The Wisdom of Birds (DD4, Chapter Two, pages 73-77)

Last week Alexandra was low enough that she sunk to spending time with the midshipman. This week, she goes to see what the church has to offer her. Plus, she's in the right place at the right time when the governor of the town returns.

(As always, to read completed pages, browse the "DD4" tag.)

I included the churchy pages on a whim. It seemed like an indulgence when I initially wrote it up. But now, I'm pleased with how they turned out and, as I look later into the story, I keep finding ways for this sequence to be relevant.

With the provveditore, I want him to be one of those blustery sacks of ass who swears every other word and speaks in foul turns of phrase, but I don't want to actually put swears into the book, for obvious reasons. I did a few cursory searches to learn about regency-era swearing, but none of it was toothy enough. Most of it wouldn't read as foul language. I think maybe "bull-calf" and "fussock" turned up, and there's one coming next week that I really like (and might install into my day-to-day vocabulary), but otherwise I set myself the task of making things up. "Dragging me up and down the screw" is one of those, and Dear Reader? I like that one.

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Pro Tips

When you get your copy of Kate Beaton's DUCKS, make sure to take the dust jacket off for a little treat.

It's spooky season, and I am finally, finally! reading Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook's HARROW COUNTY. I was dragging my feed because only by exception do I enjoy horror stuff, but here's something no one told me about this book: so far (and I'm only a few issues in) it seems animated by charm, heart, and human connection. I'm more familiar with horror being about unending bleakness and solitude and despair, so this is nice to find.

On a related note, if (like me) you have an irrepressible curiosity about horror movies but do not enjoy watching them, try the Too Scary; Didn't Watch podcast. It's more fun than just reading the Wikipedia plot summary.

Finally, do not sleep on the SHE-HULK series. I have never been even slightly interested in reading She-Hulk, and I don't remember what made me try the first episode of the show, but it's great. I plowed straight through it. It's light, funny, and extremely refreshing counter-programming to the usual tone of Marvel superhero stuff. The Fleabag-style talking-to-camera business is not note-perfect the way that sort of thing needs to be note-perfect, but otherwise I am v much looking forward to more.

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Chapter Two wraps up over the next two weeks! Where will Alexandra find solace? How much deeper will her conflict with her mother become? How will she celebrate her birthday? Soon we will find out!

🍁
TC