Classic Social Media

Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don’t Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook

Sarah Schmelling

Maidens Who Don’t Float is obviously a book intended for my generation of Literature (with a capital “L”) lovers. Schmelling takes some of our favorite characters and authors and gives them Facebook profiles. The status updates and applications are gut-wrenchingly funny. Observe:

From Frankenstein: “The Monster became a fan of Wedding Crashers”

For those that have not read Frankenstein that is HILARIOUS. Trust me.

Schmelling shows not only an amazing grasp of classic lit. (she covers Poe, Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Dante, Faulkner, and the Bronte sisters, among others) but a wry and witty understanding of the effect of social media on society today. She deftly weaves the two disparaging formats into comedic gold. The only downside to this book is it requires a good chunk of prerequisite knowledge to fully enjoy every page of it. That being said, if you remember the novels you read in high school or can access sparknotes online, this is an enjoyable romp through the wonderful world of literature.

I leave you with my absolute favorite post:

“Hester Prynne received a Piece of Flair”

HILARIOUS!

You Should Read This.

Snow White and the Big Apple

Fables written by Bill Willingham

The graphic novel or comic book, with its compelling stories and beautifully wrought drawings, has emerged as something no longer seen as the cute step-sibling of pure prose, interesting but lacking literary merit, but a praiseworthy form of literature in its own right.

DC Comic’s Vertigo imprint is currently publishing one of the best comics out there: Bill Willingham’s Fables.

The premise is simple: Our traditional fable characters have been forced out of their traditional homeland by the mysterious Adversary and now occupy a single street in New York City, as well as a farm upstate. To live in harmony and not give themselves away to the Mundane (Mundy) world they have formed Fabletown. All Fabletown citizens signed the Fabletown compact that forgave their previous sins committed against fablekind.

The joy of this series lies in Willingham’s portrayal of some of the best and most loved fairy tale characters. Snow White is the Deputy Mayor of Fabletown, and is a strong willed and dignified woman. Old King Cole is the bumbling but lovable Mayor for Life. The Big Bad Wolf (aka Bigby) has been re-imagined as a werewolf and acting sheriff of Fabletown. Cinderella is one of Bigby’s kick-ass clandestine agents (she owns a Fabletown shoe shop as well). Even Little Boy Blue, the Frog Prince, and a flying monkey have important roles to play in the story.

Fables is filled with plot twists and intrigue. It is one of those series that you stay awake long into the night to read. I continuously found myself thinking “o.k. … just one more section and then I’ll go to bed” while reading the series. The writing is flawless, the graphic artist amazing.

Fables is still being published by DC Vertigo. The story arch with the Adversary has finished and a new threat is attacking Fabletown. You can read the first 82 issues in a series of 12 graphic novels or go to the local comic store and pick them up one at a time.

You should read this.

Y.A. Saturday: Living with Ghosts.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I am an unabashed Gaiman fan. I will tell anyone who listens that Neil is the greatest author in modern literature. Of course, he proves my point every time he puts a new book on the shelves.

His latest masterpiece, the Newberry Award winning The Graveyard Book, is brilliant in its simplicity. Gaiman took a classic concept, that of Kipling’s The Jungle Book, and gave it his own dark yet hopeful twist.

The book opens with a murder. The Man Jack is creeping through a house, slowly and mercilessly killing all the inhabitants. He only has the baby left. Gaiman doesn’t focus so much on the killing as he does on the emotions, or lack thereof, of The Man Jack. The baby, ever adventurous, crawls out of his crib and out onto the streets. He makes his way to the local graveyard and that is where his story truly begins.

The boy, Bod (short for Nobody) Owens, is adopted by the ghostly inhabitants of the graveyard. The ghosts of Mr. and Mrs. Owens take him in and care for him. The dark and mysterious Silas, who is no ghost, but a different creature all together, becomes his guardian, and Bod lives in two very distinct worlds until he must again face The Man Jack and take control of his life.

The beauty of Neil’s writing is in his control of the language. He doesn’t so much as author a book, but guides his readers with every word, comma and period he uses. You feel what Neil wants you to feel. You feel what Bod is feeling. Of course you can not relate to being raised by ghosts, but you can relate to the sense of isolation and loneliness that Bod struggles with in every chapter.

I’ll admit I am also a sucker for dark, macabre stories. However, The Graveyard Book isn’t a typical spooky story. It’s not that you feel scared while reading; in fact most of it isn’t scary at all. Gaiman wraps you in dark. Everything feels slightly dim and eerily damp. It seems like you are walking in a rundown part of town, coat collar lifted to stave off the cold, arms held tightly across your chest and a slight feeling of unease settled comfortably across your shoulders as you traverse the pages. Yet for some reason, you have a goofy smile on your face the whole time.

You should read this.

Life, Love, Death, and Walking

The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

I could wax poetic about McCarthy's The Road. I could go on about the road being a metaphor for the personal journey and changes that The Boy goes through in the tale. I could talk about McCarthy's writing style and how his staccato rhythm adds to the feeling of walking along with The Man and The Boy as they traverse the desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape. I could say all these things (and I did) but someone has undoubtedly done it, and probably better than I.

What I will say about The Road is that it is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. At its heart, this is a tale of growing up. This is a tale about the relationship between a man and his son. This is a tale about love and perseverance. The Man and The Boy walk along the road avoiding other travelers and searching for food. They hope to reach a place where others are living peacefully and they can finally rest.

It is really a simple plot line driven by small, delicate moments. When The Man gives The Boy a coke he finds, the excitement for both The Man and The Boy is palpable. It is such a simple action; the drinking of a coke, but beautiful in the exquisite heartbreak and joy that fills the blank spaces of the scene.

The most artistic moment of the book is so well crafted, it is almost impossible to notice. McCarthy very slowly, very subtly shifts the roles of The Man and The Boy. By the end of the novel it is The Boy who cares for and protects The Man.

I love books. It is not often that I am moved so deeply by such a gentle touch as I am by The Road.

You Should Read This.