jane austen | The Whimsical Whims of Ikhlas Hussain

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

14 October, 2012 6:41 pm , 2 Comments , Ikhlas

Hi guys!

So if you’ve been following me on my Facebook page, you might have noticed me gushing about a certain Youtube video diaries series known as The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I am a big Jane Austen fan. And naturally, like so many people out there, Pride and Prejudice is naturally my favourite of her tales, and even one of my favourite books of all time. Forget Romeo and Juliet, I think that the story of Lizzie and Mr. Darcy is the greatest love story of all time, and I’m ready thumb wrestle anyone who thinks otherwise.

This post is kind of belated, since I’ve been watching it since April, when it started, but since it’s really starting to get REALLY GOOD, I figured I’d tell all of you about it here who haven’t yet discovered it.

So it’s a modern adaptation of Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, and is told through YouTube video diaries, that air twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, by 24 year old, grad student Lizzie Bennet.

Lizzie’s got 2 sisters: Jane, who is as sweet and easy-going as she is in the book, and then Lydia, who loves a good party and lots of guys. Not unlike her 19th century counterpart, Mrs. Bennet spends the majority of her time thinking about her daughters’ marriages, namely Jane and Lizzie.

All of Mrs. Bennet’s dreams seem to come true when an eligible bachelor, the young doctor Bing Lee, comes to town, which launches the story into a hilarious, modern retelling of the classic.

The story, naturally, is told through Lizzie’s point of view, since they are her video diaries. Her best friend, Charlotte Lu, edits them and also makes guest appearances on most episodes, which balances some of Lizzie’s rants and biases.

Since these are Lizzie’s video diaries, you don’t get a glimpse of many characters, like Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, or Mr. Darcy (yet). Instead, we get Lizzie dressing up as said people in order to show her audience what happened. Of course this is EXACTLY what happened, and has not been embellished by Lizzie in any way whatsoever!

While originally, I had been a bit skeptical about a modern adaptation of one of my favourite stories of all time, I am now loving it, and eagerly await each episode every Monday and Thursday morning.

Of course, there are still things that I miss or wish would have been incorporated, like Lizzie’s hilarious father, Mr. Bennet, and Mr. Collins’ awesome proposal to first Lizzie and then Charlotte, since those moments and characters in the original are priceless. But even as I cringed in the beginning at the mixing of my favourite classic story with cellphones, YouTube, and dating, it’s really fun to watch the writers of LBD adapt and change the story. While some customs and traditions are long gone, others remain today and shed light on how we think about relationships today.

What’s even more fun is following the characters through various social platforms, so even when the camera’s not rolling, we can still find out what the characters are up to via Twitter or Facebook or Tumbr. For example, if you were following Bing Lee’s Twitter, you’d know that he went back to L.A all of a sudden, even though you don’t see it happen in the video a day later. So even though it sounds really cheesy, it’s like the characters are real and live real lives out there in the real world! It’s a lot of real…

I also love the fact that they’re taking things really slowly, and that the videos are short, little snippets that slowly go through the big events of the novel, as if it’s really unfolding right before your eyes in the 21st century. New additions to the show, like Bing, Caroline, Wickham (!!!), and Ricky Collins also keep things fresh and fun.

But of course, like the majority of viewers watching this series, I just want to see Mr. Darcy! Here’s hoping he makes his grand entrance soon.

So if you haven’t started watching yet, or have never read the book, simply sit back, pop a big bowl of popcorn, cancel all your plans for the next 3 hours, and immerse yourself in the world of Jane Austen, in a way you never have before:

Anyway, that’s all from me; hope you’ve had a fabulous weekend

Cheers,

Ikhlas

Posted in: Book Banter, General News , Tagged: books, jane austen, lizzie bennet diaries, pride and prejudice

Pink

18 March, 2012 10:29 pm , Leave a Comment , Ikhlas

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had an obsession with all things British. Growing up, I had a British best friend, whose mom was so much cooler because she had a British accent (at least in my opinion).

I grew up reading Harry Potter, and practised my British accent at home and in my head. Things obviously sounded better.

I devoured Jane Austen novels and used to wish I lived in Victorian England, only until I discovered their hygiene wasn’t the greatest.

I was furious when I discovered that the movie version of Confessions of a Shopaholic wouldn’t take place in England, that Becky Bloomwood would lose her very essence by being removed from London to New York.

Confessions of a Shopaholic (Shopaholic, #1) >

In terms of fashion, I’ve always been appreciative of British clothing and design, especially since everything my friend would bring home with her from her trips to the UK every few summers was beautiful and had me drooling with envy.

So when I found out that British brand Top Shop was opening up a small store in The Bay at Toronto’s Yorkdale mall, I couldn’t believe it. I’ve been drooling over their clothes and accessories for a few years now, but couldn’t afford anything, since they don’t have a Canadian website and so shipping costs an arm and a leg and a few fingers.

I couldn’t get to the shop last year, but today was told that we would be stopping for a minutes at Yorkdale, on a longer trip with my mom and her friend. I immediately made plans to make a stop, no matter how short, to check out their stuff. And oh my, I was salivating the second I stepped off the escalator to the small, enclosed section of the store.

Their stuff was beautiful. Gorgeous, chic fabrics, feminine and frilly patterns and cuts, and really great quality. This stuff was not cheap and the price tags confirmed this.

Here’s some stuff from their website, just to give you an idea. I didn’t see all of this stuff, since their shop in The Bay is a small one, but it was all just so beautiful. I wanted it all.

I actually saw this!

LIMITED EDITION Snow Bead Scatter Dress**

Quilted Leather Corner Purse

Ponte Shrunken Blazer

Foil Hieroglyphic Skirt by Unique**

It was all so pretty, but so so expensive. So since I knew I wasn’t going to come back any time soon, and really, we spent all that gas money anyway, I ended up buying a bag

Pink Snake Insert Holdall

Isn’t it beautifullll?! And yes, its pink. I have a lot of pink, I know, but I just couldn’t resist! Its got faux snakeskin detailing and cream accents and its so unbelievably soft. Besides that, its the perfect size for all my stuff (wallet, agenda, notebook, pen, makeup, a book) without being overly huge and bulky. Its perfect!

Did I need it? Probably not…

But did I want it? Yes!

^_^

Other than that, I’ve been volunteering with an Islamic convention, which is why I haven’t been updating so much lately, except to do book reviews. I’ve also been writing a lot too, which makes me happy. The deadline I set myself is coming up soon, so I really hope I can finish the first draft by then, so that I can get going on revisions.

But I feel like I’ve finally hit my stride now and am excited to see where the story takes me.

I’ve been reading so much over the past few weeks that I haven’t really been getting much writing done. Its hard because I get sucked in really easily and constantly have a book on the go (this is a common problem), so that I get distracted easily. So I’m not quite sure what to do. I know some authors who don’t read while they write, but that would be like not breathing while I write. So I’m thinking to sticking to books I’ve already read; I tend to take things a bit slower with them (sometimes), since I know what happens next. Or maybe switching to Classics for a bit might be beneficial…

Before I sign off, I just wanted to do a shoutout to my cousin Sabila, who has recently informed me that reads every post of mine. So thanks Sabs! I still remember when you used to eat dirt. Hehehe ^_^ Just kidding, I love you!

Anyway! I hope you all had a good weekend

Thanks for reading,

Ikhlas

Posted in: Fashionism, General News , Tagged: british stuff, fashion, harry potter, jane austen, sophie kinsella, topshop, writing

International Women’s Day

8 March, 2012 1:46 pm , 2 Comments , Ikhlas

Hello friends!

Happy International Women’s Day! Since it is women’s day, I figured it’d be fitting to do a post on some of my favourite female protagonists, from a variety of genres, all the ones that kick butt and are just pure awesome.

So let’s get started!

Come on, you knew Miss Hermione Granger was going to be on this list, didn’t you?! ^_^

Its no secret that I’m a big fan of Hermione. Growing up reading the Harry Potter books, I feel like I grew up with Hermione, who is a smart, ambitious, and extremely loyal young woman. She doesn’t take crap from Ron and Harry, who drive her batty a lot of the time, and is ready to give her all to help Harry with whatever conundrum he’s in. She’s an unapologetic know-it-all, which I love her for. She doesn’t always fit in with other girls her own age, but she’s always herself.

I’m sure all of you have seen this meme, but I absolutely love it:

tumblr_lmhniuQb4S1qa9fk8o1_500

Very, very true.

Next up, we have Miss Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games.

Katniss is a warior. She volunteers herself as tribute for her younger sister and pushes through the Games, even though it nearly kills her, for the sake of her family. Katniss’ selflessness and bravery are some of the traits that make her such an admirable young woman. She can be grouchy and mean at times, but she’s always trying to do the right thing, trying to make the world a better place. She does have her dark moments, like when she wants to run away in the second book, but her growth after those moments is what shows us how real she is. And I love her for it.

Switching things up by moving to the adult, classic side of things, we have Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.

Another one of my absolute favourites, Elizabeth Bennet lives in a time of petticoats and tea parties. But don’t let that fool you to her self-confidence and sense of righteousness. Lizzy isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in, and maintains that she won’t marry Mr. Collins, despite her mother’s insistence that she won’t speak to her if she doesn’t. At times selfish and presumptuous, Lizzy is loyal to her family and her sisters, fighting for their honour with rich and rude Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She isn’t perfect, but who is?

Next up we have Miss Jane Eyre from…well, Jane Eyre.

While I don’t always agree with her choices, I can’t deny that Jane had gumption and stuck to her guns, even when she was being tortured by her cousins and was locked up in a haunted room. What I really appreciate about Jane’s character is her perseverance. Orphaned at a young age, Jane could have easily been a sullen, bitter young woman, but she isn’t. She pushes through whatever she’s faced with, whether its mean comments from her ‘family’, boarding school, the death of a good friend, being a governess in a house with a man she’s falling love with, finding out said man is already married, whatever it is. She adapts and adjusts to the situation, and keeps ploughing ahead in her efforts to survive. And that is admirable.

Frankenstein (Signet Classics) This Dark Endeavour: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein

Moving onto the horror genre, we can’t forget about brave and beautiful Miss Elizabeth Lavenza from Shelley’s original Frankenstein and then Oppel’s retelling This Dark Endeavour. Elizabeth doesn’t receive much page time in the original, but what we do get to see of her shows us that she’s a curious and smart young woman, who doesn’t sit still like society expects her to. She’s constantly gathering knowledge, and becomes the person that holds the Frankenstein family together, after their mother dies. In the retelling by Oppel, she becomes even more awesome, not waiting by the sidelines while Victor tries to search for the knowledge of immortality. She becomes a vital part of Konrad and Victor’s journey to the tunnels, and doesn’t scare easily at the sight of danger. Can’t wait to see what tricks she’ll have up her sleeves in the sequel to Oppel’s retelling!

So those are some of my favourite female protagonists, in honour of international women’s day. Who are your favourites?

Ikhlas

Posted in: Book Banter , Tagged: harry potter, jane austen, the hunger games, this dark endevour

I’ll take “Capital L for Literature” for 500

30 June, 2011 6:31 pm , 5 Comments , Ikhlas

When I was in university, I met this girl who asked me what my favourite book was. I promptly replied, “Harry Potter”. She wrinkled her nose and said, “No, I meant Literature. Like real books.”

As an English major (and maybe even a University student) the assumption that I had to read and love Literature was constantly foisted upon me. And while I love and appreciate LITERATURE (the Austens and the Coleridges and the Woodworths), I don’t understand why I can’t love other books. Read More →