I'm glad you did, but wow, what is with these letdown stories? How do you make Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie triangle bland where there's canonical fireworks going off every other week? Come on, authors!
I know, I know. So much potential, so much waste! Sire, ich eile (Quote from a Voltaire letter about finally coming to Prussia), the Fritz/Voltaire/Emilie novella by Hans Joachim Schädlich manages to sound like Voltaire at his most self pitying without any of Voltaire‘s wit. It has the David Bodanis characterisation of Fritz, which tells you all you need to know. Maupertuis is a villain who goes after König just because he can and Voltaire protects König, that‘s his whole reason for that part of the disaster. This novella’s Voltaire is basically Zimmermann’s Fritz. (Minus the unfortunate operation.) Also, the novella can‘t decide whether it wants to be fiction or non fiction, so much of it is just a summary of what happens (with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned), and very occasionally, there‘s a fictional dialogue. This includes the aftermath of Émilie‘s death, in which Voltaire yells at Lambert „You murdered her!“. Émilie is Voltaire‘s manic pixie dreamgirl without being manic, because remember, bland. (No mention whatsover of her backstory with Maupertuis, btw.) It‘s just one long exercise of frustration.
Sie machte Frieden (title is from Matthias Claudius poem about MT after her death, which I have already quoted to you many a post ago) is a short story with a good premise (ghost of MT and ghost of Fritz meet at Sanssouci when his body gets finally buried there because reconciling with her is his unfinished business and he‘s hers) which it utterly wastes. The ghost of Henri de Catt is also around; this is Catt as Bambi, which back then wasn‘t a problem for me because this was before I read anything of his. What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept. Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other because the author totally chickened out of imagining what they might say to each other; instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type. Ugh.
Fritz/Voltaire as peace time: um, cold war? Cuba crisis? Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.) That man must have had nerves of steel. Though not endlessly so. Mitchell didn‘t get to meet him, since Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
You know which writer should have a go at Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie? Christopher Hampton, whose dramatisation of „Les Liasons Dangereuses“ proves he can do the period really well, and whose play „Tales from Hollywood“ about some of our exiled literati during WWII (Ödön von Horvath, Brecht, the Brothers Mann) proves he can do Germans without going into clichés.
This novella’s Voltaire is basically Zimmermann’s Fritz. (Minus the unfortunate operation.)
I laughed, I admit. Which is honestly kind of Bodanis' Voltaire, minus the extreme defensiveness.
ETA: No, I take it back, Bodanis preserves the wit in the midst of all his hero-worship. OMG, how can you lose the wit?
(with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned)
I get that Voltaire's wit is hard to reproduce, but that's what quotes are for!
What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept.
What.
Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other
OMMGGG.
instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type.
Whyyyyy??? Why would you do such a thing? Either of those things!
That is *not* what quotes are for!
Oh, you know what? I know why you would do such a thing. IF YOU WERE POSSESSED BY THE GHOST OF HENRI DE CATT. Presents Catt as total Bambi, check. Catt present at and integral to the most important events, check. Catt on totally intimate terms with the monarchs immediately after meeting them, check.
Mes amies, methinks I detect the hands of Swiss cyber agents from the beyond.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.)
Yes, please!
Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
That's interesting, because Fredersdorf only lasts one year more (until April 1757,I believe). That means this comment is coming from his last year of service, and I can see how that could get confused with dismissal on grounds of dishonesty.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion.
I just want to reiterate: YES. And also YES. I speak on behalf of us all!
What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept. Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other because the author totally chickened out of imagining what they might say to each other; instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type. Ugh.
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Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
I know, I know. So much potential, so much waste! Sire, ich eile (Quote from a Voltaire letter about finally coming to Prussia), the Fritz/Voltaire/Emilie novella by Hans Joachim Schädlich manages to sound like Voltaire at his most self pitying without any of Voltaire‘s wit. It has the David Bodanis characterisation of Fritz, which tells you all you need to know. Maupertuis is a villain who goes after König just because he can and Voltaire protects König, that‘s his whole reason for that part of the disaster. This novella’s Voltaire is basically Zimmermann’s Fritz. (Minus the unfortunate operation.) Also, the novella can‘t decide whether it wants to be fiction or non fiction, so much of it is just a summary of what happens (with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned), and very occasionally, there‘s a fictional dialogue. This includes the aftermath of Émilie‘s death, in which Voltaire yells at Lambert „You murdered her!“. Émilie is Voltaire‘s manic pixie dreamgirl without being manic, because remember, bland. (No mention whatsover of her backstory with Maupertuis, btw.) It‘s just one long exercise of frustration.
Sie machte Frieden (title is from Matthias Claudius poem about MT after her death, which I have already quoted to you many a post ago) is a short story with a good premise (ghost of MT and ghost of Fritz meet at Sanssouci when his body gets finally buried there because reconciling with her is his unfinished business and he‘s hers) which it utterly wastes. The ghost of Henri de Catt is also around; this is Catt as Bambi, which back then wasn‘t a problem for me because this was before I read anything of his. What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept. Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other because the author totally chickened out of imagining what they might say to each other; instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type. Ugh.
Fritz/Voltaire as peace time: um, cold war? Cuba crisis? Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.) That man must have had nerves of steel. Though not endlessly so. Mitchell didn‘t get to meet him, since Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
You know which writer should have a go at Fritz/Voltaire/Émilie? Christopher Hampton, whose dramatisation of „Les Liasons Dangereuses“ proves he can do the period really well, and whose play „Tales from Hollywood“ about some of our exiled literati during WWII (Ödön von Horvath, Brecht, the Brothers Mann) proves he can do Germans without going into clichés.
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
I laughed, I admit. Which is honestly kind of Bodanis' Voltaire, minus the extreme defensiveness.
ETA: No, I take it back, Bodanis preserves the wit in the midst of all his hero-worship. OMG, how can you lose the wit?
(with extreme Voltaire bias and zero Voltaire wit, as mentioned)
I get that Voltaire's wit is hard to reproduce, but that's what quotes are for!
What is a problem, however, is that any version of MT, ghostly or not, who says „call me du and Resi“ to Henri de Catt is not one I can accept.
What.
Also, the premise is wasted by the two not talking to each other
OMMGGG.
instead, they both talk to de Catt in mostly quotes from Catt‘s memoirs (Fritz), MT‘s letters, and made up dialogue of the „Call me Resi“ type.
Whyyyyy??? Why would you do such a thing? Either of those things!
That is *not* what quotes are for!
Oh, you know what? I know why you would do such a thing. IF YOU WERE POSSESSED BY THE GHOST OF HENRI DE CATT. Presents Catt as total Bambi, check. Catt present at and integral to the most important events, check. Catt on totally intimate terms with the monarchs immediately after meeting them, check.
Mes amies, methinks I detect the hands of Swiss cyber agents from the beyond.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion. And Voltaire‘s niece. (Also a French citizen illegally arrested and imprisoned in Frankfurt.)
Yes, please!
Valory‘s successor, the same guy who accused Fredersdorf of taking money from foreigners, had replaced Valory as envoy by April 1756.
That's interesting, because Fredersdorf only lasts one year more (until April 1757,I believe). That means this comment is coming from his last year of service, and I can see how that could get confused with dismissal on grounds of dishonesty.
Also, my next crack fic should be the very secret diary of the Marquis de Valory, having to deal with Voltaire, Fritz, and the Palladion.
I just want to reiterate: YES. And also YES. I speak on behalf of us all!
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
YOU HAVE CLEARLY HIT UPON THE SOLUTION.
I just want to reiterate: YES. And also YES. I speak on behalf of us all!
This is what I get for getting to all these responses late, well after said crack fic has actually happened, but: I am adding my YES!
Re: Fritz: The French Envoy's Take
WHY
WHY WOULD YOU EVEN DO THAT
At least I have my Yuletide fic <3333333