Book 46: Finished.

I get really upset when I have high expectations for a book and then it does absolutely nothing for me. I mean, I build these books up to be amazingly beautiful only to find that I am bored and just don't get the hype.

That is the case for me with Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Perhaps I am just in a book funk recently, but this little novella did nothing for me. I took nothing away from my reading and I was super disappointed in what I thought was going to be a great book.

The story follows a group of girls, the Brodie set, who are highly influenced by their teacher (Miss Brodie). The story is not told linearly, but rather as reflections and memories. It tells of how the girls were influenced and changed by the unorthodox teachings of Miss Brodie and how ultimately, one of them betrayed her.

Perhaps it was the manner of telling the story, and the way Spark set it up, but nothing about her characters or the plot had any effect on me. I was bored with Miss Brodie and the girls. I felt as if the characters were one dimensional and I was so annoyed that I read the book in one sitting, hoping to pull some kind of value from it.

I ended up being angry when I closed it, and I felt extremely let down. Maybe it was a combination of a bad mood and being tired, but I just didn't get it. Sometimes a book just doesn't work for me and I think that was the case here. Moreover, I couldn't find anything in this slim volume to find it up to the level of some of the other things I have been reading recently. Maybe it is not fair to compare this to something like Gone with the Wind or As I Lay Dying, both of which had a profound impact on me.

In any case, I didn't take anything away from this novel, which is a huge shame. That has only happened two other times so far in this process (The Stranger by Albert Camus and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck), but it is disheartening all the same.

Has anyone else read this? What were your thoughts?

Book 46: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Book Stats.

Title: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Author: Muriel Spark (1918-2006)
First Published: 1961

My Edition: Harper Perennial Modern Classics (seen at left)
Pages: 137

Other Works Include: The Comforters (1957), The Bachelors (1960), The Public Image (1968), The Takeover (1976), Loitering with Intent (1981), The Finishing School (2004)

Both The Public Image and Loitering with Intent were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

When I was compiling the list of books I would read, I looked at a few things to determine which books would make the cut. This book popped up on a few lists, including the AP Literature list, as well as some top 100 lists. And even though I have some other "modern classics" on the list, this one I never heard of.

To be honest, I am really excited for this little novel. It is about a teacher who does things her own way, and that is really appealing, especially since I am a want to be teacher. I hope that it can live up to my expectations!

This will be the only thing by Spark I will read for my challenge and I have never read anything by her before, so we shall see how it goes!

Sunday Salon: June 13, 2010.

Matt and I have had a rough day today. We woke up to find out that Matt's car was broken into last night. His driver's side window was smashed to pieces and things were thrown everywhere on the inside of his car. His car was also broken into back in January, when we were gone on our honeymoon, so this hits twice as hard. The first time his stereo and speakers were stolen. This time it was his golf clubs.

It is a shame that people have to resort to stealing. I don't understand that and I don't think I ever will. I also can't believe that someone would be okay with damaging someone else's property. Now we have to get him a new window so he can drive his car around.

We are both concerned about safety and have decided if we are still in Michigan, we are definitely moving to a different apartment complex. In addition to the break ins, we've had some issues with our neighbors and the area in general, so it will probably be better.

In good news, my friend Jenny got married yesterday on her grandparents' farm in Ann Arbor. It was super warm and humid, but she looked beautiful and was so happy. I have known her since the first grade and she stood up in our wedding, so I was glad we were there.

In reading news, I did not have as successful a week as I had hoped. While I finished The Hound of the Baskervilles, I didn't start the other Holmes novel. I did read both The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, which was a great time, but I didn't even touch Gulliver's Travels or Cranford. I guess you know what I'll be reading before the read-along posts!

This week the goal is to finish both Gulliver's Travels and Cranford to finish up my posts. Then I really need to read the Turgenev for my Classics Circuit post. And perhaps start the Inferno. But we shall see!