Laura > Recent Status Updates

The incident with Esteban Yanes - my response - to lose my high esteem for Berta, but to understand also why she doesn't meet him. But also more importantly how the 'dead' are frozen in time, in appearance. Esteban's appearance makes Berta consider all the possibilities of change in Tomás - both appearance, behaviour and internally. The possibility also of her not wanting him either - 7 years+ since they parted.

It is Berta's story - and for that alone I respect the writer - so far. Another 165 pages to go!

Berta argues from Henry V - the King is the infiltrator - the spy amongst his men. When a soldier argues with the disguised king he is later confronted. Berta says the means were false, the King is wrong - he should pardon the soldier. But even I can see a hole. Shouldn't the soldier know to keep his opinions to himself - trust no-one - especially in war. Captain Fluellen switches sides because both are possible.

In front of Berta - Tomás changes his voice. The dangers of disguise - he is hiding behind this voice - just as Berta identified the various prime ministers hiding behind a veil of not knowing - what has been carried out in their name. The utter loss of accountability. The same thing my partner does when he pretends he doesn't understand me or denies he said something - subterfuge. The resort of the weak - IMHO.

The book has simply become a polemic between husband and wife. Tomás asserting on one side the necessity of his secret work and Berta on the other asserting that he is no "different from what the sociales did here. They too devoted themselves to preventing what, for the Franco regime, would have been tragedies. They, too infiltrated and betrayed. And actions can't be erased." P. 265
My thoughts exactly.

I'm a little surprised at the detail, and slow place. Perhaps I'm so used to the spy genre - Le Carre and Mick Herron, even Graham Greene - that we know all the inns and outs - and Marias seems to be covering a lot of "old" ground? This is the feminist version - the wife at home version - Herstory as opposed to His-story? The fun version has been left behind - in the pub - with the boys Tom, T and B.

The interview between Tupra and Tomas + B - funny initially but feeling laboured as it progressed. Many parallels with Saramago's The Double. Nice explanation of the omniscient narrator - the same reasoning I used in my review of Colwin's Happy All the Time - the omniscient voice is bland/ neutral. Tupra points out - 'we believe and trust him because he has no name'. It's a rather powerful perspective.

Enjoying this despite the v male perspective.
The description of Tupra - p. 99 - his lips !
And the Eliot lines - utterly brilliant.

Misty and Vincent's wedding - and then a rather wide segue into Uncle Bernie - the families of both - the history - and thus a survey of American pioneers. A fairly radial move from the intimate New York couple life - of our main players - Guido and Holly / Vincent and Misty. I suspect Misty - is our author.

Ah - this is what books are for. I've been reminded of a moment in my life - of how I once felt and behaved. And how nothing is finished.

Reading this is like entering Heaven.

p. 20 I made a note - how does T know that the moustache his double wears in the film - is real? It could be a stick on. This point in T's thinking causes him to spiral into a universe of his double doing things, or things happening to him at exactly the same time they happen to T. P. 191 - the double - Antonio says he shaved off his natural beard and used a stick on for that particular film 5 years ago - Ha.

I'm enjoying this now - having gotten to the bottom of Tertuliano's ridiculous and flawed jumps in his reasoning. In the beginning I had a kind of brain pain - which I realise was because I had assumed our character was a sensible and intelligent and rational - that's my mistake. I suppose as readers we have a tendency to assume that an author's m.c. will have some or many of his own qualities - that's a mistake.

Reluctantly admitting that this has for some time now - not holding my attention. I think the scope is too narrow, too detailed, too much info about the long since Harry. The bitterness of that is infusing the present with it's bile - maybe that's the point; I'll have to plough on - to the end.

This is SO GOOD. Savouring every sentence and I mean every, single sentence - delicious - food for the mind.

I'm loving this book. There is so much of my own family's history in it.

Ok - finished. Now I see. Stunning really because it's exactly what Gilbert Markham does over Helen Graham in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. He's still ignorant and stupid but - there are extenuating circumstances - a man in the throes of passion - and like Gilbert, Joe waits it out - and everything falls into place. Remarkable really - as the writers who know - there are only a very few plots - is it 6?

A very problematic section - page 174 exposing male arrogance, prejudice and ignorance in Joe Allston our 'charming' narrator. I don't know how the story will play out - but at this point I'm fuming - on behalf of the countess. There are some really disgusting and offensive observations concerning Joe's appraisal and curiosity into something on which he is utterly ignorant !!

strabismus - means cross-eyed or having a squint.

Visit plus lunch at Ørebyslot - hilarious!
Some brilliant writing and descriptions of Grandmamá, and the ladies and then Count Eigil - a complete contrast to their decorum.

Also - making fun of Americans in Europe - search for origins - scathing observations of the old world - the nobility - again brought up short with Eigil's model farm and superb production.

" ...a monitory tone ..."
In 2 minds about Stegner - I recognise the charm - exuded by a successful white male... yet I find myself agreeing with many of his observations. He's familiar territory - and I know why.

I will reserve judgement. Also a revelation in that he is responsible for the National Parks - to preserve and protect a national heritage. Probably on my lit. and environment course back in '95 at TCNJ.

Allston fell out with his son - feels guilty because he may - he did show contempt for Curt's way of life - a La Jolla beach-bum in the 50s. As Joe says: "he didn't put the work in - just took - content to see life as all pleasure." And I can understand how that might conflict with Joe - oops Stegner's work ethic - sounds exactly like my dad, although I am most certainly not a beach-bum. I objected to 'shit-work'.

- a quisling - ? in relation to the countess's husband

"... a most steatopygous behind."