Sleep, as usual, is evading me, so here's another little collection of words to pass my time, and to edify you. Maybe. Ah, Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy, the novel that dances on the edge of melodrama with the grace of a Victorian lady in a hoop skirt attempting to navigate a tightrope. Hardy, in … Continue reading A Jovial Journey Through Hardy’s Desperate Remedies
Tag: fiction
James’ Bark & Bite: The Ash Tree
I have an enduring love for the countryside, especially those areas filled with ancient, brooding trees that seem to harbour their own secrets. One such tree caught my eye in the charming town of Cockermouth, Cumbria (UK). Its gnarled bark and twisted branches bore an uncanny resemblance to the features of an old witch, a … Continue reading James’ Bark & Bite: The Ash Tree
A Not-So-Pan-tastic Review: Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan
Pan teaching his eromenos, the Shepherd Daphnis, to play his Pan flute. Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan is often hailed as a classic of horror literature, revered for its ability to induce existential dread and psychological unease. But let's face it: it’s also a tale that might make you chuckle at its melodrama, archaic … Continue reading A Not-So-Pan-tastic Review: Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan
The Razor’s Edge: A Fine Line Between Genius and the Mundane
Mundane is perhaps how I'd describe this post; it's been a strange and emotional day, with few cogs working. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge is a peculiar novel, one that teeters precariously on the fine line between profound existential inquiry and the sort of navel-gazing typically reserved for teenage diary entries. At the heart of … Continue reading The Razor’s Edge: A Fine Line Between Genius and the Mundane
The Haunting of Power and Remorse
Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan, painted by Ilya Repin in 1885 - Public Domain Stare into the absolute, tormenting agony etched in those eyes! I first encountered this haunting image as a schoolboy, and it's lingered in my memory ever since. The distress conveyed in those eyes is almost tangible. They're wide, brimming … Continue reading The Haunting of Power and Remorse
Wording 