Meditations on the Mirador
So, about a week ago, I finally found Melusine and The Virtu legally for Kindle (it’s about time! :D) and snapped them up. I then decided that an entire Doctrine of Labyrinths reread was in order. I remember originally loving the first two books, loving the third only a little bit less than that and finding the fourth a bit… forgettable. I was expecting much the same reaction on this reread. But apparently a couple of years makes a big difference…
I still love all the things I loved about the books before. Virtu was still my favorite book. I still ship Felix and Mildmay way more than I’m comfortable admitting to some people. I still had to pause partway through the Mirador because I knew Gideon’s death would break me. All wonderful, wonderful things.
Only this time through… I love a few things I never expected to love.
I had always liked Mehitabel, but she was never one of my go-to characters, never someone I wanted to know more about than what was given to me in the books. This time through, though? HOLY SHIT, I LOVE MEHITABEL. I LOVE HER SO SO SO MUCH. And at the end of the Mirador, when Felix and Mildmay ride off into the sunset and I know we’re going to follow them, for a minute I was really REALLY disappointed because I really wanted to know what was going to happen next for Mehitabel and Stephen and I knew I wasn’t going to get that. And furthermore, I found myself wanting to know more about Enid, too.
In particular, I’m fascinated by the complex tangle of relationships they’re currently in. Because Enid clearly has a bit of a celebrity crush on Mehitabel. And they’re shown to be in collusion with each other (in a way that seems almost casual and completely nonchalant) when it comes to Enid’s half brother, Semper. And Enid doesn’t strike me as the type to rock the boat as regards Stephen having a mistress, especially given the way such things are handled in Melusine.
So, you have Stephen in strong like/lust with Mehitabel and resigned to Enid but not having strong feelings for her even though they are to marry. You have Enid also resigned to her situation (and perhaps looking forward to it?) in marrying Stephen and already forming the base of what could be a strong friendship with Mehitabel. And you have Mehitabel working with Enid’s half-brother, also forming the base of a strong friendship with Enid and respecting and possibly even liking Stephen. That whole situation just FASCINATES ME. Like, I really, really want to know how that develops. Do they all become fast friends? Hold small intimate soirees? …land in happy threesome territory? I mean… I WANT TO KNOW MORE.
…I may have to think about requesting this for Yuletide next year. ^_~
As for Corambis… I only just started rereading it last night and I’m honestly loving it. I think I must have zipped through it so fast last time that I didn’t fully appreciate the new characters and settings, but this time around, I find myself wanting to know more about everything. I mean, Sarah Monette built up such a rich history for all the countries in this world of hers and we’ve only just scratched the surface. In particular, I’d really love to know more about Kay’s past. And more about Caloxa before the first war with Corambis. I just… I WANT TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS.
I’m so glad I’m doing this re-read. ^_^
(This entry was originally posted on DW @ http://rchan.dreamwidth.org/248023.html)
I still love all the things I loved about the books before. Virtu was still my favorite book. I still ship Felix and Mildmay way more than I’m comfortable admitting to some people. I still had to pause partway through the Mirador because I knew Gideon’s death would break me. All wonderful, wonderful things.
Only this time through… I love a few things I never expected to love.
I had always liked Mehitabel, but she was never one of my go-to characters, never someone I wanted to know more about than what was given to me in the books. This time through, though? HOLY SHIT, I LOVE MEHITABEL. I LOVE HER SO SO SO MUCH. And at the end of the Mirador, when Felix and Mildmay ride off into the sunset and I know we’re going to follow them, for a minute I was really REALLY disappointed because I really wanted to know what was going to happen next for Mehitabel and Stephen and I knew I wasn’t going to get that. And furthermore, I found myself wanting to know more about Enid, too.
In particular, I’m fascinated by the complex tangle of relationships they’re currently in. Because Enid clearly has a bit of a celebrity crush on Mehitabel. And they’re shown to be in collusion with each other (in a way that seems almost casual and completely nonchalant) when it comes to Enid’s half brother, Semper. And Enid doesn’t strike me as the type to rock the boat as regards Stephen having a mistress, especially given the way such things are handled in Melusine.
So, you have Stephen in strong like/lust with Mehitabel and resigned to Enid but not having strong feelings for her even though they are to marry. You have Enid also resigned to her situation (and perhaps looking forward to it?) in marrying Stephen and already forming the base of what could be a strong friendship with Mehitabel. And you have Mehitabel working with Enid’s half-brother, also forming the base of a strong friendship with Enid and respecting and possibly even liking Stephen. That whole situation just FASCINATES ME. Like, I really, really want to know how that develops. Do they all become fast friends? Hold small intimate soirees? …land in happy threesome territory? I mean… I WANT TO KNOW MORE.
…I may have to think about requesting this for Yuletide next year. ^_~
As for Corambis… I only just started rereading it last night and I’m honestly loving it. I think I must have zipped through it so fast last time that I didn’t fully appreciate the new characters and settings, but this time around, I find myself wanting to know more about everything. I mean, Sarah Monette built up such a rich history for all the countries in this world of hers and we’ve only just scratched the surface. In particular, I’d really love to know more about Kay’s past. And more about Caloxa before the first war with Corambis. I just… I WANT TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS.
I’m so glad I’m doing this re-read. ^_^
(This entry was originally posted on DW @ http://rchan.dreamwidth.org/248023.html)