In Which We Discuss War and Peace: Part 2, Chapter 3

Perhaps I should go back and read the spark notes for the sections I'm up to so far.  I'm sure I've missed some things.

Chapter 3

We're now following Kutuzov, who is meeting with the Austrian General, having received a letter from Archduke Ferdinand of Austria.  This is not the Archduke Franz Ferdinand whose shooting was the tipping point for the start of WWI.  He won't be born until 1863.  Nor is it his father, who was called Archduke Karl Ludwig.  As far as I can tell, this character is fictitious, but may or may not be based on Karl Ludwig.  Who knows.  Prince Andrew walks in while Kutuzov is talking about how very sorry he is that he has not been ordered to join his troops with the Austrian army.

Andrew is being referred to in the text as 'Bolkonsky' a lot more now; perhaps the use of different names illustrates relationships and roles?  I'm going to stick with Andrew anyway.  Apparently, Prince Andrew now has a purpose in life and his face reflects that, instead of his previous spoilt-bratness.  Good for him.  He tells off a friend of his for joking about the war, considering the number of deaths so far.  In French though, so he's still a bit of an aristo-wanker.

I read over the spark notes, and apparently the characters speaking French highlights the irony of Russia going to war with France while still considering aristocracy and French to be aligned.  Also, apparently Dolokhov is one of Pierre's friends.  That rings a bell.  Presumably, he was drinking with the bear.

Edit: I found Dolokhov.  He's a famous 'rake and scapegrace' along with Anatole.  He is poor but tends to win at cards, so it doesn't matter.  He's the one who bet he could drink an entire bottle while standing outside on the window ledge.  With the bear.  I still don't understand why they even had a bear.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace: Part 2, Chapters I and 2

Part 2

Chapter I

It is now October 1805.  If I remembered when this book started, that would presumably tell me how much time had passed.  I just checked; it began in July 1805.  That doesn't tell me how long it's been since Andrew left Lisa with his father; a lot has happened since that first party.

A regiment is about to be inspected, so after a twenty mile march, they've been cleaning all night so that they look like gentlemen and not soldiers who've just marched twenty miles.  This is the same kind of ridiculousness that had Lisa and Marya crying "sister my sister" at each other for ten minutes straight, having only met once before.

The only thing that is not completely spick and span is their boots, because they've marched a total of 700 miles without new ones, despite repeated requests.  But they look all right.  That's the main thing.  By jingo, they are having a jolly good time.

Then, they get another message.  The intention was that they be inspected in the condition in which they'd actually arrived, to show the shocking lack of provisions (such as boots).  They have an hour to change into their great coats and muddy themselves up.  Maybe they should just roll around on the ground?  That would show off their nice holey boots.  The regimental commander shouts at Dolokhov for wearing a great coat of the wrong colour, despite the fact that he's wearing it with the regimental commander's permission, because he's been degraded from an officer.  He shouts a bit about badges and the importance of standing straight, then comes back to complain about Dolokhov some more.  Dolokhov tells him off.

Chapter II

Kutuzov arrives to inspect the regiment.   The regimental commander is very obsequious.  Kutuzov does notice the boots and looks very disappointed.  Kutuzov greets Timokhin, because he served with him in the past, which means that the regimental commander has to suddenly decide to like him.  Kutuzov also reveals that Timokhin is a drunk; this may or may not be relevant in future.  Prince Andrew decides to remind Kutuzov about Dolokhov being presented; apparently, he'd been told to do that before.  Kutzukov  states that he hopes Dolokhov is learning a lesson through his demotion, and Dolokhov loudly proclaims that he only hopes for a chance to prove himself to the Emperor and Russia.  Dolohov's entire attitude reads as 'bite me', tbh (I couldn't find a gif of Yuri saying 'bite me', so have two gifs instead).

Incidentally, I just looked it up and Russian Princes may be better translated as English Dukes or Barons.

The regimental commander and Timokhin have a nice gossip about Dolokhov as the army moves on.  Apparently, he swings between sensible and "like a beast".  He's also a pretty legendary figure amongst the men, who then turn to gossiping about the war and Napoleon.  The band is called to the front to sing a nice song about Father Kutuzov.  Zherkov, another soldier, has now decided that he can be friends with Dolokhov again, now that Dolokhov has been acknowledged by General Kuzutkov.  Dolokhov's attitude is still 'bite me', disguised beneath a layer of politeness.

...and, with the end of this chapter, the book finally goes from 10% to 11%!

In Which We Discuss War and Peace: Chapter XXVIII

Chapter XXVIII

Prince Andrew hides away because he is worried about going to war and possibly about leaving his wife, and he doesn't want to show weakness.  Marya finds him, and through their conversation we learn that both Michael Ivanovitch and Mademoiselle Bourienne are Prince Nick's charity cases, which is what he likes about them.  They remind him of his own innate goodness.   Marya has inherited this; she loves Lisa because Lisa is such a sweet innocent child and she feels sorry for her.  Marya also likes her charity cases.  Andrew has an ironical and contemptuous look at this.

They move to talking about Prince Nick; Marya has been trying to convert him to religion.  She doesn't understand why such a smart man can't see the obvious (the obvious being that God exists and everyone should be Christian, apparently).  She makes Andrew kiss an icon, which he does, because he loves her.

Lisa has been crying to Marya about being unhappy.  Andrew retorts that he has nothing to reproach himself with and has not reproached his wife.  He just doesn't love her.  Marya thinks he should ask God about that.  Andrew goes to see Lisa, meeting mademoiselle Bourienne along the way; it is implied that she has been stalking with him to flirt with him.  He looks at her with contempt and she leaves.  He catches Lisa practicing telling stories, so that maybe she'll be charming and funny and everyone will her next time, and it's just so sad.

Prince Andrew is very kind; he comes and strokes her hair.  Then he goes to say goodbye to his father and leave instructions for Lisa's confinement.  He insists that they bring in a proper Moscow doctor.  Nick rolls his eyes but agrees.  They do a bit of male-bonding over having a wife, and Prince Nick gives Andrew a letter for Michael Ilariovich/Kuzukov, who will be above him when he gets to the army.  He is to be promoted as soon as possible, and Nick tells him not to serve under anyone he doesn't like.  I so badly want to see what happens when this privileged rich kid ends up in an active warzone.  Nick also gives his son a copy of his memoirs, to be delivered to the emperor on Nick's death.  He ends with (paraphrased) "come back with your shield or on it".  In return, Andrew asks that, if he is killed, and he has a son, have him raised in Bald Hills rather than with his mother.  Andrew leaves with his father shouting 'good-by' at him, only to run into his wife, who faints, and his sister.  Nick may have shouted Andrew out of the room so no one would see him cry; he's blowing his nose a lot.

After Andrew's said goodbye to Marya and left, Nick looks out to confirm he's gone and gives Lisa a dirty look.  How dare she be unconscious while carrying his grandchild, potentially grandson?  Or is just that it's an unscheduled fainting fit?  I don't even know.  I wonder what he'll do if she fails to give birth on her due date?  This family are a massive bunch of dicks, but at least one of them is entertaining.  I feel sorry for Lisa; she's reminding me a lot of Isabella Linton, the woman Heathcliff married instead of Cathy.  I am of the firm opinion that Heathcliff and Cathy should have just married each other and made only two people miserable instead of the entire cast.

...and that's the end of part 1!  We're 10% through this doorstop!

In Which We Discuss War and Peace; Chapters XXVI and XXVII

It's been a while so I reread my last two posts.  I've realised that Marya Bolkonskaya is the perfect anathema to her father's ideas, and that that is probably intentional.

Chapter XXVII

We're still at bald hills.  Prince Andrew and his pregnant wife have arrived.  His father, Prince Nick, is napping and his schedule cannot be disrupted for any reason, so Prince Andrew knows he won't be seeing him right now.  They go to see Marya to kill the 20 minutes until Prince Nick's pre-determined waking time.  Marya is practicing the piano - presumably, it was on the schedule - so Andrew's wife greets Marya's friend, Mademoiselle Bourienne instead.  Have we met her before?

The two sisters-in-law greet each other like long-lost lovers, despite only having met once, at Andrew and Lisa's wedding.  I just looked up her name, I don't think it's been mentioned yet.  I also learned that Andrew is unusual in not being based on a real person.  Andrew tries not to role his eyes as they continue with the crying and kissing.  Mademoiselle Bourienne joins in, and Andrew becomes even more uncomfortable because he is the straight man in this scene (as opposed to the earlier scene with the bear).

When the kissing and crying are finally done, Andrew gives his sister the more-reasonable greeting of a kiss on the cheek.  She pours gossip on him; someone named Kitty has married an old man, and Marya herself might be getting married...but then she gets distracted by the idea that her brother might go to war.  He is leaving Lisa - who is definitely pregnant - here at Bald Hills while he does so.  Andrew and Marya do some sibling-bonding over their father's schedules, then Andrew leaves Lisa and Marya while he goes to see Prince Nick, who has compromised in his routine by letting his son into the room while he continues to dress for dinner.  Prince Nick pokes fun at the military and completely ignores the mention of his future grandchild.  Perhaps grandchildren are not scheduled yet.  Andrew - gradually moved from Russian to French, because that's a thing - explains the strategy.  The army will threaten Prussia, draw her into the war, and then join the Swedish forces at Strausland.  The Austrians and Russians will operate in Italy while Russians and English land at Naples to attack the French from different sides.  Hey, we're in this!

During this description, Prince Nick decides that it is time to ask about his grandchild.  He doesn't appear to approve of the plan, but as Prince Andrew points out, that isn't Andrew's fault.  Prince Nick quotes a little French poem, which appears to mean he is sad that his son is going away, possibly to die.  I am so smart.

Chapter XXVII

Now is the proper time for dinner.  Prince Nick has invited Michael Ivanovitch (who blows his nose in the corner at parties) to prove to his children that everyone is equal.  He seems to like talking to Michael, even if he is a public nose-blower.  There are footmen and butlers everywhere, and they are all very anxious about the schedule.  Andrew makes fun of the family tree on the wall before Prince Nick enters, at exactly 2pm.  He comments on Lisa's pregnancy, suspiciously well-developed for so soon a date after the wedding and suggests that she walk more.  Poor Lisa.  Even the narrative calls her fat.

The prince decides to bring up Napoleon again, by pretending that he and Michael Ivanovitch had discussed the topic before.  Michael goes along with it because he knows that he's a living prop in this mansion.  'They' don't think Napoleon is a big deal, and 'they' think it's ridiculous for so many forces to go against him.  Prince Nick thinks all young folk are idiots who cannot see their noses in front of their faces, and that Napoleon is a jumped up little upstart and they should all stop panicking (I paraphrase).  Prince Andrew decides to point out something stupid one of his father's heroes did once, to highlight the rose-tinted nostalgia.  Nick sidesteps the issue, and points out that Napoleon is not a great general on his merits; he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  Besides, all he's beaten are the Germans, and "only idlers fail to beat the Germans".  Prince Andrew just lets Nick rant for the rest of dinner; neither will change their mind.  Nick teases Mademoiselle Bourienne who protests that she is "not a Buonapartist!".  Lisa confides to Marya that she is a little scared of Nick.  Marya just witters that he's kind.

In Which We Discuss War and Peace - Chapter XXV

Chapter XXV

We now move 100 miles away to Bald Hills, the home of Prince Nicholas Andreevich Bolkonski.  I'm not convinced that we've met him before - I had to do a bit of googling.  He is a famed Russian general, and his son, Andrei Bokonsky, is Pierre's friend.  Andrei has a pregnant wife and has just joined the army.  I just checked, and he was in Chapters V-VII, where he was referred to as Andrew and Andre (to be fair, I've switched translations).  You see why I need these summaries?

I like Prince Nicholas, who is a different person from Nikolai Rostov.  He thinks the only evils are idleness and superstition and the only virtues are activity and intelligence.  He would love Don Tillman (of The Rosie Project).  They both keep perfect timetables.  I am in awe.  Prince Nicholas was exiled to Bald Hills by a former ruler.  He can now go back to Moscow but has decided they can all go to him instead.  And they do - every high official "considered it his duty to visit".

Nikolai is very strict and controlling; he's been giving his daughter (Mary/Maria Bolkonskaya) lessons in advanced geometry and algebra, and has arranged her life to the second.  This morning, when she arrives for her lesson, there is a letter for her from someone who appears to be named both Heloise and Julie.  Okay, Julie is Julie Karagina, and she writes in French.  She tells Maria that Maria is very beautiful, and passes on lots of news about politics.  She prays that Russia will beat Napoleon and she fancies Nikolai Rostov.  Pierre is now the Count, the three princesses have received very little, and Prince Vasili has nothing.  Many, many women now recognise what a charming and handsome man Pierre is.

Apparently, people are also pushing Julie towards Pierre.  They've been matchmaking her for the past two years, and this is the best option.  Julie also passes on that Anna Mikhaylovna is trying to set up Maria with Anatole.  I was wondering when Anatole would appear again.  Julie has also included some kind of spiritual book with the package, and asks after Andrei and his wife.

Maria writes back.  She thinks Christianity is better than men, and her father is particularly sound about the Count dying because now he feels like the last of his generation.  She feels sorry for Pierre to be burdened with such riches.  She is very tedious and holier than thou.  She's not going to read the book because Julie said some of it was hard to grasp, and what's the point in wasting time reading something you won't even understand?  She's just going to read the Bible again instead.  What a pious little snit.  She's praising the idea of being dumb and just letting God put thoughts in your mind if he wants them there.  I'm an atheist, but I much prefer the understanding that God gives mysteries not answers, and if we fail to correctly interpret the evidence around us, that's on us.  Maria has not heard that she is to be married to Anatole, but Prince Vasili will be visiting her father, and she will fulfil her marital duties no matter how painful they are.  Anatole can do much better.  Andrei is also on his way, with his wife, whom he will abandon at Bald Hills while he goes to war.

Mademoiselle Bourienne, Maria's companion tells Maria that Prince Nicholas is in a bad mood.  Apparently Maria is too prissy to even accept that information - she considers it a judgement on her father.  I would very much like to slap her, very hard, right in the face.

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 War and Peace - Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIII

Count Bezukhov - Uncle Cyril - is being given his last rites, in the presence of Pierre, Anna, Prince Vasili, and some princesses (I've lost track of the princesses).  We are predominantly following Pierre's viewpoint; he is out of his depth.  Anna has wrangled herself into helping carry Uncle Cyril around.  Pierre finally gets close to him, and follows Anna's unspoken directions in kissing his father's hand.  He is completely overwhelmed; everyone around him expects something from him, and he is big and clumsy and doesn't know what the rules are.

I like Pierre.  I reached my adult height at twelve, so I spent my formative teenage years towering over everyone around me.  I think he feels like that, but all the time.  Poor woobie.

Uncle Cyril wants to be turned over; Pierre helps the servant to do so, and as they turn Uncle Cyril, his arm flops about because he doesn't have the strength to move it.  When Uncle Cyril sees how much this terrifies Pierre, he puts on a brave smile and Pierre wells up.  Then he falls asleep and Anna takes Pierre away.