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harrowscore · 4 months ago

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there's something about peake's writing style that reminds me of susanne clarke's in jonathan strange & mr norrell - the sophisticated humour, maybe - which i love. also, imo you can easily see he was an artist because his descriptions, the way he weaves words, are like exquisite paintings... it's fascinating how his love for art conflates in his writing too

#i mean the clarke comparison as a compliment - she's such a good writer #obv *she* was probably influenced by peake's works #but still. the comparison stands #i also feel that grrm has read and appreciated these books... asoiaf is a very different kind of story #(except for the medieval-like setting and the larger than life castles...)#but i suppose he would love a character like steerpike. the latter vaguely reminds me of baelish except he's. more interesting imo #maybe because we can see into his head while littlefinger's inner thoughts are still a mystery #or maybe because while steerpike is very cerebral at the end of the day petyr is motivated by personal passions and resentment #... unless something about steerpike's backstory is not yet revealed? in any case he seems largely... unemotional #not as passionate as baelish in his (twisted) love/obsession for catelyn for example #again. i'm still halfway through the first book so these are just my first impressions #i could be wrong!#val reads gormenghast #val speaks #txt

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harrowscore · 4 months ago

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whatever is going on between steerpike and fuchsia will not end well....... (promise? 👉👈)

#i'm reading the grotto scene btw #and uhm. i can feel some Tension. she seems extremely guarded towards him (clever girl) but also weirdly fascinated #no idea what it's going through *his* mind tho lmao #in any case i already love him very much. can't wait to finish the books so he can get his well-deserved spot #in my fav villainous blorbos list <3 #val reads gormenghast #val speaks #txt

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harrowscore · 3 months ago

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there's something to say about the recurring fire and ice motifs in the gormenghast books (at least the first two novels) but my brain is an unformed ameba these days, so i'm waiting for another (and more intelligent) person to comment about it

#i'm aware that peake is going somewhere with the library fire + steerpike's disfigurement and barquentine's murder #(death by fire like his father before him...)#+ the flood and rain etc.#i'm just. too stupid to find the words lmao #val reads gormenghast #val speaks #txt

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harrowscore · 3 months ago

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fuchsia really said "it doesn't make sense..... compels me tho" about steerpike lmao

#fyi i've been reading the book in english #but with the fever + nasty cough + period combo i can't handle peake's untranslated writing style #so i'm reading the last few chapters in italian. my brain can barely put two words together let alone read something of peake in *english*#anyway. fuchsia's ''he's so ugly and there's something clearly repulsive and malicious about him... BUT'' reaction to steerpike #doesn't really surprise me. she's such a lonely girl and he's the one boy about her age (besides the kitchen boys i guess - which is ironic)#in the whole castle. no wonder she's somehow drawn to him #maybe not despite but *because* of their antithetical natures. as she put it he is ''so alive''#and fuchsia is a sheltered friendless girl who only has her old nanny for company. he speaks to her in a respectful way #(for his own reasons of course) and she's probably met nobody like him in the whole castle. poor girl is doomed #i don't think he has it in him to really care about her. he doesn't care for individuals in general #poor fuchsia :/#val reads gormenghast #val speaks #txt

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harrowscore · 3 months ago

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the fact that steerpike almost burned to death and from then on he's been mortally afraid of fire, while fuchsia drowns... once again the fire&water/opposites motif. MR PEAKE WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. what does it all mean ??????

#it can't be a coincidence right? right??#anyway it's very tragic/hilarious at the same time how steerpike is blamed for fuchsia's death #even though we know he was not directly responsible for it #*that's* the murder (however indirect) that damns him #not all the barquentine cora&clarice flay and the other nameless victims of the world... but the woman he manipulated and hurt deeply #i wonder what his reaction to her death will be. will he care at all? even just a little iota of it?#probably not. also because atm he's got many other important things on his mind (like surviving at all)#still. one has to wonder #val reads gormenghast #val speaks #txt

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harrowscore · 3 months ago

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i must admit that the italian translator for the gormenghast books did a wonderful job. the translation maintains peake's richness and sophistication in his descriptions and metaphors, but it also flows very well. i knew i could trust adelphi to do something right

#adelphi my beloved <3 #val reads gormenghast #val speaks #txt

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harrowscore · 3 months ago

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