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Pride and Prejudice and Star Wars?

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Recently on Netflix, the show Bridgerton has been extremely popular, with its twisted tales and lavish costumes and scenery. One of the tell-tale signs of the Regency era is the empire waist, where the waistline is right under the bust

As an avid historical fan, I can immediately tell apart the Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian eras based on the types of dress the women wear. However, if you do not spend your free time researching the intricacies of skirt shape, it can be hard to pick it out. The regency era, with its stand out gowns, is actually one of my favorite eras.
The gowns themselves are very beautiful, but the art that came from the era was even more popular. During this time period, we saw a resurgence of female writers such as Jane Austen. This era is known for its romanticism as new intellectual art was born. In my opinion, the greatest invention of this era came from the great mind of Mary Shelley, the brilliant author of Frankenstein. If you have ever tried to read Frankenstein and promptly put it down because of its flowery language, fear not; that was Shelley’s older brother trying to “make it better”. If you find the original manuscript, it’s much better.

Now here’s the thing, When placed alongside the other works of the era, Frankenstein seems a bit out of place. Books of this era talk of presenting to society, the social season, and of course, romance. Frankenstein seems so out of place from the other writers of the age. So what prompted Shelley to write such a horrific novel?
Well, she was the daughter of a political writer and a feminist. Looking through this lens, it makes perfect sense that such a novel was created from the mind of this house. Instead of the grandeur we often imagine, Shelley found herself trapped within the construct of marriage, yet scorned for what she is. In my opinion, that bears a startling resemblance to the monster in her own story. She called out the horrors of her own society in the way she knew how; by writing it.

 

In doing so, she unwittingly created an entirely new genre: Science fiction. So the stereotypical geeks that everyone thinks about when it comes to star wars and star trek? They were all formed from a young teenager trying to avoid the standards society set for her.

Her creation of this genre was nothing short of genius. It truly is amazing how much of an impact she has had on the modern world. However, I can’t be the only one that sees the horrific irony in the sci-fi community today. Women are often scorned for liking such things. If they aren’t they are often assumed to be fake fans. We get quizzed about the different timelines, the events, and all other measures meant to clear out the fake fans. This haven that Shelley created for women has been reclaimed and is keeping out its original audience. I understand the importance of modern science fiction and its messages, but I also think it’s important to understand its origins. If you’ve watched Star Wars or even others, I urge you to read Frankenstein. (Once again, read Mary’s version. Percy Shelley did not know the definition of concise; its awful) Not only is it a thrilling read, its messages still apply today, and created such an important section of our culture.

On Halloween, little girls are often asked what they want to be and are promptly shoved toward the princess section. With a little nudge, that section could open to a whole other space, where a prince isn’t needed; they can build their own story without the need of a partner. I believe that Shelley’s message has been lost to time, and I believe we should all bring it back. It is one of the newest formulated genres, and it was created by someone that many of us can relate to: a teenager who just wants a choice in life. So please, go read the book. Maybe Science Fiction will take on a new meaning. Maybe the things you love frighten others. Maybe it will open up our minds to the alternative perspectives that we don’t consider.

Sources:
Mary Shelley:https://www.biography.com/writer/mary-shelley
The Strange and Twisted Life of Frankenstein: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-strange-and-twisted-life-of-frankenstein

 

Audiobooks: Should you use them?

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When I go into a bookstore, the first thing I do is smell the books. Sure, I may look a teensy bit psychotic while doing so, but it lets me know about the store itself. Where the book has been and has it been stored with other books, or sitting in a warehouse, forgotten. When reading, I like to read physical books or e-books because I know how much I have left and if there is going to be another plot twist. (there no way the happy ending is here with 200 pages left) Most of all, it’s the ability to imagine the individual world and characters, to create a world only you envision in that way. So, it makes sense that I was hesitant about audiobooks. There is no smell or history, you’re constantly in the limbo of how much is left, and someone is feeding you the words. Your imagination is at the mercy of their vocal inflection and tone. Because of all of this, I thought I would hate audiobooks. They seem to take away everything I love about reading. So I never used it

Fast forward to this year. I finished reading this book, Aurora Rising and loved it. That’s when I realized the author had also written the Illuminae Files. For those of you who don’t know, the Illuminae files are a popular book series. The only issue for me was that I couldn’t get over the formatting. Words were crossed out to make it like a classified folder, and it made reading the book hard. Yet, I had heard so many amazing things about the book. So, I decided to try the audiobook. Here are my thoughts:

First off, the book is amazing. Both the plot and characters are deep and complex. I do have to admit, I wouldn’t choose an audiobook over reading. It’s a very different experience, and I prefer the visual. However, listening to the novel really helped me read it, and those who read the story were great voice actors. So, if you want to use them, go for it! they are enjoyable and offer a relaxing experience. However, if you are like me, yet you still want to try an audiobook, here are some tips to make it easier:

  1. Listen while doing something you dislike: Have to do laundry? no one likes it, but having the audiobook gives you something else to focus on while you do it. it gives you an easy reprieve from mundane tasks.
  2. Listen to it before bed: people say not to use technology before bed, but no blue light is around while listening to audiobooks. It’s a great way to relax and get a good night’s sleep while knocking out some books.
  3. choose a genre you like: look, we all fancy ourselves a Dicke’s reader. But the truth is, if you’re not interested in the novel, you won’t want to listen. If you want, pick up a beach read in to listen to the romance play out.

Audiobooks aren’t for everyone. However, they still provide a great alternative for those who are short on time or just don’t have access to books. If you want some, head over to North’s digital library, or the NPL digital library.(P.S, my favorite app is libby)

Happy reading!(and listening)

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