September Reading Ladder

Rime of the Ancient Mariner– Samuel Taylor Coleridge (77 pages)

Rating: 3/5

The Girl on the Train– Paula Hawkins (336 pages)

Rating: 4.5/5

Pride and Prejudice– Jane Austen (279 pages)

Rating: 5/5 (One of the most intricate, symbolic, and empowering novels I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading)

Total Number of Pages Read: 692

Per Week: 173

Per day: 25

Overall, I am pretty happy with the amount of reading I’ve done this month, especially considering that one of the novels I read was Pride and Prejudice. I had not read a classic in months, and both the language and plot can be hard to decipher because it’s so unlike what I see now. However, getting through the rhetoric and language was extremely worth it.

I absolutely adore Elizabeth’s character, the ways in which she is so strong willed and sure of herself really inspires me. Instead of conforming to the idea that the only important event in a woman’s life is marriage, she took it upon herself to prove that she did not need a husband, but obviously loved Darcy and wanted him. The difference between needing someone and wanting someone became clear, and I was infatuated with their love story completely. Both Darcy and Elizabeth were so stubborn, a trait that I definitely possess, but it was clear that they were undoubtedly perfect for each other. It also made me happy that their relationship was not based on physical attraction, but more a connection with their minds and souls.

For next month, my goal is to get through the required reading for AP English, but also read 3 novels and one play. I definitely want to read something by Tennessee Williams, because the last play of his I read (A Streetcar Named Desire) was breathtaking. I’d also like to read Memoirs of a Geisha, as it was recommended to me by a close friend who describes the imagery of the book as breathtaking.