Reading Response - Book Report/Review Example

Reading Response for Isak Dinesen’s Seven Gothic Tales Isak Dinesen’s Seven Gothic Tales Isak Dinesen’s Seven Gothic Tales is a remarkable piece done in a romantic style of writing. The romance form of stories that characterized the nineteenth century drew me to the stories collection. Even so, the topic is a misnomer because there are more than seven tales in the book, which contains tales interwoven inside tales. A singular story ends up with so many twists that a reader is lost in another tale while still in the first tale.

The complexity of the plots makes it difficult to make a thematic analysis. Even so, her psychological approach and her heedful use of language ensure an extraordinary plot and inset stories that make the whole piece of literature a good read. After reading the book, I had an enlightened opinion of Isak Dinesen’s creativity. Most of the stories she presents have a creative aspect that is unseen in other authors. For instance, although the twists in "The Deluge at Norderney" are varied, it creates a world of pure creation and imagination that one can hide in shortly, far away from ordinary life realities.

Similarly, from the story of "The Monkey", the fight between human physicality and spirituality is evident. This was exceptionally interesting for me as I related the challenges that existed in that era about the existence of religious superpowers. It is a revelation on the murky world of religion, albeit at a romantic level. Even so, some of the stories are considerably boring. One in particular is "The Roads Round Pisa", because the paragraphs fail to interrelate with each other. I believe the language flow in this story is downright stupid and does not reflect well with the artistic talent that Dinesen holds.

All the same, it maintains a sense of mystery and ambiguity that coerces one to continue reading and uncover the true meaning of the plot. Moving forward, there are several other lessons that made me enjoy the book and her interweaving of language. "Supper at Elsinore" signifies the romanticism of idealism and narcissism. It creates an optimistic touch on the past and interconnects it with the future. Dinesen’s mastery of interconnecting the insignificant past with the early 1900s when she wrote the book is breathtaking.

Her artistic form of representation presents stories that are more real than everyday reality. They represent the society because even in life, there are several twists that shape human existence and interactions. The book, Seven Gothic Tales confirms Isak Dinesen as a literary giant. Her fiction exemplifies the last outreach of magic. Her stories are set in the past, so far away, that readers do not explore the concept of realism. This makes it a great piece of literature because it does not confirm to the normal forms of realism and naturalism that several authors employ.

The world she presents is simply in her imagination, hence the strangeness of her stories, which have imprudent, but refreshingly fascinating tales. Most people, me included, are disinterested in time-bound stories that seek to offer a moral lesson, or confine to a particular generation. At times, it is just good to wander off and read a timeless story with strange plot twists for the sake of entertainment. ReferenceDinesen, I. (1991). Seven Gothic Tales. New York: Vintage Books.