This chapter captures a gripping sense of isolation and emotional weight. I appreciated how you intertwined Marie's grief with the unsettling surroundings in Vienna. The pacing and vivid descriptions build an atmosphere of tension. The psychological depth adds so much to the narrative—an excellent continuation of the story.
We knew the phone call would come, yet it still hits hard when it does. Excellent writing and chapter, Kate!
I found this line captures her (and everyone's) isolation perfectly.
" I didn’t understand what they were doing until it dawned on me that they weren’t concerned for my well-being at all. Instead, they just wanted me to shut up and not disturb the others. They also didn’t want to get sick."
Jesus. This is the most visceral and terrifying episode yet, Kate! I really feel for Marie - they surreal way in which deaths were handled, so helpless and distant and so many, I can't imagine what it must have been like, but you've imagined her reaction so vividly. Beautiful work!
Powerful, Kate. Even though we haven't had much or any real interaction with Marie's mother, this packs a real punch and I felt the raw emotions.
I also love when you flit with these sections where you remind the reader that this is written from a perspective in time when more is known than the reader currently knows: "I started to feel uncomfortable. I can tell you now because it’ll be all sorted when you read this and I’ll either have taken the fall or killed the real culprit."
This one spoke to me in so many ways, but I was captured by this short line right at the start: "Even those who lived right down the street were at the same distance." So true: covid flattened space and time in a never experienced before way, at least in our generation. And Marie's loss made so many memories resurface. Another beautiful chapter.
This phrase captures her grief and isolation perfectly: “But it was as if my words were ghostly.” And well set up from earlier observations about the cold reticence of the Viennese. I felt the loss of her mother coming but what a blow!
This chapter captures a gripping sense of isolation and emotional weight. I appreciated how you intertwined Marie's grief with the unsettling surroundings in Vienna. The pacing and vivid descriptions build an atmosphere of tension. The psychological depth adds so much to the narrative—an excellent continuation of the story.
Thanks for the lovely comment, Jon.
We knew the phone call would come, yet it still hits hard when it does. Excellent writing and chapter, Kate!
I found this line captures her (and everyone's) isolation perfectly.
" I didn’t understand what they were doing until it dawned on me that they weren’t concerned for my well-being at all. Instead, they just wanted me to shut up and not disturb the others. They also didn’t want to get sick."
Thanks Alexander! Appreciate your comments so much :)
Jesus. This is the most visceral and terrifying episode yet, Kate! I really feel for Marie - they surreal way in which deaths were handled, so helpless and distant and so many, I can't imagine what it must have been like, but you've imagined her reaction so vividly. Beautiful work!
So happy it struck that way, Troy! 🙏🏽💜
Wow! What a captivating snapshot of the Covid experience, both across borders and within the hidden nooks and crannies of personal life.
Amazing chapter!
Thanks so much, Veronika!
"My mother would be dust, back to the sand and salt of the earth." - A tragic truth gorgeously encapsulated in poetry.
Thank you Nadia 💜
Powerful, Kate. Even though we haven't had much or any real interaction with Marie's mother, this packs a real punch and I felt the raw emotions.
I also love when you flit with these sections where you remind the reader that this is written from a perspective in time when more is known than the reader currently knows: "I started to feel uncomfortable. I can tell you now because it’ll be all sorted when you read this and I’ll either have taken the fall or killed the real culprit."
Thanks for the great comment and for noticing this, Nathan. Much appreciated!
Agh! That's quite a detonation of a scene! Great writing.
"Then I realized she would never have pain again. I wasn’t sure if this was a positive conclusion or not."
This made me think of lines like "fear no more the heat of the sun...". Death makes us clutch at such mercies.
Detonation…I’ll take that! Thanks Jeffrey. Not an easy one to write but interesting to explore these ideas in depth.
This one spoke to me in so many ways, but I was captured by this short line right at the start: "Even those who lived right down the street were at the same distance." So true: covid flattened space and time in a never experienced before way, at least in our generation. And Marie's loss made so many memories resurface. Another beautiful chapter.
This phrase captures her grief and isolation perfectly: “But it was as if my words were ghostly.” And well set up from earlier observations about the cold reticence of the Viennese. I felt the loss of her mother coming but what a blow!