VILLETTE & GOBLET OF FIRE // Book Club 04/2022

Hey!

I’m so excited to share the first book club post! Today I’m sharing Ralynna and I’s thoughts on Villette by Charlotte Brontë and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. You’ll also find some text about the authors and the plot of each book, April book club picks, and resources on how to support Ukraine/find help if you are a Ukrainian refugee. Grab a drink and some delicious snacks, and have fun reading!

If you like the content you see on my blog, check out my Instagram @xocaligo! I usually post makeup and lifestyle photos on the feed, as well as cute cat pics in the stories. ♥

Villette

novel by Charlotte Bronte // first published in 1853

~ 993 pages

Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) was an English novelist and poet. She was the eldest of the four Brontë children who survived into adulthood, and she was also the last one to die.

In her teenage years, she became a governess, teaching her sisters and later the children of other families. Soon enough, though, she and her sisters attempted to open a school; when that failed, they began writing. In 1846 she and her sisters published a book of their poems; at the time, she used the pseudonym Currer Bell. Her first manuscript, The Professor, was rejected by the publishers. Fortunately, they were interested in her work, and “Jane Eyre” was published in 1847. In 1848 the sisters revealed their true identities, and Charlotte’s works only became more successful once it was known she was a woman. Many critics deemed her books “improper”, and people have always loved scandalous things!

She couldn’t write for about eight months due to the passing of all her remaining siblings, but after Anne’s death in early 1849, she restarted writing to cope with the losses. Villette, published in 1853, was the last book published during her lifetime. The novel was based on her life and featured a reworking of the time she spent in Brussels. It was deemed a “potent” and “sophisticated” piece of writing, Villette was criticized for not having the most feminine portrayal of Lucy’s desires.

Before the novel’s publication, she had received an unexpected marriage proposal from Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father’s curate. After some fortunate events, she accepted his proposal in 1854. Soon after they got married, and she became pregnant. Brontë was happy, and the marriage was a success.

Unfortunately, in early 1855, she died with her unborn child three weeks before her 39th birthday. The official cause of death was phthisis or consumption (not tuberculosis), but some speculate she might’ve died from hyperemesis gravidarum (a severe form of morning sickness). Brontë’s buried in her family’s vault in the Church of St Michael and All Angels at Haworth.

Source: Wikipedia.

I won’t include the plot for this book as my Internet friend Ralynna beautifully describes it in her review. She reveals just enough to make you want to read the book, but she doesn’t give too much of the plot away, so scroll down to read it!

✨ my thoughts ✨

Jane Eyre is one of my favourite classic novels, so I was excited to read Villette! However, I must admit, the book starts off a bit boring in comparison with what’s to come, but eventually, you understand why some events were described in such great detail.

Since there are many similarities between Jane and Lucy’s characters, I have to talk about them. Canonically, Jane was 18-19, but Lucy was about 23 when she arrived in France and truly began her journey. That definitely explains why Lucy’s more mature; since I’m currently her age, I could relate to her outlook on life and general sentiments.

Some of the things I wasn’t the biggest fan of were Lucy’s sometimes too-reserved character, her views expressed towards anything that didn’t fit her worldview (anyone who wasn’t Protestant and British, basically), and the fact some parts of Villette were written in French. (I wish publishers included translations for them at the back of the book!) I could relate to Lucy in many ways, and she definitely inspired me to follow my work-related aspirations.

Would I recommend it?

I would recommend this to anyone who likes classics, feminism, and eventful books and needs an inspirational read about someone who carves their own path. It’s less gothic than other works of the time, but it still carries the charm of mid-19th-century novels.

✨ ralynna’s thoughts ✨

It was interesting to see how much of this book is based on Charlotte Brontë’s own life, even more than Jane Eyre. Charlotte herself went to Brussels, Belgium and taught English at a boarding school, just like Lucy in Villette. She also fell in love with a married man, who is usually seen as the inspiration for Paul Emanuel. Several of the characters have real-world counterparts.

Even beyond those examples, I could see a lot of similarities between Jane Eyre and Lucy. Of the two of them, I have to admit I prefer Lucy. She feels a bit more level headed and a bit less like a passionate gothic novel heroine than Jane. I liked the book a lot while it was about Lucy and her journey, first as a companion, then a nanny, then a teacher.

I liked it a bit less when it turned more into a gothic novel with the Justine Marie and the fake ghost twist. The shift of the tone felt jarring to me compared to Jane Eyre, where the whole novel is, in fact, a gothic novel and thus feels more uniform. One more thing that jumped out at me was Brontë’s predilection for English people and Protestants. If you are a Catholic, you may find some of Lucy’s views on your religion a bit offensive. Funnily enough, my first thought about it was, “this doesn’t sound politically correct”, but it could be because of my 21st-century sensibilities.

These tiny hiccups paled in comparison to the entirety of the novel for me. It’s a great sketch of that time period and place with a wide range of well-formed characters.
I liked that Lucy got to have her own successful school, and finally gain her independence and financial security. This part puts her head and shoulders ahead of other book heroines in that era, who usually get this by getting married.

Would I recommend it?

I would recommend this book if you like Brontë’s other writings, like Jane Eyre, or if you are just interested in this time period. It’s also a yes if you like to read about a woman making her own way in the world.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

novel by J.K. Rowling // first published in 2000

~ 636 pages

J.K. Rowling (b.1965) is an English author and philanthropist. Her extremely successful fantasy novel series, Harry Potter, was published from 1997 to 2007 and have been turned into a franchise, which features films, video games, more books, and fan paraphernalia.

During the 7-year-period when she got the idea for the novels and started publishing them, she experienced many traumatic and life-changing things. The death of her mother, not having stable employment, the birth of her first child, marriage and subsequent divorce from her abusive husband, single parenthood, and utter poverty led to hospitalization because of depression.

Today she’s publicly known as a successful writer and philanthropist. Unfortunately, she has awful views on transgender people and related civil rights; many LGBT rights activists call her a TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist) because of her controversial tweets.

Source: Wikipedia.

✨ basic plot with some spoilers ✨

Near the end of summer, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys go to the Quidditch World Cup. There, Voldemort’s followers, the Death Eaters, appear and cause panic. Someone fires the Dark Mark in the sky; turns out it was Barty Crouch’s elf, and Crouch is an official from the Ministry of Magic.

At Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore announces a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, and the Triwizard Tournament, which will be hosted at Hogwarts. During the Tournament, champions from several wizarding schools will compete for the Triwizard Cup, and their names will be chosen by the Goblet of Fire. Only 17-year-old students can participate.

As always, stuff happens and 14-year-old Harry’s name flies out of the Goblet of Fire. Most students believe he cheated to gain more fame and he becomes one of the least-liked students at Hogwarts. The situation drives a rift between Harry and Ron.

During the Triwizard tournament, the competitors have to go through three incredibly difficult tasks. During the first task, they have to out-manoeuvre a dragon to steal a golden egg, which includes a hint about the next task. After this, all students from years 4-and-up participate in a Yule ball on Christmas night; emotions fly high. A few months later comes the second task: the champions have to save their loved ones from the depths of the Great Lake.

Between the second and third tasks, Harry and Krum encounter a seemingly insane Barty Crouch, an official from the Ministry of Magic, but he disappears. Then Harry has a nightmare about Voldemort; while waiting for Dumbledore to come back to his office, Harry discovers that Crouch’s son was a Death Eater and died in Azkaban.

The final task is a dangerous hedge maze, which they have to conquer to reach the Triwizard Cup. Harry and Cedric reach it at the same time and decide to touch it simultaneously. Unfortunately, the Cup is a Portkey, which teleports them to a graveyard, filled with Voldemort and Death Eaters. Cedric is killed, and Harry gets involved in a ritual to restore Voldemort’s body.

In the graveyard, Voldemort tortures Harry and challenges him to a duel. Since they have the same wands, they can’t kill each other, but the echoes of Voldemort’s victims appear and help Harry bring Cedric’s body back to Hogwarts.

Harry’s return and Cedric’s death cause panic, and Moody brings Harry to his office. He reveals the things he did against Harry to ensure he’d touch the Portkey. Before Harry dies, Hogwarts teachers stun Moody or Barty Crouch Jr in disguise; he’d been impersonating Moody by drinking the Polyjuice Potion. They also discover how he survived, got into Hogwarts, and what happened to his father.

After these events, Dumbledore announces that Voldemort has returned, but many people refuse to believe him. Harry gives his Tournament winnings to Fred and George; they’ve wanted to start a joke shop for a long time, but their mum forbade doing that. Harry also smoothes over his relationships with his friends and goes back to the Dursleys.

✨ my thoughts ✨

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire explores the Wizarding world and does a great job at world-building. It’s also filled with teenager problems and a fair share of drama, though it all makes sense when you think about the character’s ages.

I loved the descriptions of the surroundings, and it was funny to read about Harry’s procrastination; I found it far too relatable. I also loved how dark this book is in comparison to the first three; the themes grow along with the characters, and it feels more like a young adult, not a children’s book. The descriptions of death and loss were quite accurate, and those who haven’t lost loved ones could empathise with the pain.

There aren’t any things I hated or particularly disliked. Sure, sometimes the characters were immature (like most 14-year-olds), and some adults in Harry’s life should get a stern talking to (like many adults in real life), but books aren’t supposed to idealise real life. If anything, children’s and YA books should offer at least a semi-realistic portrayal of real-life to prepare them for what may come further down the road. And in some cases, make people feel less alone if they have also experienced similar situations.

Would I recommend it?

Absolutely! Though I must warn you, some parts towards the end of the book are heartbreaking to read. Also, read the first three books first, otherwise you may not understand what’s happening whatsoever.

✨ ralynna’s thoughts ✨

I think this is the book in the series where the tone shifts and becomes a bit darker. I have a friend who borrowed the first three books from me to read with her 9-year-old daughter. When they got to Goblet of Fire, I told her this is the part where she may want to wait a little because from this book onward, it gets a bit too dark for a 9-year-old.

I like that the tone of the books kind of ages with the protagonist. They become more serious as Harry grows up and has to face increasingly dangerous threats and situations every year.

I have a weakness for worldbuilding, so I LOVED the Triwizard Tournament, mainly because we got to see other magic schools and got a peek at magical societies in countries other than Britain. I also loved the new characters like Fleur, Moody and Krum. Even Crouch Jr and Rita Skeeter. Rowling has a talent for writing distinct and interesting characters.

My single dislike is the teenage drama; it was a bit much sometimes. I felt this way back when I read the book for the first time as a teenager myself too, but I understand that these parts were necessary to offset the darker moments, and they are part and parcel of growing up and being a teenager.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, if you liked the first three books, though it’s kind of required to read those first. The 4th book in a series would make little sense without them. I would also recommend it if you are fond of magic and fantasy and like coming of age stories!

✨ april book club reads ✨

Our April book club picks are Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold features four stories that take place in a café in Tokyo that allows its customers to travel back in time, as long as they return before their coffee gets cold.

Source: Wikipedia.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix explores Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts. He’ll face a truly evil teacher, slander in the newspapers, and become the new leader of the resistance movement within Hogwarts, helping students practice real magic.

Source: Wikipedia.

If you want to join our book club, write to me at xocaligo@gmail.com!

✨ support for Ukraine ✨

While the war in Ukraine rages on, we can all help by donating money, food and physical items, offering safe shelter and work opportunities, and doing most other things to support the citizens of Ukraine. Every little bit counts, and now that the donations are trickling down, they are more important than ever.

These are legitimate sources, though you should do your research before donating. This is not a definitive list, and it may expand as time goes on, though it should be a decent start for those in Latvia who want to help and those who need the help.

• Helpful sources for Ukrainian refugees and those who want to help them: https://www.ukraine-latvia.com/lv in Latvian and https://www.ukraine-latvia.com/ in English.
• One of the major Latvian donation sites: https://www.ziedot.lv/
• Red Cross for Latvians: www.redcross.lv
• International Committe of the Red Cross: https://www.icrc.org/en

Note: do your research before donating to Red Cross. Some activists recommend not donating through this organization as they’ve exhibited a questionable stance towards Russia during this war. There’s also been negative media coverage on how they use the donated money.

Good Latvian Instagram accounts to follow for fresh information, thought pieces and other things regarding the war in Ukraine are @kristine.garklava, @montatalkssecurity, @tomass.pldgvcs.

Some Ukrainian Instagram accounts who actively share things about the war in English are @kyivindependent, @olenazelenska_official, @zelenskiy_official. Many Ukrainian, Polish, and other Easter European bloggers are also actively sharing new information in regards of help within their own country, as well as war updates. Some of the accounts I follow are @stardustmine.art, @blyskitka, @karolinazebrowskax. Most trustworthy news outlets like BBC, The New York Post, The Washington Post, etc., also have Instagram accounts and share snippets of news.

For now I’m sharing this information only in English as most my viewers know this language. Soon I will try to share this info in Latvian, too.

#QOTD: What types of book posts would you like to see next? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until later,

xoCaligo

---

SUBSCRIBE to my blog

Photos used in this post in no particular order:

• https://www.pexels.com/photo/light-fashion-people-woman-6718767/
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/wood-light-people-art-6728539/
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/food-wood-coffee-cup-7190316/ 
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-looking-at-the-book-shelves-8390504/
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/large-group-of-people-holding-banner-on-supporting-ukraine-11421332/ 

This is not a sponsored post; all opinions are my own, except when stated otherwise. I am not being paid to promote anything.