Flight of the Heron read-along: Part IV chapters 5-6

[regshoe]

I'm afraid real life is being stressful at the moment and I'm feeling a bit frazzled, so no comment from me today—but here's the post, so others can start on the discussion. :)

Next week we'll read chapter 7, the final chapter of Part IV.

Comments

[killclaudio]

Sorry to hear things are stressful, I hope they improve soon! ♥

That he had personally attracted the English soldier would never have occurred to him. [...] ...this young man, to whom he had been so unusually attracted... What can I even say to this??

This section was great! And I know I say this on every post, but poor Keith! The guy just can't catch a break. My heart sank as Sir Everard started talking, I could sense what was coming... But of course it provides more delicious opportunities for Keith to pick Ewen over his career. :D

The minor characters continue to be a delight - I loved 'the exquisite Captain Ferrers' (who felt like he's come out of a Heyer novel), and Albemarle's reminiscences about Lady Stowe, and Sir Everard Faulkner sounds very cosmopolitan. (The description made me think he might have been a real person, but when I googled I only got results for FotH?)

Now that I've seen more of Captain Greening, I agree with the previous discussion that all the descriptions of him as 'womanish' are very uncomfortable. All the other minor characters have their own reasons for doing what they do, but Greening seems to be more of a plot device to get Ewen to accidentally confess. There's no depth to him, so he just sort of defaults to an unpleasant stereotype.

Speaking of evil minor characters, Major Guthrie! I'll never be able to read the scene where Keith tells him everything again, knowing what destruction he manages to cause with the information. Please tell me someone gets to punch him in the face before the end, I'd find that very cathartic.

I can't wait for Keith and Ewen's meeting next week. But if I've counted right, this will be the last...? Noooo!

[luzula]

Yes, those two uses of the word "attract" are very gratifying to the reader!

Sir Everard Faulkner is a real person, but the reason you can't find him is because Broster misspelled his name--it's supposed to be Fawkener. Or maybe her version is a variation that also exists, I don't know.

No one has yet written fic where Guthrie gets his comeuppance! The field is wide open. : D

[owl]

Yeah, lots of variations on Faulkner/Fawkner/Falconer etc. Fun fact, the Scottish Falconers are a sept of...Clan Keith.

[luzula]

Ha! Everything is tied together... : )

[sanguinity]

I am flatly amazed that the field is still wide open on that. The whole time Keith was gonna find Guthrie and duel the everlasting shit out of him, I was chanting FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT under my breath.

We're possibly past the point where problems would be solved by murdering the shit out of Guthrie? But nevertheless, I propose this solution: murder the shit out of Guthrie.

[cahn]

Yes, those two uses of the word "attract" are very gratifying to the reader!

You speak truth! <3

[hyarrowen]

That he had personally attracted the English soldier would never have occurred to him. [...] ...this young man, to whom he had been so unusually attracted... What can I even say to this?

I think DKB is going for 'charmingly modest' here, but honestly Ewen is coming across as a bit oblivious to me. Someone like you, Ewen are you so very accustomed to this that you can't recognise it in an opponent? :/

[luzula]

I dunno, I do think Ewen being oblivious about his charms is a consistent part of his character! Think about him with Lady Stowe in GitN, for example.

[hyarrowen]

It's definitely a part of his character but he shouldn't take people's affection for him for granted! Least of all Keith's. :/

[regshoe]

Good point about the weakness of Greening's lack of motivation (especially compared to Guthrie), although I think given the historical context we perhaps don't need very much justification for a Hanoverian officer being absolutely horrible to his defeated enemies.

Broster's minor characters are one of the most consistently enjoyable features of all her books, and we do get some good ones here. :D

What can I even say to this??

:D It's such an unexpected, unaccountable thing... what are the reasons in matters of the heart?... Seriously, nice spot that parallel. Aargh.

I can't wait for Keith and Ewen's meeting next week. But if I've counted right, this will be the last...? Noooo!

They're counting too! We shall have to see...