Tagged: france

All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr, 4/5

I could complain that this story lost me a bit near the end, but that could very well be a symptom of the pure exhaustion I was feeling at 1am, after reading the entire book in one day. While I can’t claim to be as emotionally traumatized (in a good way) as other reviewers seem to be, I did find this to be a well-crafted and beautifully-written work of historical fiction. I especially appreciated how the author was able to keep my interest equally in both the main character’s story arcs, despite switching between them for the bulk of the book in a way that would be annoying if not so thoughtfully done. A prominent MacGuffin and too little time spent weaving the two character’s stories together after they finally met, is all that keeps this from being a classic, in my opinion.

Why I read it: an oft-mentioned entry in the comments on an Instagram post about favorite (or most meaningful–I can’t remember which) books.

The Age of Magnificence

age of magnificenceThe Age of Magnificence: Memoirs of the Court of Louis XIV by the Duc de Saint-Simon, selected, ed. and trans. by Sanche de Gramont, 4/5

If these memoirs are at all accurate, there never were more despicable, inbred, petty, spoiled, childish, disgusting excuses for humankind than those (the writer not excepted) that clotted the courts of Louis XIV in the early 1700s.

I’ll leave you with two excerpts so you’ll know I’m not exaggerating.

Portrait of the Grand Prieur:

…In debauchery, he had an advantage over his brother in that he was fond of both fur and feather [note: I have no idea what that means, but it sure doesn’t sound good].  Every night for the last thirty years he had been carried to bed dead drunk, and he was faithful to this custom until he died (103)…

Portrait of the Princess d’Harcourt:

…She was also a glutton, and those who invited her to meals despaired because she wanted to relieve herself as soon as she arose from table, but often did not have the time, so that she let fall behind her a train of filth (112)…