Tigana - Chapter 6

Tigana - Chapter 6

This chapter is rather peaceful after the previous two.

The chapter starts with the sentence: "As it happened, the long path of that day and night did not lead back to the inn after all."

Anything beginning "as it happened" makes me think of Dorothy Dunnett.

I like the idea that Tigana is "almost purely an abstraction" for Devin, though it means everything to him.

I also love the sentence, "Devin wondered how often men did what htey did, made the choices of their lives, for reasons that were clean and uncomplicated and easily understood as they were happening."

They they meet up with Rovigo and his family, and go to Rovigo's place - and it appears to be purely an impulse of Devin's, but it turns out that Alessan has had dealings with Rovigo and Rovigo is already allied to the freedom-fighters of Tigana, and we get a chance to see how someone not born in Tigana is incapable of hearing that word.

We meet Rovigo's wife and daughters, and see the way Rovigo teases them all the time. I find Rovigo rather amazing - he should be too cute, but he isn't. He hits just the right note. His love of his daughters shines through, and his teasing keeps him from seeming soppy about it.

The family:
Rovigo, the father, Captain of the Sea Maid
Alix, his wife
Menka, the housekeeper

The daughters:
Alais, whom Devin likes
Selvana, who is somewhat boy-crazy
two younger girls

Devin sees the "sociable and relaxed Alessan" as being close to his essential character.

I like Catriana's toast "to kindness on a dark road". Literal or metaphorical or both. Bringing to mind Dante's line "I found myself alone in a dark wood" and reminding me of the Dante quote at the beginning of the book.

We learn the nature of Alessan's oath with his blue wine: "Tigana, let my memory of you be like a blade in my soul." This also explains the title of the section. And I love the exchange:

Rovigo: "Forgive me, both of you. I should not have asked. I have opened a wound."
Alessan: "The wound is always open."

So they decide to go into business with Rovigo, to pursue the business of Tigana.

* * *
We get the viewpoint of Alais, who loved Devin's singing and haws "wide, alert eyes". It would be hard not to like Alais. Her assessment of Alessan's age would put him in his early to mid thirties. She sees that Catriana and Devin don't love each other, though there is "something" between them.

She goes to her room with Catriana, and they make conversation. Catriana is by turns brittle, patronizing and apologetic.
* * *

We get the viewpoint of Tomasso, tormented and thrown in a rat-infested dark prison, facing torture in the morning. I'm not sure what building this dungeon is attached to - the Sandrini Palace? Somewhere in the city? His father comes to him, and he thinks it's dream or a hallucination. Sandre gives him the vial of poison, which Tomasso drinks, still thinking it's a dream or vision, particularly since, in this dream of vision, his father loves him.

I thought Tomasso's story unbearably sad.

Doctor Who 7x07 - "The Bells of St. John"

At last, at last, a new episode of Doctor Who: The Bells of St. John nu Steven Moffat.

Which I enjoyed. I still find Clara Oswin Oswald intriguing. (If they're opting for old Northumbrian kings, I'm still looking for Clara Ooswin Oswald Oswy.)

But... It was another rather incoherent Steven Moffat plot. He seems to go for chaos rather than emotion; confusion rather than clarity; obfuscation.

I was watching with a crowd of things, and it was gamergrrl who articulated my difficulties with the eleventh Doctor. She said, "It doesn't seem to be so much the Doctor as a parody of the Doctor."

Of course, I expected Clara Oswald to die again. She keeled over a few times, but that wasn't death, that was temporary mind transfer. Or something.

I miss Nine dreadfully, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next week...

Orphan Black

Another new Canadian SF show debuted last night. Orphan Black. It looks and feels and tastes Canadian, from the VIA Rail train to the graffiti of Toronto.



The story at first seemed close to that of Ringer. A girl on the run from druglords (to whom she owed money) witnesses the suicide of her double, and assumes her double's identity. Many times she is almost found out; many times, due to luck and quick thinking, she avoids discovery by hook or by crook - and by having sex with her double's boyfriend. And someone is trying to kill her.

The difference? There's a third woman with the same face and body. Seems Sarah is one of a set of clones.

I liked Sarah's gay artist friend Felix, who helps her with her role and even holds a memorial service for her. I liked the attractive half-naked men and the inclusion of sex. I liked the various distinct characters - oddly enough, for a show about clones, there was a delightful diversity and each character, clone or not, was unlike all the others. Though the story wasn't very exciting - it was more set-up than anything else - I liked the situation and the ambiance. Will I make a point of watching more?

I just might.