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Jun. 17th, 2009 11:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skygiantsSo, in between the million other books I have on my backlog, I am still sloooowly making my way through a reread of the Cadfael books. I had forgotten that The Virgin in the Ice introduces [spoiler character]! Alas, it also involves a classic example of the "selfishness and complete lack of judgment means APPEALING AND SPUNKY!" heroine, oh man, I am thoroughly on her small brother's side throughout the whole book. When you are fleeing from hostile invaders through the harsh winter with your preadolescent brother and a cloistered nun, that is NOT THE TIME to ditch them both and elope with your boyfriend in the middle of the night! It is the definition of a dumb thing to do! Argh!
While The Sanctuary Sparrow also featured an instance of ridiculous behavior from the Young Lovers that had me tearing my hair out - look, I get that you are young and impetuous, if you want to have sex that is fine, but DON'T DO IT BEHIND THE ALTAR WHILE THE MONKS ARE HAVING SERVICES - I really liked the complicated family dynamics and the darkness of the ending; more importantly, it features probably my favorite murderer of the Cadfael series so far. There are a lot of reasons why and most of them are spoilery, but I can give you a quote: "If I must pull the roof down upon myself, I'll pull it down also upon as many of the innocent as I can contrive to crush with me and not go alone into the ark." Man. I - I am pretty sure that metaphor is ridiculously mixed, and yet I don't even care, so great is the hardcore!
I have to say, I kind of love villains who are so angry at the world that they can face complete and utter defeat and still stick to their furious guns, in full understanding of what they did and their likely fate. My ultimate example of this is probably Aaron in Titus Andronicus; whenever I see a production and they reach the line "If one good deed in all my life I did, I do repent it to my very soul" -- I seriously get chills down my spine, in the good way.
What about you guys? We all love a well-done villain . . . but what counts as well-done to you? Who are your favorites?
While The Sanctuary Sparrow also featured an instance of ridiculous behavior from the Young Lovers that had me tearing my hair out - look, I get that you are young and impetuous, if you want to have sex that is fine, but DON'T DO IT BEHIND THE ALTAR WHILE THE MONKS ARE HAVING SERVICES - I really liked the complicated family dynamics and the darkness of the ending; more importantly, it features probably my favorite murderer of the Cadfael series so far. There are a lot of reasons why and most of them are spoilery, but I can give you a quote: "If I must pull the roof down upon myself, I'll pull it down also upon as many of the innocent as I can contrive to crush with me and not go alone into the ark." Man. I - I am pretty sure that metaphor is ridiculously mixed, and yet I don't even care, so great is the hardcore!
I have to say, I kind of love villains who are so angry at the world that they can face complete and utter defeat and still stick to their furious guns, in full understanding of what they did and their likely fate. My ultimate example of this is probably Aaron in Titus Andronicus; whenever I see a production and they reach the line "If one good deed in all my life I did, I do repent it to my very soul" -- I seriously get chills down my spine, in the good way.
What about you guys? We all love a well-done villain . . . but what counts as well-done to you? Who are your favorites?
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Date: 2009-06-17 04:59 pm (UTC)If he does have one, it's probably Jack Sparrow's compass that points to whatever you happen to desire most at the time....
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Date: 2009-06-17 05:10 pm (UTC)"Deaths for all ages and occasions! Deaths by suspension, convulsion, consumption, incision, execution, asphyxiation and malnutrition! Climactic carnage, by poison and steel—! Double deaths by duel—!"