Hi everyone, this will be the first of a series of small videos that I hope share some of the jewels I have found in the Regency genre.
I just finished the first book of the Wescott Series, Someone to Love by Mary Balogh, and I was going to upload it right away, but I had another book on my list that I wanted to finish before that, as I felt they were connected, and oh boy were they ever, but more on that later.
I felt that Mary Balogh spent quite a bit of time world building on this first book of the series, although that did not make the story any less enjoyable, actually it made me really want to start the second one.
The protagonists of this story were very likable characters and their story was somewhat formulaic, until the very end where there was a very nice moment between them that I think contained the most valuable message of this book.
Let me elaborate a bit on that:
Anna Snow is thrown at the Ton overnight, as it is discovered that she is the legitimate heir to her late father the Earl of Riverdale, who had abandoned her at an orphanage when she was 4.
As one would expect, she grew up humble but determined to be equal, not better, to everyone else, and this is what makes her attractive to Avery, her future husband.
The theme of dreams is very well explored in this story, though I think Mary Balogh does this in almost all of her stories, and this one in particular, an orphan growing to marry a Duke and thus becoming a Duchess, does sound like a dream come true.
And I think this is the core message of the book: Dreaming. So, be careful what you wish for, as it may come true, but what does that mean?
The book, to me, illustrates that dreams that come true, or become a reality that is, aren't 100% blissful, but that’s ok, they will come with pain and difficulties and disappointments, but such a fact is not a reason to stop dreaming.
Rather, I think Balogh invites us to dream in more detailed terms. This is then particularly well explained closer to the end, when Anna is talking to a few of her students and she is explaining to them the value of dreaming and why they ought to hold on to those dreams.
She tells them that, more or less, you need dreams to push you forward in life, to give you an aim, but that one ought to allow for flexibility, as one may not end up becoming exactly what one dreams of, but that one's dream might manifest in different ways.
And I thought that was brilliant, having an aim, both personal and social perhaps, should not be rigid and fixed. It should move and one should trust and have faith in the universe, that so long as one keeps on keeping on, who is to say that our dreams/intent won't come true? just… it might not happen exactly in the way we think. One must keep on paying attention and carry on humbly but determinedly.
Maybe I am taking it a bit far, but it reminded me of a quote I read once, in which pure intent married with faith was described as something that could create endless opportunities.
And it also made me think about sincere belief. What one aligns oneself with, what one thinks and knows and works towards, what one is capable of, is sort of brought into one’s existence by the universe coming in one's direction, but also, by one meeting it halfway, if that makes sense.
The other lovely idea, which is what made me wait to post, was the idea of power. The book I wanted to finish was The leadership Genius of Julius Caesar (Which could be a separate video), but the author opens that book with the idea of "Lead by power not by force".
Avery, in the novel, felt and certainly was powerless his entire life, at least until the point where he met a Chinese teacher who taught him martial arts, from there on out, his life changed, he learned how dangerous he was, though he was missing someone to love, which ended up being Anna.
And because of that that, he was missing someone he wasn't afraid of being vulnerable with, someone that was his entire world, break down his walls of protection and create something a lot more powerful.
He had learned martial arts as a way to protect himself, in response to a fear and a drive to not be bullied any longer. In that sense, despite all he gained and the proficiency for being dangerous, martial arts were still an unconscious choice.
But I digress, at the end of the novel, Avery is telling Anna what he learned about power, when one realizes one's power, one needs not advertise it by aggression, or loathe about it, one does not use force to intimidate and control others, one does not threaten, one simply adequately acts, when it is adequate to act, in an adequate manner to the situation at hand.
And I thought this was a lovely concept, the idea of realizing your ability to be harmful and dangerous and turn that from unconscious survival programs into a conscious harmfulness that is at your disposal. But also, it follows the example that was set by Julius Caesar, leading and living by power, that is by self awareness, creates deeper bonds, more sincere friendships, and it works as a way to protect you.
And even if it may seem contradictory, realizing this ability for harm and making it as conscious as possible, can work towards becoming more affectionate, kinder and more able to see the beauty of life.
Now on to Someone to Hold : )