Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? discussion
This topic is about
Touch Not the Cat
Buddy Reads
>
Touch Not the Cat -- Chapters 1 thru 4
I'm setting the threads up a day early because I will be gone all day Wednesday. Feel free to start on August 14, or jump in anytime thereafter. :)
This is very different from the usual Mary Stewart, with the focus on the paranormal/ESP thing.
Misfit wrote: "This is very different from the usual Mary Stewart, with the focus on the paranormal/ESP thing."Really? I don't know if I'm up for that right now.
Diane Lynn wrote: "Misfit wrote: "This is very different from the usual Mary Stewart, with the focus on the paranormal/ESP thing."
Really? I don't know if I'm up for that right now."
You mean just after reading The Firebird?
Really? I don't know if I'm up for that right now."
You mean just after reading The Firebird?
Jeannette wrote: "You mean just after reading The Firebird? "Yes! But I'm going to start anyway and hope for the best.
TNtC seems a bit more Gothic from the description, which I imagine Kearsley was not.
*fingers crossed* DL.
Jeannette wrote: "TNtC seems a bit more Gothic from the description, which I imagine Kearsley was not."Gothic sounds good to me right now.
Ashley Court is the setting...very old, very ruined.
Judith wrote:"Have started the book...already it's very different from the other MS books I've read.. Wow, the descriptions are fantastic, this is her great gift to the reader, to make you feel you are there. Not sure I'm all that happy with the lover and "thought transference" idea, though. Very other worldly, more fantasy then romance, and more then a little unusual in a MR mystery/romance novel.
Very convoluted family, had to read it a couple of times to get the cousin relationships straight. Reminded me of the The Gabriel Hounds family tree.
Does anyone know how to pronounce Bryony? "
Very convoluted family, had to read it a couple of times to get the cousin relationships straight. Reminded me of the The Gabriel Hounds family tree.
Does anyone know how to pronounce Bryony? "
I have to get used to the idea that these two speak through thoughts, and that Bryony's lover is a mystery man at this point. (Just beginning chapter 1).
Just into chapter one, the voice of the narrator during the description of her family history is very amusing. Which side the wafer was buttered and all, I guess, as she says, they have a long history of being opportunists. I'm saying it Brie-oh-nee in my mind. Now I wonder is her mystery man real or just in her mind?
I found this on a site called Pronounce Names:Bryony
Pronunciation: br - eye - oh - knee
Audio: Upload the Wav/MP3 file / Record Bryony in your own voice
Type of Name first name
Gender Female
Origin england
Meaning poison ivy
User from england
So I was missing the -eye- in my mind. Poison ivy... very interesting!
Unusual name..I have often. wondered how Lady Mary picked her heroines' names. Vanessa, Lucy, Linda, Mary, Cherity, Gianetta.....
I just finished chapter 4, featuring a (view spoiler) And, the man in the Ashley 1835 scenes is finally given a name. I can tell that this one is going to be mysterious, and I probably won't have a clue until the end!
Jeannette wrote: "I just finished chapter 4, featuring a [spoilers removed] And, the man in the Ashley 1835 scenes is finally given a name. I can tell that this one is going to be mysterious, and I probably won't ..."I can't read your spoiler yet because I have only finished chapter 3. But I think the "He" in these 1835 missives, or what ever they are, must be (view spoiler).
Oh, she does talk to the lawyer in chapter 3. I thought you were at the same place I am.
Keep in mind that I claim, right up front(!), that I probably won't have a clue until the end! I am lousy at figuring these things out. Maybe I need to start taking notes! ;)
Keep in mind that I claim, right up front(!), that I probably won't have a clue until the end! I am lousy at figuring these things out. Maybe I need to start taking notes! ;)
I love the atmosphere Mary Stewart creates - firstly the beauty of the garden of the quinta in Madeira, with the roses around the window of the garden house, and then later for Ashley itself, especially the walk to the church in the gloaming, and the churchyard in the dark. In most cases I wouldn't read something paranormal. But ever since I was a child I've been fascinated by telepathy and I like the way MS describes it, with images and blocks of words transferred with pictures and feelings as opposed to the stark transmission of text rather like a telegram (then) or a phone text (now) which people sometimes think telepathy might be like. I also like the fact that it only works with other members of the family.
I enjoyed the scene at the church in the moonlight and the mysterious figure in cape! Very atmospheric, as we expect from MS.However, I have a question: I want to make sure I'm getting this straight as I'm finding, too, that the family relationships are a bit confusing.
Does Bryony(view spoiler) Unless I'm getting the whole thing wrong!
Susan wrote: "I enjoyed the scene at the church in the moonlight and the mysterious figure in cape! Very atmospheric, as we expect from MS.However, I have a question: I want to make sure I'm getting this strai..."
You are correct in your thinking. Some might consider that a bit creepy, me included!
Susan wrote: "I enjoyed the scene at the church in the moonlight and the mysterious figure in cape! Very atmospheric, as we expect from MS.However, I have a question: I want to make sure I'm getting this strai..."
I think this has come up before in other discussions. As I understand it, cousinly relationships are a lot closer in other parts of the world than it is in the US. We were discussing this on another reader board, and I recall hearing mention that there are slight changes made in Gabriel Hounds. I used to cross post reviews at Amazon UK, and I never could figure out why I was getting snipped at for stating the pair was second cousins (US version), when it appears in the UK version they are first cousins.
Jeannette wrote: "Behave yourself, girlie! LOL"I am. You should congratulate me on not pulling out THAT photo you love.
Hannah wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "Behave yourself, girlie! LOL"I am. You should congratulate me on not pulling out THAT photo you love."
Not the photo!
Misfit wrote: "Not the photo!"Just the thought of it scares the pants off all of you. That's enough.
:D
I want to see the photo. .puleeez!
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!Judith, you have no idea what you're asking for.
Judith wrote: "I want to see the photo. .puleeez!"
Trust us, you do not want to see that photo!
Hannah -- be nice to our newest group member!
Trust us, you do not want to see that photo!
Hannah -- be nice to our newest group member!
Well, as a US reader, I'm finding it a bit on the gross side...
It's pretty common in Regency romances. Jane Austen has several instances of first-cousin pairings. It just seems to have fallen out of favor in the US a lot sooner than the UK. As Misfit alluded to, it's still acceptable in some cultures, even today.
This is interesting to me, I recently found out that one set of my great-grandparents were first cousins. My father and his surviving sibling did not know this, nor was I clued in by their aunt, the longest-lived of their family who was perfectly happy to talk at length about tons of relatives I'd never met or heard of. So I think you are right about the US, and since they were from Canada, and came down to the US, wonder if a similar attitude in Canada had anything to do with their emigration? Or, they were staunch Methodists; perhaps that had something to do with it, as opposed to the CofE/Anglican mindset of writers such as MS and GH?
That's interesting, Deb. I wonder why your family didn't mention this? Maybe when they married, they didn't find it all that unusual? (just guessing)
I posted this before, but first cousins can still legally marry in half of the states in the US, according to this website:
http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/h...
I read in a wiki article that there was a movement around the time of the Civil War aimed specifically at discouraging cousin marriage due to producing "idiot" offspring. (term in use at the time, not my personal word choice)
Something that surprised me, is that some states still recognize common law marriages. My niece's daughter lived with her boyfriend for a time, and they have a child together. He's moved out, but they are required by law to file for divorce.
I posted this before, but first cousins can still legally marry in half of the states in the US, according to this website:
http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/h...
I read in a wiki article that there was a movement around the time of the Civil War aimed specifically at discouraging cousin marriage due to producing "idiot" offspring. (term in use at the time, not my personal word choice)
Something that surprised me, is that some states still recognize common law marriages. My niece's daughter lived with her boyfriend for a time, and they have a child together. He's moved out, but they are required by law to file for divorce.
I live in one of the few states that does not recognize common law marriages, as a result of a conscious decision by the colonial government in the 17th century not to encourage that kind of thing.I found out that they were cousins from a genealogy prepared by another branch of the family which showed each of them in their proper place, noted the marriage in both places and put a special note on it to highlight the cousin ships, so I think it was something that they considered 'questionable but not illegal' and wanted to hide. That's the impression I got from the table (which is actually a blueprint!)
What year did they marry? And, what's it a blueprint of? I'm trying to imagine it.
Another interesting article, from the UK, 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sci...
Another interesting article, from the UK, 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sci...
Around 1890. I think their oldest was born in 1892.A blueprint is an architectural drawing done on special blue paper where the writing appears in white. That's how engineers or architects or draftsmen hand drew plans for buildings, roads, sewers, bridges, what ever they were bulding, in the days before printers and computers. This person drew and lettered the family tree on a blue print the size of a large desk; probably 6 feet by 4 feet. Sadly, it was folded not rolled and put in a tube so the 'top' side has faded somewhat (I think it was 'drawn' on then heat processed.)
Oh, I knew what a blueprint looks like, but have never seen a family tree drawn that way! Too bad it must be damaged from being folded so long. Still, it's a fascinating record of your family. I imagine in 1890 the couple was aware of the growing sentiment against cousins marrying, but fell in love and married anyway. Great story!
It may be illegal for cousins to marry in Texas, but I taught twins in third grade whose grandparents were first cousins, and their parents were second cousins. It was my first year of teaching, so I was a little freaked out about it. Went back to check The Gabriel Hounds, and Christi and Charles were second cousins in that one, they had a great grandfather in common. As they said, it would keep all that lovely Mansel lolly in the family.
Judith wrote: "Went back to check The Gabriel Hounds, and Christi and Charles were second cousins in that one, they had a great grandfather in common. As they said, it would keep all that lovely Mansel lolly in the family. ..."In the original version, and in the version still published in the UK, they are first cousins and their fathers are identical twins.
It took me a little bit to get comfortable with her calling him 'Lover' in her head--it sounded kinda creepy. I would have been more comfortable with any other endearment:sweetheart,dearest,hunny bunny!
hunny-bunny? Lover seemed kinda creepy in a sexed-up kind of way. Something I didn't expect from Stewart.
Well-anything but lover! And yes--that's exactly what I thought too J.
All that swirly lovemaking she describes - wow!! lol
Remember that until recently "lover" meant simply the person who was in love with you. It did not mean the person with whom you had a sexual relationship. I think that MS was using the word in that way.
Hj wrote: "In the original version, and in the version still published in the UK, they are first cousins and their fathers are identical twins."I hadn't realized there were different versions. I guess I was naive in thinking I was always reading the author's original version unless I had an abridged copy. And allowing for different translations if written in a language other than English, for me.
Books written in British English were often changed for the US market because publishers thought we couldn't figure out what was meant by a lift or a rubber from the context of the book. (Here, one goes in your shoes and the other ...well...prevents STDs and pregnancy.) And they changed the name of the first Harry Potter book to HP and the Sorcerer's Stone because they thought no American child would read a book with the word philosopher in the title. Now, whether they changed US books for the British market? Doubtful. And do they do this now that HP and Dr Who and BBC America have a generation of Americans in thrall to British culture? And now that publishers have ditched all the editors who actually know the difference between lie and lay because they are all too old and want to be paid? Doubtful.
Hj wrote: "Remember that until recently "lover" meant simply the person who was in love with you. It did not mean the person with whom you had a sexual relationship. I think that MS was using the word in th..."
It seemed as if Stewart was hinting that they had a physical relationship, too, without having met. They seemed to be very intimate, without interacting with each other in an intimate physical way.
It seemed as if Stewart was hinting that they had a physical relationship, too, without having met. They seemed to be very intimate, without interacting with each other in an intimate physical way.
Deb wrote: "Books written in British English were often changed for the US market because publishers thought we couldn't figure out what was meant by a lift or a rubber from the context of the book. (Here, on..."
Titles are typically changed from one country to the next. Inkspell is "Inkblood" in the original German, for example. I am surprised that we still get books in Brit English translated into American English. As you point out, Brit culture is well established her in the US.
Titles are typically changed from one country to the next. Inkspell is "Inkblood" in the original German, for example. I am surprised that we still get books in Brit English translated into American English. As you point out, Brit culture is well established her in the US.
Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart?
Books mentioned in this topic
Brat Farrar (other topics)Thunder on the Right (other topics)
Inkspell (other topics)
Note: I am dividing the read into 5 sections, each 4 chapters long. I may adjust as we go, so check the chapter numbers for each section! :)