Rachel's Corner
The Magician's Nephew
By C. S. Lewis
Rachel's Rating: G
Have you heard of Narnia? The magical land where animals can talk and trees are alive, and there are adventures all the time? I'm pretty sure you have. Well, here is the story about how all those journeys to Narnia from our world came to start. The very beginning of all the adventures, one could say. And how did it all start, then? Well, I don't want to spoil it all, but I can tell you this:
Once upon a time, back in the old days — okay, it wasn't that long ago, but it was during the time when the street lamps were actual burning lamps that were lit by hand every night, and the taxis were carts pulled by horses. Back in those days (around the year 1900), there was a man in London who was obsessed with magic and trying to find a way of traveling between different worlds. This man had a nephew, Digory, and Digory had a friend, Polly. One day when they were playing, they happened to get inside Digory's uncle's study and were tricked to touch a certain magical ring. The ring brought them to a land of portals, and so the traveling and the adventures began....
C. S. Lewis actually published five books in the series before he published this one, which chronologically is the first book. The first readers therefore read a lot about Narnia and the adventures there before they got to know how it all started. Personally, I'm very fond of "how it all started" stories. The Magician's Nephew was the first book I read in the series, and I'm happy about it. I usually recommend it to others as well, because you get an understanding for the world and everything, and then you get to all the adventures. Not to mention that there are fantastic adventures in the first book, too!
Bridget Jones's Diary
By Helen Fielding
Rachel's Rating: PG-13
I don't know what it's like in other parts of the world, but where I live it feels like the movie Bridget Jones's Diary is broadcast on television every year around Christmas time. I watched parts of it one year, and later I found out that it was based on a novel. So, of course, I set out to read the novel. And I had a nice big laugh!
Sure, this book is not very suitable for very young children, but I think that teens could appreciate it, and those who are even older probably enjoy it even more! The story is about Bridget Jones, and it's written like a diary (hence the title...). Bridget is 30-something-years-old, she's single, and she lives alone in London. As most working single women in the modern days, Bridget worries about her career, her drinking problems, her looks, her weight, and most of all, her non-existent love-life. That will change, however. No, not her worries, but her love-life takes a turn for the better, introducing some interesting relationships along the course of the novel.
I love this book. And the sequel, but I won't talk about it here. Do read it, though! I loved the humorous style, and every now and then I felt sorry for Bridget. At the same time I thought to myself, "Oh my, that's exactly what it's like!" I believe many women recognize things — I know I did. Worrying about what kind of underwear to wear for different occasions, having depressed thoughts about maybe having to die alone, and flirting with the extremely attractive and charming boss.... This is certainly an entertaining book!