英语专业读书报告.doc

Reading Report on The Landower Legacy The novel The Landower Legacy, written by a famous English writer Victoria Holt, is a romantic and famous masterpiece. The version I have read was twelfth printing by Ballantine Books in 1991.I. About the AuthorVictoria Holt(September 1, 1906- January 18, 1993), famous novelist describing the old castle. Victoria Holt, her original name is Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert. She was born in London, during her fifty years of writing, there are more than 150 novels published. In her novels, she always use old castle as background, in everyones impression, old castle in England, always related with suspense strongly. Victoria Holt says, Never regret. If its good, its wonderful. If its bad, its experience. Since now, Victoria Holt has created a large number of love stories, main works, such as Mistress of Mellyn, The King of the Castle, The Queens Confession, The Landower Legacy. Popular fiction belongs to her special style.1960, she wrote Mistress of Mellyn. It mainly introduced that Martha Leigh and her sister has a happy childhood, but after their parents death they go to live with an aunt. They have a season and Marthas sister manages to find a good husband. But Martha doesnt, and is forced to take up the job of a gove.1962, she wrote Kirkland Revels. Kirkland Revels loomed high above the wild and eerie Yorkshire moors like a brooding stone fortress. To some there was an atmosphere of evil about the place, but to innocent young bride Catherine Rockwell, the mansion seemed magnificently romantic. She did not know then of the terrible secrets imprisoned behind its massive walls. Or that at the moment she had entered her new home, she had crossed the threshold of terror.1963, she wrote Bride of Pendorric. Favel Farington knew very little about her new husband. When they met in Capri, the dashing young heir to Pendorric had swept the lovely English girl into marriage with the sudden fierceness of a summer storm. It was all wonderfully exciting, until Favel discovered that someone was planning a very special place for her in the family - in the crypt with the other legendary brides of Pendorric who had all died so mysteriously, so tragically, and so young. 1967, she wrote The King of the CastleDallas. Lawson is a young woman who learns painting and other forms of art from her father. When her father dies, she decides to take over his business restoring old paintings. She arrives at Chateau Gaillard where her father had been hired to restore.Also, there are many other masterpieces existed now. In a word, there is a common character in her plot. Often the content is divided some parts.1.The woman tutor, the leading lady is related this position or she has desire to get this job.2.Being suspicious, although the leading lady loves the hero, she keeps suspicious in every aspect to prevent the harm of the hero.3.Being full of adventure, history and professional knowledge.In addition, she also use another pen name, Jean Plaidy. Through this name, she has created a series of family stories mainly about English history.Even ten years after her death, Jean Plaidy has an enormous fan base, and now that some of her books are back in print, it appears to be growing. More than fifty-six million copies of Victoria Holt novels have been sold worldwide, and there are more than fourteen million copies of Jean Plaidy and more than three million copies of Philippa Carr stories in print.II. A Summary of the NovelGreen-eyed Caroline Tressidor seems to have the whole world before her, until the long-heralded occasion of Queen Victorias Golden Jubilee. When an exuberant Caroline views the magnificent royal procession with her mother and her handsome friend, the dashing Captain Carmichael, she inadvertently exposes a secret that will change all their lives. From that moment on, nothing is the same. Caroline watches her promising future dissolve, without knowing why. Determined to discover the truth, Caroline begins a search that will take her from the grandeur of Lndons society to the wild moors of Cornwall, a quest that will pit her against her shy, pretty sister and the rules of a stern Victorian society. It is an adventure that will also propel her into the arms of the dark, mysterious Paul Landower. Trapped in his own past, he may be he man of her dreams, unless his past included a legacy of murder.But according to many reasons, what the most important reason was that her father required. So she must left Cornwall. Olivia was so happy for the return of the sister. But Olivia was busy with stepping into the society. However, Caroline was sternly restricted, in an other word, she was eager. According her aggressive personality, she jumped at a chance to persuade Olivia to take part in the party. During the party, she met a man called Jeremy, a avaricious man, he loved Carolines property, he loved her station of family in the society. But the only thing, he missed her and married with her elder sister, Olivia. Meanwhile, Carolines daddy was dead, after it ,the lawyer told Caroline that she had no right to go on with her fathers property. She became a poor girl. Suddenly, the girl lost everything, including her love. She became hesitated, she didnt believe others, until the presence of Paul. Just as Caroline realized she had found her happy life, but other news came, Paul had been married by another girl. When Caroline knew that Paul betrayed her, she became corrupted. Cousin Mary supported her all the time. In end, after cousin Marys careful attention, Caroline resumed herself. And, because cousin Mary loved the girl and gave all the manors to her. Both of their kindness moved the planter Jamie, a man full of suspense, he always said that he had a brother and the brother often wanted to kill him. When he knew the story of Caroline, he warned her to be far away from Paul. At last, Miss. Paul found her secret, so he killed her. Actually, he was her brother, they are one person. At the end of the story, Caroline lived happily with Paul. They love themselves.III. My views on the bookFrom my perspective, the landower legacy is really worth savoring. It is a successful realism fiction. Its not a romance novelits a novel with romance in it. The writer has not use any special methods or ways, but she pays more attention to the details. When I read it ,I feel excited, and the plot often takes me to a new world. The story seems a real experience of the writer and the spirit described by the writer. From the story, I can easily recognize that the expression the writer wants to show. The roles in her story will have a complex relation, and they also show the modern society in middle 20 century. The roles, some of them are full of love, some of them are full of hesitate, some of them are full of kindness, some of them are full of coldblooedness. They betray others naturally, and express the real love any time. As parents of Caroline, they are failing. Neither parent having much affection for the other, or interest in the children. Her father thinks women are no station in the society, and he just wants to manage his business better. His family is no value. Her mother is a beautiful woman, but she is so selfness that she only consider her eager, she loved the man for a long time, but the man is not her father. She gives a wrong birth to Caroline, lets her become a girl who has a cool but no ability man. None of them are responsible. Olivia is her elder sister, but she is restricted by the rules. She obeys the rules, and live in a comfortable life that she thinks. Olivia has no grave personality, but the real love between she and Caroline is existed forever. At the end, she get married with a man who just stares at her property, and dies in a poor way. Everything happened on her, is so natural. But whats wrong with the behavior of Olivia, she gets the rules, and obeys the rules. Why her result is so unbelievable. Maybe it blames to the rules.The mysterious Paul Landower, has a family which owns the other large manor in the area, but their funds and the building are in ruins. It looks as though they will have to sell. For the property that her ancestor leaves to him, he gets married with a vain woman who just likes to ask about other peoples secrets and finally dies for the curiosity. Although he has been married, he loves caroline so long and so much. He never give up, I think just because of his spirit moves Caroline. In my opinion, he also becomes a successful man. Caroline Tressidor is the second daughter of a wealthy, upstanding man. Their home in Victorian London is strained. Caroline is the smarter of the two girls, always questioning, dreaming, and seeing what her sister Olivia misses. And her mother often takes them to meet her lover. Finally, Caroline lets slip to her father that they have been spending time with the man who is her real father and her mothers lover. And then the world as she knew it shifts violently. Mother leaves. Caroline is sent away from London to live in the country with the ogre Cousin Mary. Though essentially banned from her home, she soon settles into life in Cornwall. The wild moors, the peopleBefore anything is certain, Caroline is called back to London. yet somehow her father never orders them to make her ready. Months go by. And Caroline takes matters into her own handsshe contrives a way to go to a masked event, and winds up the apple of some young gentlemans eye. Yet she never forgets Paul Landower, the brooding, noble heir As the leading lady, caroline has showed that her personality, such as her grave, naturally, ignorance of the rules of the society. I am sincerely moved by the most special aspects, break out the rules and stand by her spirit. She can ignore anything, but just do things that satisfied with herself. Now, in the society, how many people can be like her?Although there are many unfortunate thing happening everyday, what you care about? The policy, the friends, the lover, the life level Maybe you have been lost the society, or, in other word, you have been suitable with the society. Narrowing the sight, we pay attention to our life, our relationship. Can we keep kind and real love between friends and lover