finished pere goriot. i'm glad i stuck with it even though remembering the french names was a struggle. it was pretty emotionally intense and melodramatic which was funny to me since the author being the benchmark ili was what piqued my interest in the first place. at a couple points i was like "omg just give the characters a break already." thoughtful and cynical and heartbreaking. i'd recommend it.

i'm currently trudging through the importance of being earnest by oscar wilde even though its only a little over a hundred pages (which is why i'm intent on just getting it over with). there are some really clever moments but the whole tone of the thing is so proud and "ho ho look how witty and cute i am, wink wink!" that its just kind of annoying.

when i wrap up that one i've had love in the time of cholera by gabriel marcia marquez on the backburner for awhile.