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Too funny! Happy Easter Nancy.
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The Frozen River Book Club Friends Crossword Puzzle
Difficulty level: Easy Are you ready to test your skills?…
Quote:
“What would you have done if you’d been married when we met?”
Gamache lowered his book and stared ahead. Trying to imagine it. His love for Reine-Marie had been so immediate and so complete it was difficult seeing himself with anyone else, never mind married.
“God help me,” he finally said, turning to her. “I’d have left her. A terrible, selfish decision, but I’d have made a rotten husband after that, All your fault, you hussy.”
Reine-Marie had nodded. “I’d have done the same thing. Brought little Julio Jr. and Francesca with me, of course.”
“Julio and Francesca?”
“My children by Julio Iglesias.”
“Poor man, no wonder he sings so many sad songs. You broke his heart.”
“He’s never recovered,” She smiled.
“Perhaps we can introduce him to my ex,” said Gamache. “Isabella Rossellini.
Reine-Marie snorted and picked up her book…
mei lan:
I love this exchange between these two. Armand and Reine-Marie have a wonderful dynamic. And Louise Penny has a masterful way of crafting realistic dialogue, filled with humour, love and information that tells the reader so much, without telling the reader outright. What they say to writers is “show, don’t tell” and this is a wonderful example of how skilled Louise is. I do think her growth as a writer from Still Life to The Grey Wolf is absolutely incredible.
I think there might be spoilers in this post for The Grey Wolf, so if you haven’t read that book yet, please stop reading here.
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In the forums, there are chats about plot issues or other very valid points some readers brought up. I agree with them all, they are all completely right. But still, I loved The Grey Wolf because of the relationships, especially growth in the relationships between Gamache and Daniel and Gamache and JG. And here, in this example from A Trick of the Light, it is again the relationships that steal my heart, make me fall in love with the book, and enable me to completely overlook any issues that other readers have difficulty overlooking.
Maybe that is why star ratings are so diverse. Even amongst Louise’s fans, for The Grey Wolf, I have seen some division. All books are not perfect, but if the book is strong in elements that the reader has an emotional attachment to (for me, relationships), then the “flaws” in the book are more easily overlooked. But when those elements are not as strong, (for example, many people missed having the setting in Three Pines and wanted the rest of the Three Pines characters to have a bigger role in The Grey Wolf), then there is greater disappointment and more difficulty overlooking any “flaws”.
What do you think?
Source of this quote:
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Very thoughtful analysis of the discussion so far, mei lan; I absolutely agree. I suspect every book, every story involves some trade-offs for the author. In “The Grey Wolf” the elements I value more were definitely included. I think that made me more open to considering the new characters and places, more comfortable with the parts of a story I didn’t quite get. Reine-Marie was one of the people of Three Pines that we hear less about although she is still Armand’s confidante, one of the people Daniel names as having Armand’s implicit trust.
So, I am rereading “The Grey Wolf,” enjoying again the parts I enjoyed and the search for the pieces I think I missed. In that respect, the discussions really add to re-reading.
So well said mei lan. You have found the words i have been searching for since reading The Grey Wolf. I so appreciate your perspective.
A Trick of the Light is one of my favorite books in the series because of exactly what you mention – the relationship between Jean Guy and Armand. I think the action and plot and relationships all culminate in such a powerful way. The Grey Wolf has a completely different flavor for me. Not better or worse just different. There aren’t the emotional wedges between our heroes to resolve. Instead the conflicts and threats come from outsiders. And I agree with Jane that there are trade-offs for opening up the world of Three Pines to a larger canvas but I keep reminding myself The Grey Wolf is just the first part of a two part story so we’re really only halfway through. I’m very much enjoying reading everyone’s thoughts and interpretations of the Grey Wolf. There’s a lot to dig into!
Mei Lan, I agree with you that it is the relationships and their development that are the core of Louise Penny’s stories. Well said!
Absolutely agree, Mei Lan. It’s always been the relationships that have drawn me into these books. And my favorite relationships are those of Armand and Jean-Guy, Armand and Reine-Marie, Armand, JG, and Isabelle, JG and Annie, and JG and Ruth. I also love many other dynamics, but if I had to choose which characters to focus on in any given book, it would be these people in particular. When I read the first blurb touting TGW’s publication,, I was like a child at Christmas, as it focused on Armand, JG, and Isabelle, and mentioned Reine-Marie. I had great hopes, and loved what I found in this book. And an added bonus was the deepening relationship between Armand and Daniel. I do love the other Three Pines characters, and love when these main people spend time with them, but I will always want to see as much as possible of “my main crew” together, and get insights and glimpses into their beautiful, complex relationships. I read the plot developments with interest, but I like it best when my favorite people have personal stakes in them and get to show who they are in the process.