<p>Buenavista, I agree that the characters were thin. I prefer books with more depth of characterization.</p>
<p>To me, Stockholm Octavo was like a creampuff or a meringue…tasty but somewhat insubstantial.</p>
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<p>I almost view the setting (late 1700s Stockholm) as a character in and of itself. I wanted to know more about Gustav III. I could feel the cold of winter and the thawing as spring came to Stockholm. I think the author does a good, good job of drawing the reader into her setting.</p>
<p>The descriptions of all kinds of things were indeed vivid. That was one of the elements that kept me going.</p>
<p>I didn’t think the author made you really care about the political situation, though. I think the urge to find out about the politics would have to come from one’s natural curiosity, not from anything in the story that gave you a very real sense of what was going on.</p>
<p>Yes, the settings were captivating. I could really imagine them. I can’t imagine traveling in a horse drawn sled over water. I don’t care how thick the ice is, I would be very nervous and was nervous reading about it.</p>
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<p>I agree. The story touches on and weaves around the political events. I referred to the timeline at the front of the book to keep track of the political situation. Revolutionary politics only anchor the narrative - I think the author intends for us to focus on the motley group of characters and their growing connection to each other.</p>
<p>Here’s a review I liked … and something I hadn’t really considered:</p>
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<p>[Cards</a>, fans, and overthrowing a monarchy: a review of The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann | editorialeyes](<a href=“http://editorialeyes.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/01/05/cards-fans-and-overthrowing-a-monarchy-a-review-of-the-stockholm-octavo-by-karen-engelmann/]Cards”>http://editorialeyes.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/01/05/cards-fans-and-overthrowing-a-monarchy-a-review-of-the-stockholm-octavo-by-karen-engelmann/)</p>
<p>That’s a good review, Ignatius. This comment from the review mentions something else I liked about Stockholm Octavo:</p>
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<p>psychmom - Thanks for the link on Madame de Montespan. It gives a lot more meaning to the fan and the Uzanne, knowing Montespan’s history. </p>
<p>ignatius - I like the review you shared. It is well written and thought provoking. Editorialeyes is the same person who did the Cloud Atlas readalong. I like the way she interprets and discusses books.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I liked her Cloud Atlas Readalong also. She petered out with the Possession Readalong. I kept checking. I do like her explanation though:</p>
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<p>Still not finished, (but still chugging along 
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<p>ignatius - I missed that Possession quote. Very funny! </p>
<p>mstee - I’m with you on riding on ice. That large cracking sound that ice makes (also mentioned in the book), always makes me nervous.</p>
<p>Regarding settings, I am glad we were able to peak into Christian’s work area. I loved the description of all of the lights…simply dazzling! By contrast, the Uzanne’s room of fans sounded dark and gloomy.</p>
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<p>That’s interesting. Normally, you would think that since Emil is the first person narrator, he is the character we would know the most about. But as the narrator, he controls what he reveals, and maybe he holds back about himself.</p>
<p>I found the narration of the book curious. In the review that ignatius posted, our editorialeyes friend writes, “I was at first put off by the fact that the narrative switches between Emil’s first person and the third person perspective of other players, mainly the women of the book.”</p>
<p>Yet, most of the chapters that appear to be from the point-of-view of other characters do not really have a third person omniscient narrator. Rather, Emil is still the narrator and the chapters are the result of him painstakingly recording detailed information that he received from others. </p>
<p>I mean…aren’t they? Isn’t it Emil who has carefully written down the sources at the beginning of every chapter?</p>
<p>For example, chapter 14, “About to Bloom,” begins as follows: “Some weeks after I met her at The Pig, Johanna stood at the end of a narrow alley leading into Merchant’s Square” (p. 99). For the rest of the chapter, there is no more “I” from Emil, and the descriptions are what Johanna thought and experienced. But given how the chapter opens, it seems that Emil is the one writing, and that he is telling the story long after the drama has ended. As a matter of fact, when I started chapter 14, my first thought was, “Well, I guess Emil and Johanna get together because look at this long story she told him!”</p>
<p>Emil’s first person “I” opens most of the chapters – at quick glance, I’d say at least ¾ of them. My example of chapter 14 is just one of many. Over and over, Emil begins the chapter, but then the reader forgets that he is the storyteller because the scenes that follow don’t involve him – he appears to be relaying information that has been fed to him at some point by the other characters.</p>
<p>Yes, it is odd with the narration. Each chapter begins with a list of sources beneath the title. Like the book is being written by an archivist.
Thanks mom for the link, Psychmom! Truth can be as strange- and interesting-as fiction.
For so many years in the past, ambitious women could only fulfill their ambition by their attachment to a powerful man. Less choice can mean more of the wrong type of power grabbing for very ambitious people!</p>
<p>I never finished Possession. It is one of the few books that I have not finished and I don’t think I will. I just wasn’t hooked.</p>
<p>Emil acts as archivist:</p>
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<p>I wondered why Christian Norden never appears as a source while Margot and Lars Norden do. Christian is dead. And, of course, with no witnesses to the murder, so Source: None.</p>
<p>ignatius, thank you! I remember now that was in the prologue following the cast of characters. I read it once and never thought of it again. (As I’ve said before, thumbing back and forth is next to impossible with a Kindle, so once I’ve clicked past a page, it tends to be “out of sight, out of mind.” Can be frustrating.)</p>
<p>And of course, that makes sense about Christian. I wonder how many readers are astute enough to guess Christian’s fate in advance simply from his omission from the sources? (I wasn’t.)</p>
<p>^^^ I didn’t. I did remember that Emil acts as archivist and I did vaguely note that Christian never serves a source. It never occurred to me to wonder why. Last night - before posting - I rechecked Emil’s sources and, sure enough, no Christian. (Of course!) It seems obvious once you put two and two together. I guess looking at the sources shows that Emil connects with Johanna and she returns with him. Hadn’t thought about that one … nice subtle way to tie everything up. </p>
<p>(I flipped to the front of the book continually to get a grasp on timeline and characters. I saw the prologue more than once.)</p>
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<p>Your post made me want to reread these two sections. You’re right about the contrast.</p>
<p>Ignatius, I don’t have the book in front of me now, but are you saying that Johanna was a source during Emil’s boat journey? The romantic in me really wanted them to end up together, but I felt the author left piece open-ended. I thought the “sources” part in the beginning of each chapter to be kind of annoying…leave it to this group to discover that it offers subtle clues!</p>
<p>We have mentioned several times how Emil was not the most likeable character and seemed shallow and dense. It is through his belief in the octavo that he becomes a fuller person, and that was satisfying for me. Emil’s cluelessness is what drove the book; even towards the end, he tries to seek out love through Margot (and she sets him straight). Johanna has given him clues about her affection towards him (the kiss) but he must have been ambivalent because she feels the need to reject the butterly fan upon her departure. He admits to Mrs. Sparrow he is lost, and is given more encouragement to push forward. On the boat, he stays in his room until Hinkin makes him come up for a beautiful (romance-inspiring) view. Forget about regular love and connection–this guy needs a lot of help in the romantic love department! And I wanted to see that happen. If that is what we can infer by the “sources” piece, then my thanks for clueing me in :)</p>
<p>^^^ Emil writes his “memoir” after all is said and done. I assume Johanna serves as his source at that time rather than before she boards the boat and disappears. So that must mean he finds her, right? Or am I clutching at straws? Still for her to be a source indicates she spends some time discussing events with Emil … after he finds her seems most likely. (Yeah, I know … my theory is “built on speculation” as Emil would say … doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. :)) Truthfully, though, it seems only likely that Emil gathers his information from Johanna at the same time as everyone else … after the story ends.</p>
<p>I always figured that since Emil was on a boat to America at the end of the story, he would find Johanna and reunite with her there.</p>
<p>I never noticed the clues in the “sources” at the beginnings of the chapters, though!</p>