Secresy

Eliza Fenwick’s epistolary novel, Secrecy tells the story of Sibella Valmont, an orphan who has been raised by her stern uncle, Valmont. He raises her almost entirely in seclusion, he lives in a castle surrounded by a moat, and Sibella is not allowed off the castles grounds. Her only companion is Clement, Valmont’s adopted son, who we will come to learn is actually his illegitimate son. Clement and Sibella love each other, and Valmont it would seem does not approve so he sends Clement from the castle and orders them to love each other as siblings and nothing more. Sibella’s only friend and communication with the outside world is Caroline Ashburn.
Caroline and Clement have a mutual friend in a Mr. Murden. They both extol Sibella’s virtues so ardently that it piques Murden’s interest and he finds himself falling in love with the idea of her. During this same time Clement is recalled to the castle where Valmont once again orders him and Sibella to love each other only as siblings. Clement tells Valmont he will. Sibella then decides that they will marry each other; of course locked in a castle they cannot have an actual marriage ceremony, so they instead have sex and Sibella considers herself married to Clement, he however does not agree. She drops her surname of Valmont in all her subsequent letters, Clement, still writes to Murden that he will make her his wife, not that he already has. It is the secrecy of this act that gives the novel its title. Sibella becomes pregnant, a fact that is hidden until the very end.
Murden in the meantime has hidden himself in the hermitage on the castle’s grounds in order to catch a glimpse of Sibella. None of his friends in society know where he is. He appears before her and she believes him an apparition. He falls very deeply into love with her. He then writes to Caroline and explains the situation. Caroline believes that Sibella loves Clement out of habit and of not knowing any better so she decides to orchestrate their getting together. Unfortunately no one knows of Sibella’s pregnancy at this time. Valmont shares his guardianship of Sibella with another, an Earl who has lost his fortune and decides that it would be beneficial if his son, Lord Filmar were to marry Sibella. Valmont refuses. However this does not stop Filmar’s pursuit. He visits the castle but is denied an audience with Sibella. He then devises a plan where he would remove her from the castle, but when he is executing it he runs into Murden and also believes him to be a ghost and is scared off his plan.
Sibella is unaware that she is actually her father’s heir and a very rich woman. Her uncle let her believe that she has no money of her own and is dependant on him. Murden overhears Lord Filmar discussing her wealth and tells her that she is actually not dependant on anyone. When she confronts Valmont, who must at this point know Sibella is pregnant, he locks her away and denies her even Caroline’s correspondence. Caroline then devises a plan by which Murden will help her escape using the hermitage he had been using. Their plan works, except Murden goes into shock over seeing Sibella pregnant. And then she in an effort to get to Clement escapes him and goes with Lord Filmar. Caroline finally tracks her down and brings Sibella to her house. However, by this time Clement has married Caroline’s mother for her money after being cut off by Valmont. Sibella learns this and has her baby, which is stillborn. Murden then dies, still in shock over Sibella’s pregnancy, and Sibella soon follows.

Harry Potter Part 2

Books are such an important part of my life I had forgotten how much I miss having time to read in my focus on the chaos that I have going on right now.
I have pre-ordered the book.
I remember how much I wanted to read the fifth one before it came out. But, I watched the second movie and realized I barely remembered the details of the previous books. So, while still in Albany I re-read the first four books.
I did a full-time internship at a newspaper my final semester of undergrad, thinking, obviously that I wanted to be a journalist when I grew up, (I've changed that just a bit since graduating...). My only problem with this job was that, actually two problems, I realized I didn't like journalism, especially political journalism as every time I went to a press conference I left feeling dirty, but more on topic to this particular blog, I had to stay in Albany until the legislative session was over, a full month and a half after graduating and all of my friends moving home.
I had to move into the apartment of a co-worker I didn't particularly like. She was filthy, I spent my first few days cleaning while crying. Everyone else had gone home. I liked most of my co-workers but not enough to make them my entire social circle. I think that if, during those few weeks there, my cell phone had broken I would have lost my entire mind.
This is not to mention that my grandmother died on my graduation day.
But, here I was, few friends, no family, in Albany, my home for the past four years but different now that I am alone. My boyfriend moved home, which meant that were to be the long distance couple that ended up breaking up. It was sad.
And, now you're asking what does this have to do with Harry Potter?
Well, in that month I worked waiting for the session to end, I re-read the first four Harry Potter books, and then re-read The Hobbit and a bunch of other novels. And before I knew it the month was over and I could re-join my life. And in doing all the reading I got to escape from feeling lonely. And I think it helped that Harry Potter books create a whole new world that I could get lost in.

time time time

I know I've said this before but I didn't mean to start a literary blog during the first time in my life when I haven't had the time to pick up a non-school book and read it...what are the odds of that? It's disapointing...normally I'd have had tons to say on all the books I'm devouring...but now all I have to say are recycled thoughts on books I read a year ago...It's sad.

Harry Potter

Have I mentioned on here my deep love for Harry Potter?

I am very excited by the new book coming out...

I've got to remember to pre-order it soon. And because I ordered my books for this semester on Amazon.com using my Amazon credit card I got a $25 back coupon for spending x (I don't remember what the amount was, besides this isn't an ad for chase) on the amazon website...pretty cool...it will make the book free...I should go do that now...

songs

I would consider myself a literary purist, however I think that music, even occassionally including pop music, can be poetry.

This being said, it's almost a cliche at this point, but I'm in a bad mood, so here are the lyrics to hurt, by trent reznor


I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way