Status Updates From The Brightest Day, the Dark...

Wow. The description of the horror of war is so vivid. At one point I was going to put the book down just because I was terrified Lavelle was going to die and I couldn't bear it. A bleak read, but one that affects and educates.

If Lavelle does it will be too much. That one step of misery too far for me.

The text on page 455 of my edition is horribly disjointed, missing words and punctuation. Very confusing to read.

I just hate everything to do with the Labiche family and their plantation. I wish the story would move away from there. I know it's all part of the historical setting and relevant as a way of life that is about to die, but still.

The killing of the hog and dissecting it - gross - and I'm not sure what purpose it served other than to further confirm that Lucretia Labiche is a cold hearted bitch.

Not the author's fault but the book was littered with spelling errors and even one paragraph was printed twice. Louisa was referred to as Louise at one point and the surname 'Labiche' became 'Lebiche' then 'Labiche' then 'Lebiche' again within the space of two pages!

The futility and brutality of war is so well conveyed. The ordinary man is just cannon fodder. Those in power never risking life or limb and profiting from war in their grand houses. The whole 'honour' and 'freedom' thing is a crick used to manipulate people into joining up. Be a gallant hero. A dead gallant hero.

Poor Lavelle. Emmeline Labiche and her mother Lucretia are vipers. I hope some canon destroys their house.

At this point in proceedings the bright days are very thin on the ground. So much overwhelming tragedy and despair. And yet the dogged belief in God and His vision remains intact.

Very upsetting part of the book. All of the main players are involved - Patrick, Stephen, Lavelle, Mary and Louisa. I shed a few tears reading Chapters 62-64.
I'm still not very impressed with Stephen. Mary's dogged belief in the god's greater purpose amidst all the misery irritates me more than anything. Poor Lavelle. That man deserves better than the lot he's been given.

Keep thinking about Oxy. Might need to go back and re-read all the passages with Oxy in them and look for clues.

Poor Oxy. The revelation of his secret stunned me. I cannot stand Emmeline and hope that either Patrick soon realises what a waste of space she is, or the nasty piece of work dumps him for one of the Yankee gentlemen she's mentioned in her letters. I have no doubt the vapid little bitch will. Oh, and I hope her father takes a bullet to the head too. I now hate Stephen as well!

Ok. Just got to the Mother of Sorrows - Mick Liddy bit. Too much! Not needed!

Bloody Emmeline. I can't stand her or any of the horrible Labiche family. I hate that Patrick and Oxy are fighting for the confederate south. And Stephen Joyce - I'm not impressed with his stewardship of Patrick and Oxy, dragging them into the war. His own motives and ambitions are very suspect.

I'm really loving the multi-character point of view approach of this book. Right now it's Patrick's point of view and it's great to get an insight into his thinking. I've felt slightly detached from Patrick in the previous two books.