YMonday, January 22, 2007
upset..
i finished reading a novel i borrowed on 110107.. that is 12 days!.. a 34o- page novel.. amazing, isn't it?.. (well, i know many can do it much faster than i do!).. i wish to post my review on this book.. and there is goes..
Tears find its way down my cheeks (many times) as i was reading "All He Ever Wanted" by Anita Shreve..
A love for a woman so great that caused him perhaps his all- reputation, money, even life.. struggles so real it moved me.. affection so strong it melted my heart..
This novel talks about how a man (Professor Nicholas Van Tassel) falls in love with an almost perfect woman of his life (Etna Bliss).. just to realise she never loved him at all..
Both met at a hotel when a fire broke out.. Etna was sitting behind Nicholas at the restaurant(obviously he didn't knew then).. He noticed Etna with her aunt and rescued them, sent them home.. the trauma of the fire faded the next morning.. it was love at first sight for Nicholas..
However, both got married in less than two months of courtship.. on that night of the wedding (which remained vivid in Nicholas' mind).. he felt deprived, Etna couldn't satisfy him.. in which, she was merely going through the motion..
They had two children, Clara, the older of the two.. and Nicodemus..
In the 14th year of the marriage, Nicholas was in candidacy of the post of Dean at the college he was teaching in- something Nick wanted so badly for the past decade in teaching at Trupp- the college.. however, among other candidates were this particular person seeming of threat to Nick, Phillip Asher.. he is the brother of Etna's former love, Samuel Asher.. someone (an affair) not known to Nick until the 14th year.. Etna reminiscences on Samuel, she could not let go of that love both Samuel and she once shared..
Nick, being ignorant of the fact that Etna knew Phillip, tried ways and means to search out details and background of Phillip.. only to find out Phillip became his rival soon after.. Throughout that year, Etna and Phillip had been writing to each other secretly.. Because Etna received a painting- an inheritance from her uncle who then passed on.. she sold the painting which fetched a cottage for herself.. (these, Nick was unaware).. Etna had been going to the cottage almost every day.. she would sew, read and write there.. all these out of sight from her husband.. however, Nick found out about the cottage once he unknowningly followed Etna..
Many mysteries (to Nick) started to unfold when he confronted her about the familiar furnitures which was "sent to the wrong address" in which he noticed at the cottage..
Etna wanted freedom!.. she thought that she had been a good wife.. indeed i would say, but she remained cold no matter how hard Nick tries to please her.. she had everything she wanted!.. money, a happy family, two adorable children.. she simply wasn't satisfied!.. partly, her love for Samuel restrained her from loving Nick at all.. but why did she agree to the marriage then?..
Because of all the complications, both Nick and Etna were separated (for a rather long period).. Nick won the custody of Nicodemus and Etna was allowed to have Clara.. Nick lost the post of the Dean to Phillip..
Through a series of events, Nick got the post of the Dean- brutally!.. but Etna, knowing those painful truths, was reconciled with Samuel.. (so random!).. Nick then raised up Nicodemus single- handedly while Clara stayed with Nick's sister, Meritable.. (what a name!)..
this descriptive novel brings vivid images to my mind.. inputing the abilty to visualise to the best one can.. i like this book nonetheless!..
a rather dull and dreary day for me.. ain't feeling good about all that is happening around me..
turned down an appointment in the evening, after my gym session.. to add on the grief and misery, i got reprimanded!.. i hate this!.. to the core i would say.. (so friends, if you see me being cold.. please be understanding enough, spare me the talking)..
saw someone i didn't like in the gym.. i pretended he was invisible.. yet, stayed out of the area he was working out at.. i was then terrified when i saw his belongings lying anonymously on the "bench".. (i recognised them!).. he was not around.. i gather that he must be in the shower.. that time, i had already showered but not yet done with my hair.. thus, not wanting to see him, i packed my bag at the fastest speed i know how to.. forgetting the mess of my hair (unusual!).. i rushed out of the gym in less than three minutes!.. i simply don't want to see him!.. period..
drowning myself with songs this night.. took my "dinner" near mid- night.. i couldn't even finish half a bowl of noodles.. no appetite.. only a bottle of valente accompanied me through the night.. what is the deepest agony of a child?.. upset..
-superstar matt-
Lee Matthew was here at