Master and Commander
May. 2nd, 2009 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elabyI haven't squeed about Master and Commander yet, have I? I've been reading it for the past few weeks, and I'm almost at the end - I borrowed it from my dad, who is a devourer of sea novels, and I just adore it. I'm going to have to stop by their house soon so I can borrow the next one!
The only thing so far about this book that perplexes me (and by that I don't mean I don't like it) is that there's really no plot. They just sail about and collect prizes and things come and go and effect them, and stuff builds up with the characters, but there's no overarching plot. I don't mind in the least; I'm having great fun with the whole thing. But it surprises me, nonetheless.
The thing I love the most about the book (considering that it has no plot) is that the characters are absofreakinglutely adorable. Adorable.
Jack Aubrey is nothing like I expected him to be, and I'm delighted. He's so cute and excited and joyous, and completely clueless about complex human interaction. His brain is so perfectly wired for running a ship that social things - as personable as he is - seem to escape him half the time. The liberal application of alcohol doesn't help - I almost died dead when he told that passel of noble women (who fled from his remark about the *cough* endowments of his seamen) that they had no need to hurry, because they wouldn't be let off the boat until the evening gun. But he's just so earnest, so incredibly human. He and Stephen Maturin are possibly the cutest thing on earth, too - that whole scene where Jack's all "You're not wearing those stockings, I hope," and Stephen's snake making Jack leap up on the chair... and Stephen's response when Jack asks if the snake is poisonous: "Extremely so. I dare say it will attack you, directly." *giggles* But I love him, and I hope to continue loving him. He's just so endearing.
Stephen is just as wonderful, in a completely different way - he's so introspective, and really understands people's motives and characters, but he has such a hard time understanding the things naval officers and sailors take for granted. It's really good, actually, to have a character like him so that people who are unfamiliar with seafaring things (i.e. me) get an explanation. I loved how he just went and sat on that island all night, just to be there in nature. And I love how much the crew adores him because of his apparently miraculous medical skills. His understanding of the rest of the characters is really wonderful, too, because with the way the narration is (and I love it) it's sometimes hard to figure out what's up, and the things Stephen says often help clear things. It's also awesome how he's most often like "I love JA and JD, but I want to KILL them right now >_<"
The JD would be James Dillon, who I love too. The poor guy has such angst, and conflict (and who could blame him), and he reacts to it in such a realistic (I think) and un-cliche way. It's really awesome that I can like all three of them pretty equally, even though they're often at odds in their opinions. I hope things get better with poor James, though, even if it's not resolved at the end of this book.
And the crew, OMG. They are so wonderful. Marshall! I was so delightfully surprised about him. To have a gay character treated sympathetically by the narrative in a eighteenth-century naval context is freaking wonderful. And the crew don't even hate him - they're just kind of fascinated, in an almost affectionate sort of way. James is the only one to be actively scornful, and that's to be expected when you know what he's like. And I still like him. But Marshall is adorable too, with his abject adoration of Jack - how tongue-tied he is around him, his gentleness, his attempt to do everything perfectly to impress him - he's all "ILU, sir," and Jack has no freaking idea while the rest of the crew gives each other significant glances XD Love it.
And the midshipmen! They are so pathetic and adorable and like teenage boys, and Mowett, who writes poetry! Bwah! I love them all! And the whole thing's written with such humor, even though it's in a style that entirely evokes the time period. *utter delight*
The only thing so far about this book that perplexes me (and by that I don't mean I don't like it) is that there's really no plot. They just sail about and collect prizes and things come and go and effect them, and stuff builds up with the characters, but there's no overarching plot. I don't mind in the least; I'm having great fun with the whole thing. But it surprises me, nonetheless.
The thing I love the most about the book (considering that it has no plot) is that the characters are absofreakinglutely adorable. Adorable.
Jack Aubrey is nothing like I expected him to be, and I'm delighted. He's so cute and excited and joyous, and completely clueless about complex human interaction. His brain is so perfectly wired for running a ship that social things - as personable as he is - seem to escape him half the time. The liberal application of alcohol doesn't help - I almost died dead when he told that passel of noble women (who fled from his remark about the *cough* endowments of his seamen) that they had no need to hurry, because they wouldn't be let off the boat until the evening gun. But he's just so earnest, so incredibly human. He and Stephen Maturin are possibly the cutest thing on earth, too - that whole scene where Jack's all "You're not wearing those stockings, I hope," and Stephen's snake making Jack leap up on the chair... and Stephen's response when Jack asks if the snake is poisonous: "Extremely so. I dare say it will attack you, directly." *giggles* But I love him, and I hope to continue loving him. He's just so endearing.
Stephen is just as wonderful, in a completely different way - he's so introspective, and really understands people's motives and characters, but he has such a hard time understanding the things naval officers and sailors take for granted. It's really good, actually, to have a character like him so that people who are unfamiliar with seafaring things (i.e. me) get an explanation. I loved how he just went and sat on that island all night, just to be there in nature. And I love how much the crew adores him because of his apparently miraculous medical skills. His understanding of the rest of the characters is really wonderful, too, because with the way the narration is (and I love it) it's sometimes hard to figure out what's up, and the things Stephen says often help clear things. It's also awesome how he's most often like "I love JA and JD, but I want to KILL them right now >_<"
The JD would be James Dillon, who I love too. The poor guy has such angst, and conflict (and who could blame him), and he reacts to it in such a realistic (I think) and un-cliche way. It's really awesome that I can like all three of them pretty equally, even though they're often at odds in their opinions. I hope things get better with poor James, though, even if it's not resolved at the end of this book.
And the crew, OMG. They are so wonderful. Marshall! I was so delightfully surprised about him. To have a gay character treated sympathetically by the narrative in a eighteenth-century naval context is freaking wonderful. And the crew don't even hate him - they're just kind of fascinated, in an almost affectionate sort of way. James is the only one to be actively scornful, and that's to be expected when you know what he's like. And I still like him. But Marshall is adorable too, with his abject adoration of Jack - how tongue-tied he is around him, his gentleness, his attempt to do everything perfectly to impress him - he's all "ILU, sir," and Jack has no freaking idea while the rest of the crew gives each other significant glances XD Love it.
And the midshipmen! They are so pathetic and adorable and like teenage boys, and Mowett, who writes poetry! Bwah! I love them all! And the whole thing's written with such humor, even though it's in a style that entirely evokes the time period. *utter delight*
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Date: 2009-05-03 02:21 pm (UTC)I ADORE Master & Commander so much! I recently got the five volumes in the series from The Folio Society (it was a special offer) because they looked so nice!
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Date: 2009-05-03 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-05-03 02:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-03 08:41 pm (UTC)