![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Some really good chapters this week! This is where I feel the novel really starts to come into its own as we get a deeper glimpse into what makes the characters tick, society tick, and some of what may be driving the mystery as well.
Chapter 5: Full disclosure: THIS IS PERHAPS MY FAVORITE CHAPTER OF THE BOOK. We’ve got drama, action, and character development out the wazoo.
The chapter opens with Mir Aziz once more taking Avery under his wing. He’s as evasive and opaque as Blake but his manner is a much better fit with Avery, who’s less inclined to bridle because Aziz hasn’t rubbed him the wrong way.
I feel for Avery at the temple. He’s so out of his element and of course the sight would horrify him, particularly with what he thinks he knows about Thugs and Indian culture in general. True to form, Mir Aziz tries to gently enlighten while Blake tries to shock and nettle, with predictable results. One wonders why Blake didn’t try to occupy Avery with something else somewhere else, or at least have Mir Aziz try to occupy Avery instead. You get the sense that nothing has really prepared Avery for Bindachal.
Which, of course, results in what I think is one of—if not the—pivotal scenes in the book. Blake and Avery’s frustrations with one another boil to the surface and they tell each other exactly what they think of each other. And then:
”You might be smartish but I can’t tell.”
Oh. MY. That one sucked the breath out of my lungs in the way I imagine it did Avery’s. Here is Blake at his observant best and interpersonal worst, going straight for the jugular. He’s learned enough about Avery to hit him where it hurts, but doesn’t know him well enough to want to pull his punches.
You get a sense of how genuine Avery’s hurt is here, which is what I think wins Blake over in the end, especially if you compare it to Avery’s arrogance and reversion to social forms during their first confrontation in Blacktown. Blake’s reaction makes clear he regrets what he’s done as soon as Avery doesn’t go back on the attack, but at this point the damage is probably done.
So now they’re completely avoiding one another. And then we come to the bandit attack. This is where Avery gets to prove what he’s made of, but at a horrible cost. I feel awful for Nungoo and even the second bandit he shoots.
On a strictly logical level, Blake and Avery’s actions here make no sense: even with the opium, everything they do here just postpones the man’s painful death. Why doesn’t Blake give him the coup de grace if Avery’s unable?
Obviously, the reason is so they can have their pivotal coming to terms. And oh, I love everything about this scene, which is a paragon of showing-not-telling. Blake starts to realize how capable Avery can be provided Blake hasn’t preemptively shut him down. Within the space of two sentences we go from “Avery” to “Mr. Avery” to actually stopping to consider Avery and what he’s done, and trying to interact instead of instinctively writing him off.
And oh, heavily-in-shock Avery going to try to salvage his books just breaks my heart every time.
This clearly makes an impression on Blake as well: Wait, this kid seems capable and perhaps interested in reading/learning? Which leads to Blake finally trying to find something out about who Avery actually is instead of letting confirmation bias convince him he needn’t bother because he already has Avery pegged due to the commonalities Avery shares with other Company ensigns.
And damn, it sure seems like Blake has surreptitiously inspected Avery’s books at some point, doesn’t it, since he somehow knows that Avery owns Pickwick Papers? ;-)
And as someone with a thing for hurt/comfort, Blake stitching Avery up and sort of steadying him through his shock just, um, really does it for me. As does Avery’s entirely formal apology and peace offering to Blake, which is so out of step with Blake, but Blake’s finally seen enough that he’s able to take it in the spirit in which it’s offered.
And on to Jubblepore.
Chapter 6: Our surviving heroes arrive safely in Jubblepore! And wow, their reception is significantly more frosty than they might have hoped. For the first time we get to see Blake effectively throwing his weight around to get what he wants out of Company men, as opposed to just railing against them for forcing him into things he doesn’t want to do.
And apparently the First Rule of Jubblepore: we do not talk about Xavier Mountstuart in Jubblepore. Which is fine by Avery, who’s running on fumes at this point.
As an aside, I just love that the first thing Avery remarks on when he wakes is how nicely Blake cleans up. XD After staring. Openly.
Blake and Sleeman’s initial meeting is fascinating. They initially seem like birds of a feather: Indian culture otaku, language geeks, and general science and book nerds. And although he’s hopelessly outclassed, Avery still manages to hold his own, fanboying over Sleeman-the-author. And he’s also familiar with fossils, although we see how different is his frame of reference from that of the better educated Blake and Sleeman. Again, we get another glimpse of Avery aside from the horseman/marksman/aspiring high society climber.
Again, everyone in earshot reacts very poorly to Mountstuart. Are they all terrified he’s going to write his next roman a clef about the nepotism on which Jubblepore apparently runs? Or have they learned their distaste from reports of Mountstuart’s takedowns of Calcutta society?
Poor Avery, still overdoing things because he doesn’t want to confront how badly he’s injured or let Blake sideline him again. The silver lining, at least, is that Blake is willing to unwind enough to pay Avery a well-deserved compliment for his efforts, for all he doesn’t have the proper skills our outlook to be of greatest use to Blake. Gratified. Poor Avery...you totally deserve the compliment, but Blake is also playing you like a fiddle right now.
We really don’t seem much of Mir Aziz or Sameer in this chapter, do we? I wonder, are they off assisting Blake or has Sleeman kept them locked in? Avery, if only you’d think to ask! I think it’s pretty telling that as far as Avery’s come, he still thinks of Blake as the member of the party with any role to play in finding Mountstuart.
I like that Avery now feels comfortable enough to let a little personality out around Blake. It seems to be working; his sarcasm actually gets Blake to talk a bit. And whatever Blake is doing, it seems to have gotten Sleeman to open up a bit too, or at least preen in front of his visitors (which for Blake’s purposes probably accomplishes the same end).
Poor feverish Avery. That wasn’t a dream at all.
Chapter 7: We definitely start pulling back some curtains in this chapter. The exhumation scene is really effective: Carter doesn’t go overboard on the descriptions, but let’s the characters’ reactions speak to how horrific the find is. I always feel a little squeamish reading this scene.
I wonder at Mauwle’s ability to find the burial where the Approvers could not. He certainly appears to be fluent in their language, so perhaps he’s spoken to others with information on the location? Or are the Approvers themselves reluctant to revisit the scene of the crime?
I like the narrative parallels in this chapter: the Jubblepore officials trying to get Avery to spill the beans on Blake while Blake and Avery try to suss out what they know and aren’t saying about Mountstuart and Thuggee, and everyone at a frustrated impasse.
Blake does not have the ideal bedside manner, does he? (Although to be fair, his medical treatments do seem to work.) And oh! Good shot, Avery. I think Blake only unbent to tell you about the quing hao because your observation was so deliciously pointed. I’m so intrigued by what it was he was doing on the border with Thibbet those several years back.
I really like the scene in Sleeman’s garden, because a) I love gardening, b) Avery once again shows he’s knowledgeable and perceptive in surprising ways (he really has been paying attention to Mir Aziz’s lessons on the mofussil’s flora!), and c) we get a sense of what drives Sleeman, and where his blind spots and passions lie. It’s also amusing to see how quickly he dismisses Avery when he realizes how little Avery’s able to tell him about what Blake is up to.
Pursloe’s a jerk, but at least Avery gets a sense from him of whence Jubblepore’s patented animus against Mountstuart. When reading, I definitely pinged on “He did not choose to inform us of his departure, which was typical.” Harking back to the prologue, I wonder, are that scene and Pursloe’s statement related? Is Pursloe being entirely honest? And Mountstuart seems like the sort of guy who enjoys making enemies wherever he goes: is this where he made a fatal one?
Chapter 8: The School of Industry really gives you the creeps, doesn’t it? This place is the definition of Orwellian a century before the guy who gave us the term was even born. I wonder if Sleeman is needling Avery about being unable to follow that conversation or if he’s just so unobservant he hasn’t realized Blake’s the only one of the two who can converse with the non-European population.
We really get to see the full, ugly reality of Carter’s Sleeman here: self-satisfied, paternalistic, and arrogant. And a little sadistic, too, because it’s becoming clear that many of the people he’s imprisoned probably are not Thugs and may not even be guilty of the crimes for which he’s imprisoned them. And here he is, making them listen to a litany of the things they may or may not have done that have landed them in hellish incarceration alongside their families, who are even less likely to have committed Thuggee-type crimes.
Blake, of course, immediately latches on to “lower sort,” and no surprise there, given what we’ve already learned about his background and some of the factors that may be driving the local population to crime, which Sleeman et al. are completely disregarding.
Blake continues to slay him with a thousand cuts, and Sleeman is only half aware of what Blake’s doing. We only see Feringhea for a few pages and never really get to know him, but he’s such a fascinating character. By Sleeman’s own admission, Feringhea is “famous for his abilities as an inveigler” who puts people “under a spell,” and I at least wonder whether Sleeman is as immune to his charisma and wiles as he thinks he is, or whether Feringhea’s taking his pound of flesh by playing into everything Sleeman wants to hear. Certainly, there’s every indication that Feringhea is a Persian Muslim—his physical appearance, “refusal” to speak Hindi, use of Islamic terms—and it just flies right over Sleeman’s head...even when Blake more or less directly draws attention to it.
Poor Avery does his best with the interview, but it’s still not that great. At least he’s able to read the danger signs and divert Sleeman away from the time bomb of Blake’s anger. And Sleeman falls right for it when Blake pretends awe at Feringhea, leaving Blake to conduct a basically unsupervised interview even though he knows about Blake’s fluency and views of Thuggee.
“Breaking machine.” I shudder. Also, FFS, Avery, figure it out!
Unfortunately, instead of that, we get Blake not figuring it out instead. Because despite having coming to an understanding of sorts with Avery, he still doesn’t account for Avery’s honesty, earnestness, and sense of duty—Avery is very much resolved to do the job he was given, properly, and is not about to stand idly by while Blake does things that neither sit right with him nor deigns to explain them to Avery. Blake, just tell him why you’re sneaking out every night—you know this kid is no dummy!
The hanging scenes—both Avery’s recollection of the one in Exeter, and the present day hanging in Jubblepore, are brutal. Carter uses them to great effect to show us who Avery is; alongside the aftermath of the raid on their camp we’ve learned that he’s neither sadistic nor vengeful; someone who likes guns for sport but only engages in violence for self-defense and doesn’t enjoy it for its own sake.
Yet again, the hanging raises more questions than it answers: rather than a unified Kali-worshiping cult, the men Sleeman puts to death come from multiple castes, speak multiple languages, and are mocked and mourned by different segments of the crowd. And it it all seems to go over Sleeman's head, for all the information he's supposedly gathered. It definitely flies over Mauwle’s, who further confirms the arbitrary and extrajudicial nature of Jubblepore’s purported law and order, and in the heat of the moment lets slip that everyone's main complaint with Mountstuart seems to be that he was personally unpleasant.
これで以上です。
From:
Chapter 5
Avery’s attitude to the penis statue is typical of him, the horror and shock of the unknown, and fleshes out how much further he has to go. Love that Blake is the one who points it out to him!
And then we get Avery and Blake’s first full on fight! Which is SO INTERESTING for both of them. I’m very interested in Blake’s takedown of Avery - its so accurate! And yet, in some ways, not accurate at all. I love the description of Avery as “smartish, but I cant tell” because that seems very true of the way Blake sees the world - and is also a chink in his armour, because Avery is all these negative things… AND YET SMART??? Maybe??? Also interesting that we get the family context there, especially like that Avery was close to his mum but his dad was apparently a bastard which leads to a lot of his issues.
Also like this afterwards: “the look I’d seen on my older brothers when they thought they’d hit me too hard”. And Blake feeling guilt about being so much of a bastard?
And then Blake finally sharing some info! Even if it is just out of guilt.
Nice travelogue bit. Also Avery very clearly sulking
The attack! I love that we get another piece of Avery here, that he realizes they’re in danger so quickly and acts accordingly. Avery is a badass here - fighting off the thieves (but are they thieves?). I also love seeing his sharpshooting for the first time, and the fact that he does know a lot about guns, and how brave he is.
Nungoo :(
Interesting that Avery doesn’t even notice that he’s bleeding. I love that Blake’s the one to point it out. I also love that Avery is all “it’s nothing”, and while he genuinely seems to regard the wound as nothing - if painful nothing - he seems downright knocked out about having to shoot/kill multiple people. And I love that Blake can see that, and obviously starts to soften towards him because of it.
Other things I love about this scene (honestly one of my favourite in all the books):
-”You’re handy with the pistol” - hello competence kink. :D I love Blake being all *eyes emoji* at Avery finally showing that he’s good at something.
-Avery giving Blake his background, and Blake listening and desperately trying to figure it out. You can just see the cogs turning in his mind here.
-LOUISA. I want to meet Louisa
-Avery’s mum being dead :(
-”You prize your books, Mr Avery” <- you’re right, Avery immediately going to try and salvage his books is ADORABLE.
-Blake remembering Avery’s signet ring. They pay so much attention to each other even when they shouldn’t!
-Avery and Blake discussing McPherson! And Avery still being all “But it makes no sense, tho.”
-Blake’s response to doctors is hilarious - and probably justified in those days! Also great considering what we see in the future, Avery’s desperate attempts to drag Blake to a doctor
-The intimacy of the stitching! Such good hurt/comfort action there.
-Avery’s apology! & Blake’s almost laughing at him - you can see that he finds Avery ADORABLE in that moment.
I also love that you can basically see Blake becoming more and more fascinated through this scene, more and more ??? so you’re not a company idiot after all ??? about Avery. In a purely shippy sense, this is when i headcanon that he started to fall for Avery. And this is DEFINITELY when I started to ship them.
TITLE DROP. Also, Blake actually answering Avery when he talks! Progress has definitely been made!
From:
Re: Chapter 5
Absolutely! But I mean, I kind of get it: Avery's been told the Thugs indiscriminately kill innocent people to worship a naked lady goddess garlanded with severed human heads...and now he learns there are giant wangs at her temple too? That is just not going to fly with someone who's been told he's on the Great Civilizing Mission to India. And oh, you know Blake enjoyed pointing that out to Avery, even as he was entirely exasperated at Avery's reaction to the Bindachal.
I wonder how much of Blake's observations of Avery during that fight are driven by personal experience. After all, we know Blake's own father was hardly a paragon of paternal guidance and patience. I can definitely see that fomenting Blake's impatience with Avery: Yeah, I lived through that too, plus a billion other impediments you can't even dream of. Speaking of family context, I would love to see more of Avery in childhood, particularly how he relates to his mom and the two brothers who didn't die in his childhood. And Louisa...I'd love an insight into the letters he writes her, because she seems like his confidant.
I think Blake's guilt is very much driven by the fact that Avery deflated in response, instead of going on the attack by using weaponizing Blake's history or their differing social statuses against Blake, as he could easily have done. This is a very different Avery from the man who confronted him in Blacktown, and Blake realizes it (albeit too late, in this instance). And I think a small, secret part of him is gratified that Avery does seek his approval.
I would have happily read several pages of Avery sulking, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Avery is a total badass during the attack, which is all the more surprising when you consider that he's never been in that sort of situation before, while Blake, Sameer, and Aziz (not sure about Nungoo, although judging from the way he took on the attackers I'm going to say yes) are battle tested Company soldiers. The sharpshooting is a nice confirmation that Avery is skilled; he's not just emptily bragging when he mentions it in Chapter 1. And his bravery, going for that second shot even knowing he might lose a hand as a result.
And OH YES, SO MUCH COMPETENCE KINK HERE. You can just see the wheels in Blake's head turning: can sit a horse, good with guns, stoic, enjoys reading + can introduce me to new authors...XD
Ditto on Louisa. My dearest wish is that future books send them back to India (maybe for the mutiny?) but if not, I'd love to see Blake interact with Louisa, because I think they'd immediately bond over wrangling Avery and that would put a smile on my face for days. I really hope Avery's prognostication of her future isn't accurate, because she seems AWESOME.
I think I sort of started to ship them when Avery kicks the Company clerk out of his bed in Sahseram, which cynically I think is meant to demonstrate the opposite of what I take from it, which is that Avery objects to this specific man in his bed (versus any man in his bed). But the post-attack scene is where that got cranked up to eleven for me the first time I read the book, because there is just so much going on here, and you two are clearly made for each other, so let's get on with it. XDXDXD
From:
Re: Chapter 5
Oh, definitely! We're still just pre-Victorian at this point, but you get the sense that Avery's attitudes are extremely Victorian in that sense. He does, at present point, seem quite repressed and awkward about anything even approaching sexuality. So seeing a dick statue is just going to make him absolutely horrified on every level given his background.
I can definitely see that fomenting Blake's impatience with Avery: Yeah, I lived through that too, plus a billion other impediments you can't even dream of. Speaking of family context, I would love to see more of Avery in childhood, particularly how he relates to his mom and the two brothers who didn't die in his childhood.
Oh, I definitely agree on all of this! I think Blake, at that moment, still sees Avery as very much the privileged society boy who has no real problems but is still determined to complain about everything. The understanding that Avery actually has a lot of his own shit going on, and is still a compassionate person despite that, only comes later and when it does it changes everything.
I agree about wanting to see more of Avery in childhood! Mainly because I think he would've been a really good natured kid, and I really want to see him interacting with the positive parental influence in his life.
I think Blake's guilt is very much driven by the fact that Avery deflated in response, instead of going on the attack by using weaponizing Blake's history or their differing social statuses against Blake, as he could easily have done.
Yeah, Avery could've very easily blustered his way through this and been all "I am company soldier, you are just a scruffy civilian!" But he really DOESN'T. The fact that he can actually get hurt, and doesn't bother to hide that hurt, says a lot for his character. He's not very in touch with his emotions, but he's more in touch with his emotions than the majority of company soldiers.
The sharpshooting is a nice confirmation that Avery is skilled; he's not just emptily bragging when he mentions it in Chapter 1. And his bravery, going for that second shot even knowing he might lose a hand as a result.
And definitely! I love that you do get Avery's thought process here, that he knows that it's dangerous but decides to do it anyway because it might do some good. He's such a sweetheart, which is a strange thing to say about a guy who just shot a man I do acknowledge, and I love him. <3
And OH YES, SO MUCH COMPETENCE KINK HERE. You can just see the wheels in Blake's head turning: can sit a horse, good with guns, stoic, enjoys reading + can introduce me to new authors...XD
Okay, now I just want so much fic where they nerd out about books together. XD They are both nerds, in their own ways, and I think that's definitely what draws Blake to Avery!
Ditto on Louisa. My dearest wish is that future books send them back to India (maybe for the mutiny?) but if not, I'd love to see Blake interact with Louisa, because I think they'd immediately bond over wrangling Avery and that would put a smile on my face for days.
Oh, agreed! I like the London stuff, but I'd be far more interested in seeing them in India again (especially if Avery consciously makes the choice to follow Blake there). And yeah, I think Louisa and Blake would become pretty much instant BFFs and I would absolutely be there for that. :D On a shippy level, I'm wondering if Louisa already knows about Avery's massive crush on Blake and is just waiting for him to figure it out.
I think I sort of started to ship them when Avery kicks the Company clerk out of his bed in Sahseram, which cynically I think is meant to demonstrate the opposite of what I take from it, which is that Avery objects to this specific man in his bed (versus any man in his bed). But the post-attack scene is where that got cranked up to eleven for me the first time I read the book, because there is just so much going on here, and you two are clearly made for each other, so let's get on with it. XDXDXD
I know what you mean! It's obviously a rejection, but the fact that Avery seems more polite and fed up about it, than outright furious and offended, definitely got my mind churning. Is he aware, at least on some level, that men want to do sexual things with each other and that he might just be one of those men? It's fascinating! And they are SO MADE for each other. It's just amazing to read this again, and see how well they fit together. :D
From:
Re: Chapter 5
That's another thing I really like about these books: how much historical detail Carter packs into the narrative without being super explicit about it. There's such a clear difference between, say, Blake, Sleeman, or Parkes, and Avery and his age cohort. The latter is much more conservative in its attitudes and assured of innate European superiority. And it's just sort of there as the fabric of the book.
Mainly because I think he would've been a really good natured kid, and I really want to see him interacting with the positive parental influence in his life.
Yes, and based on what we've seen, I imagine that good nature might have been what his father disliked about him. I'm drawing some big inferences here, but it seems the only thing he approved of in Avery was his marksmanship, and so it follows that he would not have been keen on Avery being close to his mother or sister, or liking reading and especially poetry.
But he really DOESN'T. The fact that he can actually get hurt, and doesn't bother to hide that hurt, says a lot for his character.
To say nothing of the fact that he is hurt by his (mis)treatment by someone who has never made an effort to be kind to him in the first place. Like, Blake is trying his active best to make Avery thoroughly dislike him, and it just. Isn't. Working.
They are both nerds, in their own ways, and I think that's definitely what draws Blake to Avery!
And boy does Avery check out Blake's books whenever he gets the chance. You know he would absolutely jump on the chance to find out what Blake is recording in that little leatherbound notebook. XD
especially if Avery consciously makes the choice to follow Blake there
Not gonna lie, THIS IS ONE OF MY HEADCANONS.
the fact that Avery seems more polite and fed up about it, than outright furious and offended, definitely got my mind churning. Is he aware, at least on some level, that men want to do sexual things with each other and that he might just be one of those men?
Yeah, my personal (and probably unintended by the author) read on this is that Avery is perfectly aware that men want to do sexual things with each other and is totes okay with it; he just has no desire to do anything with this particular man.
Also, I completely forgot to mention this above, but your "but are they thieves?" really got me thinking. I'd just sort of assumed that they were when I first read and for every read-through after that, but reconsidering the scene, it's really unclear whether the bandits were rifling through the party's possessions to try to find something of value, or to try to find something else (papers, say? Like when the Company went through Frank's effects back in Calcutta?) It definitely makes the scene and the chapters that come after it potentially far more troubling than they already are.
From:
Re: Chapter 5
Oh, definitely! It's the kind of thing where you can see how society sort of fluctuates between slightly more liberal views and slightly more conservative views, and you can really see that in the difference between the generations. I think you can even see that when we finally meet Collinson later (sorry, I know I'm skipping all over the place here), the days where the prevailing view was more integration than domination are slowly dying.
Yes, and based on what we've seen, I imagine that good nature might have been what his father disliked about him.
Yes! It seems like most of Avery's toxic masculinity does come from his dad, and you definitely get the sense that his dad has tried to stamp his gentler traits out of him as much as possible. (I also want to meet his dad in the books, but mainly so Blake can take him down a notch. XD)
Like, Blake is trying his active best to make Avery thoroughly dislike him, and it just. Isn't. Working.
Yes! It's like we've discussed. Avery's stubbornness, his determination to keep trying with Blake while Blake is deliberately trying to make him give up, is a big reason why they do start growing so much closer.
Yeah, my personal (and probably unintended by the author) read on this is that Avery is perfectly aware that men want to do sexual things with each other and is totes okay with it; he just has no desire to do anything with this particular man.
Yessssss. :D Like, maybe he hasn't yet fully considered that he might be a man who wants to do things with other men... But he's a soldier, he knows full well that those kinds of relationships exist and he sees no real reason to worry about it as long as the fabric of society isn't disturbed. I can see these views only developing as the books go on.
(Also! Yet again on a shippy note (sorry, these two are basically my strongest OTP XD): I can see Blake assuming, a lot like we're supposed to, that Avery is a man who cannot even conceive of two men being together and finding pleasure in it. The moment where he realizes that Avery does actually know about men being attracted to men, and may well have casually dabbled in it himself, is going to be a somewhat overwhelming one for him. XD)
Also, I completely forgot to mention this above, but your "but are they thieves?" really got me thinking. I'd just sort of assumed that they were when I first read and for every read-through after that, but reconsidering the scene, it's really unclear whether the bandits were rifling through the party's possessions to try to find something of value, or to try to find something else (papers, say? Like when the Company went through Frank's effects back in Calcutta?)
It is left quite ambiguous in canon! But I think, given the timing, that it's certainly a possibility. Sleeman, or the people around him, may well have had some prior warning that they were coming; and I can see the entire Jubblepore cabal wanting to get a bit of a head start on dealing with them..
From:
Re: Chapter 5
And not just integration. Like you said above, there was a bit more openness in the pre-Victorian period. Also skipping ahead here, but just look at Parkes, who takes what appears to be private language instruction from an Indian and people are cool with it. And who is like, "Oh, my husband doesn't feel good. I'm going to travel the country on my own and hang out with Indians and the French dude who teaches them about firearms, on my own" and it just happens. Granted, she is exceptional in this regard and the early days in India were probably something of an anarchic make-your-own-way Wild West, but I don't see women of say, Helen's cohort being given that freedom if they'd wanted it.
(I also want to meet his dad in the books, but mainly so Blake can take him down a notch. XD)
Yes. I would love to see those two go toe-to-toe. Would Avery Sr. even realize how Blake is cutting him down?
But he's a soldier, he knows full well that those kinds of relationships exist and he sees no real reason to worry about it as long as the fabric of society isn't disturbed. I can see these views only developing as the books go on.
And I think to him it would be no different than his drinking problem, or gambling problem, or the verbal abuse that goes on in his family: it happens and you just don't talk about it. Of course, where this gets fascinating from a fic perspective is how does he then reconcile that with a realization that it's no longer just a foible to him, but something that he would want permanently?
(sorry, these two are basically my strongest OTP XD)
ME TOO. And I can't even explain why. I mean, I only picked up the book because I liked the cover! I didn't even read the jacket copy! And from that beginning I ended up with an enduring OTP that's outlasted a lot of my other fandoms.
I can see Blake assuming, a lot like we're supposed to, that Avery is a man who cannot even conceive of two men being together and finding pleasure in it.
Which would be totally realistic and rational in a society that wasn't set up even to acknowledge the existence of such a thing, let alone as a permanent way of being. In a society where people like you have no visibility you'd just have to assume that everyone you meet is not like you.
The moment where he realizes that Avery does actually know about men being attracted to men, and may well have casually dabbled in it himself, is going to be a somewhat overwhelming one for him. XD)
And then: All. Bets. Are. Off. XD
From:
Re: Chapter 5
I'm not sure he would! But Avery definitely would, and I can imagine him being extremely *heart eyes* about the entire thing.
And I think to him it would be no different than his drinking problem, or gambling problem, or the verbal abuse that goes on in his family: it happens and you just don't talk about it. Of course, where this gets fascinating from a fic perspective is how does he then reconcile that with a realization that it's no longer just a foible to him, but something that he would want permanently?
Yes to both points! They're just minor character flaws, nothing to really worry about or pay attention to. But then, when he starts falling for Blake, he does have to come to terms with the fact that maybe he is genuinely in love and doesn't want to regard his attraction to other men as a character flaw anymore. And it would be really interesting to see him working through that.
I mean, I only picked up the book because I liked the cover! I didn't even read the jacket copy! And from that beginning I ended up with an enduring OTP that's outlasted a lot of my other fandoms.
I picked a cheap copy up off amazon on a whim, just so I had something to read when I was in between jobs, and yet I'm still obsessed with it now. XD Other fandoms have come and gone, but every few months I still find myself back obsessing about this one.
In a society where people like you have no visibility you'd just have to assume that everyone you meet is not like you.
Yes! And I think Blake is probably fairly good at spotting other people like him, because he does on the whole seem fairly observant, but I think that he would have an absolutely massive blind spot when it came to Avery. First he doesn't like him, then he still thinks he's a company soldier even if not that bad, then he likes him too much but doesn't want to admit it... Communication issues all over the place, basically. XD
And then: All. Bets. Are. Off. XD
I am definitely here for Blake just losing his mind and enthusiastically seducing the hell out of Avery, and only afterwards going "oops" XD
From:
Chapter 6
I LOVE Blake being all authoritative, also love Avery’s shock at him suddenly acting like a person instead of… Basically Oscar the Grouch.
Nice bit of mystery about Mountstuart!
I’m glad that Avery attended the funeral, that’s nice of him. Also poor Avery, sleeping for 2 days! You can see how knocked out he is by the sudden realizations about himself.
I really want Avery to show Blake Devon someday. I should add a shorter form prompt on that subject to my next exchange letter. I just think it would be really cute!
Blake calling Avery’s name! And wanting to talk to him. And also allowing him to come along, You definitely get the sense that Avery has proven himself in some vital way. I love the bit where Blake helps him guide his arm into his jacket, also love Avery being all “you look different” (hard not to detect a hint of a crush here, you’re right!) and Blake not snapping his head off for it. I mean, they are SO SHIPPY.
FUCK SLEEMAN. I do not like him, even seeing him through Avery’s slightly more obvious eyes.
“There was no disguising Blake’s reluctance to speak about himself” <- i love this man both deeply and passionately.
The Mountstuart mystery thickens! I love how complex it continues to be throughout this entire chapter, and the entire set of chapters.
I LOVE Blake dumping Avery in the thick of it. And I also love that A rolls with it! They’re already, even though they have quite a way to go, working in unison and it’s great to see. I also love these demonstrations of just how smart Blake is, and how much of a magpie with knowledge
I dislike the doctor also.
Blake asking Avery for his opinion! Love the growing sense of intimacy here, still early days but they finally seem to be growing close. I love Avery being snarky about the fever, and how they do seem a lot more comfortable in showing flashes of personality. Also, I KNOW I shouldn’t take it that way but “my heart quickened” is very suggestive. XD And finally, the confirmation that Avery has proved himself to Blake in some vital way.
Blake is still being very mysterious. Like, Blake, just trust Avery!
From:
Re: Chapter
Ahaha, Oscar the Grouch indeed. What's also fascinating about this is that Blake basically gets Pursloe to fall in line through sheer force of personality--Blake has no rank, no credentials to present, nothing to back up his demands beyond the fact that he's making them and you will carry them out, dammit. You really get a sense here of how he managed to come up as far as he did, if he's able to command attention and action like that.
Poor Avery, it's just funerals for him in every city now, and he's still mourning MacPherson. But it shows how far he's come, that he's willing to attend a Muslim funeral for someone he would have said was "just" a "native" only a few weeks before.
Avery showing Blake Devon would be lovely. I have this idea of the two of them going on a hunting trip in the woods, and then... XD But just something that sort of lets them revisit the broad strokes of their journey across India, only after they're comfortable with each other.
Yes, Blake dressing Avery is lovely indeed (to say nothing of Avery submitting peacefully to it). We get some more of that in TDF, and I enjoy it greatly. But yes, this scene: SO SHIPPY. "I thought I was the beau," which, of course, implies that Avery thinks Blake is one too. Gah, these books just hit such Notes for me, and it's not even what Carter's intending. (^ ^);;;
“There was no disguising Blake’s reluctance to speak about himself” <- i love this man both deeply and passionately.
A refreshing change from all the grandstanding European inhabitants engage in, non? Also, when Blake does speak about himself, you know it means something.
Blake dumping Avery in the thick of it, yes. Some additional proving is going on here, and Avery continues to perform up to snuff. Blake, the knowledge magpie is delightful, especially when he's using it to preen in front of Avery. (My fossil knowledge, let me show you it. XD)
From:
Re: Chapter
I think another reason why I love Blake quite so much is his force of personality. He's generally quite quiet, unless Avery is poking him into talking, but even when quiet he's just this whirlwind of a person who gets so much done. It's really impressive!
But it shows how far he's come, that he's willing to attend a Muslim funeral for someone he would have said was "just" a "native" only a few weeks before.
It does! It's still early days, but he's so much more compassionate than he was before.
Avery showing Blake Devon would be lovely. I have this idea of the two of them going on a hunting trip in the woods, and then... XD
I would be so into that. XD Especially if Avery was slightly suspicious that he'd managed to convince Blake into a hunting trip so easily, given that Blake has never expressed any interest in hunting before, and Blake 100% knew that this was just an excuse to get Avery into a private place for as long as possible from the beginning.
We get some more of that in TDF, and I enjoy it greatly. But yes, this scene: SO SHIPPY. "I thought I was the beau," which, of course, implies that Avery thinks Blake is one too.
That's one of my favourite scenes in TDF, actually! It's so cute. XD And yes! Avery, your massive crush on Blake is showing!
Blake does speak about himself, you know it means something.
Yes! Every single time he confides in Avery, it's such a big thing for him. You get the sense, certainly by book 3, that Avery is the one who knows him best in the world.
Blake, the knowledge magpie is delightful, especially when he's using it to preen in front of Avery. (My fossil knowledge, let me show you it. XD)
Ooooh, I didn't even think of this angle! The image of Blake subtly trying to impress a slightly oblivious Avery is an absolutely amazing one. XD
From:
Re: Chapter
Yes, once again: COMPETENCE KINK. You can sort of see how Blake's life has forced him into it too, because it's sink-or-swim and his only way to stay afloat (and hopefully get to dry land) is to be very good at whatever someone needs of him. Learn how to pickpocket and pick locks? Okay. Scale buildings? Okay. Play the drums? Okay. Speak 800 languages? Okay? Command a military unit? Sure. And on and on...
From:
Re: Chapter
From:
Chapter 7
I’m getting well dodge feelings from the whole thuggee thing already. Blake pointing out that it’s strange to chase decade old murders is a very good point. It’s very much a promotion of the “them vs us” mentality, which is obviously very toxic. It puts me in mind of the Sam Wyndham series, which is set a good 80 (!) years later but covers a lot of the same themes. Mauwle also well dodge - “the system does not make mistakes” is CHILLING.
Blake tending Avery is cute, I love how they end up nursemaiding each other. Also like that Avery keeps getting in under Blake’s defences and making him tell him stuff. Also love that Avery trusts Blake pretty much immediately when he says things! It’s early days, but you can already see their bond.
Avery’s countrymans eye is very endearing. As is, you’re right, the fact that he’s obviously been listening to Aziz
I’m interested to see Doora in the future! Especially with the opinions of it that we see here, it will be interesting to see them contrasted with the reality.
From:
Re: Chapter 7
I had not even considered this, but of course it makes TOTAL sense. Blake is, shall we say, not the most emotionally open individual to begin with, and is even more cautious in English/around Englishmen, so he's not about to tell Avery he's concerned about his condition and to take it easy until he heals. And he's spent so much time and energy sidelining Avery--if not actively questioning his competence--up till now that of course it's not going to occur to Avery that genuine concern might play a role in Blake's preferences.
Yeah, what gives me the heebie-jeebies about the Jubblepore Approach To ThuggeeTM (well, aside from all of the Jubblepore Approach To Thuggee) is that on the one hand Sleeman et al. are stressing the logical, "scientific" rationale behind their methods, but on the other hand it seems anything and everything falls within the definition of Thuggee: Hindu, Muslim, caste, tribe, geographic differences...how can it be so secretive, selective, and elite on the one hand, and basically encompass every non-European on the other?
The Sam Wyndham books are such great fun, aren't they? It's eternally frustrating to me that there's such a delay between the UK and US publication dates. I really hope we see more of Surendranath's view of things in any future volumes. I enjoyed the most recent one, but it was a little heavy on Sam, and I'm kinda in the series for the balance between Our Heroes.
Yes, I definitely love the paralleling (or reverse-foreshadowing, maybe?) of Blake's nursemaiding of Avery, particularly given how massively the tables are turned in subsequent volumes.
Doora's coming up in the next four chapters! Which also contain many of my next-favorite scenes after those in Chapter 5.
From:
Re: Chapter 7
Yes, definitely! He is not at all good at discussing his feelings, especially any more tender feelings, so of course he would find it basically impossible to say that he wants Avery to be safe and not hurt himself more.
but on the other hand it seems anything and everything falls within the definition of Thuggee: Hindu, Muslim, caste, tribe, geographic differences...how can it be so secretive, selective, and elite on the one hand, and basically encompass every non-European on the other?
It is super racist and awful, and I'm just reading all of it going "Oh nooooooo." It's just such a colonialist thing to do!
The Sam Wyndham books are such great fun, aren't they? It's eternally frustrating to me that there's such a delay between the UK and US publication dates. I really hope we see more of Surendranath's view of things in any future volumes. I enjoyed the most recent one, but it was a little heavy on Sam, and I'm kinda in the series for the balance between Our Heroes.
I love them! They're so much fun, and I really agree with you on the Surendranath POV. He's my favourite character, and I really hope he gets more to do. I loved the last book, but I will admit that a big part of the reason I love it was the last 25% where Surendranath did turn up and there was finally a reckoning between them.
Doora's coming up in the next four chapters! Which also contain many of my next-favorite scenes after those in Chapter 5.
I am definitely really looking forward to the next few chapters! They're so great. :D
From:
Re: Chapter 7
I will admit that a big part of the reason I love it was the last 25% where Surendranath did turn up and there was finally a reckoning between them.
THIS. And I'm fascinated by the tensions Suren embodies: policeman, Brahmin, willing colleague of the people his family opposes, but also himself eager for the independence of his country. I really want Mukherjee to dig into this more. My wish fulfillment would be a situation that forces Sam to rely on or interact closely with Suren's family for some reason.
From:
Re: Chapter 7
From:
Chapter 8
Feringhea is obviously manipulating the FUCK out of Sleeman here. He is such an interesting character, even though he barely appears. You get the sense that he’s very much using the situation for his own gains.
Blake is BRILLIANT through this entire chapter. I love how he points out all the inconsistencies, but in a way that the people who obviously scorn him look down on him for. I also love how he flips the situation with Feringhea, how he obviously manipulates Sleeman too and is able to get quite a lot of information out of him.
I love Avery waking up for Blake (this was such a good scene in that fic you wrote me!), because it shows that he’s slowly starting to become more observant and keyed in. I love that he doesn’t entirely get what Blake is doing, but instinctively wants to come along and be involved. Despite the progress that he’s made, though, Avery is still definitely a bit dim here - there is quite obviously something wrong in Jubblepore, but he seems very reluctant to acknowledge it. As a final note I also absolutely love Avery being all “I am not a boy”, because he isn’t and seems well aware that this is just another tactic for Blake to attempt tos shove him away; I have a lot of fic ideas on the subject of their age gap, and Blake’s guilt over it.
Avery’s recollection of the execution in his childhood is interesting, he is a soft heart underneath and that is extremely endearing. The present day execution is also interesting - there’s a lot of tension there, far beyond what Sleeman wants to pretend!
From:
Re: Chapter 8
In general though, I'm interested in how Blake and Avery perceive (or don't) hypocrisy. I've actually written a massive fight scene between them where Avery points out some of Blake's own, but it needs the rest of a fic to go around it. ^^;;
(And speaking of, aah, you remember that fic! Thank you! I felt so bad not giving Blake a happy ending at its conclusion, even though he definitely gets it in my continuation head canon for that one. Stay strong, Blake! It's coming!)
You can really see the number Avery's father has done on his head in these scenes--throughout the whole book, actually--Avery is so desperate to prove he can live up others' expectations. And it's like he said in the first chapter, that inactivity leaves him enervated and irritable. He wants to help! And could help! If Blake would just unbend and let him! Unfortunately, we're not quite there you.
Totally agree on Avery's dimness here, but it's kind of understandable: he's just been through some acute trauma on the road and is back in what he considers safety and society, and he has the blinders on because he needs and wants to relax after all he's been through. But unfortunately, it doesn't help him make his case to Blake.
Blake's "boy" is such a fascinating tactic, isn't it? You can really gauge what he thinks of Avery throughout the novel based on how he addresses him. And all the fics on that age gap and Blake's guilt over it, please! I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming chapters where we finally get a sense of how old Blake is and where he was living/what he was doing when, because it's a lot of fun to puzzle out. But yes, m/m age gap is delightful, especially with these two.
I'm really intrigued with how Avery describes the execution and its aftermath: the language is detached, if not clinical, and you wonder if it's a defense against how scary he actually found the situation.
From:
Re: Chapter 8
All of this is spot on! Much like the Salem witch trials, and literally every other time something like that has happened in history, it just becomes a tool to settle grudges. And the Company definitely won't let anybody go, no matter how many well meaning noises they make.
I've actually written a massive fight scene between them where Avery points out some of Blake's own, but it needs the rest of a fic to go around it. ^^;;
I would be very interested in reading this, ngl. :D
(And speaking of, aah, you remember that fic! Thank you! I felt so bad not giving Blake a happy ending at its conclusion, even though he definitely gets it in my continuation head canon for that one. Stay strong, Blake! It's coming!)
I will admit that I reread a lot of fic that you've written me for this fandom on a pretty much constant basis, they're all so good! :D And I would also be interested in hearing your continuation headcanon! I want them to have to work a lot to get to a happy ending, but I also desperately want them to be happy. <3
You can really see the number Avery's father has done on his head in these scenes--throughout the whole book, actually--Avery is so desperate to prove he can live up others' expectations.
Oh, definitely! He's just so used to never meeting the expectations of anybody he cares for, and that probably doesn't help with his and Blake's dynamic in the beginning.
Blake's "boy" is such a fascinating tactic, isn't it? You can really gauge what he thinks of Avery throughout the novel based on how he addresses him. And all the fics on that age gap and Blake's guilt over it, please! I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming chapters where we finally get a sense of how old Blake is and where he was living/what he was doing when, because it's a lot of fun to puzzle out. But yes, m/m age gap is delightful, especially with these two.
Oh, definitely! The little shifts in how they refer to each other and think of each other are just PERFECT. I cannot wait for the first names to start coming out, especially because it seems like they're the only two people who use first names for each other. <3 And yes! The age gap! I go back and forth on what Blake's type was before he met Avery, there are some interesting hints on that in the next few chapters too as I recall, but I like the idea that he's never been outright attracted to someone so young before. And then Avery just comes into his life, and he falls head over heels for him. XD
I'm really intrigued with how Avery describes the execution and its aftermath: the language is detached, if not clinical, and you wonder if it's a defense against how scary he actually found the situation.
It is really interesting! It reads a little like an attempt to withdraw, but you ccan tell that he's finding it steadily harder to distance himse;f.
From:
Re: Chapter 8
Nor will they let Blake go, for that matter. Part of me has always wondered why he didn't just disappear into one of the independent kingdoms. With his language skills and cultural knowledge, he definitely could. I can imagine a lot of possible explanations for this, but none of them are entirely convincing.
I would be very interested in reading this, ngl. :D
XD In that case I will definitely clean it up and post. This sync read has been an excellent motivation to write more in this fandom. ^^
I cannot wait for the first names to start coming out, especially because it seems like they're the only two people who use first names for each other.
Oh man. I'm sure we'll discuss at length when we get to that chapter, but I remember during my first ever read of the book, when Blake busted out with Avery's first name for the first time, and I was like !!!!!XDXDXDXDX.
there are some interesting hints on that in the next few chapters too as I recall, but I like the idea that he's never been outright attracted to someone so young before. And then Avery just comes into his life, and he falls head over heels for him. XD
I would love to hear your thoughts on this! Your takes on their inner drivers and motivations are always so good. <3 And gah. There's so much else I want to say here on the topic, but we've still got a few chapters to go before we get to the relevant backstory drops.
From:
Re: Chapter 8
If it's pre canon I think I put a lot of it down to depression after his wife died. He very easily could've escaped, and buried himself in secrecy, but I mainly tend to think that he just didn't have any motivation at all to do so.
XD In that case I will definitely clean it up and post. This sync read has been an excellent motivation to write more in this fandom. ^^
Eeeeee! I am excited. :D And it definitely has, hasn't it? I have a fair few more ideas for them that I'm definitely poking at again. And I saw the fic you posted yesterday, by the way! I've already commented on it, but I just want to repeat that I really enjoyed it. :D
I'm sure we'll discuss at length when we get to that chapter, but I remember during my first ever read of the book, when Blake busted out with Avery's first name for the first time
Same! And then Avery takes that as permission to call him Jeremiah forever. XD God, I love them.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this!
I mean, there's evidence both ways! Blake does say that the company gave him a youngster, knowing that he would take them under his wing, which suggests that something vaguely like this may have happened before... But also I like the thought that Blake has always been extremely guarded about affection, and extremely aware of the social inequalities that he's subject to, and so has mostly conducted relationships on as equal a footing as he could before. Always broadly the same class as him, usually around the same age.
I have a lot of thoughts on what Blake's wife was like, and I think most of them boil down to her being roughly the same age as Blake - perhaps a bit of a spinster before they met - but having a fair amount of Avery's more positive traits. The bravery, and the enthusiasm, and the passionate loyalty to things she cared about. Basically, I think her and Avery would've really got on - if given the chance - and I think Blake is very aware of that.
From:
Re: Chapter 8
Which makes a lot of sense, but then, why keep doing the Company's bidding? He says at least once that he has to to stay in India, but then (getting ahead of ourselves here) ends up being kicked out of India. So why not disappear then?
These are the questions that set fic wheels spinning. Speaking of:
And it definitely has, hasn't it? I have a fair few more ideas for them that I'm definitely poking at again.
This is EXCELLENT and I will happily read any and everything you write for them. XD
Same! And then Avery takes that as permission to call him Jeremiah forever. XD God, I love them.
I know. :D Even after he that frosty reception in TIS.
Blake has always been extremely guarded about affection, and extremely aware of the social inequalities that he's subject to, and so has mostly conducted relationships on as equal a footing as he could before. Always broadly the same class as him, usually around the same age
This makes so much sense, particularly in light of what happened when he dared to go outside that box and marry his wife.(And I have so many thoughts about what happened there, and how Collinson has used and will continue to use it against Blake. I also have thoughts on the bit of dialogue you mentioned above, but will save then for the appropriate chapter.)
I really like your take on Blake's wife; it makes so much sense. And I can definitely see Blake as someone who is attracted to personalities and characteristics rather than (sorry, Avery) Avery, who is very much fixated on superficial traits, and ones society's told him he should be interested in, at that.
From:
Re: Chapter 8
He does seem very much trapped! And yet the books never fully go into why. It would definitely be interesting to see what is going on!
This is EXCELLENT and I will happily read any and everything you write for them. XD
:DD Excellent! I am, as ever, writing a thousand other exchange fics around them but I am very eager to write more for these two!
I really like your take on Blake's wife; it makes so much sense. And I can definitely see Blake as someone who is attracted to personalities and characteristics rather than (sorry, Avery) Avery, who is very much fixated on superficial traits, and ones society's told him he should be interested in, at that.
Oh, definitely! Avery, at least at the beginning, is extremely shallow. He needs a good shake so he realizes who he's actually attracted to, instead of who society tells him he should be attracted to. And I can definitely see Blake being into quite enthusiastic people, who are maybe more extroverted than he is and see life in a slightly more optimistic way.
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
(I'm lucky enough to live in an area that's part of a wider library system and I love it. I almost never have to wait to get my hands on something I want to read, unless it's wildly popular in the moment.)
From:
no subject