I'm back - Jane Austen Challenge Day #4

 After a rather long absence on here I though it's time to come back to my blog and to my Jane Austen challenge!

So here's the topic of Day 4:

 Favourite Austen couple

Without hesitation I'd say

Darcy and Elizabeth!

I like how both unravel their misconceptions about each other and are so fond of each other in the end.

 I actually think they complete one another so very well and make such a perfect couple!

 picture from: images2.fanpop.com 

PS. I noticed that entering "Elizabeth Darcy" in Google, there are a lot of wedding gowns shown in the results :P Very interesting! 

Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

 picture from: randomhouse.com

I came across this book on amazon some time ago and decided to give it a try, since I'm really interrested in the person of Marie Antoinette. 

Now that I'm done with reading I can just say one thing: This is an absolutely amazing and gripping book!

I've always been interested a lot in the history of the French monarchy and also learned a lot about Louis XVI at school (as the French are really fond of teaching their own history :)... ) BUT this book  gave me an absoluetly new insight in the early lives of Marie Antoinette and Louis Auguste who was to become Louis XVI.
Most films, book and even what is thought at school portray Marie Antoinette as an emptyheaded and thriftless person but after having read this (obviously very well researched novel) I think our picture of her is filled with prejudices. Though I knew that Marie Antoinette was Austrian I actually never thought about what is must have meant for her to have to leave her family and home country to be married to the dauphin of France while being only 14 years old, and that being a stranger to the French court she simply couldn't knew how to perfectly behave acording to the crazy etiquette at the court of Versailles!
I absolutely loved to learn more about her early childhood and live in Austria before she became the dauphine of France, since this is a part of her life that is rarely described. And the first-person narrator also contributed to a deeper understanding of the individual point of view of the young Marie Antoinette.
And of course it also gave me a new perspective on Louis Auguste and the whole court of Versailles!
However, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of French monarchy!

A little break in Berlin

BERLIN

 

Picture from: berlin-berlin.info

I'm spending a few weeks in the capital, which is the reason why I currently don't post a lot on here ... 

But I shall try to go back to my Jane Austen challenge soon!

 

Changeling - Angelina Jolie in the late 20's

picture from: gfx.videobuster.de

Though from 2008, I never got the opportunity to see this film before...

 So yesterday I finally watched Eastwood's "Changeling" for the first time and was amazed to discover it's a very thrilling film with a very amazing Angelina Jolie!

picture from: ecx.images-amazon.com

I'm actually not a huge Angelina Jolie fan, but she did really well in this role. And I'm still amazed how pretty she looks dressed up in period clothing and with her 20's style make-up! (Though I'm not really fond of these weird flat hats ... :S)

picture from: badpacino.files.wordpress.com

What I didn't like about the film though is that the evil guy had to be from Canada... It's maybe just a wrong impression I got, but it seems like American films always are picking on Canadians. But well, as it's based on a true story I just assume the real criminal was from Canada.

And I also don't like that the end doesn't give away weather she found back her son or not! I'd really have needed certainty after such a thrilling film!! (But from what I read during my background researches it's apparently not sure whether she found him or not in the real case. Though, it rather seems like he was actually killed :( ...)

picture from: cdn.projectc.net

However, this is a really cool film! :)

(Though quite sad and a little shocking as well)

Jane Austen Challenge Day #3

3. Favourite Austen book

As you may  guess my two favoured Austen books are "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma". But having to chose one favourite, I'll definitely choose "Pride and Prejudice"!

"Emma"  was very fun to read for me as I love Austen's ironic narration. But the plot of "Pride and Prejudice" as well as the characters are still my favourites. ♥

picture from ecx.images-amazon.com

Jane Austen Challenge Day #3

3. Favourite quote from the books

For this question I can tell right from the beginning that I can't choose only one favourite quote! 

Austen's novels are so full of wonderful quotes ... 

So I decided that I'll tell you my 5 of my favourite quotes (in no particular order) ;)

1. "Think only of the past as it's rememberance gives you pleasure." (Pride and Prejudice)

2. " A person who can write a long letter with ease, cannot write ill." (Pride and Prejudice)

3. " The person, be it a gentleman or a lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." (Northanger Abbey)

4. " One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other." (Emma)

5. "Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another!" (Emma)

 

picture from: laurenelisecrafted.com

 

Downton Abbey Paper Dolls!

I think there's nothing to add... the pictures speak for themselves!

For larger pictures (to see the funny details) click here!