I very much agree about historical fiction— a related thing I find frustrating is when the fact we know what happens next hangs too much over the period itself.
I think that sometimes gives us in the setting’s future a sort of assurance I’m not sure we’ve really earned: seeing events in our own past as inevitable, when we don’t really know if they are.
But it also forces tragedy on people who have no idea their lives will become tragic; happy endings on people who are sure their futures are bleak. It’s a bit dehumanising to steal the unknowability of the future from people in your knowing way, I always think. Obviously the people are fictional in this case; I still get affronted on their behalf.
I really want someone to write a novel in 1816 or so with this in mind; it always sounds like a truly bleak moment to live through, but it’s not really seen that way when we have the ability to look back on it. “Winter came in summer and there wasn’t any food left!” I say, and people go “oh, because of the volcano.”
But they didn’t know that then. They didn’t know their hope for Queen Charlotte would never materialise, but the age that was coming would be named after a woman who was conceived as a result of Charlotte’s death. The Victorian era swamps their era, but even the word “Victorian” would have been baffling then. I’m rambling now
I had the same concern about the change from Books 2 to 3 of the Volume series, but I think it works well. Certainly makes it much clearer how there are seven books planned!
Looking on the bright side, you have a lovely cat! 😸 I thoroughly enjoyed this post/newsletter, Camilla. Looking forward to the next. Hope you resolve your pickle. 🧅
I very much agree about historical fiction— a related thing I find frustrating is when the fact we know what happens next hangs too much over the period itself.
I think that sometimes gives us in the setting’s future a sort of assurance I’m not sure we’ve really earned: seeing events in our own past as inevitable, when we don’t really know if they are.
But it also forces tragedy on people who have no idea their lives will become tragic; happy endings on people who are sure their futures are bleak. It’s a bit dehumanising to steal the unknowability of the future from people in your knowing way, I always think. Obviously the people are fictional in this case; I still get affronted on their behalf.
I really want someone to write a novel in 1816 or so with this in mind; it always sounds like a truly bleak moment to live through, but it’s not really seen that way when we have the ability to look back on it. “Winter came in summer and there wasn’t any food left!” I say, and people go “oh, because of the volcano.”
But they didn’t know that then. They didn’t know their hope for Queen Charlotte would never materialise, but the age that was coming would be named after a woman who was conceived as a result of Charlotte’s death. The Victorian era swamps their era, but even the word “Victorian” would have been baffling then. I’m rambling now
There is a kind of corpse ventrilquilism too to using real people from history which puts me off especially
Yes— “here’s Nye Bevan, and it turns out he agrees with everything I say!” I think as I write down his words
One of my favourite Dickens paragraphs is this one from David Copperfield, for some reason:
this is such a perfect paragraph!! ‘into such devices’
I had the same concern about the change from Books 2 to 3 of the Volume series, but I think it works well. Certainly makes it much clearer how there are seven books planned!
Looking on the bright side, you have a lovely cat! 😸 I thoroughly enjoyed this post/newsletter, Camilla. Looking forward to the next. Hope you resolve your pickle. 🧅
Perfection is suffocating.