Thanks to Melissa at One Librarian’s Book Reviews for doing this unique and fun challenge (You can sign up here). I love reading classics and Young Adult, so this challenge seemed made for me :)
Here’s the challenge in a nutshell:
Essentially, the Classic Double Challenge will encourage you to read one older book (classic) and a newer book that relates to the older one in some way.
I’m going for the Small level of 2 books because I’ve got some rather ambitious books that I’m planning to read. You ready?
- The Mortal Instrument Series (Books 1-3) by Cassandra Clare
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
I KNOW. I get nervous just looking at the title of Paradise Lost. We’re talking 350 pages of epic poetry written in 1667. And for my newer “book” I’m actually going to re-read the first THREE books in The Mortal Instrument Series (City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass). Cassandra Clare mentions Paradise Lost as a source she used for angel mythology and the character, Jace, mentions that he’s read it several times and even quotes it in one of the books. I’ve been wanting to read Paradise Lost for a long time and I hope this challenge helps me get through it this time! I only made it 20 pages last time before I quit. But if Jace can read it, then so can I!
The main reason that I’m reading three books instead of one is because Paradise Lost is mentioned the most in The City of Glass, which is the third book and I can’t read the third book in the series without reading the first two. :)
I plan on writing a post after I’ve read them both to tell you how Paradise Lost changed or influenced my reading in any way of The Mortal Instrument Series.
Oh, and if my wildest dreams came true I would want to ask Cassandra Clare the following questions:
- How did Paradise Lost influence The Mortal Instrument Series (Especially the first three books in the series)?
- What do you think readers would gain from your books if they read Paradise Lost?
- Have you read Paradise Lost? What did you like the most about it?
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
What a good idea! It does sound ambitious, but I think you can do it. I’d forgotten the Paradise Lost tie-in with those books, now I’m intrigued by what you’ll find in the comparison. Yeah!