dangermousie: (MR end)
[personal profile] dangermousie
The discussion at [livejournal.com profile] queenofthorns made me do it :)

The quotes are from Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters') "The Brothers of Gwynedd" dealing with the last years of Welsh independence. I am not too interested in the narrator, and I like Llewellyn but he is a bit too virtuous for my tastes. However, I have a huge literary crush on the brilliant, tormented, and untrustworthy David. Also, her prose reads like poetry:

"I saw Earl Simon again, the day we rode from Oxford, for he came in courtesy to bid farewell to the envoys. Seen by day, his eyes appeared a deep and luminous grey, more daunting than the blue gaze of his son's innocence, because the father was not innocent, but pure, and that is a more terrible and wonderful thing."

"In the course of these words all that was ice had become a gradual and glowing fire, and she was as I had known her in the beginning, so gallant and so dear, the heart failed, beholding her. I stood mute in my anguish and my bliss, helpless before her."

"I saw the small, wary flames of doubt, and desire, and calculation kindle in David's eyes, and from cool burn into vehement heat. Until then he had been on his guard against us and against hope, clenching all his longing and frustration tightly within him lest it should show in voice or face. Now he began to quiver, and with bitter force stayed the trembling, too proud to let us see how desperately he desired his freedom."

"Llewelyn came leaping down from the guard-walk on the wall, in leather hauberk and booted to the thighs, to reassure himself that we were all sound and whole. He was alight like a flame, very bright and steady-burning in the December gloom, but it was an angry brightness, and until he had spent it in action he would have no inner peace. Too much patience and forbearance had eaten him from within, and now his indignation at least had room to range."

"David looked at me, his eyes like blind blue stones."

Oh, and a quote about this book's OTP (for me :D): David and Elizabeth:
"The look of astonished hurt and disbelief on her face, in that first moment of doubt and uncertainty she had ever suffered from him, struck him clean out of the trance that had held him bound, and he realized what he had done. He flung up both his hands and shut his palms hard on his cheeks, and shook out of him, like gouts of blood: 'A bad dream-I have had a bad dream!' And before she had time to question or to weep, he leaned and caught her up passionately and tenderly into his arms. 'Lisbet, it's over now! It's gone! All's well now-all's very well!'"

Go read it, people! :)

Date: 2005-04-23 12:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] katranna.livejournal.com
For you, lovely coz. :-D

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Date: 2005-04-23 04:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com
You are making it quite hard for me to decide now! I love Edith Pargeter's other historical stuff (did you read the Hotspur one? I have that one too, but haven't read it) - namely the "Heaven Tree" books (in which, of course, I like the nobleman who looks like an angel and is kind of bad, but redeemed/redeemable...)

Date: 2005-04-23 04:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
The Hotspur one (Bloody Field by Shrewsbury) is also very good. I prefer "The Brothers of Gwynedd" because it's longer so can go into more detail. "Heaven Tree" is excellent as well. Have you read "The Marriage of Megotta," another one of her books? It's a true Romeo & Juliet story set during Henry III's reign (and the lovers are even younger) and it's been awhile since I've read it, but I remember loving it.

in which, of course, I like the nobleman who looks like an angel and is kind of bad, but redeemed/redeemable.

I think it's the Lymond hangover :D But hey, the above is definitely why I like David better than Llewelyn. Conflicted characters are just more fun.

Date: 2005-04-23 04:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
If we weren't the same gender and related, could I marry you? :D

Date: 2005-04-23 05:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com
Hmmm! Then maybe I'll take the Hotspur one with me (as it's shorter and easier to carry) and read the Gwynnedd one when I get back... You really have whetted my appetite. I adored the "Heaven Tree" books. And those are the only historical novels (non-Cadfael ones) that I've read of hers.

Date: 2005-04-23 02:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
the Hotspur one with me

It's an excellent book, but like all her historicals that I've read is rather sad.

I actually like her historical novels better than the Cadfael ones because with the exception of Lord Peter and Elizabeth Peters, I am not the hugest mystery fan.

Date: 2005-04-23 03:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] katranna.livejournal.com
Well, you'd be committing bigamy!

:-D You're not supposed to use all of them, you know. I just thought you might like a choice! I wanted to animate one, but I was at my work computer, and it doesn't have the program for that.

Date: 2005-04-23 05:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com
Oh, I read the Cadfael books for the atmosphere and the lovely little romances more than for the mysteries. I've decided that I'm not so much a mystery fan as a fan of certain recurring characters IN mysteries (like Falco in the Lindsey Davis series).

Date: 2005-04-23 10:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ewanspotter.livejournal.com
I love that icon. Did you make it?

Date: 2005-04-24 02:07 am (UTC)

Date: 2005-04-24 02:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
Yeah, Falco is quite nice, but I like the earlier books better than the later.

Date: 2005-04-24 03:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ewanspotter.livejournal.com
Thankyouthankyouthankyou

Date: 2005-04-24 07:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elvensapphire.livejournal.com
Oooo, I love these quotes!

Date: 2005-04-25 12:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
Heeee, so do I!

Date: 2005-05-02 11:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com
Hmmm! I haven't read past A Body in the Bathhouse, which wasn't my favorite - but now I really am so addicted to knowing more about the family and all the extended family of Falco & Helena Justina that I have to keep buying the books ;)

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