(no subject)

[la_rainette]

I am currently reading Tana French's latest, The Trespasser, and as usual, I am torn between a wild urge to READ READ READ all of it at top speed, because I need to find out what happened and how the characters make it out of there, and the soul-breaking knowledge that I have to pace myself because there will be no new book from her for a good, long while now.

Also, I wish I were like Antoinette Conway, but I know for a fact that I am, in many ways, a lot like Steve Moran.

I am not entirely sure what to make of that.

My documentary series Doc Soup started this Thursday, with a documentary called Motley's Law (it's about Kimberley Motley, who is an Antoinette Conway type of person if I ever saw one - she is my new hero). I was so excited about this that I was the first in the line up, approximately one hour before the show started.

An elderly couple arrived a few minutes later and stood behind me. They were chatting rather loudly - or at least the man was quite loud in his need to mansplain the world to his companion. I didn't notice them much at first - my nose was buried in my book where Antoinette and Steve were having a conversation - but then we were offered free pizza (FREE PIZZA!) and I closed my book for a little while in order to grab a slice.

The man was still in full mansplaining mode when the woman leaned over to me and said: "I just started that book yesterday. I am loving it! Is it your first Tana French book?" I turned to her to reply "Oh no, I've read every single one of her books, this one I ordered two months ago and I couldn't WAIT to get my hands on it" and then I caught the man's eye. He was NOT HAPPY, let me tell you. A conversation that wasn't about him was making him very unhappy.

Woman, to the man: Do you know Tana French? I think you'd like her books.
Man *uppity tone*: no, I don't. I don't read, anyways.
Woman: yes you do! You read all the time!
Man *smugly*: I don't read that - I don't read fiction. *stares icily at rainette*
Rainette *shrugs internally, quietly goes back to her book, mutters inwardly* Cooper wouldn't like you one bit, dude

Comments

[jae]

I love both of them, but I am frankly very glad you are more like Stephen Moran than like Antoinette Conway. ;)

-J

[la_rainette]

I am A MILLION TIMES more like Steve than like Antoinette - I literally just finished the book (TALK ABOUT GOOD TIMING with your reply here :D), but I have to say that there were moments when I wanted to kick Antoinette for thinking what she thought about Steve, not because I like Steve (though I do) but because her mental picture of him was SO out of character for who he was! And I think that was a turning point in the book for me - that was when I realized that if Antoinette was wrong about Steve, she might be wrong about other people, too.

OK, so the Trespasser is not my favourite Tana French book, but I LOVE that she's turned her usual trope upside-down. Many of her books are about Paradise lost, a small slice of happiness and hope gone to the dogs and potential friendships (or deep, real friendships) falling apart...

I mean, it's still about a decisive, life-altering moment in the course of someone's life, but then of course when that life is ANTOINETTE's, who's already in arms against the whole world and has no little corner of Paradise to defend, it makes sense that it would go the other way.

Still - I was waiting from the start to see how the Conway/Moran duo would go up in flames, and it was a very welcome surprise that they DIDN'T. Also, I am, as always, blown away by the subtlety of French's characterization. The confession at the end, in particular, is a gorgeous moment - because breaking him doesn't work, he can't be broken into confessing, but give him a chance to be himself/regain himself and he WILL take it. mmmmmmmmmmyes.

But I am blabbing and I should get ready for my school day :D It doesn't matter that it's not my FAVOURITE book from her, she still does that to me every single time and I love it.

[jae]

I have to say that there were moments when I wanted to kick Antoinette for thinking what she thought about Steve, not because I like Steve (though I do) but because her mental picture of him was SO out of character for who he was!

See, I don't know. I mean, yes, the mental picture any one of TF's characters ever has of anyone else is always distorted through their own filter (though I still think Rob Ryan's filter was the most distorted of all of them), but their own filter of themselves is always distorted, too. So the "real" Moran is probably some combination of what we've seen of him through Antoinette, through Frank, and through his own eyes.

To me one of the most interesting filter-induced difference between Stephen and Antoinette's perspectives had to do with class. Like, in TSP, Stephen makes this HUGE deal about the fact that while he's working-class, she's actually low class, and that this distinction makes a huge difference. But she either doesn't see the world that way, or doesn't care, because she doesn't dwell on any of that stuff at all. That was so fascinating to me.

Still - I was waiting from the start to see how the Conway/Moran duo would go up in flames, and it was a very welcome surprise that they DIDN'T.

I liked that it could have, and even teetered on the edge, but then didn't. Though not due to anything Antoinette Conway did, I have to say. Stephen Moran sure puts up with a lot from her.

-J

[la_rainette]

Honestly - I've forgotten how Steve sees himself *sheepish* I need to re-read the secret place. It's more that I identified a lot with him in this story. *g* I am so much like him in my interactions that I have been where he is, with people who are a lot like Antoinette. This taps into my own story a lot - somehow I often end up being friends/friendly acquaintances with very prickly, suspicious people, and yes, I do put up with a lot from them.

I didn't remember this thing about class - I really do need to re-read the secret place, if only to remind myself how Steve perceives himself (but now with yet another perspective on him).

[la_rainette]

Ooooh - and when Steve says to Antoinette "you're middle class"... she's like, don't tell anyone... *ponders*

[jae]

Right. And HE is the one who points out the class thing, while SHE is more fixated on her turning out to be half-English.

-J

[la_rainette]

Fabulous - points for character consistency :D
I really need to re-read the Secret Place. :) I read for plot, the first time - I may have missed a few (important) things in terms of characterization.

[jae]

Yeah, when I reread it for last year's yuletide story, there was SO much I had missed. I love that about her books--they're always like that. :)

-J

[la_rainette]

(Though I'd like to point out that seeing similarities between Stephen Moran and myself doesn't imply that I see only his good sides - but that probably went without saying. :) )