Stephanie Abbott's Blog, page 5

Dispatches from Cornwall, Part 1: St. Michael’s Mount

The causeway to St. Michael’s Mount is revealed when the tide goes out. 

Hello! As you probably know (or can guess) I am busy with Bones #2, Divorce Can Be Deadly, so all future blog posts will be short and mostly just photos of my most recent pilgrimage to the Mother Ship–England.

One spot on my must-see list was St. Michael’s Mount, the ancestral home of the St. Aubyn family since the mid-1600s, now managed by the National Trust. I confess, I might have passed it up if I’d had any idea how difficult the steep stone path would be for me. I have no depth perception, a relatively new development I am still getting used to, and since I have no vision in the right eye, I find myself missing steps, tripping over uneven turf, and occasionally walking into things–walls, posts, and people. No doubt an extendable walking stick would have helped! (Next time.) As it was, Donna had to “sherpa” me up and down, and let me tell you, down was the worst by far. But I loved it. The gardens were spectacular and the inside of the castle and chapel were quite beautiful.

This is how the causeway looked when we walked back to Marazion Beach at about 4:30 pm. We took a boat that morning when the path was still under water.

One of my snapshots. (Credit: Emma Jameson, 2016)

Just one of the many beautiful flowers encountered in the gardens. (Credit: Emma Jameson, 2016)

The family cemetery. (Credit: Emma Jameson, 2016)

Donna inspects the battlements. (Credit: Emma Jameson, 2016)

A taste of the view. You can see why I made the effort. (Credit: Emma Jameson, 2016)

More pictures soon. Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Filed under: Emma Jameson, Travel, UK Tagged: #Emma Jameson, Causeway, cornwall, England, Marazion, National Trust, St. Aubyn, St. Michael's Mount, UK travel

Game of Thrones 6.6: Blood of My Blood”

That’s pretty much where we left it last week, eh? (Yes, it’s unfair, like the vast majority of memes. It’s still rather amusing.)

Bran and Meera Not surprisingly, the episode opens with them in dire straits. Bran has downloaded all of the previous Three Eyed Raven’s knowledge and is still processing it. Pursued by an army of wights, they face certain death, and then along comes — Coldhands! Many fans of the books, including me, have always assumed Coldhands was Benjen Stark, despite George R.R. Martin’s assurances otherwise. At least with regards to the show, we were right. Where will the trio turn next? Castle Black seems like the only answer.

Credit: SNL/NBC, “Westeros’s Hottest Couple”

Sam and Gilly I thoroughly enjoyed this trip to Horn Hill. Not only did Gilly clean up nice after 4+ seasons of wearing sackcloth and ashes, but she was treated with respect by Lady Tarly and Talla. Even Dickon was perfectly cordial, which surprised me. I had envisioned a no-necked Neanderthal, communicating in grunts and tossing chicken bones over his shoulder. But of course, Lord Randall was a beast. Sam’s refusal to say anything was painful to watch, yet wholly believable. And I found his inability to leave Gilly and Little Sam behind very satisfying. I’m glad he stole Heartsbane. I only wish he’d set Randall’s hall on fire on his way out.

Denied. What a shame.

Tommen and Margaery, Jaime and the High Sparrow

Well, this took a turn I never expected. Sly minx that she is, Margaery faked a total conversion so well, she spared herself the walk and probably saved Loras’s life as well. I can’t fault her; she had no way of knowing an army would show up to liberate her. And from her point of view, her maneuver may ultimately boost House Tyrell’s influence, especially if she can get Tommen to eventually declare himself Leader of the Faith and kick the High Sparrow down a flight of stairs.

Whatever Margaery has up her sleeve, the net effect is, Jaime is off to the Riverlands. And who else will be there? Why, what a coincidence–Brienne. Those of you who have embraced the idea of a Tormund/Brienne pairing won’t sway me. I’m Brienne/Jaime or nothing. So I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

Arya and Lady Crane  Early in my Thrones superfandom, I assumed Arya would lose her humanity entirely in exchange for the murderous power of a Faceless Man. Now I’m rather pleased to discover she doesn’t have the stomach for killing random folk on assignment. Now perhaps she’ll take what she’s learned and return home to Westeros. It’s fun to imagine a joyous reunion between Arya and Sansa. Ned’s ghost would be pleased.

Dany, Drogon, and the Khalasar  That was a show-stopping moment, no? Drogon is healthy again, bigger than ever, and ready to be unleashed. And it’s only episode 6 of 10. How will the season wrap? The mind boggles.

Alas, I won’t be posting an analysis of episodes 6.7 and 6.8 because I’ll be in England. Cornwall has limited connectivity, as this image reveals:

Still, I’ll post some snaps when I can, and keep writing feverishly on Divorce Can Be Deadly. Back soon!

Filed under: Emma Jameson, game of thrones, TV Tagged: Arya Stark, Benjen Stark, bloodriders, Bran Stark, Coldhands, Drogon, Game of Thrones Season 6, George R.R. Martin, Gilly, Horn Hill, jaime lannister, Margaery Tyrell, Meera Reed, Sam Tarly, Tommen

Game of Thrones 6.5: “The Door”

Last night, #HoldtheDoor was trending worldwide on Twitter. If you don’t know why, don’t read this yet.

Sansa and Littlefinger  Talk about an evolution. I was pleased to see Sansa not only castigate and threaten Littlefinger, but speak aloud about what happened to her and force him to acknowledge her words. I have the feeling she’ll never be politely silent again on an important topic again. As she said: “If you didn’t know, you’re an idiot. If you did know, you’re my enemy.” Bang. Around season 4, I had the idea Sansa might transform into a master of duplicity like Littlefinger. Now I believe her long apprenticeship with him has simply taught her how to see through liars. More on Sansa later.

“Lady Stark” vs “No One” The pacing of the Arya-in-Braavos segments have been slow for me. I loved it when she was on the road with the Hound. Every time the story cut to those two, we got a dose of violence, humor, and/or character development. But the Faceless Men segments always seem to revolve around insults and getting whacked with a stick. Now it seems like Arya is looking down the barrel of her big choice: kill a total stranger because her organization was paid to do so, or defy the order and fail for the last time.

Until last night, I believed Arya would abandon her identity and live out her days as an assassin. Now I’m not so sure. Is it a coincidence that the actors caught her up on key developments like Sansa being forced to marry Tyrion? (And by the way, as much as I liked Ned, the play’s portrayal of him as an absolute buffoon was pretty funny.) Here’s another truly fearless prediction, since I am on a massive losing streak: Arya will take her skills and her sword back to Westeros to rejoin what’s left of her family.

Bombshell: The Origin of the White Walkers I never really thought about where the Others came from. I assumed they were merely this grim world’s grimmest reality. Now we know the Children of the Forest created them in their desperation to defeat the First Men. If the Others can be created, they can be uncreated. Bran, you have your assignment.

The Kingsmoot Seems Less Moot In the books, I found the Kingsmoot sections fairly tedious, but the show condensed and simplified them beautifully. As an aside, when Euron called on his subjects to cut down every tree and build a thousand ships, I couldn’t help wondering if the Iron Islands have enough trees to construct a hundred dinghies. But never mind. Can’t get bogged down on supply-source details. That’s a slippery slope which can only lead to noticing Olly went from a boy to a young man in the space of approximately two days, or that none of these folks have access to modern dentistry, yet most have perfect teeth.

Ser Jorah, the Khaleesi, Tyrion, and Kinvara I adore Jorah’s character and the way Iain Glen plays him. I could happily listen to him read the back of a cereal box. So it was lovely to see Danaerys admit her (unromantic) love for Jorah, and command him to “heal himself.” I doubt he’ll find a cure, but if he ranges far and wide enough, he might discover something that advances the plot. Heh heh.

Meanwhile, Tyrion and Varys befriend/empower a religious fanatic, just as Cersei did in season 5. Let’s hope it works out better. Kinvara seems like trouble. Am I the only one who was disappointed when she didn’t tell Varys who spoke from the flames, or what was said?

Sansa, Part 2 Ever since Sansa finally escaped from King’s Landing, I’ve dreamed up ways she can charm, lie, or marry her way into lasting safety. I never imagined her sitting in a council of war, deciding who is a potential ally and who “can hang.” Jon is looking more and more like Ned (the hair, the new cloak, the constipated expression) but Sansa is changing into something new: the Wardeness of the North, perhaps.

I also noticed some meaningful looks when Jon was referenced as her half-brother, and as a bastard named Snow. Will Sansa make him a Stark at last? And if she does, how will that fit into the long-expected revelation that he is… well, you know.

Hold the Door  Bran does some unauthorized astral projection and ends up bringing the Others and an undead hoard right to his erstwhile safe house. (Safe tree?) Looks like his unpaid internship has wrapped and he’s become the CEO.

The death of the Three-Eyed Raven was expected (if early) but the demise of Summer hit me hard. Remember last week when I became fully delusional and spun a scenario in which Shaggydog was still alive? Well, scratch that. Summer was literally destroyed by the forces of eternal winter. I hate when that happens.

As for the truth about Hodor, it proved as startling, genuinely satisfying and mind-trippy as the film Interstellar did not. To think, ever since Bran was crippled, he’s been served by a gentle giant who is a simpleton because of Bran. I remember in the books, when Old Nan said Hodor wasn’t actually his name, but just something he started saying, and I thought it was a nice throwaway detail that proves how deeply George R.R. Martin imagines his world. Now we understand at last. This is what an earned, perfectly executed twist-reveal looks and feels like. Well played, GRRM.

Bizarre and Probably Dead Wrong Theory These are NOT spoilers, but simply theories. The Tyrion theory comes from a friend. The rest are mine, but I’ve discovered that anything I devise on my own has already been floated online by hundreds of other fans. So I don’t claim to be unique. But now that Meera and Bran are alone in the frozen wastes pursued by enemies, it begs the question: how can they possibly survive? I suppose Cold Hands (a character from the books) or the long-missing Benjen Stark might turn up. Or suppose, just suppose, one of Dany’s recently-freed dragons flies by?

After all, Bran is the most accomplished Stark warg, and he’s lost Summer. Suppose he takes control of a dragon? He’s been told many times that he will fly. I assumed that meant flying in the metaphorical sense, but perhaps not.

And if Bran rides a dragon, he’ll need another special saddle. Luckily, the designer, Tyrion, is still alive. And if Tyrion is actually a Targaryen, he might just decide to ride a dragon, too, leaving Drogon for Danaerys. Hmm? Hmm?

I know. It’s nuts. Let me get back to writing my own novel, where at least I know what happens next.

Filed under: Emma Jameson, game of thrones, TV Tagged: #holdthedoor, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Children of the Forest, Game of Thrones Season 6, GoT fan theory, Hall of Faces, hbo, Hodor, Iain Glen, Interstellar, Jon Snow, Jon Stark, Kingsmoot, Kinvara, Littlefinger, Origin of the Others, Sansa Stark, Summer, The Door

10 Best Cozy Mysteries

Thanks so much to my dear friend Shéa MacLeod for including two of my books on her list!

Cozy Capers

Let me start off by saying this top ten list is totally one of my own invention using my own set of random rules. Basically, I had to LOVE a book. I don’t care if the book won awards (though some did) or the author is famous (though some are). It had to be a book I couldn’t put down.

Without further ado, my list of the most unputdownable cozy mysteries I’ve read (recently and in no particular order):

And Then There Were None – Possibly Agatha Christie’s best (and most devious) work. It’s also the first of her novels I ever read. “Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear…” (P.S. It’s only $1.99 on Amazon for the ebook.)

Marriage Can Be Murder – (Dr. Benjamin Bones Mysteries, Book 1, Emma Jameson) I’m totally obsessed with this story which takes place in a small town in…

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Filed under: Emma Jameson

“Start A Series” at BN.com

I’m thrilled to see my book ICE BLUE included in BN.com’s “Start A Series” promotion. And talk about fine company! There’s NYT bestselling author and fellow Black Sails enthusiast Cheryl Bradshaw to the right, and one of my longtime idols, Anne Perry, just below. Delve into the books listed and you’ll find Ellis Peters, Rex Stout, Leighann Dobbs, Joanne Fluke, M.C. Beaton, and many more excellent choices. Check it out!

Filed under: barnes & noble, Books, Emma Jameson, Ice Blue, Lord and Lady Hetheridge Series, nook Tagged: Anne Perry, barnes & noble, bn.com, Cheryl Bradshaw, emma jameson, M.C. Beaton, nook, Start a Series

A Break from the Usual: Mini Pig Info

Cornish Black Tailed Pig (photo from my own collection)

I’ve been sharing lots of super cute images of pigs and piglets lately, and wondering whether my cats wouldn’t like a porcine little brother or sister. Fortunately, my curiosity led me to research the matter, and I learned a lot from this video in particular. More than likely, if I ever adopt a pig, I’ll get one that’s full grown from a rescue group. That way I’ll be sure of its adult size and personality before I commit to giving it a forever home.

 

 

Filed under: Animals, Emma Jameson Tagged: animal rescues, mini pigs, piglets, pigs

Game of Thrones 6.4: “The Book of the Stranger”

I don’t know about you, but I love it when a show (or book) surprises me. Particularly when the surprise doesn’t come out of left field, purely for shock value, but instead makes such perfect sense that in retrospect, you wonder why you didn’t see it coming. Game of Thrones 6.4 was that sort of episode.

Jon Snow at Castle Black  So much for my prediction he’d go straight to Winterfell. Jon not only wants out of the Night’s Watch, he wants out of Westeros. But his dreams of sunny Dorne or the Summer Isles are torpedoed by the arrival of Sansa. Their reunion is heartfelt and satisfying. I never thought I’d see the day Jon’s moral compass wavered, leaving Sansa to insist they fight the good fight. Longtime viewers and/or anyone with wi-fi knows that Sansa hasn’t been a fan favorite, due in large part to the way she behaved when she was approximately twelve. I hope her mea culpa last night will allow more fans to root for her.

The Red Woman, Ser Davos, and Brienne  Now that Jon is alive and Melisandre has declared him the “Prince Who Was Promised,” Ser Davos finally asks about the mammoth in the courtyard: what, precisely, happened to Shireen? But Brienne interrupts, volunteering that she executed Stannis. Will she realize the Red Woman was instrumental in Renly’s assassination and execute her, too? Or will Ser Davos turn murderous when he learns poor little Shireen was burned alive? Lately my predictions have been duds, but if the Red Woman dies, it should be by fire. After all, she thinks it’s the purest death, right?

Meanwhile, in Meereen  Tyrion makes a deal with the slavers of Astapor and Yunkai in hopes of neutralizing those terrorists called the Sons of the Harpy. Grey Worm and Missandei had grave reservations about the negotiations, which I initially took to heart. But as a fellow superfan pointed out, Grey Worm and Missandei still suffer from a “prey” mindset, while Tyrion’s predatory instincts are finely honed. If the slavers don’t play ball, he may handle them as forcefully as he dealt with troublemakers during his tenure as Hand of the King.

Here’s another prediction I’ll fearlessly submit: I think the liaison between the slave masters and the Sons of the Harpy is Daario Naharis. My reasons are thus. (1) He is well known in Meereen after his success in the fighting pits, giving him access and credibility. (2) He survived the attack last season without a scratch. (3) He’s said outright that he’ll disappoint Danaerys someday. (4) He’s a sellsword who’d probably betray anyone if the price is right. Finally, and I present this as my strongest piece of evidence: he boasted disrespectfully and rather graphically about sleeping with Dany. As a writer, I tend to notice moments when a positive or neutral character puts on the black hat. Male love interests who behave that way are typically not long for this world. Just saying.

Margaery, the High Sparrow, Tommen, and Cersei Okay, so the High Sparrow is utterly sincere in his fanaticism. So what? Sincere fanatics are a dime a dozen in our world. I spent his monologue fantasizing about  Jaime killing him various ways. But I perked up as the question arose: What did Tommen actually tell Cersei?

When Cersei told the Small Council that Margaery would be forced into a walk of shame, she mobilized them to essentially overthrow the High Sparrow’s Faith Militant. But was it true? Am I the only one who thinks this will result in Margaery’s death? Ser Loras is too broken to fight, and besides, the actor has a new gig elsewhere, so I expect no heroics from him. Then there’s that prophecy about Cersei and her children:

“Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds. And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”

Valonqar is High Valyrian for “little brother,” and naturally Cersei has always assumed this means Tyrion. But Jaime is also Cersei’s younger brother by a minute or so. Will he be driven to kill her if her machinations lead to Tommen’s death, which the prophecy makes inevitable? Or is another little brother waiting in the wings?

Vaes Dothrak  Silly, silly me. Only last week I imagined the Dosh Khaleen was pulling the strings in Dothraki culture. Those poor women have no real power at all. As one puts it, “I can never leave Vaes Dothrak until I rise as smoke from my funeral pyre.” Hey, I hear you–I used to say the same about my old day job. (Thanks again, readers, for freeing me!) And only two weeks ago, I stated confidently that Dany’s dragons would show up to save her, and awe the Dothraki hoard with their strength. Nope. Dany killed the Khals and took control of the entire Dothraki people all by herself, with a show of her own strength.

Mic drop.

Of course, this episode was so packed, I omitted a lot, including poor Osha’s end; the reappearance of Littlefinger; the mobilization of the Vale’s army; some extended doddering from everyone favorite charlatan, Pycelle; Yara; Theon; and an epic fail re: the old “sand in the eyes” trick. As for Ramsay’s threatening letter, I hope he does try to feed Rickon to the dogs, only to discover Shaggydog lurking in the kennel, very much alive and hungering for Bolton flesh. Remember, of all the direwolves, only Shaggy got in trouble for biting humans.

Anyway, I can’t say adieu without referencing how Tormund Giantsbane kept ogling Brienne. Pretty sure the self-proclaimed “Husband to Bears” wants to climb her like a tree. Maybe next time he’ll admit she reminds him of his Sheila.

That’s it. Back to novel-writing for me. See you next week!

Filed under: Emma Jameson, game of thrones, TV Tagged: book of the stranger, brienne of tarth, Cersei Lannister, Daario Naharis, danaerys targaryen, game of thrones, High Sparrow, Jon Snow, Red Woman, Sansa Stark, Tormund Giantsbane, Tyrion Lannister, Vaes Dothrak, Valonqar

Game of Thrones 6.3: “Oathbreaker”

Once again, here’s my superfan take on the latest Game of Thrones episode. If you haven’t watched “Oathbreaker” yet, be warned: this post is nothing but wall-to-wall spoilers glued together with wild speculation and a heavy dose of denial.

Jon Snow  I confess, I was very surprised when Jon awakened STILL knowing nothing. That blows my cherished and long-held (3 years) theory out of the water: that during his time between resurrection and the Great Beyond, he would learn the truth of his origins. Since Bran can do all sorts of telepathic and time/space continuum tricks, I thought Bran would help Jon realize who his mother was, which would in turn (if my other theory is correct) turn Jon’s sights on the Iron Throne. Wrong! Poor Jon wakes up right where he left off, reeling from the betrayal of his Night’s Watch brothers. I do wonder why Ghost didn’t bound up and behave like a creature whose beloved human has risen from the dead. Is that a clue? Or just an oversight?

Let me add that I thought Ser Davos’s response to Jon’s fear of reengaging with the world that destroyed him was terrific, delivered with the Onion Knight’s trademark candor:

JON SNOW: I failed.

SER DAVOS: Good. Now go fail again.

(By the way, Jon’s earlier statement, “I did what I thought was right and got murdered for it” could easily be co-opted into a Westeros tourism slogan. Westeros: Come to Do What You Think is Right, Stay to Get Murdered For It! No wonder nobody wants to visit.)

Sam and Gilly  Is it just me, or has Gilly become more spirited as she journeys away from the horrors of Craster’s Keep? I look forward to her arrival at Horn Hill. Sam never did stand up to his father, but I have the feeling Gilly might. After all, Randall Tarly can’t possibly be any scarier than Craster.

Bran and the Tower of Joy I enjoyed this flashback and didn’t want it to end. Not before Bran entered the Tower and saw the truth, anyway. But clearly the showrunners are feeding us these long-awaited facts slowly, in conjunction with the big picture. Ser Arthur Dayne fighting with two swords was a terrific spectacle. Kudos to the stunt coordinators and the swordsman who played Ser Arthur. I can’t say I was shocked when Howland Reed saved Ned by stabbing the legendary knight in the back. It was clear from the outset that in a fair fight, Ser Arthur outclassed them all.

Perhaps the most interesting moment was when Bran called out to his father, and Ned heard. Does this mean Bran can change the past? Or prevent a calamitous future?

Danaerys and the Dosh Khaleen How convenient that Dany was frog-marched back to the Mother of Mountains just as all the tribes are returning for their annual horse lord hoedown! All the warriors will be assembled when her dragons show up. Alas, I was disappointed in the Dosh Khaleen itself. I hoped it would be revealed that these widows are actually the Dothraki puppetmasters, controlling their hypermasculine counterparts so deftly, the menfolks never realize a circle of women is pulling the strings. But I saw nothing to support this theory.

King’s Landing The pieces are moving on the chessboard, but no big revelations yet. I’m glad to see the Queen of Thorns back in the capital. (If Tommen wants wise counsel, he should go to her!) I want to know what’s under Ser Gregor’s helmet. Perhaps a missing lower jaw or something equally horrific?

Arya  Always more questions here. Was the water truly poisoned? Did she survive drinking it because she has genuinely abandoned her identity as a Stark? Or was that merely another mind game that she bluffed her way past? In either case, she can see again. In the book it was clear that her blindness let to greater powers–specifically, the ability to literally see through the eyes of other people. Such an advantage for an assassin! But I didn’t get that message from “Oathbreaker,” so to me, it felt like her blindness in the show was a throwaway plot device.

Meanwhile, at Winterfell  Now we come to the part of my blog where I plunge into full-on denial. Smalljon Umber a traitor? (Remember when Robb’s wolf bit off his dad’s fingers, and the Umbers liked Robb MORE?) Osha and Rickon at the mercy of the loathsome Ramsay Bolton? Shaggywolf dead?????

Okay. I can’t deal with this. And yes, yes, I know George R.R. Martin kills at will. But for now, I prefer to believe the following: 1. This is a trick hatched by the Umbers to get rid of Ramsay once and for all. 2. Osha and Rickon are entering Winterfell to help retake it from within, since they know the castle, the hidden passages, etc. 3. That wasn’t Shaggydog. It was some other unfortunate creature, perhaps the offspring of Shaggydog and a beguiling bitch from House Umber’s kennels? And maybe Shaggydog has been smuggled into Winterfell, and when the moment is right, he’ll EAT Ramsay. Preferably from the feet up, like the shark from Jaws did to Robert Shaw.

I know the above is fanciful madness. Still. I cling to my denial.

Castle Black  I don’t know why I thought Ser Allister and Olly would beg Jon’s forgiveness. The living dead aren’t such a novelty anymore; probably they considered Jon’s return further proof of his wickedness. And for a moment I was surprised that Jon executed them. I expected mercy. But then I remembered that Ser Allister would surely rebel again, and his fellow conspirators would no doubt follow his lead. As for Jon’s departure, I’d been waiting for it from the moment Ser Davos said, “Now go fail again.”

My prediction: Jon intends to take back Winterfell. And not just out of loyalty to his family. The White Walkers are coming, and they’ll either boil over the Wall or bring it down. Castle Black can be flanked easily. But Winterfell can be held, even against the army of the dead. Ned used to say 500 men could hold Winterfell against 10,000. I think we’ll soon find out if that is true.

Until next time! And I refuse to say goodbye, Shaggy. Not yet.

 

Filed under: Emma Jameson, game of thrones, TV Tagged: Dosh Khaleen, game of thrones, Game of Thrones Season 6, Jon Snow, Oathbreaker, Rickon Stark, Shaggydog, Smalljon Umber, Tower of Joy

Game of Thrones 6.2: “Home”

This post is (obviously) loaded with spoilers and speculation. Please avert your eyes if you don’t want to know.

Back in Black  By the end of the episode, Jon is back among the living. I’ve been predicting this since he died at the end of George R. R. Martin’s A Dance of Dragons, for a variety of reasons. Some believed this was just another colossal GRRM plot twist, like heroic Ned’s beheading or Oberyn Martell’s gruesome defeat. But I thought it was part of the classic hero’s journey as explained by Joseph Campbell and (for true story geeks) graphed below:

So Jon’s down there at 6 o’clock, with “transformation” soon to follow. Literally dying at his post has released him from that pesky Night’s Watch vow, so that’s a start. Can’t wait to see Ser Allister’s face when he beholds Jon back from the dead.

I did think Jon’s rebirth seemed a little low on shock and awe. It appeared that the Red Woman healed his wounds, but I don’t think she actually brought him back. I have a feeling Bran did it, and we’ll soon learn how. I think that’s why Ghost was asleep throughout–Jon’s soul, though still in the direwolf, was communing with Bran, who has gained tremendous power during his training. Already we see that Bran is gathering information on the Stark family and all the key details Ned left unsaid.

Lyanna Stark  

This episode also gave us an intriguing glimpse of the young Starks, including the enigmatic Lyanna, who Robert claimed was stolen from him by Rhaegar Targaryen. And surprise, Hodor was once Wylis, able to fight and talk. I have a feeling his backstory will illuminate Lyanna’s character. In the books, Ned said his sister had the “blood of the wolf,” so I look forward to seeing her in action. It’s also nice to put a face to the name that doesn’t look like the meme below (which is truly one of my favorite GoT gags):

Meanwhile, in Mereen  Another scene was the thrilling dragon release by Tyrion. I noticed a few fans of the book series were worried that this would spell the end of our favorite hero who “drinks and knows things,” but I feel certain that if and when Tyrion dies, it won’t be in a foolish fashion, like a certain peripheral book character. He showed an amazing rapport with the dragons, and great courage, too–I intially thought he was going to ask Missandei to release them, which might have made more sense. But no, he did it himself, and the dragons seemed to know him for a friend.

One of my good friends devised a very intriguing theory as to why Tyrion was so readily accepted. If this notion, like L + R = J, is in wide circulation, I missed it somehow. Maybe she’ll comment on this post and share her thoughts.

Can’t wait for the next episode. Now back to novel-writing!

Filed under: Emma Jameson, TV Tagged: Dragons, Game of Thrones Season 6, hbo, Hodor, Jon Snow, Joseph Campbell, Lyanna Stark, R+L=J, The Red Woman, Tyrion Lannister

The Lady in the Van starring Maggie Smith

This post comes in two versions, long and short.

The short version: Quit reading this post and rent The Lady in the Van right now.

The long version: Allow me to recommend a lovely and moving film, not only to my fellow Anglophiles, but to anyone who enjoys a human interest story. It’s called The Lady in the Van, and it stars the indispensable Maggie Smith as the titular character. Written for the screen by the celebrated playwright Alan Bennett (who also penned a short story and stage play of the same title) it’s the “mostly true story” of his unlikely friendship with an eccentric homeless woman named Miss Mary Shepherd.

Miss Mary is the proverbial study in contradictions. She speaks like an educated woman but dressed like a derelict; is vain about her personal qualities, yet stinks to high heaven; claims to be fervently Christian, yet is generally snappish, rude, and ungrateful. As Bennett said of the real Miss Mary, “one was seldom able to do her a good turn without some thoughts of strangulation.”

The movie opens in Camden Town, London, where Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) is writing about the homeless lady who resides in a Bedford van parked in his garden. One of the movie’s clever conceits is presenting Bennett as two separate identities who consult, and occasionally argue, with one another. The Alan Bennett-who-writes sits at his desk night and day, trying out phrases and making pithy observations. The Alan Bennett-who-lives is tasked with actually experiencing the world, which he often seems to do reluctantly, with more than a little fear. Miss Mary, however, is fearless.

As the movie opens, writer-Bennett describes her thus:

The smell is sweet, with urine only a minor component, the prevalent odor suggesting the inside of someone’s ear. Dank clothes are there, too, wet wool and onions, which she eats raw. Plus, what for me has always been the essence of poverty, damp newspaper. Miss Shepherd’s multi-flavored aroma is masked by a liberal application of various talcum powders, with Yardley’s Lavender always a favorite. And currently it is this genteel fragrance that dominates the second subject, as it were, in her odoriferous concerto.

Like many writers, Bennett can’t help observing, which leads to thinking. And in extreme causes, thinking may lead to uncomfortable insights. In his case, he becomes keenly aware of how often he would prefer to turn a blind eye on Miss Mary. Her rank odor is a barrier, and so is her absolute determination to have everything her own way. She never evinces gratitude for assistance (food, Christmas presents, attempts at friendly banter from Bennett’s more cheerful neighbors). Her van is an eyesore, made worse by the piles of refuse she stacks around it, and she thinks nothing of dictating to the homeowners around her, scolding their children for playing music, etc. But while Bennett’s polite, upwardly-mobile neighbors are mostly content to endure her, it’s only Bennett–frowning, groaning, reluctant-to-his-marrow Bennett–who proves willing to help her: not for a day, and not for a week, but for the rest of her life.

Both Smith and Jennings are outstanding in their roles. Their characters are finely drawn, and their growing friendship is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious. In the end, Bennett learns a bit about the circumstances that drove Miss Mary to a life on the street, and a good deal more about himself. Rent this one–I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Filed under: Emma Jameson, Movies Tagged: Alan Bennett, Alex Jennings, Camden Town, homeless, Maggie Smith, Miss Mary Shepherd, The Lady in the Van