Review: Apology for a Murder by Lorenzino de Medici

Apology for a Murder
by Lorenzino de Medici
Translated by Andrew Brown
Published by Alma Classics
History, classic, non-fiction

Famed for having killed his cousin Alessandro, the Duke of Florence, in 1537, but also for writing accomplished literary works, including a comedy and several poems, Lorenzino de' Medici remains one of the most enigmatic figures of Italian literature. In his masterpiece, Apology for a Murder, he reveals the inner motives behind his act, portraying himself as a hero to be numbered alongside the great tyrannicides of ancient Rome and Greece.

Lorenzino himself, in 1548, was murdered by two soldiers hired either by the emperor Charles V or by Cosimo, Alessandro's successor as Duke, and this volume includes the dramatic account of his killing by Francesco Bibboni, one of the assassins, as well as a selection of Lorenzino's poems, giving a fully rounded image of the antihero of Alfred de Musset's Lorenzaccio.

Apology for a Murder includes both Lorenzino de Medici's piece where he tries to justify the murder of his cousin Alessandro, the Duke of Florence, and an account of Lorenzino's death written by Captain Francesco Bibboni, a soldier who kills Lorenzino. Both accounts are brilliant in their own way: Lorenzino certainly knows how to write a compelling argument and Bibboni is not ashamed of his actions and gives a rather honest account of a live of Renaissance mercenary.

As Andrew Brown says, Lorenzino was not a popular man. He was called 'nasty Lorenzo' and spend his days with Alessandro. People saw them as close friends and Lorenzino as Alessandro's accomplice. In Apology for a Murder Lorenzino tries his hardest to convince the reader that he was never a friend for Alessandro, who was a tyrant and therefore Lorenzino should be celebrated because he freed the people of Florence from tyrant's grasp. It is uncertain whether Lorenzino lied or not - Alessandro was a tyrant, but there is no prove of Lorenzino's motives either way. Apology for a Murder could be genuine, but it could also be propaganda where Lorenzino tried to clear his name. Either way, it's an interesting historical text and Lorenzino has a way with words.

Bibboni's account, however, was my favourite because it gives a detailed account of the life of assassin/mercenary soldier in Renaissance Europe - and the historian in me loves that kind of rich source, particularly since Bibboni does not apologise for his actions. Rather, he states how things are and the soldiers are only doing what they were hired to do, whether it was moral or not. These kind of texts - both Lorenzino and Bibboni's texts - are why I love studying history so much. It is not so much about the truth, but the perspective and here we have two entirely different perspectives, which gives us plenty to think about.

5 of 5 stars

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3 Penguin Little Black Classics Mini-Reviews

Jason and Medea
by Apollonius of Rhodes
Published by Penguin
On Goodreads

My review:
"The Argonauts were terrified at the sight. But Jason planting his feet apart stood to receive them, as a reef in the sea confronts the tossing billows in a gale."

Apollonius of Rhodes certainly mastered storytelling, as this part of The Golden Fleece is full of flowing language suitable for a heroic tale of love and anguish. Jason and Medea captures the first meeting of Jason and Medea, but also how the gods were involved and how much detail went into planning before Jason and the Argonauts faced King Aeëtes's trials. I really enjoyed this snippet and I certainly want to read the whole The Golden Fleece some day.

However, I have one complaint about this Penguin Little Black Classic; it's a wee bit too much from the middle of the tale. Reader has to have some former knowledge about who Jason and the Argonauts were, and preferably a wee bit about King Aeëtes and Medea, and their relations to the Titans and gods. I didn't have too much difficulty to understand the connections and nods, but I also know a lot about Ancient Greek myths. But this complaint it about the editorial point, not about the story or Apollonius of Rhodes itself.

All in all, Jason and Medea was enjoyable read for me, and I'll definitely read more from Apollonius of Rhodes in the future.

4 of 5 stars


The Dolphins, the Whales and the Gudgeon
by Aesop
Published by Penguin
On Goodreads

My review:
I've been meaning to read Aesop's fables for quite some time, so when I saw the Little Black Classic The Dolphins, the Whales and the Gudgeon, I thought it was a perfect time to read a few of the fables and see if it's something I enjoy.

Aesop's fables are short and full of impact, and most of the times there's one sentence included to explain what's the aim of the fable. Some included in this collection are more poignant and influential than others, but I enjoyed the diversity of the fables. Some felt really familiar from my childhood, so I'm pretty sure I've heard some of them or adaptations of them.

I'll definitely pick up Aesop's full collection of fables at some point, and I enjoyed this Little Black Classic compilation. If you're looking for a taste of Aesop's writing and fables, then I definitely recommend this for you.

4 of 5 stars


The Fall of Icarus
by Ovid
Published by Penguin
On Goodreads

My review:
I have read my share of the Little Black Classics, most of them of the Ancient Greek myths, and I have to say that The Fall of Icarus is worst of them. Now, I haven't read Ovid's Metamorphosis, but it cannot be this confusingly written. Indeed, the blurb claims this collection is from two different chapters of Ovid's work, which means it's the editing that's atrocious. There is no breaks between myths, it's all compiled together in a manner that it's almost impossible to say when one ends and another begins.

Biggest disappointment is the tale of the fall of Icarus, which this was named after. It's covered within two pages! There is more of Theseus and his adventures here than about Daedalus and his son Icarus. The title is misleading, as simple as that.

In short, The Fall of Icarus is a mess. It's misleading, badly edited and hard to keep up where the myths change and what's currently happening. I don't recommend this one; if you want to pick up one of these, I'd recommend Aesop's fables or Apollonius of Rhodes' Jason and Medea, which are way better edited and actually make sense.

2 of 5 stars

Review: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Peter Pan
by J.M. Barrie
Published by Puffin
Classic, fantasy, childrens

One starry night, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell lead the three Darling children over the rooftops of London and away to Neverland - the island where lost boys play, mermaids splash and fairies make mischief. But a villainous-looking gang of pirates lurk in the docks, led by the terrifying Captain James Hook. Magic and excitement are in the air, but if Captain Hook has his way, before long, someone will be walking the plank and swimming with the crocodiles...

Peter Pan is a classic that I've been meaning to read for a long while now. I love the story, especially the few movies that I've seen. Captain Hook is one of my favourite villains and definitely my favourite pirate. And I always loved the idea of a boy who never grew up. Finally, after reading Barrie's original, I can say that I really enjoyed this whimsical story of forgetful boy refusing to grow up and all the dangers and adventures that Neverland has to offer.

What surprised me was how different the story was from the adapted versions. For instance, the trip to Neverland takes a long, long time, instead of just flying for one night. Then the story seems to focus a bit more of quiet moments when Wendy plays mother to the lost boys rather than the adventures they have, which are only mentioned and one described. In those moments it was a bit dull, but it did pick up after those moments. I guess I was just expecting a bit more pirates, action and adventures.

Peter Pan is dark story, there's no doubt in that. Captain Hook and his crew are ruthless and blood-thirsty, and Peter isn't a hero either; he's forgetful, selfish, and very whimsical. However, the story works because of that. It's not meant to be rainbows and unicorns, and I liked it because of it. It's dark and there's plenty of death there, but it's still magical story about Neverland and Peter, who did not grow up even when every other child did.

I'm glad that I finally read Peter Pan. Despite the few dull moments in the story, it's still one of my favourites. Captain Hook certainly kept his place as my favourite pirate.

4 of 5 stars

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Review: The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles

The Three Theban Plays: Antigone / Oedipus the King / Oedipus at Colonus
by Sophocles
Published by Penguin Classics
Classic, play, drama, mythology

The heroic Greek dramas that have moved theatergoers and readers since the fifth century B.C. 

Towering over the rest of Greek tragedy, the three plays that tell the story of the fated Theban royal family - Antigone, Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus - are among the most enduring and timeless dramas ever written. Robert Fagles's authoritative and acclaimed translation conveys all of Sophocles's lucidity and power: the cut and thrust of his dialogue, his ironic edge, the surge and majesty of his choruses and, above all, the agonies and triumphs of his characters.

I love ancient Greece; the history, the mythology, and the literature which combines the myths, legends and history. So I'm slowly reading the Greek classics, and decided to start with the plays that are perhaps the best known.

These three plays by Sophocles has one overlying theme that applies to Greek tragedy: fate is unavoidable. If a prophecy or gods announce your destiny, you cannot outrun or outsmart it. What has been fated will happen, no matter the road you take in order to avoid it. Oedipus's parents tried to avoid their fate by abandoning their son, who was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, and Oedipus later tried to avoid the same fate only to fulfill it by his actions. Oedipus the King is all about that, while Oedipus at Colonus shows the consequences and Oedipus's life as blind old man. Antigone is the ending, of what happens to Oedipus's children after his demise.

The plays were good. The flow was just right and the word play phenomenal. It's not a surprise that there are some of the best Greek tragedies! This Penguin Classics edition also had very helpful introduction to each play, which helped to open up the concept of the play and set in the context. I enjoyed reading the introductions as much as I enjoyed the actual plays. Of the three plays, my favourite has to be Antigone. It was intriguing to see the aftermath of the unavoidable fate, how tragic it was, and it gave an interesting insight to Greek burial culture.

Starting with these plays was definitely the right decision for me, because this experience just encourages me to read more ancient Greek plays!

4 of 5 stars

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Review: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)

by Agatha Christie

Published by Harper

Classic, crime, mystery

What more can a mystery addict desire than a much-loathed murder victim found aboard the luxurious Orient Express with multiple stab wounds, thirteen likely suspects, an incomparably brilliant detective in Hercule Poirot, and the most ingenious crime ever conceived?

I've only read one Agatha Christie book before and that was And Then There Were None. However, that was almost a decade ago and it was a required reading for school so I wasn't the most engaged with the story. With the new movie coming out, I wanted to dive into Murder on the Orient Express before I watched the movie, so here I am, finally reading classic murder mystery without being forced to do so.

I enjoyed the story, although I must admit I was surprised how it was written. The story is divided into three parts: the facts, the evidence, and Poirot's sit down and thought process. Each chapter also contains one thing, for example, the evidence chapters are all about one person/thing per chapter. This was a structure that I had never read before and it was very interesting: it was easy to keep up and in a sense it read almost like a police file in novel form. Absolutely brilliant! The characters and plot was engaging, and I loved trying to figure out who was guilty of the murder of Mr Ratchett. Hercule Poirot was also quite charismatic and engaging inspector, and his thought process and conclusions were brilliant to follow.

Without giving any spoilers, I do have to say that I was disappointed at the ending and how the aftermath of the crime was dealt with. The mystery itself was brilliant and surprising, just the consequences part of the aftermath was severely disappointing. That's solely the reason why I'm giving this four stars instead of five.

If you're interested in some classic crime, I'd highly recommend Murder on the Orient Express: it's quick to read, has some very intriguing characters and the mystery is engaging.

4 of 5 stars

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Review: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton
Published by Speak
Paperback (purchased)
YA, contemporary, classic

No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends - true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. And when it comes to the beating up on "greasers" like him and his friends - he knows that he can count on them for trouble. But one night someone takes things too far, and Ponyboy's world is turned upside down...

This was a re-read for me as I had to read The Outsiders for school during the seventh grade. Back then I found the book an okay read but I gave it more credit because it introduced me to S.E. Hinton - and I fell in love with her books, my favourites being Tex and That Was Then, This Is Now. However, I wanted to re-read it again without the pressure from being a "forced read" and see if I liked it after all these years.

I liked The Outsiders more on the second read. I don't know if it's because this time I didn't read it for school or because I'm older now, but I ended up liking it a bit more than the first time. The storyline was not on fresh memory so there was some surprise element left, although I remembered how the story ended. I liked the characters more this time, maybe because I could relate the older characters like Darry better. Sodapop, Johnny and Dallas were still my favourites, I loved them all for different reasons and in a way I could relate a bit with each of them. Two-Bit was as hilarious as I remembered him being, and Ponyboy was adorable although I still didn't fell in love with him.

S.E. Hinton knows how to write about and for teenagers because her writing and her characters' voices are so authentic, and that's something I have always loved about her books. The Outsiders is about the people from the darker side of the world but I feel like it's an universal portrayal of being cornered by circumstances, about being lonely, looked down and unwanted. It's also largely about family, both by blood and by choice, and I love how in The Outsiders the one does not exclude the another.

The Outsiders still isn't my favourite book from S.E. Hinton, but I do like it a lot, and I understand why it's praised so much. I think it's a book for everyone and I hope it's still part of the required reading at schools.

4 of 5 stars.

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Review: Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

Brokeback Mountain
by Annie Proulx
Published by Scribner
Paperback (purchased)
Adult, LGBT, romance, contemporary, western, classic

Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, two ranch hands, come together when they're working as sheepherder and camp tender one summer on a range above the tree line. At first, sharing an isolated tent, the attraction is casual, inevitable, but something deeper catches them that summer.

Both men work hard, marry, and have kids because that's what cowboys do. But over the course of many years and frequent separations this relationship becomes the most important thing in their lives, and they do anything they can to preserve it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many has seen the movie, I included. It's my favourite and even though I don't cry much during books and movies, Brokeback Mountain gets me every time. The original novella the movie was based is 55 pages. Short? Definitely. Still emotional, stunning story that tell everything about Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist? Without any doubts.

 

Ennis and Jack live in a world, 1963 when they meet all the way over 1983 that was the last time they met. They fell in love but couldn't - wouldn't allow themselves - to call it love even though it consumed them and they kept coming back to each other's arms. It started with one fateful summer in Brokeback Mountain and it lasted a lifetime.

 

There's so many love stories, of forbidden love and how there was time - still is - that not all kind of love is pure in the eyes of society. Brokeback Mountain is all about that but it goes so much deeper and strikes reader's heart because it feels so real. Ennis and Jack, they both have their flaws and they try to do what it expected from them but they can't deny what they feel for each other. The story is so emotional, heart-cripping and captivating, partly because it refuses to feel any shame. It's real, as real as story can get. It's short, yes, but sometimes you don't need lots of fancy words to tell a tale of two person who loved each other for one lifetime. Proulx is a strong voiced author and the language was just perfect to create an air for cowboys. Without a doubt, Proulx is talented writer and she did good with this one.

 

Brokeback Mountain is short but it's perfect the way it is. Worthy of everything the world has to give to it.

 

5 of 5 stars and everything else I can give.

 

Brokeback Mountain on Goodreads.