Book Review

Dracula was a great read. I really enjoyed it. Once again, it is a case of a great novel enduring the test of time, although in this case Dracula was only written in 1898, which makes it surprisingly recent.

Anyone that I had spoken to about the book (prior to reading it myself) said that it was written in diary form and that this grew quite tiresome. I don't know if I agree with that; I personally found that the diary entries were a great way of getting into the first person perspective on the action. One was simply reading about how the events had unfolded, much like an historical account.

One thing I did notice about it is how misogynistic it is. Women are either protrayed as frail little creatures who desperately need the protection of menfolk, lest evil should befall them, or they are depicted as evil incarnate - literally blood-sucking vampires who would lure an innocent man to his doom. I suppose there is comparison here to how the Catholic Church views women; offering us just two role models - Mary Magdalene and Mary Immaculate, Mother of God. Women are presented as either pure, saintly creatures or as wanton harlots. One could argue that the book is of it's time, however one must keep in view that it is a foundation on which other tales have been built.

My friend Emmett claims that it is his favourite book, and it is a worthy choice. I've never read anything of the horror genre before and was pleasantly surprised. I do like it, but my favourite still remains All Quiet on the Western Front, by Remarque. Anyway, I've just scoured the bookshelf downstairs and I've settled on The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by Joyce (rather apt, one might think; we're all about the existential struggle and our little First World Problems round here at the moment.) Anyway, the Joycean tome was a birthday present to me by my friend Bernard, an intriguing individual whom I hold in the highest of regard. So anyway Bernard, here's to you! Thank you for the book and I'm sorry that it has taken me three years to getting around to reading it!

Women banned from singing?

That's ok - just buy a young boy and castrate him - instant soprano.

Horrific mutilation for musical effect, the orchestra director describes it has "heavenly and beautiful" but I'm not sure I'd agree with him. Let us remember that these children were SOLD to the Church and they were mutilated. For what? For God? For music? For art?

Thank God the practice has been abolished.

The Good Book

Philip Pullman was interviewed in G2 today.

He has risen to notoriety since the release of his latest get atheist work, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. Philip is not shy of taking a few shots over the bows of established religion, as readers saw in his earlier His Dark Materials trilogy.

I do plan on reading it, but first I've to finish Dracula and I think that it's only fair to read the book having actually read the source material on which it is based. So I'll be delving into the Bible first.

If you'd like to read a review of the book, you can find it here - reviewed by none other than the Archbishop of Canterbury - Rowan Williams.

Also he's after finding a really nice use for the word "wretched" - "I hope the wretched Catholic Church will vanish entirely." To quote the words of A. Pope - hope springs eternal.