Book Review: "Madly, Deeply" by Alan Rickman

It's not often that I come across a book such as this. "Madly, Deeply" is undoubtedly one of the most unusual and interesting things I have read. It's a rare invitation into the mind of Alan Rickman and contains so many personal thoughts and opinions. Some initial thoughts before I get started:

1. Truly, this is not written in your usual prose. It is specifically Alan's journals, i.e. essentially a day-to-day recap as he goes through the years.

 2. There is some speculation on whether this book was 'wanted' by AR, if he wanted his journals to be published or not. However, the forward is written by a close friend, Emma Thompson, and the afterword by his loving soulmate, Rima Horton. 

 3. Some have found this really hard to get through and therefore abandon it before finishing. The style is not for everyone!

I received this as a Christmas gift from my sweet SIL (thanks, Miriam!), who is equally obsessed with HP as I am. I couldn't wait to dive into it. What I wasn't expecting is that it would take me 6 weeks to read! Granted, I have a new baby in the house so my reading time was limited to a small amount before bed, but still, I usually whiz through books at a quick pace.

As stated above, it really is a day planner of sorts. Recaps of Alan's daily to-do's, people he dined with, rehearsals and performances. Sprinkled throughout these, however, are great opinions and judgements of people, events, etc. He speaks well of those he holds in high regards, and subtly displays his disapproval of others. It is hard not to read in his voice, especially if you're imagining Severus Snape the entire time. 

The main thing I loved is that he is utterly and unapologetically himself. One can openly see that acting and directing is his true passion, and that he is more than his most famous roles. He consistently worked with RADA (his former acting school) on projects and decisions, and kept close knit relationships with other passionate actors and actresses. He valued true acting, throwing yourself into a character and working through kinks to make the stories come alive. 

Something I was disappointed about was that his original journals contain beautiful drawings by Alan. Whimsical and colorful, there are a few examples in the book and inside covers, but I wish there were more showcased. 

It was an honor to read his words. I hope this books finds similar emotions from those who read it. 

❤ | C