Book Review | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

Perhaps the one instance in which 'never judge a book by its cover' doesn't actually ring true...

The contents of this book were just as magical as its cover. Once again, J. K. Rowling has not disappointed. To my knowledge, this is the first time I have ever read a screenplay, and so it was comforting to jump into such a text with the familiarity factor of the wizarding world which Rowling has spent so many years creating. Just as with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it was interesting to read a work of Rowling's which exists within her magical milieu, but isn't focused on the chronological progression of Harry's life at Hogwarts or his defeating Voldemort.

As far as the text being a screenplay goes, it was very different to what is experienced when reading a novel, which I really engaged with. It was easy to gain a much deeper understanding of the action, dialogue, thoughts, and feelings, due to the description provided. What I enjoyed most was the fact that despite this not being a novel, there were still major unexpected plot twists... And they were able to really surprise me! I would very much like to see the film also, and see how it actually translates onto the screen, having seen the film title be the focus of many a Facebook status, Tweet, and newspaper article. (Plus, anything starring Eddie Redmayne has to be good, right?)

I truly adore J. K. Rowling and her work, and am very interested to look into reading her other novels and seeing what they have to offer. I am also very open to the idea of reading more screenplays in the future, because one of the many things that my English degree taught me is that literature is not just a canonical novel authored by a straight, white, middle-class man which focuses solely on the very real aspects of life.

TV Series Review | Victoria (ITV)

‘I believe I shall find my own way, and if I require advice, I will ask for it.’

Succeeding to the throne of the most powerful empire in the world in the year 1837 at the age of eighteen could not have been easy, but given the fact that said monarch was a woman made the appointment all the more controversial. Period dramas have always intrigued me, especially series such as this, in which we can never know what is wholly true, and what is fabricated. Victoria’s journey from being completely out of her depth to strong and steadfast was wonderful to watch, which Jenna Coleman executed with extreme grace and decorum. She was able to portray the handling of difficult situations as both a monarch and a woman.

Victoria’s relationship with Lord Melbourne was one of the most interesting aspects of the series, despite its dubious historical accuracy. Melbourne is irrevocably committed to his queen, and wishes her to exceed and excel in every possible way. Despite their evident affection for one other, Melbourne teaches Victoria that certain customs must be adhered to for the greater good of her country. He ultimately wishes for her happiness, which he knows cannot possibly be as his wife. Victoria however recognises that Melbourne is integral to her campaign as queen, and so fights to keep him as Prime Minister so that he can aid her should she so require his counsel.

This relationship in turn gave way to Victoria and Albert, the crux of the series. Tom Hughes wonderfully depicted Albert’s transformation from cold and steely-faced to Victoria’s caring husband. There were many tender moments between the two, such as the pair playing piano together, which were only further accented by the beautiful music. Both Victoria and Albert thought that the notion of the two marrying – which all others deemed the perfect match – was preposterous. Through spending more time together and Victoria bringing out the compassionate side of Albert, and Albert bring out the resilient side of Victoria, the two fell in love. Their wedding was simple and yet beautifully executed, and Victoria’s wedding dress was one of the numerous intricate dresses which she wore throughout the series. All costumes were detailed and elaborate, as well as the women’s hairstyles. Victorian fashion was encapsulated in this series, from the queen’s elaborate gowns to Albert’s suit jackets through the outfits of the Chartists. I loved seeing such a specific snapshot of the Victorian era, of Victoria’s life, as opposed to reading a novel such as Great Expectations which transcends class boundaries and the relationships between these classes. I am thoroughly excited to see what the second series has in store.

Book Review | Caitlin Moran, How To Be a Woman

Though Caitlin Moran's How To Be a Woman was first published in 2011, five years down the line there are still so many prevalent and significant issues which it brings to light. There are many taboos which Moran aims to dispel throughout her memoir, by discussing them in a blunt, open, and frankly humorous way. These range from starting your periods through to encountering everyday sexism, and even to abortion. In recent years, figures such as Moran have encouraged women to speak out about their personal experiences and about their bodies, something which has for some reason been heretofore deemed socially unacceptable.

What Moran tackles so skilfully in this text is how contemporary feminism is situated within modern and popular culture. She does this with her characteristic journalistic and Twitter-loving style, in that some sentences are shouted or short or italicised, giving the reader an experience that roots itself in the personal and the direct. This does not mean that she is condescending or belittling in any sense, however; I have never read a book which I have found so relatable. Moran does not hesitate to point out her flaws and her mistakes, but she gently mocks herself and tells herself (and us!) that these trivialities, as these things so often are, do not define us. I found it incredibly humbling to read a text in which an accomplished, feminist, popular journalist has experienced and relays back to the reader the very same adolescent worries that I, and so many of my friends, have also been through.

I wish that I could have had the good fortune of reading this book when it was first published, as I feel that I (and many others – I certainly would not have hesitated to recommend it far and wide) would have benefitted immensely from the concepts it outlines. Moran does not attempt to objectively outline absolutely everything that feminism encompasses, stands for, or has achieved, but what she does do is narrate her own personal experience of feminism and how it has impacted upon her life, which leads the reader to recognise similar tropes in their own lives. I shall definitely read this book again, and I rest assured knowing that I will enjoy it just as much, will appreciate its sentiments, and to be perfectly honest, laugh my socks off.

What I took from this book as Caitlin Moran's most important message is one of self-identification, self-assurance, and humility. What Moran urges the reader to do 'is say 'I am a feminist'. For preference, I would like you to stand on a chair, and shout 'I AM A FEMINIST' - but this is simply because I believe everything is more exciting if you stand on a chair to do it.' As a result, never more proudly so have I wanted to proclaim I AM A FEMINIST.

[This review was first published in February 2016 in The Linc, the University of Lincoln's student newspaper]

Top 10 Most Influential Books

Hello one and all! I thought that for my first post on this blog I would focus on what I love most about the arts: books. Having just completed my English undergraduate degree, I have encountered such a wide variety of texts in the past three years, as well as everything else I read before my degree, and everything in between. So let's press on, dear reader, and discover my top 10 most influential books.

1) J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter series (1997-2007)
The list has to start off with Harry Potter, one of the most iconic figures in British literary history. Rowling's work had me engrossed when I was but half the age I am now. I re-read the series last summer and it was just as magical as the first time. I grew up as Harry, Ron, and Hermione did, and I found myself moved by so many events. The characters and the plots create a simultaneous environment of identification and fantasy, I was on the verge of tears throughout most of the last book, and there was always a part of me which longed to be Hermione Granger.

2) Caitlin Moran - How To Be a Woman (2011)
My, oh my. How I wish that I had read this book when it was first published. I read this book at the start of this year, for one of my university modules. IT IS SO GOOD. I recommend that everybody reads this book, no matter what gender or age. I found it so humbling that even accomplished writer, journalist, and mother Caitlin Moran has been through the same adolescent experiences as you and everyone you know. Such an eye-opening read.

3) Amy Poehler - Yes Please (2014)
Amy Poehler is one of my favourite people on the planet. I absolutely fell in love with her as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation and found her book so wonderful. Poehler has been through such a lot to find herself the accomplished woman she is today, and it was fascinating to find out how she got to where she is now.

4) Andrea Levy - Small Island (2004)
This will forever be one of my favourite books. It absolutely blew me away. I rarely find myself so engrossed in a novel, but this one completely sucked me in. The multiple viewpoints and different angles of the same event were wonderful. You know how everyone uses the phrase 'I couldn't put it down'? I literally didn't put this book down until I had finished it. I am so eager to read this again at some point, and I know that I will love it just as much.

5) Arthur Conan Doyle - A Study in Scarlet (1887)
This was the first Sherlock Holmes text I read, way back in the summer of 2012, after having watched the Guy Ritchie films and BBC adaptation. It was then that I became ever so slightly obsessed with anything Sherlock-related, and my passion has grown since. Heck, I even wrote my dissertation on Sherlock.

6) Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
I first encountered this book at GCSE, and at fifteen years old, I don't think I fully appreciated it as much as I do now. Harper Lee has the most eloquent writing style and teaches the most wonderful morals. Lee's penning of the phrase 'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it' has become one of the most significant quotes within English literature, and rightly so.

7) Mary Shelley - Frankenstein (1818)
Only very recently did I read Frankenstein, and I was so intrigued to finally read the original story. Victor Frankenstein's creature has now evolved into a figure of popular culture, and so it was thrilling to discover its origins. I actually just wrote an exam on this book, as well as an essay! I love Shelley's style and beautiful language, and the way that she uses the Gothic to draw attention to the limits of Enlightenment thinking that permeated her society.

8) Oscar Wilde - The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)
Possibly the first Victorian book I read, with the exception of Jane Eyre. This is the book which sparked my interest in Victorian literature, which remains one of my favourite literary periods to this day. I love the way that the book slowly declines into debauchery, vice, and Hedonism. Such a gripping read from start to finish.

9) Virginia Woolf - Mrs Dalloway (1925)
I absolutely LOVE Modernist texts. Woolf, Joyce, Eliot, Lawrence, Mansfield... Such wonderful writers who fully encompass the age. Another book in which I was thoroughly immersed from start to finish. Never was such a simple plot articulated with such flair.

10) B. S. Johnson - Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry (1973)
I think this is the only postmodern novel I've actually enjoyed... I'm not the biggest fan of postmodernism at all, but this text just knocked me off my feet. It's hilarious. I can't express that enough, it's honestly so so so funny. There is so much innuendo and wit that I was crying with laughter at several points when I was reading. And that's such a great thing.


I hope you enjoyed reading about the books which have had the most impact on me, and look forward to hearing from me soon.

- Hayley.