Hey everybody! Here are a few thoughts about emeralds and things

[deirdrej.livejournal.com]

Well, anybody who knows me even slightly probably believes me to be a book geek. But if you would like proof....

I am now officially at the stage where books remind me of other books, not just of real life!

For all you Sounisians who love Lord Peter Wimsey, have you checked out Jill Paton Walsh's latest, The Attenbury Emeralds? I'm in the middle of it right now, and enjoying it very much. An added plus: passages and informative tidbits that bring other books to mind! Consider this bit: Freddy Arbuthnot is talking about jewels, explaining why emeralds are so much more expensive than diamonds.

"There's lots of fun in diamonds," he was saying. "And they do come in various tints and colours. But the fashion is for clear-water stones, so the more valuable they are, the less distinctive. Whereas .... There's no such thing as a flawless emerald. Emeralds have flaws and inclusions. Little crystals of pyrite, calcite, and acualité. Drifting veils within the stone &emdash; the French call this jardin. Lots of personality. Someone who has looked closely at an emerald could tell it again even if it has been re-mounted, or carved or re-cut.

And Freddy also explains that a carving or inscription, if well done, adds to the value of an emerald, too, because emeralds are extremely difficult to carve, especially if they have inclusions.

So...Eugenides, Thief of Eddis, knew exactly what he was doing (but when doesn't he?) when he took an emerald seal ring, with a flaw like a breaking wave, from the trap in Hephestia's underwater temple....

Which gives rise to another question, of course. What about the seal ring Eugenides is wearing in KOA? Is it the same one, perchance? I like to think so!

I'll end with a pretty picture -- here's a seal ring I can't quite picture Eugenides wearing -- but isn't it great?

Comments

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

The book you are reading reminded you of an item in a different book that originally came from an entirely different book (MWT took that ring from Rosemary Sutcliff's The Eagle of the Ninth). This could get confusing.

I haven't read any of the Jill Patton Walsh books because I am content with how Sayers left the series. I might have considered it at some point, but then I heard she messed up the timeline in this book. Is that true?

[amolegere.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I've always loved seal stones and cylinder seals so you just made my day with this post! I never knew that about emeralds, cool!

I always figured the ring he was wearing in KoA would be a ruby to match Irene's and would have his Attolis signature.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

HEY ahahaha lazy use of default icon is appropriate

I want that ring! All you need to do is change the lion? horse? to a dolphin. Also I totally agree that emeralds are more interesting than diamonds. But the ring in The Thief is the ring handed down in Rosemary Sutcliff's books.

Also I love the LPW books and did not know The Attenbury Emeralds existed until now. So thank you! I have read Thrones Dominations and enjoyed it.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I've been contemplating reading the new books, too, and would like to know what others thought.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

There's no such thing as a flawless emerald.

I must disagree with this. *points to Em*

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

Cool! It's a lion? So is it Sophos's ring?

And would he wear onyx or opal with it?

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

I think it's a big, fleecy sheep. One of Ornon's.

[keestone.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I love that ring.

Emeralds are also much more valuable because they're very brittle and shatter easily. So the big emeralds are particularly valuable because so many break during cutting (thus the difficult to carve, I suppose). (I have two tiny emeralds in my engagement ring, and the goldsmith made sure they are mounted very protectively and bought extra replacements just in case. He said they could last decades or two weeks and there was no way of knowing.)

Diamonds, on the other hand, are mainly pricey because the market is basically controlled by a monopoly. This would have been the case for the time period of Lord Peter and Freddy's discussion as well, since the De Beers cartel was formed in 1888.

I expect Attolis would have his own seal ring specific to him rather than one that had previously belonged to persons unknown.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Awwwwww! So true!

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

Looks like an ugly horse to me...hmm

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

D'awwww you're all so sweet!

I am, however, not flawless :P

Thrones and Dominations

[heather-el.livejournal.com]

I read Walsh's first faux Wimsey and didn't particularly care for it. I think it's very difficult to simulate a contemporary feel when you're actually writing a historical novel. Also, I thought she completely screwed up Bunter, which I found GREATLY distressing.

However, lots of other people enjoy them, so they're probably something every Lord Peter fan has to check out for herself.

Re: Thrones and Dominations

[(Anonymous)]

I agree actually, because while I love all of the other Lord Peter books, I was not all too fond of Walsh's two follow-up books. I thought she messed up Bunter too, which was sad, because he was one of my favorite characters. It's a hard task, following Dorothy L. Sayers, so all things considered, they were as best as could be expected. I will most likely read this anyway, assuming I can find a copy through my library, because I can't resist new Lord Peter Wimsey things, and because it was recommended on Sounis, and everyone here seems to have such good taste.

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Rosemary Sutcliff... I saw The Eagle yesterday (the film adaption of The Eagle of the Ninth). I love the book and the movie was good, especially since the emerald ring got plenty of screen time. I felt kind of geekish and pretty much squealed every time they showed it!!