Bloomsbridge

Come December, we’ll remember the incredible author, Jane Austen! Growing up, in the small coastal town of Tuticorin, I read all the Ladybird books, Champak, Ti**le Series, Amar Chitra Katha by the age of ten.
My pr***en years, was filled with Nancy Drew and her crew and all of Enid Blyton.
At the onset of teens, at the age of 13, I read my first romance novel, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ written by Jane Austen and I’ve loved her ever since, she introduced me to Elizabeth and Darcy. The angry, moody, introverted yet faithful Darcy and the sparkly, straightforward, extroverted headstrong Elizabeth… totally opposite personalities yet the most ideal pair when it comes to love. Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Mansfield Park, Persuasion, followed the first book and I read the books written by other female authors as well. ‘ Wuthering Heights, Little Women, and Jane Eyre. Maybe, I lived somewhere in UK, most of the time, inside a book, but physically present in Tuticorin. My understanding of men in general, until now, is mostly restricted to the men in my family and I find them acutely hilarious most of the time. But, I might have studied the personality of Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff, Laurie, George Knightley, and Mr. Rochester more closely than ever, drawing up a visual representation of them blue eyes and tall, including all their strength, weakness, and quirks more realistically, and tried to draw at least a remote match to the men I saw in my family in Tuticorin. And as for all the female characters, they always sparkle in their wit, intellect and humour.
Who outdid who? Men or Women! This is a topic I’d love to write in volumes when it comes to these strong characters and much more, when it comes, especially to Jane Austen, her style of writing, depth in characterisation, scheming of plot, and the exceptional skill in tying every loose end; subtly blending it into the narrative. Come December, it’s time to read a book written by Jane Austen. - Priya Victoria Maybe, I should start a separate Instagram handle to share everything about books I read!