Vivian > Recent Status Updates

On hold until I finish Ten Years Later, almost skipped one.

Another pick from a random pile of books in the house. Though this one came with a wooden bookmark--quite attractive.

Raoul you little charmer, and Cardinal Mazarin being thrown under the bus for selling titles, so the argument of worth and class being debated.

In an attempt to thwart the ever-present piles of books that I somehow try to convince myself is not a problem I have begun just picking up a random one from which ever room I'm in at the time. Yes, piles in every room--
Every room.

So far it's fine. The book, not the piles.

This shuffled in superbly with my D'Artagnan romances as a bookclub read of historical significance. Will review after meeting.

Just when I think Dumas can't possibly keep it going--he does.

Athos really does have a Don Quixotesque quality to him.

Cardinal Mazarin is really just terrible. Young Lous XIV has access to no money and lives in impoverished environs while Mazarin lives like a king and rules like one.

Ahhh. . . this was much more contemporary romance elements. Raoul, you endearing little charmer, so like your father.

There is one twist in this book which takes it from meh to very good--I was not expecting it.

RTC

To be honest, being under the scaffolding of Charles I beheading sounds a bit gruesome. Poor Athos.

I started this and stopped after 13 pages. Took a break and started again, much better, but the start is slow and very interior male mind.

Looks like the team is back together again.

Very good, but somber not depressing.

RTC

Somber, but very interesting. This is turning out to be a good pick.

I feel the cyclical nature of this and how history is like that, I guess Dumas writing a generation after the Revolution, in which his father fought made this intentional--the same tensions and ideas clashing until war starts.

Athos is still the most fabulous character.

The introduction with Cardinal Mazarin's point of view was a bit off putting since it made D'Artagnan seem like a marionette, but it has much improved and just sailing along as he tries to get the gang back together again.

Way more than any movie adaptation I've seen portrayed. Athos' backstory is particularly tragic. This won't replace The Count of Monte Cristo in my heart, but I am now on a quest to read all of the D'Artagnan romances--see you if a couple thousand pages :)

PS. They think they just located his grave in Maastricht.

RTC

I love the time-coded comments, like the reference to SAD, seasonal affected disorder. Clearly, people knew about it just didn't call it what we did.

So enjoyable with some really fun unexpected things, like a theological argument between Aramis and a Jesuit cardinal.

So entertaining and amusing; Alcibiades led me to this. Same vibe different time.

Fabulous, of course, but is it weird to wish there was more gardening? *sigh*

Cracking good start.

This was interesting. . .

It was very good. I'll try to noodle something together.

I went into this with not the highest of expectations--I think the cutesy cover fed into my doubts, but so far, it's good.

It hasn't enter Mill on the Floss territory, yet, but it is very long-winded. Interesting but character driven, not plot.