslippersreads I‘m still reading and enjoying. I‘ll post my thoughts when I‘m done. 1mo

Kitta Ooo! They‘re gorgeous! I must have them! 1mo

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TheAromaofBooks

Evelina: Or the History of A Young Lady's Entrance into the World | Frances Burney

This post contains spoilers

show me

(thru 3.1) Well! There is just no way that Lord O wrote that dreadful letter. Poor Evelina, despite all the time she's spent with her horrid relatives and acquaintances who all prank one another, she still can't imagine someone doing something like that. Really it's just a question of which one of those dreadful people wrote it! But in the meantime - it's hard to see her suffer! I AM a bit curious as to what will happen when she comes face to ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) face with him - do you think HE ever got HER note??

#RandomClassic
@AnneCecilie @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @Clare-Dragonfly @Daisey @Deblovestoread @janeycanuck @julieclair @Librarybelle @rubyslippersreads @TheBookHippie 1mo

BarkingMadRead I felt the same way, it just doesn‘t sound like him to do that! Poor Evelina! I wonder if he did get her note, I don‘t think so! 1mo

AnneCecilie I think someone got hold of Evelina‘s note, and that Lord Orville never saw it. I‘m guessing it‘s one/ more of her relatives. Curious to find out who. (edited) 1mo

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Librarybelle It‘s been awhile since I read this the first time, and I completely forgot about the note! 😂 I‘m fairly sure he did not write that. I blame her cousins…ugh! 1mo

Clare-Dragonfly Oh gosh, I didn‘t even think of that! It only seemed a little overreaching to me 😂 but yeah… it was probably young Brangston or whatever his name is. He seems like the type to pull a prank, and he knew about Evelina just missing Lord Orville—he might have stuck around long enough to see that she sent him a letter. 1mo

rubyslippersreads As far as who really sent the note, my money is on Sir Clement. 1mo

20 likes6 comments

BarbaraJean

Uncle Tom's Cabin: Or, Life Among the Lowly | Harriet Beecher Stowe

pick

Another belated review! Thank you to @TheAromaofBooks for hosting this #RandomClassic buddy read & prompting me to finally pick this up. It‘s been on my shelf so long I don‘t remember when or where I originally got the book.😆

This was fascinating—it‘s basically an extended anti-slavery tract wrapped up in an engaging story. Stowe is clear about her purpose, directly addressing the reader, blatantly appealing to their sympathies, and making ⬇️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) no allowances for “moderate” stances on slavery. It‘s a scathing takedown of the whole institution, taking apart justifications on all sides—North and South both. I was impressed both by the strength of her message and the strength of her story. It was heavy-handed, but it was also a compelling story in its own right. I usually don‘t feel that way about “issue” novels, even when I agree with their message! The narrative initially ⬇ (edited) 2mo

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) alternates between two sets of characters, but then leaves the reader dangling without a resolution on one story for almost the rest of the book, while the other story takes over. When the focus shifts to Uncle Tom, it meanders a bit as Stowe establishes and then thoroughly deflates the “kind master” narrative. Shifting the balance to Tom‘s story intensifies Stowe‘s message, but also made the escape narrative feel tacked on. ⬇ 2mo

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) In spite of Stowe‘s anti-slavery message, the biases of her time still show through. I had a hard time with the persistent paternalistic, white savior overtones as well as the “noble savage” type language throughout. But I expected that. I didn‘t expect the strong Christian themes, which had me veering wildly between inspired & unsettled. Because the book mostly focuses not on the escape narrative but on Tom and his patient suffering ⬇ 2mo

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BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) (with its parallels to Christ on the cross), it felt like it was biased towards passivity & perseverance rather than action, on the part of the enslaved. I don‘t think that was Stowe‘s intent, but it‘s what her Christian message tended to suggest, which bothered me. But overall, it's still a powerful book nearly 175 years after its writing. I‘m glad I read it, both for its historical value and its compelling, thought-provoking story. 2mo

TheAromaofBooks Lovely review!!!! It's definitely not a perfect book, but I think it still reads well. Randomly, I just started reading a reprint of an old gardening book, and apparently the author was Stowe's neighbor??

My Summer in a Garden

2mo

TheAromaofBooks I agree that it was difficult to completely resolve Stowe's pro-Christianity message with the actions of Tom in the framework of what he should do as a slave. But I do think she strove to place him in positions where his more passive attitude was really a sign of strength and purposeful sacrifice rather than just sitting around hoping God does something haha 2mo

43 likes6 comments

TheAromaofBooks

Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751 ... | Robert Louis Stevenson

ch 1 - David is off to make his fortune!! Or maybe find out he has one when he meets his rich... relative?? I quite loved his sweet neighbor sending him off with three gifts (round, square, cubical haha) However, I'm seeming to find mixed results when I try to see if you can actually make Lily of the Valley tea, so maybe hold off on using that as a cure-all!

Looking forward to seeing where this adventures leads!!

#RandomClassic

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @julieclair @Lcsmcat @Read4life 2mo

BarkingMadRead He didn‘t seem too interested in it 🤣 (edited) 2mo

julieclair Seems like Lily of the valley has a lot of benefits, but can also be poisonous and can cause heart problems. Think I‘ll steer clear, lol! 2mo

52 likes3 comments

CogsOfEncouragement

Uncle Tom's Cabin: Or, Life Among the Lowly | Harriet Beecher Stowe

pick

I read this with the #RandomClassic group. It was my first time reading it. I really enjoyed it, and was surprised by the Christian themes. I had of course heard the title many times but had been unaware the author was an abolitionist. I‘ve read civil rights/social justice fiction and non-fiction books through the years that prepared me and I still learned a lot.

29 likes

TheAromaofBooks

Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751 ... | Robert Louis Stevenson

March's #RandomClassic is Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. I've never read this one, but I'm anticipating something similar to his other novels - quite a lot of rollicking adventures meant to appeal to young lads in the 1880s, with a splash of history thrown in. There are 30 chapters, so we'll read a chapter a day starting March 1 and actually finish by the end of the month for once!!

Let me know if you're interested in reading this one!!

BarkingMadRead I‘m in! 2mo

CatLass007 Please include me. 2mo

See All 19 Comments

Librarybelle I think I‘m going to pass on the next two months, but will be back in May! 2mo

Lcsmcat Count me in please. 2mo

TheBookHippie I‘m out for March! See you in April! 2mo

Read4life I‘m in. It‘s time to give it another shot! 2mo

Crazeedi The Robe is such a great book I read in 6th grade, the librarian let me read from the teachers library 2mo

julieclair I‘m in! 2mo

TheAromaofBooks @Crazeedi - I read it many years ago and remember loving it. It's been on my reread list for quite some time, so I was excited when it came up on the draw haha it's not for everyone, but I remember finding it gripping. 2mo

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @julieclair @Lcsmcat @Read4life - Woohoo, have you all down for Kidnapped in March!! 2mo

Crazeedi @TheAromaofBooks it wouldn't be for everyone, but it was so good for an 11 year old girl! 2mo

ChelseaM6010 I‘m in for March! 2mo

TheAromaofBooks @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @julieclair @Lcsmcat @Read4life @ChelseaM6010 - Okay, so now I'm a little paranoid since I found out my copy of Evelina isn't labeled/divided the same as other editions - does EVERYONE have 30 chapters in their copy of Kidnapped?? 😂 2mo

BarkingMadRead I will check 🤣 2mo

Lcsmcat @TheAromaofBooks Mine has 30 chapters. 2mo

Read4life Mine has 30. 2mo

BarkingMadRead Mine has 30…. 2mo

julieclair There are 30 chapters in my Serial Reader version, spread out over 34 “issues”. But the chapters are clearly marked, so it will be easy for me to just read one whole chapter per day. 2mo

61 likes19 comments

TheAromaofBooks

Evelina: Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World | Fanny Burney

(thru Letter 1.31) - And so ends Volume 1!! I've overall enjoyed this book, but the passages where Evelina is recounting arguments between the Captain and Madame Duval tend to wear on me. They're both SO dreadful. But I'm definitely interested to see where this story goes next!!

Tomorrow and Friday are catch-up days for anyone who may be behind. Letter 2.1 is very short, and 2.2 rather long, so I combined them both across two days ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) and we will be reading those this weekend. Hope everyone else is enjoying this #RandomClassic !!

@AnneCecilie @BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 @ChelseaM6010 @Clare-Dragonfly @Daisey @Deblovestoread @janeycanuck @julieclair @Librarybelle @rubyslippersreads @TheBookHippie 2mo

Librarybelle Yay!! It‘s fun revisiting this one! 2mo

janeycanuck The audio I have doesn‘t number the letters AND the chapters break randomly so I‘m flying by the seat of my pants. I think I‘m close to the end of volume 1, I‘m quite enjoying it! 2mo

See All 8 Comments

AnneCecilie I‘m enjoying myself and interested in seeing where this is going. But the men and Mrs Duval are pushing my patience at times. 2mo

Daisey So, I read the first few days and then completely got behind! I‘m trying to finish another book before it returns to the library so I can focus on catching up with this one this weekend. 2mo

rubyslippersreads I‘m happy to have a couple of catch-up days. 2mo

ChelseaM6010 I‘ve fallen so far behind on this one! Life + illness got in the way of it. Will do my best to catch up 2mo

Clare-Dragonfly I‘m a little behind (Serial Reader had me a little ahead at first so I held back, but I guess I shouldn‘t have) so glad for the catch-up days! I agree regarding the Captain and Mrs. Duval… 2mo

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