Nightmarish Novels #s 2 & 3 - Frankenstein & Hound of the Baskervilles

Thank my AP US History teacher, for giving me multiple essays; my AP English teacher, for giving me even MORE essays; and my Journalsim teacher, who is teachng us Co-Editors-in-Chiefs how to lay out a newspaper; for the lack of time I've been able to spend reading. Well, not true. While I do get time to read, I do not necessarily get time to write. I'm usually too emotionally and physically drained by the other things I'm forced to write to write anymore (Also, my Mom's been using my computer for her Master's classes, soI guess I have to thank her teachers, too).

However, non-sarcastic thanks to my Chem teacher for extending the due date on our homework, so I actually have time to write! ( Before rushing to finish an AP US History essay as well as memorize a Spanish essay and revise a AP Eng project...)

Anyways, Nightmare Novels #2, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is actually a reread, namely because I thoroughly enjoyed the book the first time, and because last weekend was the PSAT around here. The book had all its 625 SAT words highlighted and defined. (Even though, of course, the reading section is my best section :) ). Anyways, I love the old-time classic horror stuff, and this book always fills the bill. I rememeber that the first time I read this book in the 9th grade, I was confused because of all the differences between the book version of the Frankenstein Monster, and the movie and pop-culture version that everyone is acquainted with. While the book's monster was yellow-skinned, black-lipped, had long black hair, and was originally designed to be a handsome fella (turning out horribly wrong), there are no bolts in his neck, he is not green, and his head is not flat-topped and rectangular as other representations give me cause to believe. Not to mention that he develops to be quite eloquent, instead of that whole groaning-and-broken-words type vocab. In my head, the book version is much scarier, so since it seems the world is currently undergoing a sort of Monster-Renaissance, would someone please make an accurate cinematic representation of the book? For me?

The third Nighmare Novel I read, Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was also a reread but with less a lengthy interval between readings: I originally read it earlier this summer, stemming from my introduction to the Sherlock Holmes book series. Of course I enjoyed the book, duh, seeing as though I love mystery and horror, (though in nowhere near equal parts), but the combination is absolutely perfect. The entire thing was great. It was also a suitable launching point for me into the world of Holmes & Watson, though I am a little upset that I can't find a good movie version anywhere...

So thats what I've been reading. I'm running out of time, as well as suitable Halloween reading material. Soon enough November will be upon us, Washington will manage to get even rainier (ha, Washington, rainier, Mt. Rainier, haha, nevermind), and I'll be able to start working through all the "fall" books that have been piling up during my foray into the realm of fear-fiction.

I feel the need to bake something with pumpkin in it.