Moll Flanders, and candles

[juliet]

katstevens.

It's sold as a morality tale, but the introduction reckons this was probably an excuse to justify people reading a novel about crime and immorality. Moll was born in prison, and begins her life of "whoring" (she's never actually a prostitute in the sense we'd understand it, although she is occasionally a kept woman and certainly has plenty of relationships outside of legal marriage) when talked into bed by one of the sons of the household she's brought up in. Who later ditches her when the younger brother proposes. Eventually she winds up widowed and without an income, so starts looking for a chap to keep her.

She spends the rest of the book going through assorted men, with a fair level of lying, cheating, and thievery along the way, and two trips to America (one via transportation). She's remarkably cheerful and very hard-headed about the whole thing, despite falling in love a couple of times - and at pains to point out the limited options available to a woman as she gets older, if she hasn't a man to look after her. Although she does "repent" at the end (though it's not entirely convincing...)

The whole thing is splendid fun, especially Moll's accounts of her very successful career as a thief. Also lots of capitalisation and random italics! Thoroughly recommended.

Also last night I made a brand new candle (from stuff Marna gave me for Xmas), and then turned two old & no longer burning candles into a remixed candle (as it were) - also on the 101 things list. It seems to have worked, though I have to leave them for 24 hrs before attempting to burn them. Hurrah! This is good as I really hate wasting all that perfectly good wax that you get around the edge of candles when the wick's dead.

Comments

[hoshuteki.livejournal.com]

I still remember Kat bigging up this book as well, so I shall have to make this the next book on my reading list! It's been in my possession for the last 10+ years: I really must read it.

[ewx.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed reading Moll Flanders, about a year ago (http://ewx.livejournal.com/404219.html).

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it!

[juliet]

Must give it back to you when I next see you!

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

I love making candles.

off topic, sorry

[ludy]

hi it's Ludy form the Brightn Bifest team. I know you've DJd realy well at variuous bi and poly events would you be intrested in DJng for us on the 9th of february and/or can you sugest who else we could ask? Sorry it's short notice but i thought it was worth asking - you can leave a screenedcoment here thanks.

It's ages since i've done any candle making but i used to really enjoy it - i must think about doing it again soemwhen