Jane Austen Revisited

I have been reading through all of Miss Austen's novels this summer. And I must say that I have held them all in a sort of romantic glow, and frankly, I'm a bit disappointed with some of them. Take Sense & Sensibility for example. I remember it to be one of my favourites, but now that I've read it again, I find it most vexatious! I'm getting so frustrated with all the people around the poor Miss Dashwoods and their mother and how ill they are treated. Is it because I've always remembered the adaptations, and not really the novel behind it? I guess the adaptations puts the more positive things as the love stories, that's of course all good. :P But perhaps it's Mr Ferrars, Mr Willoughby and Colonel Brandon that blinds me to the illtreatment of the ladies. ;)

I have reread Emma and am in the middle of Mansfield Park at the moment. They are both still as good as I remembered them, or at least not worse than I recollect. Next up is Northanger Abbey. I really should be able to relate to Catherine and her obsession with novels. ;)


I have found that my favourites now are Pride & Prejudice (no surprise there) and Persuasion. There is a tie between them. Perhaps it's because I can relate to more of the characters in those novels than in the others.

Oh Dear, What Would Miss Austen Say?

A friend sent me this link just now. I don't know if one should laugh or cry. Although I have always found Mr. Darcy to be a very manly man, I'm not sure I would name a urine pheromone after him, even if it does attract females unlike anything else. ;)

I guess it's the same for humans. We are attracted to different smells. I know I can (or could, since I am a happily married woman) diss a man simply because I don't like his aftershave.I have read or heard somewhere that we are attracted to different types of men on different times of our cycle. Around ovulation we are attracted to manly men, with the potential to breed awesome heirs, while around the period we are more attractive to caring, loving men who would provide and take care of the family.

On a funny note, the lead researcher is named Jane Hurst. Very suitable don't you think?

Never Underestimate the Power of a White Shirt

Seriously, is there anything sexier than a man in a spanking white shirt? If you don't agree, let me give you a few examples:

Rupert Penry-Jones (Persuasion for example)

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (The Tudors)

Jensen Ackles (Supernatural)

Paul Wesely (Vampire Diaries)

My favourite, Mr Darcy (Colin Firth) in a slightly wet shirt :P

 Changed your mind yet?

Everyone Loves a Bad Boy, Right?

They do get all the cool stuff, right? I mean, Darth Vader is so much cooler than Luke Skywalker, especially when you know who is hiding in there. :P Hell, I would even take Han Solo rather than Luke Skywalker. :P But then agina, he is a rogue. And they have so much hotter outfits, too.

Take BBC's Robin Hood for example. Sure, Jonas Armstrong makes a very dashing Robin Hood, I'll give you that. But, Richard Armitage's Guy of Gisborne is way hotter. He's dark and brooding, but at the same time you just know that there is a softer side in there somewhere, that the right woman will discover. And he is in black leather too.

vs

Well, in this case it might be my love for Richard's Mr Thornton that makes me biast to him. But he is kind of alluring as Gisborne too. He's got that little teasing twinkle in his eye that I love.

And to tell the truth, I rooted for Brian de Bois- Guilbert's getting Rebecka in Ivanhoe. Sam Neill, when he was young, was totally dashing. I mean if she didn't get Ivanhoe, why shouldn't she go with Guilbert? Seriously... I still don't get why she said no.Okay, so he was in love with her against his will and all that. But still, he's more handsome than that Ivanhoe, whose just so meek. :P And, he's willing to risk everything just to be with her. Seriously, who can say no to that? I wish the got a second chance...

There seems to be this obsession with black clothes amongst the villains. Vampires often wear black, need I say more? Leather in all forms is very popular and, well, kind of hot. I wouldn't wear it, I don't get why anyone does, it's most uncomfortable and very warm.

And we must not forget George Wickham, the dashing bad boy of Pride and Prejudice. Because he is handsome, at least in the book, I don't care for either Adrian Lukis or Rupert Friend. Of course, we readers and audience, see through his dashing looks and winning smiles, Elizabeth does not until Mr Darcy's letter.

The list may go on and on. Lots of handsome bad boys out there.

Who is you favourite bad guy, and why?

Jonas and Richard pics borrowed from Robin Hood TV show.
Sam from Knight Life.

Lucky You!

It is now possible to read both Darcy and Lizzie's thoughts in English. :) If you are interested click on their names and you are taken to that blog. Chose your preferred language and enjoy!

Wanna Know What's Going on in Darcy's Head?

Well, you can. I've begun  blogging in Darcy's name too. Just as I have in Lizzie's. The only downside is that I do it in Swedish. But, if you send me some encouragement, I might be persuaded to make it into a regency fan fic...

You find the blog here:

Oh, Joy!

Two of my favourite things combine... I'm intrigued. A different take on Pride and Prejudice... Mr Darcy, Vampyre. Seriously? Seems to be a new must-have for me. Perhaps I can put it on my christmas list? *hint hint* It sounds very interesting anyways. It's written by Amanda Grange, who has written the diaries of all Austen-heroes. I haven't read any of her books, in fact, the only continuation of Pride and Prejudice I've read is Pemberley, and loved it. It seems like I cannot get enough. There are of course many fan fiction stories out there too. Fan Fiction.net is a very good source.

Read more about this intriguing book here. 

Anyone read it? How did you like it?

The Grand Infatuation

Ever since I saw BBC's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the infatuation was a fact. I was but 15. Mr Darcy was, and still is, my grandest crush, ever. Who could resist his smoldering eyes, brooding looks and dark tall frame? Elizabeth Bennet sure couldn't, and neither could I. Or was it Colin Firth that did me in?

I read the book. To tell the truth, I hadn't before I saw the tv series. And, no, it was not just Colin Firth's dark handsome face that sent my blood racing. It was Mr Darcy. Though, Mr Firth's face was attached to my vision of Mr Darcy of course. He will always be my Mr Darcy no 1.

A few have tried to take the roll as Mr Darcy, but none, according to me that is, has succeeded to outshine Colin Firth. First we had Matthew Mcfadyen in the filmversion from 2005. Very handsome, sure, but not Colin Firth. Perhaps it was my aversion towards Keira Knightley as Elizabeth that tainted my experience of the movie. I mean, you cannot go wrong with such a great novel. Although the proposal in the rain was way, way, hotter than the one in BBC's version. Seriously, almost kissing in the rain is always hot. And the urgent look on Macfadyen's face, and even in Knightley's, when they almost kiss, is kind of priceless. It gives me chills just thinking about it.

Then we have Bollywood's attempt to adapt the great novel into the big screen. Not a regency version this time, but modern day India. I kind of liked it. Martin Henderson was not too bad as Mr Darcy from America. But still, it is the era that does it, I think. The whole empiric dress and all that. Cravat and hats... *sighs*

I think the latest in the Pride and Prejudice adaptations and versions (which I have seen, aparently there is one from 2003, modern version that I have missed. Must correct asap!) is Lost in Austen, where the main carachter Amanda switches places with Elizabeth Bennet by accident and soon finds herself in the novel itself. Elliot Cowan is a very good Mr Darcy. And the wet-shirt-scene from BBC's adaptation is mimicked, at Amanda's suggestion of course. I liked it. I mean, who wouldn't want to be trapped inside one of one's favourite books of all time? And who wouldn't want to be courted by Mr Darcy? I sure wouldn't object. My hubbie might. :P And I probably wouldn't be able to be away from my son for long, either.

Of course, I could mention Becoming Jane in this discussion, but I won't. that is a different infatuation all together. I will pester you with that later. :P

Needless to say, I am a hopeless romantic, and I suspect that Miss Jane Austen has something to do with that. Or perhaps it was my mother's Barbara Cartland's and Harlequin's that lay in that big box in the closet that I use to borrow and devower in an instant. Perhaps not the best litterature choice for a young girl, but I was already lost... Maria Gripe had already seen to that (not sure if you have heard of her outside of Scandinavia but she's great). Apparently I favour perodic drama.

The pics:
Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen is borrowed from Austen for Beginners.
Martin Henderson is borrowed from Channel 4
Elliot Cowan is borrowed from Fan Pop.