regshoe: Close-up of a grey heron, its beak open as if laughing (Heron 2)
[personal profile] regshoe
:D

That Night in the Hut.

Next week we'll read the first two chapters of Part IV.

Date: Nov. 20th, 2021 07:03 pm (UTC)
philomytha: airplane flying over romantic castle (Default)
From: [personal profile] philomytha
ALL the hurt/comfort! I practically know this chapter by heart, if that's not a too embarrassing admission, but I reread it a lot as a teenager. Broster really knows what she's about here - the undercurrent of Keith's embarrassment and shame around what he's already said to Guthrie and what he then ends up asking Ewen without meaning it that way - it adds some salt to the sweetness of how he's nursing Ewen. You can see how much she's learned as a writer since The Wounded Name, where the hurt/comfort is turned up several more notches but in a way that leaves a little too much of the author's id on the table, and the problem of honour is a lot more forced. Here Keith's awkwardness and his dilemma feel incredibly real, and it balances out the rest of it well.

I love the ending, too, with Keith riding away and realising how much he hopes someone will be along to rescue Ewen before Guthrie gets to him, though his sense of honour prevents him from arranging the rescue directly. Had Ewen been rescued, I expect Keith would have been suspected anyway.

And I missed last week's discussion, but it has my favourite minor character, Lt Paton, who doesn't like extreme measures and is willing to argue that he couldn't disobey Keith if he gets into trouble - he's a sweetheart.

Date: Nov. 20th, 2021 08:21 pm (UTC)
luzula: a Luzula pilosa, or hairy wood-rush (Default)
From: [personal profile] luzula
Totally agree that Broster has learned some things since The Wounded Name! Salt to the sweetness, yes. Keith is not Laurent, the adoring puppy-dog...

And I missed last week's discussion, but it has my favourite minor character, Lt Paton, who doesn't like extreme measures and is willing to argue that he couldn't disobey Keith if he gets into trouble - he's a sweetheart.

Oh, you should check out the fic that [personal profile] hyarrowen recently posted! It has Lieutenant Paton in it. : ) (Also it has spoilers for the end of the book, in case anyone reads this who hasn't finished it.)

Date: Nov. 20th, 2021 09:10 pm (UTC)
osprey_archer: (Default)
From: [personal profile] osprey_archer
I love Lt. Paton's "Well I couldn't disobey a STAFF OFFICER" rules lawyering. Clearly he's delighted to have an excuse to thumb his nose at Guthrie, as who would not be?

Date: Nov. 20th, 2021 10:36 pm (UTC)
killclaudio: Benedick is holding Beatrice back while she struggles with him, on an orange background with crossed swords. (Default)
From: [personal profile] killclaudio
Lt Paton was lovely! It was really sweet of him to sacrifice his shirt as a bandage, and it says yet more bad things about Guthrie's character that his junior officers would dislike him.

Date: Nov. 21st, 2021 06:04 am (UTC)
cahn: (Default)
From: [personal profile] cahn
Oh, I missed last week too, and yes to Lt. Paton with all his "welp, I couldn't possibly disobey, right?!" :D He was super cute!

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