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Dec. 3rd, 2008 11:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skygiantsI am pretty positive that I read Lloyd Alexander's Westmark trilogy - Westmark, The Kestrel and The Beggar Queen - when I was small and reading everything Lloyd Alexander that I could get my hands on, but for some reason they stuck with me not at all at the time and I remembered absolutely nothing about them except that they involved war and street children. So it was a moderate surprise to reread them and find the power of the press, political unrest and uncertainty without easy solutions, and hot revolutionaries! Lloyd Alexander clearly subscribes to the 'your revolution will be much more effective if you are very very pretty' policy, with which none of us can argue.
Seriously, though, they're good books, the latter two especially, and very much foreground the ethical uncertainties that arise in politics and war. Good people can vehemently disagree with each other, and a good person is not necessarily a good ruler. Each book ramps up the complexity from the previous one; 'ousting the evil minister' and 'finding the rightful heir' are not enough to solve the problems of a country. There are definite echoes of the French Revolution throughout, but . . . I don't have a problem with this.
Which is not to say that the books are perfect; Theo, the male lead, is not particularly interesting in and of himself - more like a mirror for what's going on around him - and while Mickle, the female lead, is cool in many ways, she often got rewarded for what I at least thought was pretty irresponsible behavior. (Also I am pretty sure it fails the Bechdel Test.) The supporting cast, though, is fantastic - Colonel Witz! Keller! The river rats!
. . . and, on a totally shallow note, while I will not bookpoll this because I am not sure if enough people have read the books to make creating a poll worthwhile, if anyone has read the books I totally want to challenge you to a round of Cliff, Shag or Marry with Keller, Florian and Justin.
Seriously, though, they're good books, the latter two especially, and very much foreground the ethical uncertainties that arise in politics and war. Good people can vehemently disagree with each other, and a good person is not necessarily a good ruler. Each book ramps up the complexity from the previous one; 'ousting the evil minister' and 'finding the rightful heir' are not enough to solve the problems of a country. There are definite echoes of the French Revolution throughout, but . . . I don't have a problem with this.
Which is not to say that the books are perfect; Theo, the male lead, is not particularly interesting in and of himself - more like a mirror for what's going on around him - and while Mickle, the female lead, is cool in many ways, she often got rewarded for what I at least thought was pretty irresponsible behavior. (Also I am pretty sure it fails the Bechdel Test.) The supporting cast, though, is fantastic - Colonel Witz! Keller! The river rats!
. . . and, on a totally shallow note, while I will not bookpoll this because I am not sure if enough people have read the books to make creating a poll worthwhile, if anyone has read the books I totally want to challenge you to a round of Cliff, Shag or Marry with Keller, Florian and Justin.
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Date: 2008-12-03 07:27 pm (UTC)I don't remember if I felt that way or not, but I am completely unshocked that you do. I might well have, though. Layers is nice! (Preeetty much.)
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN. Uh. Yeah.
Indeed. And oh, now I do remember Zara! Ahaha. Win! And Anthy would be horribly passive-aggressive at her, because... Anthy.
THAT WAS WHAT I WAS THINKING except without the recent memory to be sure. Awesomeness, and should happen! Er... somehow. If only in our fevered wee brains. Thing.
I feel like Justin-Saionji would be inevitable also. Also hilarious, in a headdesky way.
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Date: 2008-12-03 07:54 pm (UTC)I KNOW, COMPANIONS ARE USUALLY SO HARDCORE.
I wanted more Zara! Because I liked her and her bitter sulkiness. Uh, shockingly. And yeeeah. Anthy would be passive-aggressive at everyone, and all the revolutionaries would glare. Except for Florian. Who would be ironic and then use her passivity as a political metaphor.
WACKY CROSSOVERS SHOULD ALWAYS HAPPEN. This is a motto for life!
*giggles* And then there would be a battle over principles!!!! and betrayal!!!! and lots and lots of name-calling about who has honor and who doesn't.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-03 08:08 pm (UTC)TOTALLY. Hardcore with chiming hooves o' silver!
...See, just that sentence about Florian makes me want to reread the books more. *giggling*
IT ARE TRUTH. I think it is also a motto for our conversations...
EXACTLY!!!! And glowering!!!! And if I put in any more exclamation points I think this will turn into the Christine!!!!version of both but YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN AND IT IS GLEE.
really this should be an icon of sparkly fakir but I have not done that one yet
Date: 2008-12-03 08:29 pm (UTC)They are super committed to sparkle motion!
You should! I think you would find it much worth the reread. I feel I did not properly appreciate Florian at first but I love him now!
. . . . >.> maybe kind of. WE ARE TOTALLY SANE, NEVER FORGET.
And yes!!! SO MUCH GLOWERING. It only gets to be the Christine!!! version however if you throw sparkly!Fakir into the mix for yet more glowering.
Yeah, I too have insufficiently revolutionary icons, it seems
Date: 2008-12-03 09:24 pm (UTC)They are! Maybe they are secretly sparklepires? There's the telepathy and the lifebonding and sometimes the ineffectual angst...
I shall! Do you own them, or did you take them out from the library? *is eyeing visit, and the fact that I owe you a ballet book anyway*
I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THIS FACT AND SHALL NEVER DO SO. Baka.
I fail to see how this is a bad plan, my friend.
AU noir detectives are kind of like revolutionaries . . .
Date: 2008-12-03 09:37 pm (UTC)It would make so much sense! Edward is only watching in your room; Companions are watching in your head.
This was alas a library excursion, or else I would lend! . . . I feel there is something else I ought to lend you while you are here, though OH INDA that is what I will lend you!
Well, I'll just sashay off then!!! >:O
You know, I feel even Fakir would be daunted by the levels of bitchiness/crazy that are Justin . . .
Enjolras would never wear those sunglasses. *tsks*
Date: 2008-12-03 10:06 pm (UTC)But Edward is psychic, remember! Just not with Bella. As opposed to Companions who are primarily psychic with Their Person, I guess, but ANYWAY STILL.
INDA YES PLEASE DO. Westmark I can totally get out from the library here! Well, Inda I undoubtedly could too, but booklending with friends is more fun! And also requires less remembering of due dates.
OKAY FINE!!!
I feel you are right. But his dauntedness would express itself as grumpy scowling and/or hilarious faces, so all's well.