Book set in Stavsjo, Sweden. Reviewed on 2019/05: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxUsaQMHmaM/
I wish #arcadia had done a better job at adding more introduction, #historical information, editor’s note and whatnot before making you jump into the text. I’m saying this because of two things. First there’s the inevitable intricacies and acrobatics of a highly #rococo writing style to describe the high drama of the #swedishroyalfamily of the end of the #18thcentury . #almqvist does not spare embellished adjectives and complicated grammar constructions to describe the landscape or just a scene. I did enjoy and giggle at the highly kitsch and romantic aura of the dialogs. But it does become repetitive and it definitely diverts the reading from the actual action. You need to be prepared for that and also the fact that the #androgynecharacter #tintomara is portrayed somewhat in a negative and predatory way. Not only that, there are also some instances of casual #antisemitism here which felt all bitter and cartoonish to me. I’m not surprised though. Anti-Semitic writers or casually anti-Semitic characters are sadly widespread and predominant. I just wished the publisher would have done a better job at presenting these issues and try to understand why there are included in this historical text. We as readers, we need to demand that from editors, publishers and even translators. Then it’s up to the reader to read it or not and make your own informed decision to tackle a story so embedded in the prejudices and misconceptions of the era. #swedishliterature #stockholm#stavsjö #arcadiabooks#thequeenstiara #cjlalmqvist#genderqueerlit#drottningensjuvelsmycke#historicalfiction #regicide #fugitive
hebdo_readings 