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I'm not sure why i feel compelled to do this, but i do. :)
I love Tanith Lee. Her 'voice' is like an opium dream and an acid trip all at once. Her books and stories are slashy, vivid, lush, heartbreaking, hilarious and utterly fascinating. I adore her. She's easier to find in the UK (where she's from) than here, but she's around. I've had wonderful luck here, at Abebooks.com. A co-op? of independant booksellers across the States and in the UK and Europe. Go, look! :)
I'm currently re-reading her lovely take on Shakespear's 'Romeo and Juliet', and i'm going to quote some if at you all. :)
My very favorite character in R&J was Mercutio, and Lee's 'Flavian Estemba, called Mercurio' is just as delightful.
(Romulan Montargo)"Death's a woman, then?"
(Mercurio)"Love and death, women both. Trust neither."
The grinding, soaring street cry of the whores wafted up again from over the walls. Mercurio, taking it as a bizarre accompaniment, began to sing a courtly love melody of the Higher Town.
"Dance with me while time is yet slow,
Clocks run faster far than you know;
Wear your rose flesh like a glove
For roses wither. Fear it, love."
His voice cut through all like a gold wire, through time, place, dust, heat and faith. A girl on a balcony averted her head from him superstitiously, among the terra-cotta pots of flowers. Romulan looked at him, entranced. None of them had heard a verse sung better, or a love song more like a knell.
And later, at a wedding...
They discovered themselves seated under a starily flowering hedge.
Fountains of wine cascaded into cups. Beyond Mercurio's shoulder, Luca Montargo was earnestly telling Chesarius the virtues of his ghastly horse.
Like the hedge, the sky had flowered in stars.
And then this bit...
"No. Black-haired Montargo sent me."
"Oh God!" cried Cornelia, clapping her hands to her bosom, smitten (vicariously) to the heart by the words as she knew Iuletta would be. "What for? What does he want of her, having almost slain her with liking and grief."
"To slay her all over again with love. In a bed."
"Oh Jesus and Maria!"
"A lawful bed."
"Oh, my stars."
"He wishes to marry her, madama."
Cornelia tottered. Mercurio supported her. With pleasure in the acting, she courteously did not throw her weight upon him, he courteously pretended she was weightless. They were confederates.
It's quite possible i'm the only person who enjoys any of this, but that is just the way it is.
On an unrelated note, i am oddly thrilled by my icon. It's not nearly as distracting as i feared. The smirk seems to be saying "It's okay! I like bois!"
*snerk*
*scuttles off to work on 'Credence' some more*
I love Tanith Lee. Her 'voice' is like an opium dream and an acid trip all at once. Her books and stories are slashy, vivid, lush, heartbreaking, hilarious and utterly fascinating. I adore her. She's easier to find in the UK (where she's from) than here, but she's around. I've had wonderful luck here, at Abebooks.com. A co-op? of independant booksellers across the States and in the UK and Europe. Go, look! :)
I'm currently re-reading her lovely take on Shakespear's 'Romeo and Juliet', and i'm going to quote some if at you all. :)
My very favorite character in R&J was Mercutio, and Lee's 'Flavian Estemba, called Mercurio' is just as delightful.
(Romulan Montargo)"Death's a woman, then?"
(Mercurio)"Love and death, women both. Trust neither."
The grinding, soaring street cry of the whores wafted up again from over the walls. Mercurio, taking it as a bizarre accompaniment, began to sing a courtly love melody of the Higher Town.
"Dance with me while time is yet slow,
Clocks run faster far than you know;
Wear your rose flesh like a glove
For roses wither. Fear it, love."
His voice cut through all like a gold wire, through time, place, dust, heat and faith. A girl on a balcony averted her head from him superstitiously, among the terra-cotta pots of flowers. Romulan looked at him, entranced. None of them had heard a verse sung better, or a love song more like a knell.
And later, at a wedding...
They discovered themselves seated under a starily flowering hedge.
Fountains of wine cascaded into cups. Beyond Mercurio's shoulder, Luca Montargo was earnestly telling Chesarius the virtues of his ghastly horse.
Like the hedge, the sky had flowered in stars.
And then this bit...
"No. Black-haired Montargo sent me."
"Oh God!" cried Cornelia, clapping her hands to her bosom, smitten (vicariously) to the heart by the words as she knew Iuletta would be. "What for? What does he want of her, having almost slain her with liking and grief."
"To slay her all over again with love. In a bed."
"Oh Jesus and Maria!"
"A lawful bed."
"Oh, my stars."
"He wishes to marry her, madama."
Cornelia tottered. Mercurio supported her. With pleasure in the acting, she courteously did not throw her weight upon him, he courteously pretended she was weightless. They were confederates.
It's quite possible i'm the only person who enjoys any of this, but that is just the way it is.
On an unrelated note, i am oddly thrilled by my icon. It's not nearly as distracting as i feared. The smirk seems to be saying "It's okay! I like bois!"
*snerk*
*scuttles off to work on 'Credence' some more*
no subject
I'd love to read that version of Romeo and Juliet, especially if it focused more on the supporting characters. I always like the Nurse a helluva lot more than Juliet. More interesting.
no subject
Hehe - the nurse is funny, and even more so, to me, in Ms. Lee's version. Nothing bad about this book! Go! Read it!
no subject
I really do need to rob a bank or something so I can go on a major book binge. I so wanna read that one now!
no subject
Whooo!!
:)
no subject
This book seems interesting, but my brian is far too muddled to know if I like it or not.
Anyway, just wanted to say hi. Hopefully I'll get to Credence soon.
no subject
I know the too-sick-to-do-anything feeling - blah!
Be well soon!
:)
no subject
Isn't it great? I only wish I'd thought of it. It was made by
Be well soon!
Thanks, I'm getting there.