You may have noticed that yesterday I didn’t do a Sensation Sunday as part of the Sensation Season. Well blame The Converted One! It’s not as dramatic as it sounds but with the big ‘three o’ for The Converted One being today the weekend was a surprise party and who knew just how much time and cunning that would take organising. Fortunately it all went fabulously and I wasn’t killed for organising something that The Converted One didn’t initially want to celebrate. So oddly enough book reading went a little out the window.
Add to this the fact that East Lynne is utterly, utterly marvellous it does also have the whole of West Lynne village in it’s cast and about twelve plots going all at once and I just couldn’t read it as quickly as I thought I would be able to. I also didn’t want to rush something I am enjoying so much and so have been reading it as the people in the late 1800’s would and have been serialising the amount I read each day and its delightful. I now know every character much better and their motives and plots are much more apparent. I am not saying you can’t read it any other way, nor am I saying I should have read the previous sensation novels this way, I am just using my circumstances to try something a bit different. I also don’t want to stop enjoying one of my favourite forms of fiction and have even postponed another sensation novel until sometime in 2010.
The fact that I pass Ellen Wood, or Mrs Henry Wood, everytime I am in Highgate (so once a week or every other week) has instilled the thought that I must respect this book even more. It seems to me that she is a much forgotten author and though having scouted on certain sites have seen there are a lot more of her works out there they arent as available as ‘East Lynne’ which in its own way is a forgotten classic. So when you are next in Highgate do ask the guides (unless its me) to point her out as I think she should get much more attention than she does… in so many ways.
East Lynne will be up for discussion next Sunday when Granny Savidge Reads will also be in town. So much to look forward to at the weekend already, makes Monday so easier. Well that and the fact have today off for celebrating someone’s 30th – oh am not supposed to have mentioned that am I?!?
Savidge Reads 
Ooh, happy birthday to the Converted One! I hope you’ve bought him some books!
Hahahaha no books were bought but a big suprise party, Will Young tickets, a Storm watch and the cinema all sorted and one more suprise coming. It’s our anniversary tomorrow so a book is coming up soon for him hahahaha!
So glad you’re enjoying East Lynne! It is marvelous and such fun! Thanks for the pic of Mrs. Henry Wood’s grave. After reading about it in Her Fearful Symmetry, I was wondering how it looked like.
I am loving East Lynne it just needs to be read steadily yet with breaks for all the wonderful (even when some of them are downright evil) characters to get further in your head… and all the plots.
I have shared Mrs Wood’s grave on here as she doesnt get pointed out often enough.
Well, Happy Birthday Converted One! Pulling together a celebration would be a big job, so we understand. Now the party’s over! Get back on the schedule Simon!
Hahahahaha, schedule will nbe resumed as of tomorrow Sandy I promise! The Converted One says thanks for all the birthday wishes too.
Happt Birthday to the Converted One! I hope that you all had a fantastic day.
It was a lovely suprise party on Saturday and today has been lovely too… next is our anniversary… tomorrow!!!!
Oh, I’m so happy that you wrote this! I’m just over half-way through East Lynne … loving the twisty plot, obviously hating some of the evil characters, hoping for a happy ending and all of that goodness. I can’t wait to chat about it on Sunday!
Hahahaha the plot is twisty isnt it. I am loving the evil characters, whilst completely loathing them. It’s that age old love hate issue hahaha.
Please add one more birthday wish for The Converted One!
Birthday wish passed on JoAnn!