Day 224 –What a happy day for booksellers (pg 93)

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Austen and Ben H. Winters, started out to be more promising than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Although I did actually become quite bored with it, and also irritated by the apparent stupidness of the characters.

The Dashwood Sisters (who are, in the original, an intelligent trio) are entirely self absorbed and ignore very important goings on around them. Why doesn’t anyone question the youngest Dashwood, Miss Margaret, who starts hearing and seeing strange things on the island where they live? Why doesn’t Elinor Dashwood tell someone a swordfish has been making small cracks in the glass dome of the underwater city? I can’t stand when things are made obvious to the reader and should be obvious to the characters but are ignored, that is my major issue with this book.

I was however, more willing to believe that sea creatures had mutated and were plotting to eradicate human civilisation, than believe that the Bennet sisters could receive private marshal arts training in China in order to take on armies of the living dead. Perhaps that has a deeper reflection on my psyche... One best not delve too deep.

57 days remaining, 16 books to go.

Day 59 – 21 today...

With Pride and Prejudice and Zombies now finished, I am moving on to Peter Jackson – A Filmmakers Journey in the hopes it will inspire me to action. This book was a birthday present 2 years ago while I was still at film school, from friends of mine who expected great things from me. This is quite a thick book and I feel I won’t be wanting to read it all the time. Therefore I’ve decided to read two books simultaneously. Which I believe to be a great idea as I have to add yet another book to the list.

Yesterday I happened across a carnival run by the local rotary club and they had a book stall. No I shouldn’t have wondered over, but there were books everywhere and I was drawn to them. I was happily looking at one book when an elderly gentleman manning the stall came and informed me I could "fill a bag for $1" "No!" I cried “don't do that to me!" I managed to walk out of there with only one, One Pair of Feet by Monica Dickens, which I have since discovered is the second of three. So while I am only adding 1 extra book at this stage, really it’s 3... oh dear.

I watched Julie and Julia again last night, and I hardly know what to think. At times I felt a connection with Julie; on the cusp of 30, having not achieved her dreams and feeling quite at a loss. I then wondered how it came to be that she was able to succeed so amazlingly in her career as a writer with seemingly little effort via her blog? Evidently a film is not real life and I am sure she worked hard at being a writer before her success. However how did she manage to get such a following after even 47 days?

Although I am not expecting a horde of readers to come knocking down my door, I would like to feel that someone out there in the void was reading this (other than my mother and friends!)

I would like to be more like Julia and so many other inspiring women out there who have the courage of their convictions, who are determine to achieve their goals without compromise. I am not one of these women. I stay where I feel safe, reading my books, writing my blog and applying for an endless stream of jobs. I make token gestures in the hope that something will change, and at the same time being constantly terrified that change will appear at any moment and I will no longer feel safe.

I do however have the urge to go to my nearest food emporium, pick up multitudes of fresh ingredients, and cook up a storm.

225 days remaining, 18 books to go (21 books to go, why does that number sound familiar?)

Day 57 - Post Script

I have just discovered there is now a prequel out to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies called Dawn of the Dreadfuls. Although I haven’t found Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to be fantastically groundbreaking, I am intrigued by the prequel. Even more so due to the fact it has been written by a different author, Steve Hockensmith.

Day 57 – She remembered the lead ammunition ... "Your balls, Mr Darcy?" He reached out and closed her hand around them, and offered...

...“They belong to you, Miss Bennet.” (pg 234)

I have almost come to the end of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and I am still somewhat disappointed. Remarks like the one above occur only rarely. I feel that changes from the original weren't completely committed to, and plot points like women and men being trained by Chinese or Japanese masters are completely befuddling. It is cleverly done yes, but there are things about it that just don't sit right with me.

The illustrations done by Roberto Parada are a nice little addition (see right). However they can be a little on the gruesome side!

In other news, I have been continuing on with my quest to become a real documentary filmmaker. Thanks to my father, I am helping out on a small community project, which is not only interesting, it also makes for great experience. I have also recently stumbled across the most amazing internship opportunity which I have unfortunately set my heart on. The application is being studiously worked upon, and once it is handed over, there is nothing left to do but hope.

227 days remaining, 18 books to go

Day 49 – It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains (pg 13)

It’s Thursday, but I have had a bit of difficulty getting started this week. I feel like I have been on a lovely holiday after a birthday weekend filled with good company, good food and perfect weather, what more can a girl ask for? I did receive one book as a gift which will have to be read before the end date; The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho. I also received a gift voucher for a bookshop, however I am doing my best to stay away!

I am a little disappointed with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. There are some very promising sections, where remarks that could never have been made outright in the original version, are brought out in stunning fashion. Comments such as “Engaged to stupid fat Mr Collins!” (and no he is not one of the living dead).

I have quite delighted in these liberties, however they are few and far between and most of the story tends to be everything in the original with some zombies thrown in for good measure and some quite grotesque images. This book has also prompted me to find out where the idea of zombies originated from, and it is a concept stemming from Afro-Caribbean Voodoo.

The days seem to be passing me by so quickly at the moment and I feel as though I am working hard merely to tread water. The pile of books does not seem to be going down, especially now that one has been added...

235 days remaining, 18 books to go.

Day 41 - FINIS (pg 368)

Yes I have come to the end of Pride and Prejudice. However while the classic is still fresh in my mind, I am moving onto Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! This book was a gift from my boyfriend last Christmas, my sister had also purchased it for me and was a little put out when she discovered I already had it. Thankfully it did not cause too much of a family rift!

Moving on for a moment, as all good stories have a call to adventure, so too does this blog. Due to the painful lack of employment prospects, I have decided to start my own documentary production company. I have always wanted my own business, I enjoy making documentaries and have plenty of ideas in mind, and so this new adventure begins. If I can pull it off, I will regard it as some kind of miracle.

There is also a lot more reading involved off the original 21 book list. I have recently borrowed a book from the library for research purposes called Family Wanted – Stories of Adoption edited by Sara Holloway. Stay tuned for more reading and production adventures...


243 days remaining, 17 books to go (not including research!)