Leah Watson's Bookshelf by Leah W

Summary

lw761 — 2023-09-11 16:08:43 UTC

In these two chapters, Doctor Thorne learns that his niece's other uncle, Roger Scatcherd, has made him the executor of his estate. Inside of his will he has stipulated that if something should happen to his son, his only heir, then the bulk of his estate, which includes $200K, will go to his sister's first born child, which just so happens to be Doctor Thorne's niece Mary. Doctor Thorne spends the bulk of the remaining chapters going back and forth debating on whether he should tell Roger about this development.

My Reactions

lw761 — 2023-09-11 16:08:43 UTC

The way Trollope continues to add dimension to the story through multiple plot lines always impresses me, but this one in particular I was surprised by. I knew that Mary would need to inherit in some way so that she could be with her obvious future man, Frank Gresham the younger, but I truly did not know how it was going to happen. I am curious to know if Roger Scatcherd, her unknown uncle, will come to be known to her or if he will die before she or Doctor Thorne can make him aware of the situation.

Impact Statement

lw761 — 2023-09-11 16:08:43 UTC

Doctor Thorne's internal struggle in regard to the future well-being of his niece and the seemingly underhanded way it might occur contributes to his upstanding character.

Summary

lw761 — 2023-09-15 16:11:15 UTC

In the first chapter, we get to meet the main chracter Count Rostov. He is being escorted to his abode by army personel. The count is being relocated and has to pick belongings htat he wantsto bring to his new room. The count starts to reminisce on this room and we learn a lot about his character. In his new room, the Count throws a small gathering with some of the hotel staff and shows how personable his character is.

My reactions

lw761 — 2023-09-15 16:14:59 UTC

During this chapter, I would say I was more intrigued by the Count than anything. I wanted to know more about who he is as a character. I was though a little confused about the flashbacks, but I think after re-reading, it made more sense.

Impact statement

lw761 — 2023-09-15 16:19:07 UTC

Count Rosotv can be seen as a personable person though his flashbacks and his party throwing skills. He seems to be well liked by the staff at where he resides and makes jokes even when being escorted by millitary personnel.

Summary

lw761 — 2023-09-20 16:05:57 UTC

In this chapter, it begins with the Count thinking of a day walking in town and dining at a cafe. He then switches to his reality where a hotel staff member is serving him his breakfast. He then asks this boy to relay a note for him when the hotel lobby cat goes in to his room. He treats this cat in a very friendly way. With the cat still in the room he begins to rearrange. While moving his room around, he begins to remenence on his sister Helena and misses her dearly. He then receives a guest who turns up to be a banker. The count gives him a gold coin to inspect and he mentions that Count was a poet. Towards the end of the chapter, the count visits a resturant in the hotel that is balling on a budget and the count notices the ham has kennel and not sage. At the very end, he finds that his notes were recived as he had new sheets, soap, and a dessert.

My reactions

lw761 — 2023-09-20 16:08:20 UTC

During this chapter, I felt remorse for the Count. It was sad how he was imagining his old life and how he missed his sister.

Impact statement

lw761 — 2023-09-20 16:10:11 UTC

Count Rosotv being stuck in a hotel room makes him start to ponder about things. He thinks of his sister and his day to day before he was ordered to stay in the hotel. I think he is starting to get lonely.

Summary

lw761 — 2023-09-21 16:14:13 UTC

This chapter was a very short chapter. It started out with the Count getting ready for the day and eagerly waiting for 12pm. He reads a book but keep glancing at the clock because he is so excited for what is to come. The hotel is described and a barbershop is mentioned and is where Count is going. He is getting a haircut nd someone starts to make a fuss with the barber and the Count.

My reactions

lw761 — 2023-09-21 16:15:03 UTC

Honeslty, I didnt really think much of this chapter. It was just the Count getting a haircut so maybe I was confused on why they added that in to there.

Impact statement

lw761 — 2023-09-21 16:18:25 UTC

The Count lives in a very elegant hotel. Inside the hotel are resturants and even a barbershop. The Count recives a haircut but was interuppted by a fussy man.

Summary

lw761 — 2023-10-02 16:16:19 UTC

This was again another shorter chapter. It begins by introducing another resturant in the hotel that was very elegant before the war. However, in the Counts opinion the resturant basically went downhill after the war. This makes him pretty sad. He then is joined by a young girl to which they start conversing of duels. Then the Count finds himself at a bar where he starts talking about duels again.

My reactions

lw761 — 2023-10-02 17:43:37 UTC

I think that I am startingto piece together the puzzle that is this book. There are a lot of hints that I think are foreshadowing but Im not sure yet. I also think that the little girl who joined Count for supper was the little girl mentioned on thesummary on the back of the book.

Impact statement

lw761 — 2023-10-02 17:45:20 UTC

A new character is introduced which will soon become the person that the whole book is based off of.

Summary

lw761 — 2023-10-06 16:18:50 UTC

In this chapter, the Count gets an invitation from the girl (Nina) mentioned in the last chapter for tea. Nina says that she wants to be a princess and the Count tells her stories of princesses.

Reactions

lw761 — 2023-10-10 16:16:31 UTC

I thought that this chapter was extremley wholesome and sweet. It was nostolgic to me because a a little girl, I wanted to be a princess.

Impact Statement

lw761 — 2023-10-10 16:17:41 UTC

The Count is very respectful towards people of all classes. Nina is a young girl who has big dreams of becoming a princess.

Summary

lw761 — 2023-10-24 16:17:07 UTC

In this chapter, Count finds out that Nina's father is an ambassador posted to Moscow and her mother does not take her out on outings and she isnt in school. He also find out that she knows a lot more about the hotel than Count. SHe takes him around showing him small rooms all about. When get got back to his room he deiscovered a secret room within his suite and made it his private study.

Reactions

lw761 — 2023-10-24 16:18:13 UTC

I thought that this chapter was also very bitter sweet but it made me sad how Nina isnt in school and her parents basically dont care about her.

Impact Statement

lw761 — 2023-10-24 16:20:33 UTC

Nina's family doesnt give her the time of day so she starts to turn to Count as a parental figure.