Ivanhoe | 
pickThe novel that started the craze for historical fiction set in medieval times. All the tropes are already here, Normans and Saxons, Templars, tournaments, castle sieges, Richard the Lionheart and Prince John, Robin Hood and Friar Tuck, beautiful oppressed heroines, accusations of sorcery.
We live in a more cynical age, so it does need a hefty suspension of belief but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the sometimes stagy dialogue.
Ivanhoe was published in 1819, and takes place in medieval times, so there's a lot of old language, “thee“ “thou“ etc. One major choice that the author made was that there isn't just one main character/narrator, it goes back and forth showing various characters' different experiences, which all connect into one story.
March was actually a pretty solid reading month!! I finished 16 books, kept up with the buddy reads for North & South and The Other Bennet Sister, and moved forward on a couple of series. Cinder and Stay With Me both start new series so even though they are staying on the radar for April, I really want to finish a series before starting a new one!!
April's numbers/bingo board will be posted tomorrow, so still time to share a list if you want ⬇️
pickI haven't had a lot of reading time this week, but I did check off my February #BookSpin, which I have been reading as a chapter-a-day. One of my favorite books growing up was The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. The main characters in that book read Ivanhoe together and I have meant to read it ever since....mission finally accomplished 30 years later 😂 I overall did enjoy this one, but I don't see myself rereading it. It was somewhat ⬇️
pickY‘all, I finished it! 🙌 Feb #roll100 complete!
My great aunt Millie didn‘t steer me wrong. While I‘m glad I waited to read this until I was older (a lot would have flown over my teenage head), I‘m bummed I can‘t talk to my great aunt about it since she passed away a few years ago.
Not without flaws, I was entertained by this medieval adventure and learned a fair amount about the era. Couldn‘t help but cheer on the wide cast of characters 🙂
“‘Will future ages believe that such stupid bigotry ever existed!‘“ Oh, Sir Walter Scott, if you only knew what stupidity was in store for the human race over the course of the 200+ years since you wrote that line 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Less than 100 pages left of Ivanhoe! Basil enjoyed napping in a sunbeam on my lap while I read this morning 😸 #catsoflitsy #caturday
Lazy Sunday morning with these 2 cuddle bugs #catsoflitsy #dogsoflitsy
Feb‘s #roll100 picked Ivanhoe for me, so I‘m reading 20 pgs/day to make it easier to finish in a month. It‘s been awhile since I‘ve read something written in the early 1800s or taking place in the Middle Ages, so the smaller chunks are definitely making it easier for my sluggish brain 🤪🐌
Was happy to discover @TheAromaofBooks is also reading Ivanhoe this month!
May 2021 #BookSpinBingo:
#BookSpin: Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, which I am currently reading 😁
#DoubleSpin: Rather Be the Devil, by Ian Rankin
"For he that does good, having the unlimited power to do evil, deserves praise not only for the good which he performs, but for the evil which he forbears."
Just been for a touch up on a couple of my tattoos. Time for a quick Ivanhoe catch up and a beer while I wait for my ride home 👌🍺 #booksandbooze
Waiting on my boyfriend picking me up, which means it's time for a quick beer and a few @SerialReader issues of Ivanhoe!
Unfortunately not related to my female focused reading challenge, but I didn't have any actual books with me today!
#OneWordTitle I got my Peeble's Collection from my mom and they are my prized possessions. I'm passing these beautiful classics on for generations to come. #riotgrams
A sneaky peek at my face, my lover Billy Idol, and my new Star Wars tattoo while I sink beers and catch up on @SerialReader issues in one of my favourite bars, waiting for my friend to meet me after work 👌
Still working my way through Ivanhoe, though I did get some super appropriate bookmail today - all of Carrie Fisher's books arrived the same morning I was booked in to get this tattoo! If that's not a sign, I don't know what is!
My grandad hates Ivanhoe and told me that it was the worst book he'd ever read. Bring it on.
(This is the 'I' in my #LitsyAtoZ)
pickTook me a while to get back into the swing of Victorian language and there's quite a bit of anti-Semitism, but overall I enjoyed it. YMMV on whether an original date in the 1800s is enough to forgive said anti-Semitism.
Trying to pick a favorite classic novel is like trying to pick which hair on my head is my favorite. 😊 #faveclassics #somethingforsept #septphotochallenge
I am cleaning old books from Ben's family and I found this amazing gem. A postcard of Avenida Atlantica, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, from Dec 05, 1926.
It's addressed to Ben's grand-uncle Sidney. Finding things like this is one of the many reasons I love old books. I found it an old edition of Ivanhoe, but used other old books for the picture. (The text of the postcard continues in the comment below).
