Why I Love a Place of Greater Safety ...

[misura]

... but also haven't read anything else by Hilary Mantel, ever.



Strictly speaking, there's at least three main characters in this book (Danton, Camille and Robespierre) but I seem most attracted to the relationship between Camille and Robespierre against the backdrop of them killing lots of people, which goes from:

CAMILLE: Death to all aristocrats!
ROBESPIERRE: While I sympathize with your sentiment, I find the death sentence morally repugnant
CAMILLE: Hang all the parasites! Off with their heads!
ROBESPIERRE: Camille, no.
RANDOM CITIZEN: Camille sucks!
ROBESPIERRE: Of course, I am willing to compromise my principles in special cases. Can someone please lynch that guy over there?

proceeds with a side helping of:

DANTON: Are we sure that guy who said Camille sucks wasn't just reliving a happy memory or something?
ROBESPIERRE: I have no idea what you mean.
DANTON: Well, I mean, you know what Camille is like.
ROBESPIERRE: No idea whatsoever. Good day, Citizen Danton.
DANTON: I bet you're still a virgin, for which I judge you. And to you, Citizen Robespierre.

before it all ends with:

CAMILLE: I'm really bothered by the way people seem to take everything I say so literally. Sheesh. I yell 'kill all aristocrats' and people act like I told them to kill all aristocrats.
ROBESPIERRE: Camille, you are the hero of the Revolution (may it live forever)
CAMILLE: I think maybe I should write something about how we should all be nicer to each other.
ROBESPIERRE: Camille, I love you
CAMILLE: *writes something about how everyone should be nicer to each other*
ROBESPIERRE: Personal feelings aside, you betrayed the Revolution and you deserve to die
CAMILLE: Pft. Like you would really do it.
ROBESPIERRE: *really does it*

I exaggerate somewhat, of course. Still, the intensity of How Robespierre Feels About Camille is what balances out the book's ending for me, and I kind of suspect none of Hilary Mantel's other books would hit that (for me) perfect balance, meaning they'd either (1) make me cry or (2) not make me cry. They basically can't win, so when I crave some Mantel-esque prose, I just hit up APoGS for a rererereread instead of giving them a try.

Comments

[iberiandoctor]

I am actually a fan of Mantelesque prose, and greatly enjoyed Wolf Hall and sequel, and have huge interest in the French Revolution, so I suspect I will also enjoy APoGS, even without the complicated loyalty and betrayal plot lines and INTENSE FEELINGS. Thanks for this ;)

[misura]

My previous interest in the French Revolution was limited to The Scarlet Pimpernel and Bite Me! (a webcomic about vampires set during that time) so the book probably had a lot more surprises for me than it will for you, but if you enjoyed the other books by this author, APoGS feels like a sure thing.

... Of course, I'm saying this as someone who hasn't actually read the author's other books, but still. ^^