Some interesting thoughts...

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I got an email today from someone, (who would prefer to remain unnamed), who had some interesting ideas about the books which I asked if I could share. They kindly agreed. To paraphrase:

1. On the idea of a 'happily-ever-after' romance. The characters seem to have quite a bit in common with Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, who had a fascinating marriage, which didn't exactly end as a happily-ever-after story.

Unnamed also sent me a great simplified verson of the similarities, for those of you who, like me, know next to nothing about the period: Eleanor of Aquitaine was 11 years older than her husband, was powerful in terms of land, wealth and political power. Henry became King of England and parts of France after marrying her, using their combined assets, though Eleanor retained a lot of her power. Henry, however, was openly unfaithful, and ended up holding Eleanor a prisoner for years (possibly because she supported one of their kids in something he wasn't too happy about - I'm hazy on this), and their kids ended up taking sides in their feuds.

Realistically, could Gen and Irene end up like this? It's a scary idea, I think, but...possible?


2. On Costis's alleged similarity to Teleus. Teleus is fairly rigid, seems to lack imagination, and doesn't show that much evidence of a great deal of intelligence. Isn't Costis more like Pol? Loyal, quiet, and flexible enough to see situations changing as they develop. Though it's possible the author doesn't see it this way...


3. (Another more general question from me this time.) To what extent does it matter what the author thinks? Once the book's out there, does it belong more to the readers? Can you discount the author's possible intentions or feelings to some extent?

What does everyone think, of any of these questions? :)

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

3. The book definetely belongs more to the readers once it's out. Drawing from my own experiences in another fandom, fans have been called "delusional" for shipping a particular pairing, and the author, upon hearing it, hasn't rejected. Secondary and main characters alike have been fleshed out and made to undergo revelations/trauma/experience in those ridiculously addicting stories we call "fanfic." Alternate-dimension stories have been written where canon events are nonexistent, or where characters have made completely different choices from what's happened in the book. Obviously, everyone is likely to have different interpretations, and this fact is well demonstrated in fandom -- where you get all types of people with who draw different variations of fan art, fan fiction, and have their individual beloved ships and favorite characters, etc.

I could write a fic about what would have happened if Gen had not had his hand cut off (and how he possibly still could've managed a romance with Attolia in a roundabout way), eschewing all canon, for example. Shocked by his mutilation in the second book and stupified that he could even stand to be in the same room as that woman, never mind "love" her, I could have written this personal fic to satisfy my fantastical perception of what *I* wanted to happen in Gen's world. (Of course, I'm too lazy to write a fic, and I don't really disagree with how the Gen-with-one-hand plot mechanism has worked out; the above was just an example.)

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