Comments | all_he_ever: "City of Light" - 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1938

byzantienne in all_he_ever

"City of Light" - 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1938

Mar 08, 2009 18:07

CITY OF LIGHT

21 April, 1928 A.D. Copenhagen.

It is such a pity that Dreyer's glorious film has to premiere here in dreary, raining Denmark, but France has come farther for far less. Besides, the entire affair is just one more little offense to hold over England's head and berate the dreary boor with - first he goes and burns poor Jeanne, and now ( Read more... )

surrealism is not a joke, fic, russia, italy, germany, america, france

Comments 45

leathansparrow March 8 2009, 22:21:33 UTC

This was amaaazing~ I love the pipe bit; France's philosophical side is underrated in fanfic. <3 And Russia is still creepy. And Italy! <3 Perfect and slightly disturbing at the same time. ^_^

Wonderful job~

byzantienne March 9 2009, 14:08:54 UTC

Thank you~

I enjoyed writing philosophical&artistic!France a whole lot. French culture is so complex, so intertwined with art and the artistic movements of the 1930s, that it seemed like the right way to talk about France in the interwar period. This fic is kind of my elegy and tribute to and love affair with French intellectualism, and -- I'm so glad it worked!

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byzantienne March 9 2009, 14:15:01 UTC

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed bringing that seriousness out -- France seems so complex, to me, with this enormous subtlety inside all that flamboyant and over-the-top flirtation.

emma_larkin March 8 2009, 22:27:02 UTC

I-- love this.

The way you write France really emphasizes the illusion and the artistry of him. It has the same quality as looking at a painting and trying to sort the fact of colors and shapes into meaning and emotion.

I really liked the comparison between the modern French(/most western European) and Russian spirit of revolution.

byzantienne March 9 2009, 14:27:41 UTC

Thank you so much~

Illusion and artistry! Yes! That is precisely what I wanted to get across. France has this huge and delicate subtle power underneath all that flirtation, and I wanted to play with that in this.

-- and yes! All different kinds of revolution, though Russia really only recognizes the one...

janspace March 8 2009, 22:31:48 UTC

I know I missed about a million details and hints in here (your France is beautiful), and I'll totally be rereading when I have the time. The work you all must put into this is epic, and very much appreciated. ♥

I loved the ending, the last sentence. Italy's letter was perfectly terrifying.

I sort of winced my way through Russia's section, but I think it's my favourite, closely followed by America's, if solely for his atrocious accent and tall buildings. I loved France's red scarf, and the cold, and Russia pinning him to the wall, not to even get into their conversation, or the location.

So, yes.

I think I've run out of words. Brilliant story. ♥

byzantienne March 9 2009, 14:34:39 UTC

*blush~* I am so happy to get comments like this, I really am.

The Russia scene was probably my favorite to write, even through the wincing -- and oh, yes, when I figured out where they were and how long it had been since they'd seen each other and how much of a daft tease France is, there was a lot of wincing!

And Italy is truly scary, yes. France knows it, too~

tiferet March 8 2009, 22:40:51 UTC

They're like little gods. Genii, really, the spirit of the country. When you write them, anyway :D

byzantienne March 9 2009, 14:35:02 UTC

Yes. Yes they are. Genius locii.

and thank you~

tiferet March 13 2009, 17:21:05 UTC

Also, I cannot not love "France, that is totally a pipe." Because of course it is, but that's not the point.