Book Beginnings is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the first sentence (or so) of a book you are currently reading, along with your initial thoughts and impressions about the sentence or book. Remember to include the title of the book and the author AND link up at the Rose City Reader
On the first Monday of the month of April, 1625, the market town of Meung, in which the author of Romance of the Rose was born, appeared to be in as perfect a state of revolution as if the Huguenots had made a second La Rochelle of it. Many citizens, seeing the women flying toward the High Street, leaving their children crying at the open doors, hastened to don the cuirass, and supporting their somewhat uncertain courage with a musket or a partisan, directed their steps toward the hostelry of the Jolly Miller, before which was gathered, increasing every minute, a compact group, vociferous and full of curiosity.
I'm reading The Three Musketeers for a reading challenge. My first experience with Dumas was The Count of Monte Cristo, which I absolutely loved--an all-time favorite. So I'm thinking I'll probably enjoy this one too. I'm barely into chapter three, but I like it so far.
First, as you may have noticed, this beginning is very long, and it's all of two sentences! I know the trend will continue, so I'm prepared to deal with this. Second, the beginning has some references that I was unfamiliar with, so I looked them up:
- The Romance of the Rose, also known as La Roman de la Rose, is a medieval french poem keeping with the tradition of courtly love, that was started by Guillame de Lorris in 1237. The poem was left incomplete, but received additions written by Jean de Meun. I'm assuming de Meun came from the market town mentioned above in the beginning. His addition talks about dreams and visions and sent me on a google search for Macrobius and The Dream of Scipio.
- The Huguenots and La Rochelle....I don't know about you, but I'm a little rusty on my European history. But this metaphor makes perfect sense when put into perspective.
Lastly, those townspeople are the nosiest I've ever heard of. They are beyond curious, if you ask me.
I loved both of those books, Alexandre Dumas has a talent for bringing his characters alive I think! The Huguenots appear in one of my favourite era's of history too :D
ReplyDelete...I'm trying to think if I have a favorite era of history. I feel like I should. But nothing's jumping out at me.
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Hope you enjoy the book. I read it a long time ago and liked it.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteWow! That is a lengthy, complex sentence! Thanks for sharing...and here's MY FRIDAY MEMES POST
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting!
DeleteI loved Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, and not just because my last name is Dumas. Both are such great adventure stories.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting on Book Beginnings on Fridays! Sorry I haven't been around for a while. This is the first Friday I am actually in town and at my computer in several weeks.
Haha. I'm not going to be that person that asks if there is any relation. I got that so many times as a kid...and my last name is pretty common.
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I love Dumas! The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite, but this one is good too.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Friday Post.
Yeah, I don't think many authors win me over in one book. But Dumas did.
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Hi Amber,
ReplyDeleteIn addition to your great extra explanations, I also needed to look up the phrase 'don the cuirass', to fully appreciate the sentiment of the sentence. I do still need to know what the crowd were so curious about, that made them vociferous, that is quite a strong word.
I have never read the Dumas book, but have watched just about every adaptation, both small and large screen, that there has been.
Just a week or so ago, I saw the television airing of 'The Man In The Iron Mask', not true to the original story I know, but brilliant none the less!
I really should read more of the classics .. but we are back to the same old adage 'Too many books, not enough time!'
Yvonne
I'm glad they helped at least one person, other than myself, haha. I have to look up things I don't know before I can continue on, or it will bother me.
DeleteI vaguely remember scenes from The Man in the Iron Mask. I will definitely watch an adaptation of this book when I'm done reading. The television airing wasn't true? That's interesting. In what way?
As for reading the classics...I try to pepper them in from time to time, but the saying is quite true.
Thanks for visiting!