Retro Reads discussion

"The night wind, blowing strongly off the land, carried the daytime stench of refuse and sewage out to sea, and only a faint fragrance of cloves and orange blossom reached the roof of the City Palace..."

Hero was obviously not very good at reading people, but she happened to get it right the prince this time.

Hana wrote: ""The night wind, blowing strongly off the land, carried the daytime stench of refuse and sewage out to sea, and only a faint fragrance of cloves and orange blossom reached the roof of the City Pala..."

Doesn't Kaye make you feel like you're right there?

I love watching Rory and Hero interact with each other. Or should I say when he shows her how misguided her attempts at do-gooding are.

I love MM Kate's descriptions. She really makes you feel like you're there.

Dorcas wrote: "I love MM Kate's descriptions. She really makes you feel like you're there."

I agree here Dorcas. I had never read any MM Kaye before I did Far Pavilions with the group here. I am now addicted!

Kathy, they're the kind of books that I hide away and savor, knowing there's a limited number of them I don't want to read them all at once. I feel that I need to prolong that "first read " experience for as long as possible. Its a kooky thing to do but i think most bookaholics understand :)

I love the descriptions!

On the character/plot front Hero is finally starting to wake up and smell the cloves (and a few other less savory things!) and I'm also glad she realizes her own culpability as things blow out of control.

Amy C.C. wrote: "Hero was obviously not very good at reading people, but she happened to get it right the prince this time."

Yes! And it's about time!

Hana wrote: "Amy C.C. wrote: "Hero was obviously not very good at reading people, but she happened to get it right the prince this time."

Yes! And it's about time!"

Since the rebelling prince, she started to read people better gradually, and that led to (view spoiler)[her finding the truth about Clayton. It'd be even more convincing if there were some descriptions of her suspecting Frost was telling the truth right before the raping.

Hero was obviously quite depressed after learning to read people and the world better. Pity that there's not much description about it, for Kaye always stated "Hero has been quiet lately" while having given Frost lots of description of what's in his mind. (hide spoiler)]

I found it interesting when Hero said to Cressy " Any man who could permit himself to be used in such a mannor is no better than a hired bravo, and the sooner you forget about him the better." At this point she didn't see that SHE was the one that was being used and her words could just as easily been applied to herself as to Dan.

Its surprising to me that the person that I find the most likable in this book is Rory when on the surface he should be the most unlikable. Hero's holier than thou attitude didn't bother me at first but I'm finding it pretty insufferable at this point and hope she calms down in the second half of the book. I enjoy the interaction between Hero and Rory but don't think *she* deserves him at this point.

Stephanie wrote: "I found it interesting when Hero said to Cressy " Any man who could permit himself to be used in such a mannor is no better than a hired bravo, and the sooner you forget about him the better." At t..."

I imagine it reflected some of Kaye's thoughts. She never cared much for conformity and could tell whether something is truly moral or just being regarded so by certain people. It definitely has something to do with her having stayed in various countries since childhood, while she learned about different cultures and perspectives. Things taken for granted in a culture could be quite unusual in another.

Stephanie wrote: "Hero's holier than thou attitude didn't bother me at first but I'm finding it pretty insufferable at this point and hope she calms down in the second half of the book...."

I had much the same reaction to Hero and Rory, Stephanie. Hero seemed like a loose cannon much of the time and Rory, while something of a rake, was at least pragmatic.

Rory is a cynical realist. Hero's idealism is at one level much simpler to understand, but it doesn't really take into account the complexities of the world she finds herself in. It's also a matter of life experience, she has actually been exposed to a very narrow slice of the world which was pretty typical for women in that era - aunt Abigail is a good example.

I'm really enjoying this book, because it reminds me of why I loved historical fiction as a kid. When I hear people say, "I never learned that kind of history in school," I'm always shocked that people think history is what you learn in school. Any reader worth her salt knew better than that at a very early age.

I hadn't thought about just what and why the French needed slaves at this late date. Once again, follow the money...