In the Garden of Iden; random thoughts on S&S

[tempestsarekind]

I finished reading In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker last night, and I'm jealous. Conceptually I thought it was really interesting and clever, and it had little bits about time travel and language, which I'm a sucker for, but what I am *really* jealous of is the Tudor dialogue. I have long wanted to write historical fiction, but I can never get

Comments

[tempestsarekind]

I really enjoyed In the Garden of Iden. The voice goes back and forth between the modern, slangy English of the narrator (known as "Cinema Standard," which I love) and this spot-on Tudor dialogue. I read a review somewhere that said some readers had trouble with that, but I love the juxtaposition between the language a time traveler would know and the language he or she hears/has to communicate in--one of my favorite Donna moments is when she asks about what would happen if she spoke Latin while the TARDIS is translating her 21st-c English *into* Latin. So I really appreciated that.

Also there is a possibly nefarious Company using time travel to become ludicrously rich, which is probably what *would* happen. And immortals!

I'm sorry to hear that about your novel, though! I do sympathize, though, as I tend to fail at plot generally, and historical dialogue in stories where it's required. Maybe you'll go back to it at some point?

I feel the same way about Marianne! One of the great achievements of the Ang Lee film, for me, is that Kate Winslet is able to make Marianne appealing even in the midst of all the histrionics Marianne loves so much. I am an Elinor girl all the way.