I’ve been reading more than I should lately, and although I should’ve already read 90-110 books given the calculation during a small reading slump I had to get over (thank God!), I’m glad to have read 78 books.
Before I begin, I apologize for being M.I.A. I’ve been busy (and I use that word loosely) organizing, plotting, planning, and of course, resting. I needed this time for myself to also reflect and see how far I’ve come, and where I’m going to. In all my years of blogging, it feels as if this is the first time I’ve slowed down concerning posting, and also reading your blogs. I can’t promise that things will change soon (although I’ll like it very much to), but life happens, and unfortunately, I can’t press the bell for it to stop at my address just so I can get off. All I can do is hope to get back to a regular blogging schedule, one day.
Image via The BookMarketNG
Okay, so this book. What’s the BIG deal about it? I couldn’t find any. When I was young, and I just started out reading, I was made to believe that I should appreciate every single book I read, and not criticize even if I don’t like the book. This book falls under such category, but it’s not even all that special or unique, and as much as I love reading books, I love that I can give my honest thoughts, opinions, and reviews, without sugarcoating it.
Here, in note-taking form, are the reasons why I dislike this so-call favorite classic:
🔖 Dialect. I dislike reading books sprinkled throughout with local dialects. It’s a major turn-off. Also, this book target group are children, so why not proper English dialogue usage? Plus, people are reading this book worldwide, so the dialect could’ve been toned down a bit.
GIF via Giphy
🔖 There’s a character in this story that I kind of liked. His name is Dickon. He speaks to animals, and plays on a pipe for his listening audience of animals. Piped Piper of Animals? He quite gave off Jack from Legend vibes. You know? That Tom Cruise film which is never mentioned by said actor, in which he’s king of the jungle and talks to animals? I guess Dickon was Ridley Scott’s favorite character as well.
🔖 Magic. I know there are people that believe in magic, but there’s no such thing as good magic. It’s not even magic, it’s God. Authors need to stop stealing what is God’s, and calling it magic. Call it what it is: a miracle. Nature is not made of magic for God is not a magician, but rather, a Creator and Designer. Colin (a spoiled, obnoxious character) got scientific about ‘why it gotta be magic’, so I got technical on ‘why it can’t be magic’.
🔖 A grown adult male bringing up, a man hitting his wife in front of children. Just, no! If that’s not wrong enough, here’s young Colin’s response: “She used the wrong Magic until she made him beat her. If she’d used the right Magic and had said something nice, perhaps he wouldn’t have got drunk as a lord and perhaps – perhaps he might have bought her a new bonnet.”
I’m sitting there, like, “What did this child just say?” Really? So, bad magic can make a man beat his wife, but good magic makes a man buys her nice things? CHILD! NO! There’s no such thing as good or bad magic, and a man shouldn’t beat up on his wife period. What drugs was this author taking when this dialogue was written? I’m sure Colin grew up to be a wife beater simply because his wife didn’t believe in “good magic”.
GIF via Primo GIF
🔖 The Big Good Thing. No, just say God, you know you want to. Say His Name, praise Him, acknowledge the miracle He has done, and stop being a cowardly mouse that wants to fit in with the world. An adult mother talks like this? *Mocking voice* Th’ big good thing. So stupid.
🔖 Dickon’s mother (Susan Sowerby) is an ode to what people call “mother nature”… here, I roll my eyes. The names of many characters were downright annoying.
In almost every children classic I’ve read, the children are neglected by their parents… like Disney, and it’s downright annoying. Didn’t wonderful families existed in eras gone by? Why must the children be selfishly or emotionally neglected? Is that supposed to tug on our heartstrings to ask for sympathy for an annoying and rude character? There were also hints of racism, which was not necessary. I get that it was a different time, but this is no excuse. Authors – of all ethnicities – have a responsibility when they write and edit before the final product go out into the world.
When I was young, I’ll devour any book, and call it good. I now see through a different prism. While I appreciate an author’s “labor of love”, I won’t be sugarcoating words when it comes to discussing a book. I’ll call it out for what it is and stand by what I said.
** If not all, the majority of LPMB graphics are created using Canva; images via Pixabay. GIFs/Images that don’t belong to LPMB are via Google Search (Right-click on the image for the source of origin if not credited.)
VERSE OF THE MONTH (September 2021):
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses,
though we have rebelled against Him.
Daniel 9:9 🙌
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