& the slipper still fits

QUOTE POSTERS #001

Hello dear readers! I get to unveil today my newest, very photoshop-riffic, craft project. Actually, it will be a series of projects. Today, I introduce you the the classic quote poster series. All will feature brilliant quotes from even more brilliant females. And possibly, if I can build up some gusto, they might be available on etsy to buy in the future.


The quote is by my be-all-to-end-all author Charlotte Bronte, and features light and springy colors with a pop of pumpkin. The actual print will be order quite large -- over 11 by 18 -- but no need to worry, you don't have to wait that long. Below are wallpapers featuring the same quote in two sizes. Click for actual size.


1680x1060

1024x768


MILDRED PIERCE BEGINS TONIGHT 9PM

 Divorced single mom Mildred Pierce decides to open a restaurant business, which tears at the already-strained relationship with her her ambitious elder daughter, Veda.

Keep Me Current 3.26.11

Hold on to your seat belts, dear readers, we've got a some intense writer developments.

Have you heard of Pretty Wicked Things? Now you have:




Melissa Marr requests her name be removed from front cover of the anthology

What does this all mean?

Verday's short story, which was to be included in the anthology of 13, featured a m/m relationship. The editor of the anthology, Trisha Telep, who would also retain "writer's credit" on the cover page of the book, ask her to rewrite the story to feature a m/f relationship, saying: "These teen anthologies I do are light on the sex and light on the language. I assumed they'd be light on alternative sexuality, as well."

Now 4 other authors have pulled out in support Verday and her refusal to change the content of her story and the LGBT community. I say bravo to the authors who have chosen their principles over publication. And to those still connected with the publication, I respect your desicion and hope in the future all YA editors can learn from this. The naive part of me still can't believe that such discrimination is happening. The Hobbesian part is just shaking her head.

More crazy?



Lighter notes:

Cassandra Clare is rockin' the Internet with her DSAS treasure hunt. Think too hot for tv, or book-commercial video... And ask her questions here about City of Bones becoming a film.

THE SECRET OF MOONACRE

It has officially been LONG over a year since I posted this (I was trying to be funny, please note. Yep rusty even then; I'm just surprised I'm secure enough to post the link to it...) about The Secret of Moonacre. And up till a week ago, that was all I knew. (Can you see there's a running theme in these blog posts of late?) As I've matured (oh God, I used that word), I've become less and less interested in the actual plot of movies and novels. I get more pleasure out of a watch or read when I don't know what's coming. Its then that the plot and suspense intrigue and excite me.

And so Secret of Moonacre just was; It was that beautiful, artful, looking movie I knew nothing about and couldn't seem to get my hands on. And then a blockbuster when out of business, and I picked it up for 7 bucks. Even though my previous storyline is, well, basically -- okay, half -- wrong, the actual movie is pretty fantasy fantastic. It has black lions, unicorns that live in the sea, and a set of sea pearls that could make any girl jealous.

There isn't much depth to Moonacre, and the use of actors in double roles can just be confusing, but there is no lack of acting or lack of fantastic costumes. Which really, isn't that what most fantasy movies are anyway? The Summary follows:

When 13 year old Maria Merryweather's father dies, leaving her orphaned and homeless, she is forced to leave her London life to go and live with Sir Benjamin, her eccentric uncle, at the mysterious Moonacre Manor. Soon Maria finds herself in a crumbling world torn apart by the hatred of an ancient feud with the dark and sinister De Noir family. Maria, guided by an unlikely mix of allies, must unearth the secrets of the past before the 5000th moon rises and Moonacre disappears into the sea forever.
Movies like Moonacre I judge on four points: star power/acting, visuals and costumes, plot creativity, and overall success in storytelling. Moonacre scores high in acting (primarily for Dakota Blue Richards and Ioan Gruffudd) and visuals, however, the plot had unneeded complexities in places it should have been simple and failed to capitalize on places that needed some complexity. Overall the movie was enjoyable and had a fitting hero/princess success story.  While its a movie I'm glad I waited to find, instead of spending $30 to have it shipped, I'm very glad its now in my library.

THE AUSTEN BAKERY - SCONES

Hello dear reader! And welcome to the Austen bakery! We're always open, and today our speciality is a fantastic scone. Are scones uniquely Jane Austen-esque? No, but scones are certainly British, and I love making them, grabbing a cup of tea, and reading my favorite parts of Northanger Abbey. And since I know you do too, I thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes.

This recipe was given to me by one of my favorite British boys and he actually made them for me so I would know exactly how to make them the way his mother does. Sweet, right? It was actually one of my favorite baking days and it took us forever to convert the measurements without the Internet handy. Of course, throwing flour at each other took up some time too...

Ingredients
2 cups of flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp shortening
3/4 cup cream or half & half *
1 egg

Oven
375 degrees for 15 minutes
Today I made a double batch, which is why everything looks like more in the photos. *I also didn't have any cream or half & half, so I used whole milk and the scones still came out wonderful.

The first thing to do is pre-heat your oven, and then start your dough with cold butter chopped it into very small pieces. You want the butter very cold so that the scones will be flaky, but in small enough pieces that it mixes well with the other ingredients. Then, cut the butter and the shortening together until they are well incorporated. British boy said he'd never heard of Crisco, but if it was shortening it would work. I've always used plain Crisco and it helps to keep the scones moist throughout the week. That is if you can keep them that long. I use an old fashioned pie crust mixer, but using a machine mixture will work just as well. Later, I use a plain old wooden plastic spoon.

Next, I add the sugar and baking powder. More sugar will of course make them sweeter, and I always add a light dusting to the tops of the scones before they cook. So if you don't like vanilla, just put in 2 more tsps of sugar for taste. Baking powder is the key to scones and making sure its well mixed will help make your scones super light and super fluffy. Another key is actually measuring the baking powder properly. Food Network chefs make measuring look so easy, but baking is a science. The right ingredients in the right proportions is absolutely key to getting the ideal result.

And with measuring spoons like these, I don't mind taking and extra second to make sure. Can we take a minute and gush over my silly baking buys? I love buying baking tools. Trust me, there isn't a pastry bag or set of measuring cups I've ever met that I don't like. Aren't they adorable?! They were my souvenir from my first time in Maine. I love that they're sailboats and so beautifully detailed. They make me think of Persuasion and its backdrop of the British Navy. And a fabulous and fun family trip. Okay, now back to baking.

With the butter, shortening, baking powder, and sugar well mixed, I add 1 tbsp of Vanilla (you can of course use almond extract too) and my egg and cream. It is going to look like a soupy mess. You are asking me now, how is this going to make a dough? Don't worry! Make sure you've popped the eggs and mixed the ingredients lightly and start to add the flour. Add 1 cup at a time and mix well. When the dough starts to firm up, poor out of the bowl and hand knead  until it holds together, and no more. Single most important fact: Never over mix/knead scone dough. If you do, the scones will become tough and not rise properly.

For my batch (since it was a double), I cut the dough into 2 parts and rolled them out separately on a floured surface. (As you can see, the dough is a little crumbly. It will firm up as you roll it.) I roll my scones out to about a 1/4 inch thick and let the rolling pin do most of the work. I never apply heavy pressure to a dough when using a rolling pin, I let the weight of the wood and a gentle touch do the work for me. Its a superstition I have: I think any dough rises better when you don't crush it before baking.

Don't worry, after the discussion about my measuring cups, I won't subject you to a discussion about cookie cutters. Most scones are cut like toast points and you don't need a cookie cutter for those, or with a petal-shaped round. I'm basically lazy and don't have a petal-shaped round, so I use I broken 1/3 cup measuring cup to cut my scones. Be very careful when you use your cutter that you only go up and down and don't twist. If you twist, your scones my not rise properly. And flat scones are a sad sight. Also, don't stress about using all the dough. As stated before, the more you knead the dough, the tougher it gets. Re-rolling once to get 2 or 3 more scones is worth it; rolling a third time for what will likely be a brick of a scone -- not so much.

Now the scones are ready for the pan! I place mine wide because they do rise. Once on the pan, I brush them with a little cream (or half & half or milk) and sprinkle sugar and/or cinnamon on top (optional). I love how the scones look with a slightly glossy top. Pop the pans in the oven for 13-15 minutes (mine are perfect at 15) and enjoy right away! I always think scones are better warm, but if stored in an air-tight container, these will last at least 3-4 days and taste fresh. The batch should yield 8-10 scones depending on thickness and cookie cutter size.

You can always add anything you like to the scones. My family just enjoys then plain...well, my brother does actually; and I love them with Nutella. My favorite elaborate version is white chocolate and craisins with almond slivers on top. But no matter what you add, the basic recipe always comes out fabulous. I think they taste a lot like the Starbucks scones you can get will vanilla icing on top, but even better with home-made jam or a healthy dollop of whipped cream.


If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy Austen-esque Ornaments or other craft kit projects. 

BBC PARODY, FRENCH AND SAUNDERS

Since the new comic relief with Jennifer Saunders aired, I've been thinking about all the fabulous costume drama spoofs she and Dawn French have done over the years. Below are some of my favorites, though certainly not all of them.

Downton Abbey (Part 1)



Titanc (Part 1)



Cold Mountain (Part 1)



Tipping the Velvet



The Piano



Skit for Shakespeare in Love



And you'll thank me later for this one

KEEP ME CURRENT 3.20.11

The next twitter party Spring! rewatch will feature this version of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility on APRIL 8th @ 8 pm EST. News about the hash tag and festivities will be coming soon. @CaseeMarie and I will be co-hosting.

Info info info about Jane Eyre from Reelz channel

The Critics: Jane Eyre movie review

Is Jane Eyre Playing near you?

Conan the Barbarian gets a reboot

Kevin Costner Confirmed to play daddy Kent umm...I'm judging

Aaron Johnson and Jude Law Joining Anna Karenina Apparently, Keira Knightley is already attached to this project. Any bets it will include steam punk machines? No? none...

Accessories Head to Toe: Beautiful fashions from 1760-1830

The Pheonix Requiem is now complete It's a fantastic online graphic novel. And now its all up! No waiting days for a dramatic update. Read it all in one sitting!

The awesome girl who stole the Eiffel tower featured us and our JE post!

Chance to win new YA novel 'Vispertine' over at Fantastic Book Review I just think the cover is fantastic.

Dowton Abbey comic relief style Part 1 Part 2 This just makes me miss Dawn French terribly. Good and the first part had me laughing hard, but if you've seen their Mamma Mia spoof from last year, you'll find it lacking.

Many links have been found throughout the week of 3/14 - 3/20 and have been saved to post using StumbleUpon.

SPRING! REWATCH: Persuasion

#resuasion, or the Persuasion rewatch party that took place on twitter last week was some of the most costume drama fun I've had in a long time. @CasseMarie, @dotsara, @runawayblu and I had so much fun watching and discussing in real time, but you can read the tweets and see that. So below are my top 3 favorite moments from the rewatch.

3. Hearing that Persuasion opening music
I love the opening music to Persuasion. No matter how many times I start this movie, I still fall madly in love with it due to its music. Surprised, dear reader? I bet you thought I'd say Rupert Penry-Jones would be my sole reason for loving, didn't you? While he is a strong contender, music will always win me over no matter the acting.

2. The Louisa and Mary smackdown
There was a moment, a serious moment, where if we were on Survivor island, Mary and Louisa wouldn't have just been voted off, they would have been kicked out into shark-infested water. It was so much fun to be able to admire the actor, and at the same time be driven mad by their characters. It was definitely a lol moment. And it was refreshing to discuss this with thoughtful and opinionated watchers.

1. Discussing my favorite parts with friends who love costume drama
Its rare that I sit with anyone, let alone good online friends and get to gush and discuss my favorite costume dramas. Most of the time, getting anyone to watch a BBC adaptation with me is like pulling teeth, and so the connection twitter gave me was wonderful and exciting. Watching your favorite movies is always so much more fun when watching with others who love it just as much.

NEVER LET ME GO

After the fantastic 2 hours that was #resuasion I still felt like I had my whole night left. That's one of my only dislikes about Persuasion actually, the adaptations are always so short! And so, since I did have a large chuck of my evening left, I decided to watch Never Let Me Go: a movie I'd heard fabulous things about, but never actually heard what it was about. And trust me its so much better that way.

I was going to link to the trailer, but that trailer--for lack of a more graceful excuse on my part--basically gives the whole story away. So don't watch it. Instead, just pop the DVD in the player and hit play. Do you trust me?

 Never Let Me Go is one of those movies you can't put your finger on as it starts: is it a love triangle movie? is it a coming of age movie? a dystopic thriller? For me, the best part of the movie was figuring this out, and realizing that the setting wasn't just a time and place, but a whole other character, a whole other villain you quickly come to hate.

The acting is brilliant. I've always enjoyed Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield: well I can now say I know why everyone is in love with him. They play their characters with such frankness and frailty that you feel their open hearts as you watch. And I won't lie, there's a good chance you'll be crying by the end of the movie.

Never Let Me Go is a film I'm so glad I found and certainly one I'd wish I'd known about sooner. It was a WWI vibe with a post-modern question, and wait until you find out the secret. It will make you watch it all over again. From one costume drama fan to another, pick this one up to watch. And from one bookie to another, let's read the book together too.

THE GOOD DAUGHTER, A BOOK REVIEW

The Good Daughter by Jasmin Darznik
Rating:

There are times, precious few I will admit dear reader, when I read a novel, choose a novel actively, to learn something. Oh, its true--I do learn something from even novel I read, but these is a difference between diffusion and intentional immersion. I picked up The Good Daughter by Jasmin Darznik with the single purpose of learning more about Iranian culture through the eyes of Darznik's women. I wanted to learn about a culture I didn't understand, and knew even less about. Little did I realize it was a memoir--the Nook could have informed me better on that; little did I know I would fall profoundly enraptured in the four generations of Iranian women connected by their determination and intelligence.

Jasmin is Lili's daughter, a daughter who quickly slips away from traditional Iranian values, quickly slips away from her mother's small world of isolation in America, and so Lili threatens her American daughter with tales of her good daughter back in Iran. It isn't until Jasmin's father dies that Jasmin realizes that the good daughter isn't just a threat, but a real daughter, and that she is not her mother's only child. We are then weaved three generations back to Lili's grandmother Pargol in Tehran and begin the journey of her mother's life. We come to see the resourcefulness and strength of character of both Pargol and her daughter Kobra. We come to see Lili herself bristle and pull at the veins of tradition and learn the breathtaking story of Lili's Iran.

The first chapters of The Good Daughter are all-consuming: written with an author's pen and full of a descendant's imagination, a backdrop of poverty and struggle veiled by Persian carpets and the backbone of a grandmother's will. Darznik writes without prejudice, without a tone of condescension or animosity and the novel--instead of teaching you--guides you lovingly through a world you are a stranger to. And while you are a stranger in Lili's Iran, the universal themes are the same: the strength of women, their rigidity in tradition until tradition no longer suffices, the power of education, and the desperation of circumstance.

It is not so much a story, as a explanation of a woman's life. As a result, we are left with more questions than answers, more confusion than focus, but the confusion forces you to question why. And when you try to answer, the explanation is so complex you return to the book once more.

I bought The Good Daughter to learn something I honestly didn't know. And I learned so much more than I ever imagined. For anyone seeking a thoughtful read, this is a book for you.

WARNING: A LITTLE AUTHOR EMO

I'm just warning, I've watched a few too many apocalyptic movies today, scene a little too much tv, and feel a lot like a Bronte on a barren moor.

Today seems to be just one of "those days" for me. You know, dear reader, one of those days where nothing goes particularly wrong, but there is no unique motivation to do anything right either? Today is one of those days where I struggle between the instant gratification of our world and the solitary work of writing.

Today I tweeted, I tumbled, I emailed, I even updated the website, and even though I feel strangely connected, somewhat productive, I do feel somewhat lonely. And then my eyes turn to the binder. The binder full of sentences and scenes, events and characters and I realize that nothing about writing provides instant gratification for me. And while that should not be a bad thing, today: it feels like it is.

In an age of so much instant gratification, instant understanding, instant fame, have I lost the ability to look forward? Not just forward into the week, but years down the road? Part of me, I know, is afraid to look, terrified even--sometimes real-life weeks are just things to be dreaded; but another part of me wonders if its something our generation has failed to learn, lost even. We can't look past the next new phone, or ipad, or next trend in cars and if we do look forward its with this hopeless type of optimism that never connects to our own lives, how we will effect our own futures, how we will change what we don't like about our own surroundings.

So I type. And I write. And I pull myself into a story whose ending I know, but the journey is still foggy, and I'm amazed that I can't even look forward enough to see the finishing of it. Where I will be. Who I will be. What it will be when its done. And wow. None of me likes the unknown of it, the endless possibilities. It just leaves me feeling so sad. So sad that its not that I don't want to imagine my own future life, but it seems I can't. So I'll type this up, proof read it, post it and then unpost it, and repost it again, then tweet about it, and I'll get my instant  gratification for the day and we'll be back at where I started: at the same blank page, at the same half-written scene, with my beautiful characters, gratification years away. You would think this would be less of a dilemma, right?

REWATCH IN REAL TIME - DETAILS

WHO: costume lovers and tweet peeps!

WHAT: Persuasion (2007) rewatch

WHEN: Saturday, March 12 at 7:00 pm EST till - 10:00

WHERE: twitter, hash tag: #REsuasion

Look for @heatherfrances, I'll be getting the candy and ice cream ready around 6:30.

JANE EYRE: REASONS TO WATCH/CRINGE

I know dear reader, you're about ready to toss this blog out with all the Jane Eyre related news I've been posting, and while I could promise that it will stop, I'd be lying. And now, even worse, I'm actually going to write a blog about it too. Without further ado, because there's just too much ado about this movie as it is, here are my top 5 reasons to be excited for the new Jane Eyre. And a few not so much.

5. A St.John Rivers we can actually, possibly, enjoy
This cannot be a point thrown away. Has there ever been a St.John Rivers we actually like (and no, Rupert Penry-Jones from that horrible Crian Hinds version does not count. He was the ONLY good part of THAT movie)? In the novel St.John is a huge, pivotal part in seeing Jane's growth, and likewise his value is based on his close connection to his sisters more than himself independently. In film, he becomes a throw-away bit part that must be there for Jane to return to Rochester. Jamie Bell, however, has this amazing power to take a small part and turn it into something brilliant. He's done it many times before, and made his characters some of the most enduring parts of a whole miniseries. I have a mad, desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, we'll get a proper St.John Rivers this time around.

4. Age-appropriate actors
Considering everything, this should be the least of my issues with an adaptation, but lets remember, 2 of the most iconic BBC versions cast actresses over the age of 25 to play an 18 year old. While the 2006 version finally cast closer to age, the 2011 film hits the nail on the head. I can never again use the argument, "well, if they would just cast ages right we'd see the proper dynamic."

3. An artfully crafted, visual version
In recent years there has only been 1 feature length Jane Eyre: Zeffirelli's 1996 adaptation, and while many of the BBC adaptations are beautiful, there is something to be said about a big-budget, visual movie. Based on the photos we've seen and the clips released (this one in particular), I think we can certainly expect a film visually beautiful. Not Bright Star  beautiful, but something sweepingly lovely, capturing the tone of mystery, darkness, and isolation often overlooked or overstated in other versions.

2. We all have our "collections"; I collect Jane Eyres
Friends, loyalties, and unflattering hairstyles are forged based on the adaptations we first see and how we compare all others to it. For me, I will always have a soft spot for Timothy Dalton as Rochester because he, for all intensive purposes, was my first Rochester. Since that first watch, I've collected versions of Jane Eyre--paperback, hardback, mini-series, feature film, and of course musical--voraciously. I have my favorite scenes from all, I've cut and pasted my perfect version a thousand times, and the new Jane Eyre will only add fuel to my favorite fire.

1. A new interpretation to our favorite characters 
Sometimes the most interesting part of a new adaptation is hearing how the actors see their characters; especially the men playing Rochester. Toby Stephens had an almost whimsical take on Rochester, stating that in the novel he never shuts up and always enjoys a good long tale. Michael Fassbender, in his first interview about the role, discusses Rochester's inner fears, his changeability, and his relationship with Jane. As a literature girl, I LOVE hearing this stuff: how other people see such an iconic character; they are things we sometimes overlook in our favorite books because we are too in love with other parts to notice.

This being said, I'm nearly positive Fassbender will not play Rochester as a straight Byronic character. If he did that, he'd be repeating his performance in HEX. I'm confident is saying we'll see something in this new Rochester we've never seen before.

With the good, they're might be a little ugly too: a few reasons I'll be gnashing my teeth in the theatre:

The Return of the Known-by-Rochester
Adaptations, when there are many, are mostly distinguished by one trait. With Jane Eyre, its who plays Rochester. This all beautifully changed in 2006 when Ruth Wilson gave a breathtaking performance of Jane against Stephen's own strong portrayal of Rochester. I fear, however, that the glory days are soon to be gone. With this 2011 adaption we will return to distinguishing Jane Eyres, not by their heroine, but by their Byronic hero again. I've enjoyed our brief period of girl power and will be sad to see it go.

More passionless Proposals
Hearing Bronte's proposal scene intact, at one time, made my life. Dialogue loyalty is heady for any book geek, however, those words in entirety are meant not as an extreme expression of passionate emotion, but as a rational argument against social normatives. In the novel, Bronte is using that scene and Jane's words to highlight gender equality through reason and logic: Jane is the rational one, while Rochester the emotional one. The scene is long, and when the words are chopped for an adaption they become awkward and forced. Actors fumble over complex sentences while trying to be passionate and it all just falls flat. Likewise, using a thesaurus to change words in the dialogue for no good reason, helps no one.

Sandy Welch, screenwriter for the 2006 version, knew this undoubtedly and wrote accordingly. Her screenplay kept the best parts of the proposal, allowing the actors to say with emotions the words that were not said. And then of course, Wilson played it beautifully: if Jane is laying everything on the table, she should be crying and angry and visibly shaken. We cannot have a rational Jane when all the rational argument has been cut, just as we cannot have an emotional Jane tied down by an argumentative diatribe. I think we've seen the 2011 version did not learn from Welch's screenplay, and I will cringe in the movie theatre all over again when it is played.

Pacing, we after all only have 2 hours here
2 hours. I'm just saying, I hope there will be a director's cut.

All things considered, I'm still completely up in the air if I will love or hate this version, but the last thing I want is to be apathetic about it. I'm still hopeful  though, and that's the best thing to be.

Jane Eyre releases March 11, 2011 with a PG-13 rating.  

COMINGSOON.NET INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL FASSBENDER

CS: Rochester is almost as an iconic character as Jane Eyre herself, especially to the women who read the book who must have great expectations of what Rochester would be like.

Fassbender: Yeah, that's the thing, and I did watch all the previous versions as well, a lot of them I could get my hands on.

CS: Wasn't Orson Welles one of them?

Fassbender: Yeah, I watched that and at one point, I was supposed to be doing "Wuthering Heights," about three years ago I think it was now, so I watched Laurence Olivier do his "Wuthering Heights," and I was like, "Woah, it's so overdramatic," and the same with Orson Welles, it's like (doing his impression of Welles) "Jaaane... Jaaaaaaaane...!" I think Toby Stephens was my favorite - he did it for ITV, one of the British channels, it was a six-parter for television. Then I threw it all away and then I sort of concentrated on what was in the book and what was in the script. By treating him as the Byronic hero, which Brontë wrote him like, that gave me all I needed and then I thought, "Okay, he seems a bit bipolar as well." His moods sort of swing and it's because of all the sh*t that's going on in his head and the fact that (SPOILERS!!!!!) he's got this woman locked upstairs in the attic that's always with him in a way that's almost like he's carrying a weight with him as well.
I. Can't. Even. Total respect here. OMG.
Read more: Exclusive: Jane Eyre's Rochester, Michael Fassbender - ComingSoon.net

SPRING! REWATCH: The Devil's Whore

I never knew that 2 days without internet could drive me crazy. I also didn't know that it could be one of the best enablers to my spring!rewatch marathon ever. In a desperate attempt to not scream at my DSL line, I started rewatching the 2008 miniseries The Devil's Whore with John Simm and Michael Fassbender.

Did you know, it was originally to be a 12 part miniseries for BBC1? Considering it was cut nearly 3 times over, I'm very happy we have a 4 hour miniseries that slimmed down with relative ease. And while large sections of the story feel rushed, it is only keenly felt once Angelica has married her "hero of the moment" and you wait for the inevitable.

The Devil's Whore follows the life of Angelica Fanshawe, a fictional character set during the English Civil War. While Angelica is historically inaccurate, the men she loves, marries, and buries are all historical (minus Henry Fanshawe, but that's to be expected), and highlights the political and moral duality of the Civil War period.

And then, of course, there is the simple fact that its 4 hours of beautifully acted costume drama. Fassbender, Simm, and Dominic West put in brilliant performances; while Andrea Riseborough holds her own as the haunted Angelica. I'll admit it, I'm not so prideful as to not be able to: I first watched The Devil's Whore simply for Michael Fassbender, and it was a plus it was about the English Civil War; so few period dramas cover that span of history. And yet, as I watched--and certainly as I rewatched--I found myself lost in all the characters: the idealistic, the tradition-bound, and the foolishly hopeful. I realized that John Simm's profound, yet quiet performance as Edward Sexby is inspired, and that he can certainly handle being a dark and broody leading man. To this, Fassbender became the plus to a beautifully acted and written period drama.

Just think of what 12 hours would have brought us. I throughly recommend a watch of The Devil's Whore for anyone in love with period dramas. And it is certainly a watch for those who want something a little more gritty than an Austen adaptation, or even a Bronte one.

MOOD BOARD #3


It had been the fall of autumn. I remember feeling the gentle brush of winter snow on my small arms as my mother held me in hers. My hands clutched at her shoulder as I buried my young face into her chestnut hair. She smelled like vanilla, magic, and death. All familiar smells. My father placed a reassuring hand on my back. Nights like these were not new to me, and I’m sure he was taken off guard by my squeamishness.

“Look, my lovely.” He whispered in my ear. The sound of his deep, melodic, voice cascaded over me and my body relaxed. I twisted my head to see his eyes. They were like my mother’s, like the eyes of all our kind, eyes which spanned across the ages of history back to the war before time. His eyes were the color of palest gray, the color of the sky in the time before the light of dawn. To others, the color would have been otherworldly beautiful if it did not denote a killer. Instead the pale grey of his eyes were the eyes of terror, fear, and unmitigated horror, but this gray color belonged to the eyes or my father: eyes of steady safety and love; and the wild excitement he felt about this night glistened them with brilliance.
Excerpt from Wickeds (working title) Prologue
Image: Photographer Unknown