Angieville

I have now read two retellings of Much Ado About Nothing (possibly my very favorite Shakespeare play, which is saying something ), and I'm just sort of delighted with the whole situation. You know how strongly I felt about McKelle George 's incredible  Speak Easy, Speak Love . That book is perfection from start to finish, and I will die on that hill. Then this year I ran across Lily Anderson 's The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You , which just by the way became my favorite book title in forever and just so, so perfect for Beatrice and Benedick and their mad, wonderful war. This was my first book by Lily Anderson, and from the snort of laughter I let out at the opening lines, I knew that we would be getting on just fine: Ben West spent summer vacation growing a handlebar mustache. Seriously. Hovering over his upper lip―possibly glued there―was a bushy monstrosity that shouted, "Look out, senior class, I'm gonna tie some chicks to the train tracks and then go...

Today marks the release of The Art of Theft ―the fourth installment in Sherry Thomas's superb Lady Sherlock series . I'm delighted to be participating in the blog tour with a giveaway courtesy of Berkley. My emotions regarding this gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes retelling are tangled and fathoms-deep. These characters are incredibly dear to me, and I return to each book so very happy to see them and to read the breathtaking empathy with which Sherry Thomas writes about the realities of the lives of Victorian women and the truths that are so difficult to speak. Fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber should definitely search out this series if you've not yet made its acquaintance.  ABOUT THE BOOK Charlotte finds herself in  the  midst of an all-new debacle: how does a renowned detective, a super-sneaky sleuth, steal a piece of artwork?  The  crime-solver has uncovered missing persons, and even nabbed a murderer or two—but when an old friend of Mrs. Wat...

When the lights went off the accompanist kissed her. Maybe he had been turning towards her just before it was completely dark, maybe he was lifting his hands. There must have been some movement, a gesture, because every person in the living room would later remember a kiss. Did you know they were making a film adaptation of Ann Patchett 's exquisite novel Bel Canto ? I had no idea. And it releases September 14th! I am experiencing many feelings on the matter. My initial reaction is, of course I will see it. I love the book so much. It is beautiful and brutal. But on the heels of that gut reaction is the thought that the beauty does truly reside in Patchett's wordsmithing. So it's possible I'm a touch wary of experiencing this particular story without the bolstering presence of her words (or without Ang Lee at the helm). The trailer makes it slightly difficult to get a real sense for the quality of the production. Though I do love Julianne Moore. Your thoughts?

I mean, I am the worst when it comes to keeping my expectations even remotely in check regarding Robin Hood adaptations. I seem to be incapable of giving up the hope that maybe  this one will be the one. And you know that King Arthur: Legend of the Sword flick that everybody universally crapped on awhile back? I just recently watched it, and I did not hate it, my friends . So I am nothing if not here for this new one due out November 21st of this year. Jamie Foxx as Little John? Bring it. The whole Robin as a hyped up Assassin's Creed version of Hawkeye bit? Yep.  How about you?

I'm delighted to be a part of the blog tour for Julia Whelan 's debut novel My Oxford Year . I'll confess this beautiful cover is what initially drew my eye. It's just a book I wanted to have on my shelf aesthetically. But even before I saw the cover, I'd heard of this title. It's as though it's been floating around in the ether for awhile now, what with a major motion picture already being in development. Truthfully, that level of advance hype gave me pause, as did the implied titular time constraint. Something about it fairly screamed, "Unplumbed depths of pain lurk beneath this charming cover." I was wary. But some gut instinct kicked in, encouraging me to give this one a chance. I am so very glad I did. The novel is an adaptation of an original screenplay (a fact I found out after turning the final page), and I sat with that for awhile sussing out how I felt about it. In the end, I don't think it really alters my experience with this text...

Um. Hi. Hi, there. Did you, by chance, hear that Meagan Spooner is doing a Robin Hood retelling and that this is its cover?! I had to take a few deep breaths to let my heart slow down before I could even string words together. After the note-perfectness that was Hunted last year, I struggle to contain my glee at the thought of what we have in store when she turns her hand to Robin Hood. As you know, I have feelings and opinions when it comes to this tale. And exactly none of them are mild. You likely know the usual suspects that make up my beloved versions. So try, if you will, to approximate the expression on my face when I read this will be a gender-bent take, in which Marian dons the hood, in which the first line of the blurb is "Robin of Locksley is dead." I feel like someone may need to start giving me oxygen at any moment. Certainly, long before this Sherwood  is out March 19, 2019. Challenge accepted, Ms. Spooner. Take my money.

It was called Selections from Shakespeare. Later, I came to see that Mr. Dickens and Mr. Wordsworth were thinking of men like me when they wrote their words. But most of all, I believe that William Shakespeare was. How had I not heard about this until now?! I just . . . I am wild with delight. Reading this book was the most beautiful of experiences . I can hardly wait to experience the film adaptation. What do you think of Lily James as Juliet and Michiel Huisman as Dawsey? The film is set to release April 20th in the UK. Fingers crossed it makes it way to the other side of the pond soon!

I'm still struggling to believe this moment is actually here. It was almost exactly three years ago that I read and reviewed Madeline Miller 's stunning The Song of Achilles and essentially dissolved into a puddle of shock and awe. It was difficult to summon the will to move on in the wake of such a book. The crafting of it felt almost too good for this world, as though it had been created slightly above mortal ground and continued to hover there, just above us, in its natural state. So when I got wind that Ms. Miller was working on a new novel—that not only was she shifting from The Iliad to  The Odyssey, but that she was focusing the tale on Circe—it was difficult not to will Chronos to speed up time so that I could have that book in my hands. To say that it was one of—if not the —most anticipated novel of the year for me is not any kind of exaggeration. When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother an...

Because this series is unquestionably one of the very best I'm following these days, here is the cover for the third book in Sherry Thomas ' excellent Lady Sherlock series— The Hollow of Fear . A moment of shivers for that title, yes? But also. I have it on good authority that a couple of key aspects of this series are going to pick up some steam in this installment. And since the second book,  A Conspiracy in Belgravia , was arguably the best sequel I read last year, I am beside myself with excitement. Can you handle it? The Hollow of Fear is due out October 2nd.

I am having difficulty achieving some semblance of coherence when it comes to this beautiful book. My feelings for it are threatening to overwhelm me on every level this morning. I didn't sleep last night. And I mean that literally. I didn't sleep a wink. Twice, I tried to force myself to do the right smart thing and wait to finish on the morrow. But my head and my heart would have none of it. They were both buzzing far too loudly to even think of sleep. I bought McKelle George 's debut novel Speak Easy, Speak Love on the day it released based on three things: it has  easily my favorite cover of the year (I swoon, I swoon over this cover), it was edited by my Martha (say no more), and it is a Roaring Twenties adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing (as Ms. George herself puts it—Shakespeare's most romantic comedy). I really feel like I could just leave it there, and that those of you in possession of a soul would immediately run to the bookstore (as one does) and set...

I'm interested in things that make me happy just now. I believe I shall post a few of them here this week. The full Beauty and the Beast trailer is here, and while I wasn't a huge fan of the most recent Cinderella (with the exception of Helena Bonham Carter, who was perfection), I am very much looking forward to this one. You?

Yeah, I was never not going to post this the moment I saw it. "What I do is not up to you." 2017, I need you now . 

"There will never be anyone for me but you."

So I read ( and loved ) this book three years ago and I'm sort of giddy to see it's being adapted for the silver screen. Standard 90s teen flick appearance aside, I hope they retain her anger. Her glorious, nearly paralyzing anger. And that ending.  Fingers crossed.

"Nothing like a nice bag."  Love.

Because holy wow. (Spoilers, obvs, if you have not yet seen the first ep of season 3).

Best belated Christmas gift ever: Sarah Rees Brennan has posted a new parody of the second Hobbit movie. The last one absolutely delighted and this latest one, entitled Thorin Dreamboatshield: Dreamboat Reloaded , is equally hilarious. Enjoy!

"Then you'll be afraid."  Can't. Wait.

So tell me. Which are your favorite Great Expectations adaptations? I've really only watched the Jean Simmons/Anthony Hopkins one with any regularity. I do love the book (it was my first Dickens). And I'd be interested in falling in love with a film adaptation of it if you'd be so kind as to share your favorites. What do you think of this upcoming one due out next month?

So last month's Austen redux naturally set me brooding on my favorite Bront ë  retellings/adaptations and how I feel differently about them. Which is to say that, for some reason, I'm more . . . open to them? I'm more often up for them? I'm not sure. I've certainly had my fair share of abysmal failures and, in fact, there are fewer total items on this list than on my Austen one. But. The ones that are  on this list are so well done they just resonate with me on a deep enough level that they are never far from my thoughts. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that for a long time I remained by and large unsatisfied with onscreen renditions of Mr. Rochester. Until Michael Fassbender came along (not perfect, mind you, but awfully  good). And before you ask, yes, yes, I adore Toby Stephens (see The Tenant of Wildfell Hall below), but he just wasn't quite dark enough for me as Rochester. Whereas on the Pride and Prejudice side of things, Colin Firth did suc...