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![]() My rating: 5 of 5 stars A truly heartbreaking feat. A novel that left me numb with tears long after the final page. This is Charlotte Brontë at her absolute best! A novel inspired by her teaching career in Brussels, it is filled with vivid descriptions of the town of Villette, its tenants and the man that eventually won over her heart. I have read this novel countless times, and yet, I am still brought to the state of tears by the final chapter. Villette is a historical romance like none other, it deals with the harsh realities of life, a world where a young woman must make her own way in the world and chooses to put bread and butter on her table, rather than surrender to a life where she is forcibly dependent on others. As an educator, I can sympathize with young Lucy Snowe's experiences as she teaching in a polished boarding school for young girl's. She is eventually taken under the wing of an astute and rather temperamental head master where they frequently clash over religion, manner of dress, and way of life, but slowly and surely their friction is dissolved and they become the deepest of friends. I fell in love with this story (countless times) and found the plot of this story, aye, even the characters similar to my own life experiences. I will cherish this novel for all eternity. It will sit upon my bookshelf with pride. I hope to return to it annually as per tradition, and perhaps one day the sting of a romance that was never meant to be will cease to bring me to a state of tears, though it isn't likely. I recommend this read to anyone that enjoys historical romance, a good cry, and a love of the Brontë sister's works. It is a truly memorable read. View all my reviews
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![]() My rating: 5 of 5 stars In this book, every word was written with love and a great deal of attention. The author, Rachel Horne, described her adolescent experiences with raw emotion, transcribing them with vivid imagery and a wave of empathy so that the reader could truly feel her every emotion. As a HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) it was lovely to read Rachel's journey, and see some similarities and struggles that a child must endure when they are forced to grow up in a world where they can feel, see, and hear everything at a much deeper level. I particularly enjoyed the sections where Rachel wrote about her nomadic travels throughout Scotland and other European countries. I have been thinking about the nomadic lifestyle as of late, and feel that will be my journey in a couple of years, so it was nice to get an insider's tip onto the whole experience of travelling across Europe in a van. It was also nice to read about healing, particularly the steps that HSP's need to take to become more centred and focused on our inner voice that comes from our heart or gut (aka gut feelings). It is a good reminder to not listen to the endless voices of the world, but to simply focus on the pathway that is best for you. When I wrote "The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven," it was with the purposeful intent to have the main character in my book exhibit common traits of a HSP, such as attention to detail, love of nature, deep feelings, extremely emphatic and sensitive to sounds/lighting. I wanted the world to know that there are people out there, and that HSP can feel everything around us at a deeper level. It is a trait that is only found in 10-15% of the population, so there are only a few of us out there that knows the benefits and struggles of growing up as a Highly Sensitive Person. I would recommend this book to all, especially as an educational resource. If you are interested in the nomadic life, or simply want to learn more about yourself and your inner callings than I would recommend Rachel's book to you as well. As a parting gift, I will leave a few quotes down below that really struck a chord in me. Perhaps, it will make you ponder deeply about our existence and people that identify themselves as HSP as well. "We feel things deeply. Be it the emotions of people around us or the suffering in the world. Be it joy or despair, we suck it up like a sponge. Lights are brighter, sounds are louder, and every emotion is fiercer. We live our lives in high definition." - Rachel Horne "Anxiety and depression aren't diseases. They are the sometimes inevitable outcomes of the way we have been told to live." - Rachel Horne "...your eyes will always adjust to the darkness. You will notice the moonlight falling on the trees. One by one, the stars will start to shine in the midnight sky. All this astounding beauty starts to light up all around you, and you find that you didn't need the streetlights to find your way after all. Everything that you needed was already there, and what you had assumed was a vital tool serving you on your journey, was actually separating you from what you wanted to connect with the most." - Rachel Horne On a final note, if the author ever publishes another book, I will be the first one in line to purchase it :) View all my reviews
An audio recording of chapter 2 of The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven is now available on YouTube. Thank you for all of your continual support, and hopefully I will be able to post another recording in the month of January. Happy New Year everyone!
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