In Which We Discuss War and Peace - Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXIV

Pierre leaves his dying father's room with Anna Mikhaylovna, and runs into Prince Vasili and 'the princess', I forget which one.  Anna Mikhaylovna is not liked.  Everyone is having tea in a little room where Pierre used to hide during balls.

(Having used that gif, I feel obligated to point out that Perks of Being a Wallflower was an absolutely godawful book.  The central conceit - that it was written by a 16-year-old who is an exceptionally good writer - fell totally flat.  It reads like it was written by an eight-year-old with a mental disorder.  That's not intended as an insult; I literally believed I was reading a book from the point of view of an autistic child, which would have been absolutely fine if that had been intended.  It wasn't, and it's absolutely ridiculous that characters keep lauding the main character's writing skills).

Pierre is hungry, but decides he should keep following Anna, who has returned to Vasili and the other princess (still don't know which one) and is discouraging her from seeing poor dying Uncle Cyril.  Vasili finally tells us that it's Princess Catiche who wants to see Uncle Cyril, and that he thinks she should be allowed to.  Princess Catiche starts talking about the 'real will' on Uncle Cyril's dressing table, in contrast to the the portfolio she has which contains 'just a bit of paper he has forgotten about'.  Claws come out, and Anna and Catiche politely wrestle for the paper.  Anna calls in Pierre, and Catiche accuses her of making a scene outside a dying man's room.  Catiche is not wrong.  Vasili steps in, and Catiche releases the portfolio but Anna does not.  Catiche is able to snatch it back, but then her sister comes out of Uncle Cyril's room, telling them off for making a racket.  Cyril is dead.  Catiche goes to check and comes out, mad at Pierre.  This is, apparently, just what Pierre has been waiting for.  Vasili comes out and decides to make friends with a befuddled Pierre.  So presumably the will leaving Pierre everything is the one that's standing.  Anna finally takes Pierre in to see his dead father, and leaves him alone in the dark, where he is "glad no one could see his face".  He falls asleep, eventually.

(Incidentally, Tumblr has started asking me if I'm okay every time I look for a sad gif to illustrate these recaps).

Anna comes back and confirms that the will hasn't actually been opened, but everyone is pretty sure it's all going to Pierre.  She then goes back to the Rostovs, and tells them a story of a Count Cyril who remembers everyone and offers loving goodbyes, a strong and stoic Pierre, and the shocking behaviour of Vasili and Catiche - the latter as "a great secret".

In Which We Discuss Books I Read in my 26th Year, Week 14/52

Firstly, some news.  I'm on a final written warning at work due to absence.  Mostly it's because I took two months off in the middle of summer due to depression.  The straw that broke the camel's back was the recent five days I took off when I had such a bad cold that I nearly fainted one day, after not being to eat.  All very sad.

I thought of this when writing this post because it lasts for a year.  I'm already 14 weeks, or nearly three months, into being 26.  So maybe it won't be that long until I'm 14 weeks into 27, with a clear record again.

I listened to The Vagina Monologues rather than read them.  I really don't enjoy Eve Ensler's performance, not as much as I did seeing it performed last year.  I listened to it in the car with my new boyfriend.  He quite enjoyed it.  He grew up outnumbered by sisters, so he's already well broken in.

I read Perks of Being a Wallflower because it's been sitting on my kindle for ages and because the film got such good reviews.  It was awful.  Halfway through, it came as a shock to learn that the narrative character was supposed to be a highly literate, intelligent sixteen-year-old and not a slightly simple eight-year-old.  Writing like someone who doesn't communicate well can be used to great effect - for example, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - but not when the character in question is being raved about by other characters for their writing skills.

Last Continent is another one I listened to.  A Discworld book, which I've read before.  I appear to be listening to all of the Discworld books, in no particular order.  I've since moved on to Monstrous Regiment, so you'll see that pop up in a week or two.  Nigel Planer gives an excellent performance, and his accent doesn't wander nearly so much as the Egyptian one he attempted for Pteppic's father in Pyramids.

Christine was part of my Stephen King Chronological Reading Project.  I really need to get a move on and write a proper post for that, I finished it two days ago.

I first read Christine in 2008.  At the time, I felt it had about half as much plot as the pages actually required.  I read it with less impatience this time, and enjoyed it a little more.  The next one will be Pet Semetary, which I've also read before, and which I'll pick up from the library tomorrow.

Big Girls don't cry is yet another old favourite.  I first read it at fifteen or sixteen and it blew me away.  One particular line has been adopted as my personal philosophy; get the foundations right and the building can go up anyhow it likes.  The line applies to underwear and clothing, but I think of it as applying to all beauty.  Master clear skin, well-cut hair and neat eyebrows, and don't bother to put make-up on everyday, is my philosophy.

Finally, Grimm Tales Made Gay.  Humourous verses based on Grimm's Fairytales.  I read it at work.  Short and amusing.