The level of description and detail here, Daniel, is second to none. You paint a vividly accurate picture of living and labouring in these workhouses and how death is just accepted as part of daily life with bodies being taken to the lime pits when they are of no more use. Brutal but just how things were.
Despite all his trials and what we know becomes of him, we still hold out hope for Hermann as he’s such a well drawn and sympathetic character who, even though he has faults, doesn’t deserve what is happening to him.
This is a magnificent piece of work that continues to captivate and intrigue in equal measure
I hope you’re not exhausted by my repeatedly telling you how grateful I am to have you as a reader. I like experimenting with flawed characters with redeeming qualities. I’m not a religious person myself, but when I try to imagine what it would have been like to live in 19th century Europe (or earlier), I think most moderns would be a bit surprised by how freely people wore their faith on their sleeves. And I don’t think life back then would have been nearly as Romantic as one would think when watching some of the modern films that employ Steampunk tropes that look fun onscreen but tend to blur the reality the depressing and appalling facts of the age, like workhouses, child labor, and medical procedures that are monstrous to think about today.
Lots of great descriptive passages but my favourite is this one:
The man lowered his eyes and apologized. And when a vat of tar broke from its braces and crushed the man three days later, the Widow whispered over his corpse, “Glorious is the Name of Jesus.”
I just now got time to read this and yet again was highly impressed. Like Daniel said, I also love the level of description and detail. The tension continues to build!
Daniel, I have enjoyed these last two chapters as having a symbiotic flow that seems a bit more rhythmic than some of what came before. The ebb and flow of perspective from past to present and back again seems (it's hard to put a finger exactly on the difference) more effective and easy than some previous passages. I may be exaggerating the effect at this point but it is definitely a feeling that I am coming away with.
The story is still so captivating and it is some relief to find Henrietta and Hermann in a somewhat stable situation. I know it is not likely to persist very long but it is relief!
Wishing you a pleasant fellowship for the holidays coming! Be well until next time!
The level of description and detail here, Daniel, is second to none. You paint a vividly accurate picture of living and labouring in these workhouses and how death is just accepted as part of daily life with bodies being taken to the lime pits when they are of no more use. Brutal but just how things were.
Despite all his trials and what we know becomes of him, we still hold out hope for Hermann as he’s such a well drawn and sympathetic character who, even though he has faults, doesn’t deserve what is happening to him.
This is a magnificent piece of work that continues to captivate and intrigue in equal measure
Really well done, Daniel 👍🏼
I hope you’re not exhausted by my repeatedly telling you how grateful I am to have you as a reader. I like experimenting with flawed characters with redeeming qualities. I’m not a religious person myself, but when I try to imagine what it would have been like to live in 19th century Europe (or earlier), I think most moderns would be a bit surprised by how freely people wore their faith on their sleeves. And I don’t think life back then would have been nearly as Romantic as one would think when watching some of the modern films that employ Steampunk tropes that look fun onscreen but tend to blur the reality the depressing and appalling facts of the age, like workhouses, child labor, and medical procedures that are monstrous to think about today.
Lots of great descriptive passages but my favourite is this one:
The man lowered his eyes and apologized. And when a vat of tar broke from its braces and crushed the man three days later, the Widow whispered over his corpse, “Glorious is the Name of Jesus.”
😅 She's a witch!
😂 Thank you so much for taking the time to read it, Alexander. Your feedback has been very encouraging.
I just now got time to read this and yet again was highly impressed. Like Daniel said, I also love the level of description and detail. The tension continues to build!
Daniel, I have enjoyed these last two chapters as having a symbiotic flow that seems a bit more rhythmic than some of what came before. The ebb and flow of perspective from past to present and back again seems (it's hard to put a finger exactly on the difference) more effective and easy than some previous passages. I may be exaggerating the effect at this point but it is definitely a feeling that I am coming away with.
The story is still so captivating and it is some relief to find Henrietta and Hermann in a somewhat stable situation. I know it is not likely to persist very long but it is relief!
Wishing you a pleasant fellowship for the holidays coming! Be well until next time!