Behind closed doors!

Anita Shreve's Testimony
Published 2009 by Abacus
Drama

Told from the perspective of those involved, Testimony tells the story of an incident that occurred at a private boarding school, Avery Academy, and how the lives of those involved changed forever. The incident seems to have had a tremendous impact on so many characters who were either directly or indirectly involved.
The novel flits between past and present a bit too often which gets rather complicated but having each chapter written from the point of view of each character, each telling their own individual tale of the part they played in the affair and how it has changed their life in the present, is a great feature that helps the flow of the novel. Each character talks to the reader as though we are a reporter trying to interview them as they are very factual and matter-of-fact about it. Sometimes they almost feel like they see the reader as a friend or confidante; someone they can trust and who they are opening up to and telling all. The language and style of the novel is very similar to a police report or interview but it is crisp and to the point. It is very easy to read and an engrossing page turner.
Not only does the text describe what happened and how but it also provides testimonies, confessions and statements from the students involved. Although the initial event is horrific and graphic, nothing prepares the reader for the despair and colossal destruction that comes about afterwards. There is so much pain and remorse in this book. For once there is no happy ending, it simply ends with one student recounting the event and providing us with all the missing pieces of this puzzle.

Be mindful of love

Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
Period classic - Romance

Spirited novel about friendship, love, sisterly affection, hope and deceit.
Austen presents brilliant stories that show perfectly the close connection that exists between siblings. She must have drawn from her own relationship with her sister Cassandra in order to portray such a likeness.
I think in making it the key focus in this text, alongside love and marriage, she expresses how important these bonds are not just to her but to everyone else as well.
I admire sensible Elinor Dashwood for being the responsible, practical, elder, clever sister who keeps her emotions inside in order to get on with what she must do and to put everyone else first before herself. Elinor is extremely unselfish and quite a sad character throughout the text until the very end.
Marianne would probably fit quite well in society today as she seems the character people could relate to because of her lively, spirited almost rebellious nature. She is a fun character but most of the time is rather immature, hence Elinor spends most of her time consoling her and taking care of her.
Finally, there is Margaret who doesn't get to do most of the fun things her sisters get to do because she is too young.
The interaction between these sisters makes it an enthralling book just like the Bennets' in Austen's Pride and Prejudice or Alcott's Little Women.
Of course, inevitably it all ends as we'd expect but it is far from disappointing.