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Raven

Raven

I'm a 26yr old writer who loves to read. I'm a horror girl at heart but I also love reading dark fantasy, vampire fiction, dystopia, sadomasochistic erotica, some classic literature, some fantasy, a little bit of science fiction and some historical fiction So basically my favourite authors are Stephen King, Anne Rice, Tobsha Learner, HG Wells,... more »
  • Sydney, Australia
  • member since February 23 2008

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Public Notes

  • Ren

    Ren says

    Hehe, is it that obvious Bon? :p

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Meghan G

    Meghan G says

    Hehe, it's not just that people have his book, it's that they LOVE his book. Everything I've seen so far has just been glowing about it. I'm so proud of him!

    Thanks for the tip about Booktagger too. I'm always looking for literary websites and it looks like a great resource.

    Be well! --Meghan

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Meghan G

    Meghan G says

    Hi Bonnie! I'm leaving you a note because--and this is really, really nerdy of me to do--but I was really excited to see that you have The Warded Man (The Painted Man, I think, in Britain) on your shelf, because it was written by my cousin Peter. It hasn't been released in the US yet so I'm trying to find people who have read it. (I actually haven't read it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it!)

    I'm really glad you liked it! It looks like it's gotten so many great reviews so far!

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • *Midnight Masquerade*

    *Midnight Masquerade* says

    Thats so funny MIdnight :) It's my name on almost every site lol. Thanks for excepting the invite. Hope you have a nice day.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Steven

    Steven says

    Hello Bonnie and welcome to 'Just for Atheists' Please feel free to add to any of the discussions, start your own, and/or add any books to our shelf. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Jeanine D

    Jeanine D says

    I love Jane Austen. She's one of my favorite authors. What she does is describe even the little looks on people's faces and the subtleties of their personalities. She is always intriguing and surprising. My only regret is that she only wrote I think 6 novels.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • cheshire_fat

    cheshire_fat says

    I suggest you try reading Pride and Prejudice first. It's satirical and poignant look at 18th century British society through their culture of courtship and romance. After this, I believe you'll come to appreciate Emma, which looks at it from the other side of the fence.

    As always, Jane Austen has empowered her female leads with wit, intellect, and self-determination. I am amazed how progressive her opinions about society and women were compared to how it really was at that time.

    Although it's far from being a fantasy book, Austen pieces are good food for your mind and consciousness, I believe.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Anat

    Anat says

    before u start reading Austen you should read books by the Bronte sisters like wuthering heights and Jane eyre - they're alot more morbid than Austen but they'll get u into the feel of dat century. i'm personally addicted to fantasy but have learned to enjoy n respect classical literature but it took me some time to get into it. hope i was some help

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Roman Maiden

    Roman Maiden says

    Hi, i got your question on If you should read "Emma" or just any of Jane Austen's books, Let me tell you about "Emma"and then if you have any more questions, feel free to ask.


    Emma Woodhouse, "handsome, clever, and rich," is the 21-year-old daughter of the elderly owner of Hartfield, the largest estate in Highbury. Though only a couple of hours away from London by carriage, Highbury regards itself as an isolated and virtually self-contained community, with the Woodhouse family the center of social life and at the top of its social ladder. Emma, doting on her hypochondriac father, whom she represents to the outside world, has grown up without a mother's softening influence, and at twenty-one, she is bright, willful, and not a little spoiled. Having too little to do to keep out of trouble, Emma's hobby is matchmaking, "the greatest amusement in the world,." Unfortunately, her sophistication in the social graces does not extend to much insight into human beings.

    Taking Harriet Smith, a young woman of "questionable birth" under her wing, Emma makes Harriet her "project," educating her in the social graces, convincing Harriet not to marry farmer Robert Martin, who has courted her, and ultimately persuading Harriet, wrongly, that the vicar, Mr. Elton, is falling in love with her. Bored and without a large circle of "suitable" friends, Emma is an incorrigible meddler, playing with the lives of those around her, snubbing those she considers inferior, gossiping about others in an attempt to divert attention to herself, and misreading intentions. Only Mr. Knightly, sixteen years older than Emma and a friend of her father, stands up to Emma and tells her what he thinks of her behavior, and it is through him that she eventually begins to grow.

    Love and the formal protocol of marriage are a major focus here, with marriage more often a merger of "appropriate" families than the result of romance or passion. Class distinctions, acknowledged by all levels of society, limit both personal friendships and romantic possibilities, and as Emma's matchmaking fails again and again, causing grief to many of her victims, Emma begins to recognize that her pride, willfulness, and love of power over others have made her oblivious to her own faults.

    I hope that helped.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Dr. J. G.

    Dr. J. G. says

    The page jumped as it sometimes does so this note - about your question about Austen - this is not romance as you understand from penny novels, it is more of a social story, and it should be prescribed for every junior high school for its lessons in prudence and other good qualities one should have a bit of each.

    Austen writes them in story form but they are social studies in behaviour that is universal beyond time and georgraphy, though she sets them naturally in her time and place. That latter adds to the charm.

    As for your taste, it is ok to extend yourself a little, and this is the safest you can try.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Catherine

    Catherine says

    I suggest reading Emma for the same reasons that Janice does -- well put! -- although I would warn that the book does not reflect the tastes you indicated.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • shkaiser

    shkaiser says

    Hi Bonnie - I love all things Austen, but some people find Emma an annoying character. *I* think she's funny, and she grows up a bit during the course of the story. However, if you like horror, you might find Northanger (sp?) Abby more to your taste. Happy reading!

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Janice

    Janice says

    I can't help but say 'Read it!'. I like Jane Austin becasue of her wit and the rebel in her. You just might like. I might suggest starting with P & P first. Lizzie is a great character and it could introduce Austin's style easier. Emma was the storyline for Clueless, clearly not in the same time and Emma isn't as annoying as Cher, in my opinion, but just as lovable and quirky. I love Brave New World and not noramlly a romance type, but Austin has become an all time favorite. I agree with jennifer b and jane v, I don't see her as romance I see her as a social rebel and almost a feminist. She does end with the girl and guy together, but in real life she didn't. She dears her characters to go against the socail norms of their time, something I am sure was not taken lightly.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Jennifer b

    Jennifer b says

    Well Bonnie If you truly do not like romance then you will not like Emma, I absolutly adore her works, the reflection of women overcoming obsticals in a society that opresses women born in a certian class. Trying to live up to your expections of yourself.I personally find it hard to not relate with her characters. This is a beautiful written story. However these storys take place in days and times when womens highest goals were to marry and reproduce. Love takes centerplace. And after what you wrote I am not sure it's for you. But I do hope you read it.Call it life experiance.-Jenn

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Jennifer b

    Jennifer b says

    Well Bonnie If you truly do not like romance then you will not like Emma, I absolutly adore her works, the reflection of women overcoming obsticals in a society that opresses women born in a certian class. Trying to live up to your expections of yourself.I personally find it hard to not relate with her characters. This is a beautiful written story. However these storys take place in days and times when womens highest goals were to marry and reproduce. Love takes centerplace. And after what you wrote I am not sure it's for you. But I do hope you read it.Call it life experiance.-Jenn

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Liz J

    Liz J says

    Well, admitted Austen lover here, my gut instinct is to say "Yes, you HAVE to read Emma." But I can tell you that based on your typical reading tastes, Emma is going to be very slow going for you, especially in the beginning. All of Austen's books are incredibly dense with social satire, as you can read all about in Jane's comments below. If you have never read a book like this before, you'll easily become bored and be tempted to chuck it in the bin. But if you resist that temptation, I think you'll eventually grow to appreciate, if not love it.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )


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