I just finished reading my first of my five planned "classics" this year. I chose to read "The portrait of a Lady" by Henry James. As you can see, even on this cover, it is apparently "the greatest of the early novels by the master of the form". To that statement I'd say, "Eh....I wouldn't go that far." Let me tell you that I read this book "in large print" (due to a possible misunderstanding of a librarian), but either way I read this book in two books- two volumes. I was done with the first one and nothing had "happened" really. Sure Isabel had been proposed to twice and the author kinda "skimmed" over those and why she refused them (which I thought was super annoying), and she was on her way to a third proposal, but I felt it lacked a plot and I was half way through! I felt that way until the last maybe 150 pages. Now it's well written for it's eloquent use of the English language, sure, but it was super boring and had no real "point" or plot, in my opinion, till almost the very end. I give it a half thumbs up (so...a sideways thumb) or two stars just simply because of the awesomeness of the last few chapters when stuff actually happens. I thought this book (as it seemed to start out) would be about Isabel Archer finding herself as she becomes a woman, you know, becoming "a lady". It kinda skipped over that and all of a sudden you're told she's been hardened and grown up and is now wiser and stuck in a bad marriage. Anyway, was it worth it? Once again I'd say "Eh..." and wouldn't go that far. It just wasn't what I expected, and would I recommend it to people? Probably not. BUT I am going to rent the movie. Christian Bale is in the movie haha and many other awesome actors and actresses so it might be worth it in its filmed form.
