The Way of Things, Chapter 39

[jlrpuck_fic]

Mickey had called them back for a phone call from Jacques, apparently convinced it was urgent. The news ultimately hadn’t been that earth-shattering, although Peter appreciated that he was one of the people expected to be present to hear it. If nothing else, it had provided a nice middle-of-the-day update for the team in Kendal.

The man they’d taken

Comments

[inanna7]

There is a part of me that really wishes I had Rose's problems right now. Like debating on whether she should stay the night or not. As opposed to my RL, which is more along the lines of Death of a Thousand Paper Cuts right now.

I really wouldn't be surprised if Peter is the first one to say the three little words. Saw someone's comment in the previous chapter and I agree that I could see Rose being terrified of saying it and POOF! It all gets stolen away from her.

Wonder if Peter acting the way he did to Ripley would have come with years of practice with his brother?

“Poor tie.” She paused, before adding softly, “I like it.”
Sorry for some reasons I see Tie!smut here -- something along the lines of Peter walking in on Rose only wearing the tie and saying something along the lines of "Your tie & I thought you were lonely. We decided to keep you company..."

...looking at the painting he’d been wondering about the night before as he’d waited for her. Ok, so having to get to see different artwork all day as part of my job, I'm

[jlrpuck_fic]

There is a part of me that really wishes I had Rose's problems right now.

You and me both. My current issue? Whether we should use an internal management tool, or one created by Microsoft. C'mon people--surely there are more important things in the world?!

Wonder if Peter acting the way he did to Ripley would have come with years of practice with his brother?

Quite possibly. I could see Peter having to be a bit scrappy as a youth, to look out for his own interests (given that he's not a jock, I could see him being given a bit of a hard time) and as a means of dealing with the older brother.

*Tie!smut Plot Bunny*

C'mere little guy! I have a home for you!

Ok, so having to get to see different artwork all day as part of my job, I'm very curious to know what they've been studying.

Probably a Klimt or a Chagall. The specific artist varies, depending on the mood I'm in when I read it.

I'm also curious on the books Peter might have besides the basicsAha! I knew I'd forgotten to add something to Chapter 41! I agree with you on the

[inanna7]

Have to admit I'm not a Chagall fan, mainly because I'm not really into figurative art. I like the colors he used, very stained glass in its looks. There's a room in his museum where one wall is one of his works done in stained glass and when the sun hits it just right, it casts the room in a blue hue. (I was there 20 years ago, so I can't remember which piece or art it was.) I do like Klimt's Fulfillment quite a bit, better than The Kiss. I think his Buchenwald is very beautiful also. Don't get to see too many Chagalls or Klimts, Degrazia and Madaras are the artists that are really popular, followed by Russell and "Shoofly" Shufelt

[principia]

Since you said that the history diverged around the late 19th century, I'm really interested in knowing how events are different. Looking forward to chapter 41, then :)

Given some of the references in RotC/AoS (e.g., New Germany), one would think that perhaps the colonial period may never have ended, or that the tail end of it took on a very different and perhaps more egalitarian form that led to the colonies becoming member states of larger confederations rather than splintering off from their 'mother' countries entirely. I'm basing the latter conjecture on the fact that Great Britain had a President of African descent and no-one seemed to think anything of it.

[jlrpuck_fic]

one would think that perhaps the colonial period may never have ended, or that the tail end of it took on a very different and perhaps more egalitarian form that led to the colonies becoming member states of larger confederations rather than splintering off from their 'mother' countries entirely.

I've been thinking about this more than I probably ought of late, and I reckoned on the main point of divergence being in the early 19th Century. Don't ask me for a specific point, because I've not made it quite that far into the weeds--but if Peter and Rose are ever going to talk about history, and the differences between what they learned in school, it'll have to be ironed out at some point.

Just not this week. Nor this year. ;)

[principia]

The only tricky part, honestly, is that they mention by name a (parent) country that didn't even exist until 1871 - Germany. I've not studied German history/politics enough to know how early the collective regions might've been referred to as Germany, but in our universe that's when it became a single nation.

[jlrpuck_fic]

Have to admit I'm not a Chagall fan, mainly because I'm not really into figurative art.

My personal tastes tend to run to things painted in or before the 18th Century; Klimt or Chagall just kind of seemed like what the hotel would have. Given that it's an alt!verse, maybe one or both of them remained relatively obscure and...affordable. ;)

Don't know if you've heard of Harry Turtledove.

I've heard the name, but I've not read anything he's written.

I thought "Years of Rice and Salt" by Kim Stanley Robinson was better though.

Oh, now this one I *have* heard about--I remember wanting to read it when it came out!

*adds both names to list of authors to read*