A Perfect Wonder of Licentious Elegance
20 Feb
So I finished Vanity Fair faster than I expected considering its rather intimidating size and that I really only got about halfway through in India. I always expect the first two weeks after returning to be filled with trying to catch up with life again (stuff I meant to do before I left, people I meant to talk to before I left, restocking the pantry and fridge, soothing Lucy the Mutant Cat’s injured sense of dignity, etc.), so I never think I’ll get much reading done. But when I picked it back up I couldn’t stop.
It was brilliant. It’s like Voltaire and Dickens had a freakishly beautiful lovechild. (I realize this is impossible seeing as Mr.s D and T were contemporaries. Because yes, that would be the greatest obstacle to this plan. Clearly.)
Well that isn’t very spec-ficcy is it? No. It looks like most of my reading won’t be for the next month or so though, as I prepare for a little historical action myself. I’ve previously expressed my affection for the Regency romance genre, particularly as represented by Georgette Heyer– perfect timing after finishing Vanity Fair!– and it so happens that I’ll be dealing with something 1820s-ish myself. So you know, I need to read up starting now.
(You ever see that made-for-TV movie called Frankenstein: The True Story? It’s amazing, in a terrible way. Anyhow, I was totally inspired by that, but I’ll have even more death and violence, sarcastic Regency romance elements, and… Philadelphia. I don’t know, just go with me on this. It’ll be fun.
And yes, all my monster novels take inspiration directly from weird ass 70s remakes. Langella as Dracula makes me giddy, say what you will!)
But first, there is much editing to be done on other projects. I’m sure I’ll bother you all about that later.
(Oh wait, not enough parentheticals in this post yet. One more! That about does it, I think.)
Anyhow, we must venture out of the speculative for our reading now and again, right? Where do you go when you’re out of your chosen writing genre(s)*?
*Disclaimer: The author of this post heartily approves of genre bending and wouldn’t try to imply otherwise.
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Now playing: Mozart – No 12: Wie? wie? wie?
posted with FoxyTunes
Funny…we’re hanging out watching Netflix Watch It Now stuff tonight, and I just opted out of the next movie, episode 2 of Vanity Fair, to come and write for a couple of hours.
Weird timing, that! Sounds like something I should look into though. I watched the Mira Nair version on the plane and it was absolute… pants, I think, is the word I want. Pretty, but meh.
Do I have a specific writing genre to go outside of? That is the question…
No, I suppose I do. Hmm. Historic fiction, I suppose – I recently read “Lord John and the Private Matter” by Diana Gabaldon, which I recommend to you highly. Occasionally mystery/adventure, especially ones in which there’s governmental intrigue or a pseudo-historical tie-in.
Or the backs of cereal boxes, if they’re particularly witty or it’s very early in the morning. My mother used to maintain I’d read anything. She’s not far from right.
Haha, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was right, not at all.
That sounds like a good rec, and since I’m on a historical binge anyhow it’d fit right in. I feel like I’ve seen that reviewed well elsewhere too, maybe it’s about time I found out for myself. I like the occasional mystery too, actually– but I’ve not read much modern stuff in the genre. I just pull from Bala’s stockpile of Doyle and Christie.
I think it largely depends on what has crawled to the top of my “to read” stack…
I like creepy stuff and well-written historicals – and though I’ve dabbled in both, I don’t feel I can claim either as “my” genre.
That counts, right?
And by that you mean wearing another genre’s underwear, right?
Yeah Megh, I definitely shuffle around my “to read” stack regularly, depending on what I’m most in the mood for, but I TRY to go from the top. That totally counts though!
And Natalie, we’ve known each other for barely a year, yet you know me so well