Recent reading
Oct. 1st, 2021 12:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luzulaThe Travels and Adventures of Mademoiselle de Richelieu, volumes 2 and 3, by Erskine(?) (1744)
Much skimming of boring digressions was done, but still, I enjoyed seeing the main character (Alithea aka the Chevalier de Radpont) flirt her way through France in men's clothes, several times challenged to duels by jealous rivals. Some of these she gets out when she learns via gossip that the men are really cowards, after which they engage in a game of chicken, and once she goes through with it and wins by good luck. In cross-dressing stories, there's often a tension as to whether it will be exposed, but there's no such tension here--the main character tells you straight out in the beginning that her disguise is so good that no one ever saw through it.
Also she meets with her parter in crossdressing, Arabella aka the Chevalier de Montferan, and they set out traveling through Europe together. Alithea and Arabella pretty much fall in love (Arabella calls her "my Husband, Lover, and Friend" at one point). Alithea takes much joy in how handsome Arabella is as a man and all the conquests she makes (though not actually consummated). At the end they settle down happily together. I'm glad I read this book, because it is delightful, but also I am now a little tired of upper-class 18th century love intrigues (pretty much all the side stories are of this type). Am currently writing a short f/f fic for this book, because obviously it is crying out for it.
Much skimming of boring digressions was done, but still, I enjoyed seeing the main character (Alithea aka the Chevalier de Radpont) flirt her way through France in men's clothes, several times challenged to duels by jealous rivals. Some of these she gets out when she learns via gossip that the men are really cowards, after which they engage in a game of chicken, and once she goes through with it and wins by good luck. In cross-dressing stories, there's often a tension as to whether it will be exposed, but there's no such tension here--the main character tells you straight out in the beginning that her disguise is so good that no one ever saw through it.
Also she meets with her parter in crossdressing, Arabella aka the Chevalier de Montferan, and they set out traveling through Europe together. Alithea and Arabella pretty much fall in love (Arabella calls her "my Husband, Lover, and Friend" at one point). Alithea takes much joy in how handsome Arabella is as a man and all the conquests she makes (though not actually consummated). At the end they settle down happily together. I'm glad I read this book, because it is delightful, but also I am now a little tired of upper-class 18th century love intrigues (pretty much all the side stories are of this type). Am currently writing a short f/f fic for this book, because obviously it is crying out for it.
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Date: 2021-10-01 04:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2021-10-02 10:05 pm (UTC)