#CAMPANES

[usergreenpixel]

JACOBIN FICTION CONVENTION MEETING 36: THE GAME OF HOPE (2018)

1. The Introduction

Well, hello there, Citizens and Neighbors! I’m alive and back with a review, as promised. (Very happy about it too because I missed you!)

Now, to cut to the chase, @josefavomjaaga was the first person who told me about the novel’s existence, which had me a bit intrigued already due to my constant search for new media to consume and review.

However, my dear friend @tairin helped seal the deal and officially put this particular piece onto my review bucket list, as a physical copy of the book (in Russian) was her present for my birthday last year. I read the book back then but, due to all the other reviews and personal life stuff, kept putting away this particular review.

Fortunately, I finally found free time to catch up on the piece and post it, so here we go.

Before we proceed, here’s a link for anyone who wants to download the book in English. As mentioned, it’s available in Russian too, but Russian-speaking members of my audience will need to purchase the epub or a physical copy to be able to read it. I’m not sure if it’s available in any other languages.

Also, this review is dedicated to @josefavomjaaga , @tairin and @frevandrest ! Okay, let’s. Fucking. Begin.

2. The Summary

“The Game of Hope” tells the story of Hortense de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s stepdaughter, and her coming of age journey, including crushes, rivalries, and her life at Madame Campan’s boarding school for girls.

Although I loathe Hortense with a passion, review material is review material and I was still intrigued by the premise, so let’s see how this premise plays out in the book!

3. The Story

Generally, I enjoy coming of age stories and YA novels and, luckily, this one is no exception. It is melodramatic, but it’s justified because Hortense is a teenager and a dramatic person, so her POV having melodrama is expected.

It’s a slice of life kind of story and most political events happen in the background but still realistically affect the characters, which is realistic and very neat!

Also, this is by far the only book where anti-Frev sentiments don’t give me an urge to flip the fuck out, since Hortense lost her father and almost lost her mother during Frev and is far too naive and young to understand politics! Of course she will think Frev is evil and of course she will believe that being noble would be enough to have her executed!

The pacing is great too. There are some time skips but the author clearly knew when to do them and when to slow down. Now complaints here.

If you are craving a story with typical teenage melodrama involving historical figures, then I guess it’s a book for you.

4. The Characters

I don’t like Hortense as a person here, but as a character she’s realistic and nuanced. She has the selfish and bratty nature that would stick way into adulthood, but she genuinely loves Eugene and her friends at the boarding school. Also her resentment towards her stepfather and the Bonaparte siblings is quite realistic, as from her point of view they’re just asses towards her mother for no reason.

Caroline Bonaparte starts off as a rude bitch (also thanks to Hortense incorporating her own bias), but luckily she becomes more and more nuanced along the way and becomes sort of a frenemy to Hortense. Caroline clearly doesn’t enjoy studying under Madame Campan and wants out of there. Perhaps due to my bias, or because we don’t see her POV, Caroline grew on me more than Hortense.

Eugene (I HAVE to mention him) appears later on in the story and, as expected, is an absolute cinnamon roll.

Josephine is idealized in the story by Hortense, but she isn’t flawless and keeps trying to find Hortense a husband in the beginning. However, she also helps Caroline and Joachim marry, which makes their treatment of her later on a fucking dick move.

Émilie, Hortense’s cousin and close friend, is slightly older and already married (not that unheard of back then), but is still a teenager going through the typical motions common for that age. She is more mature than Hortense and feels trapped in a loveless marriage with Captain Lavalette (no idea who that is).

Campan is very strict but genuinely cares about her students. I liked the part where she has The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen attached to the back of a portrait of Marie-Antoinette and flips the portrait when inspection arrives. Simple, but quite clever!

5. The Setting

No complaints here! Gorgeous descriptions that are very much historically accurate, and Hortense’s POV is conveyed masterfully, which aids the story greatly.

6. The Writing

Simple yet beautiful, without diving too much into purple prose territory and doesn’t shy away from mentioning or implying normal things like periods or sex. I can sense some pearl clutching might happen, but personally I think these topics should be normalized so I don’t complain. Also, my copy graciously included translations of Italian phrases, which is doubly awesome!

7. The Conclusion

Overall, an excellent, overall accurate and believable story! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about Hortense or just looking for a Frev/Napoleonic coming of age story without too much action.

Alright, on this note, I’m concluding today’s meeting of Jacobin Fiction Convention. Stay tuned for updates, guys!

Love,

Citizen Green Pixel

#french revolution #frev #jacobin fiction convention #frev art #book review #a game of hope #hortense de beauharnais #eugene de beauharnais #josephine bonaparte #napoleon bonaparte #caroline murat #joachim murat #madame campan

[apurpledust]

Joachim and Caroline Murat in Napoléon (1955)

#think this is scene is right after napoleon reluctantly approved of their marriage #and of course he went to let caroline know in the middle of the night #that's madame campan in the background judging them #ANYWAY AREN'T THEY CUTE #joachim murat #caroline murat #napoleon #*

[tiny-librarian]

She listened with calmness to the exhortations of the ecclesiastic who accompanied her, and cast an indifferent look at the people who had so often applauded her beauty and her grace, and who now as warmly applauded her execution. On reaching the foot of the scaffold she perceived the Tuileries, and appeared to be moved; but she hastened to ascend the fatal ladder, and gave herself up with courage to the executioner. 

The Memoirs of Marie Antoinette - Madame Campan

#marie antoinette #madame campan #18th century #french revolution #french monarchy #long live the queue

[ragazzoarcano]

“Bisogna saper ascoltare tutte le campane, non soltanto quella che suona più forte.”

— L. Donati

#bisogno #bisogni #ascoltare #campane #dettagli #frasi e citazioni #frasi tumblr #frasi

[arreton]

Avevo letto "Ki t'è stra muort"

#influenze campane

[fidjiefidjie]

Bon Matin 😉 💙 💙 💙

Les Inconnus 🎶 Auteuil Neuilly Passy

(Didier Bourdon, Bernard Campan et Pascal Légitimus)

#music vidéo #les inconnus #vidéo clip #auteuil neuilly passy #bernard campan #didier bourdon #pascal légitimus #clip music video #humour #bon matin #fidjie fidjie #Youtube

[josefavomjaaga]

Judging by Madame Campan’s outdated as fuck ideas on women, I’m surprised Hortense and Caroline didn’t die of boredom in the school.

(I know it was a different time but those ideas don’t fit them at all.)

But what did they learn there? What subjects were taught? Do you happen to know?

Why, thank you for the question! That's a good one. And as usual, I've never really studied anything serious enough to have an answer.

But. In her biography of Hortense Beauharnais, Marie-Hélène Baylac cites a bit from one of Hortense's school reports (in order to show that sweet Hortense was not precisely the model student she claims to have been in her memoirs). It's from 1798, when Hortense would have been 15/16 years old. The bulletin cites some deficits in "dictation", but overall she seems to be doing okay in "reading and writing" yet needs to cultivate her memory more. "Application and submission" are satisfactory, Hortense is docile and always ready to please her schoolmates.

Which, I believe, already shows some things that Madame Campan's institution placed value on. There were more school subjects of course: history (at the time of the Directorate reduced to only Greek and Roman history), geography, languages (Hortense claims that Napoleon abruptly ended her studies in English for political reasons), and all the things that, in those days, would turn a girl into an "accomplished woman": drawing, music, singing, dancing. And while, according to Caroline d'Arjuzon, girls that left Madame Campan's school often still rather lacked some orthography and grammar, they all had learned to dance and draw and hold polite conversations - everything to entertain and please a future husband.

English writer Fanny Burney once watched a price giving ceremony (the whole school system was based heavily on tests and prices) during the Consulate: the girls, on a stage and in front of a large audience that included, besides parents and relatives, also high political functionaries and sometimes the First Consul himself, had to do a series of tests: dictation, drawing of maps, pointing out the main cities of each country while other girls would name their coordinates, recitation and explication of poems, answering to questions about history. Fanny Bruney noted that the jury took great care to not embarrass the girls in this latter matter and to "carefully guide them to the correct answer". Two girls still burst into tears live on stage during this test though. The main prize however was a rose awarded for "sweetness of character".

(I think I once told you about Sandra Gulland's novel "A rose for virtue"? That title refers to this prize. Also, it's a nice book. The Hortense of that story is truly a nice person, and her pining for Duroc is just sweet.)

Again, I guess that's somewhat telling. The geography session seems impressive though (I've always hated geography 😋).

There also were teachers for mathematics and natural science, I believe, so those must have been subjects, too. But I am not sure if all pupils always were educated in all these subjects. I seem to recall a report card from Hortense's days at Madame Campan's where some major subjects simply were left blank, as if she had not taken part in them.

That's the best I could do for now, I fear. But maybe somebody else has something to add? I'd be very interested myself!

Thanks again for the question!

#btw i'd have sucked in that school #answering questions live on stage? #help! #madame campan #hortense de beauharnais

[affogonellamarmellata]

COLAPESCEDIMARTINO Read Mean Tweets - da Le Iene del 07.03.2023

#italy tag #roba mia #musica italiana #colapesce #dimartino #le cose che odio di questo video sono molteplici e le elencherò qui per esorcizzare #1) antonio che dice 'pesciolino' #2) antonio che vuole indagare le dimensioni del pesciolino #3) l'intero concetto del tweet del pesciolino maronn non voglio dire nulla #4) la risatina con guanciotte di antonio che poi alza il ditino e 'quello è plof :)' #5) lorenzo prende il telefono e si trasforma in un oratore che accompagna ogni parola letta con un gesto della mano (addicted to 👌) #6) 'dimartino suona le campane non fa ridere' dice lorenzO SOGGHIGNANDO #7) il fatto che lorenzo se la stia ridendo di sbieco dall'inizio alla fine ma umorismo rotto hai perchè fai così ma perch #8) 'suona le capanne- le campane' #9) la spallata che lorenzo da ad antonio prima di spiegargli dimartino/fra martino #10) e pOI GLI TOGLIE IL TELEFONO DALLE MANI MA QUANTO STA GASATO PER STO GIOCHINO DEL READ MEAN TWEETS #11) chiariamo che dimartino non è de martino ma non neghiamo che dimartino stia con colapesce. okay. #12) quanto gli è piaciuta quella dei due coglioni inseparabili ci si sono proprio rivisti nel prossimo album la usano come frase #in una canzone sulla loro amicizia #13) 'chissà chi dei due si è fatto la vanoni' antonio sospira sorride si mette le mani sulle ginocchia e guarda davanti a sè #annuendo #14) threesome. #questo intervento è lungo un minuto e 22 ma è stato. molto. da digerire. #bravi tutti e ottimo guardaroba con lorenzo allacciato fino all'ultimo bottone e pure la giacca chiusa mentre antonio. #antonio. sigh.

[lemecdeliott]

Buenas noches 😘

Solo paso aquí como cada mes a dejarte unas pequeñas letras que escupió mi corazón 🤭

Y dice así:

Quiero quererte de momento

Si, uno que dure como un juramento

De un año a lo que va la eternidad

Quiero quererte de momento

Porque eso debe significar una infinidad

De todo lo que siento por ti de verdad

Quiero quererte por un momento

Como lo que dura un eterno cuento.

Le dejo todo mi amor 💜💜💜💜💜💜 con permiso 🤭😬😘

Ay, que bonito! ¡Es lo más bonito de la vida! Me encantaron todos los versos. ¿Sabías que eres la más bonita del mundo? Porque sino lo sabías, puedo decirle que es la más bella de la galaxia. Gracias por siempre darme poemas tan bonitos. Te quiero un montón.

#campanita <3 #poema campanes <3

[intotheclash]

Lasciate che le campane suonino a puttane. (Nick Cave)

#nick cave #di campane e di puttane

[detournementsmineurs]

"Le Versailles Secret de Marie-Antoinette" documentaire de Sylvie Faiveley et Mark Daniels (2018), décembre 2023.

#films #style #dentelle #inspirations bijoux #bijoux de têtte #diamant #strass #plumes #xviiie siècle #MarieAntoinette #Campan #Faiveley #Daniels

[mr-karlheinzstockhatso]

In Compagnia.

Bellinzona, Svizzera » 19.08.2022 » VERDENA - LA VOLTA

#photographers on tumblr #fotografia #svizzera #monumenti #chiese #statue #campanile #campane #finestre

[thistimegrey]

Poi resta il fatto che le campane alle 7 di mattina, che poi suonano per non so quanti minuti, rompono davvero il cazzo. Ma se uno volesse dormire, perché non dovrebbe farlo?

Questa mi sembra proprio una lampante dimostrazione dell'intolleranza della religione: quattro gatti vanno in chiesa alla mattina? Allora dobbiamo svegliare tutti quanti, mi sembra giusto.

#me #pensieri #sfogo #campane #religione

[tiny-librarian]

Simon would buffet him on the head, or kick him away, adding the remark, ‘Get to bed again, wolfs cub; I only wanted to know that you were safe.’ On one of these occasions, when the child had fallen half stunned upon his own miserable couch, and lay there groaning and faint with pain, Simon roared out with a laugh, ‘Suppose you were king, Capet, what would you do to me?’ The child thought of his father’s dying words, and said, ‘I would forgive you.’”

Memoirs Of The Court Of Marie Antoinette, Queen Of France - Madame Campan

#louis charles de france #louis xvii #louis xvi #Marie Antoinette #french monarchy #madame campan #long live the queue

[businesstycoon27]

if yOU are bored

read Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun's diary! :D Here it's in eng trans. > !!!

end here in orig. french > !!!

"Of course, I painted her [Karoline von Liechtenstein] with naked feet, but when the picture was hung in her husband's gallery the heads of the family were greatly scandalised at seeing the Princess exhibited without shoes, and the Prince told me that he had had a pair of nice, little slippers placed under the portrait, which slippers, so he had informed the grandparents, had slipped off her feet and fallen on the ground."

#historical diaries are fun #i want to read madame campan's as well #book recommendations #i just wanted to share it with others sniff #!! write diaries ppl! #tycoontea

[dutchdude-71]

⭐⭐⭐⭐(½)

#presque #bernard campan #alexandre jollien #cineville #arthouse #cinephile