Fantastic chapter, Kate. Love the mystery and build-up and little secrets and facts divulged. There's also some great internal reflection by Marie going on here.
A few favourites here:
"Constantly alert, I began to willingly poison myself with adrenaline that became a perpetual drip, at once keeping me very, very alive and also moving me toward the stony existence that was coming."
Really like this and how it goes with the Medusa of the city.
"And now I feel I was just a tool, with little to offer society, because I even failed at saving this piece of art for you to put in the right hands." -- quite heartbreaking.
"Of course, I wouldn’t see her soon, because soon the virus would come to us and we would all be kept in our little crypts." -- and again, but this works in isolation as fiction as a foreboding line and also because we, having lived through it, know exactly what it meant in reality too.
This chapter had me glued to the screen from start to finish. Not that the others didn't -- I really enjoyed them all -- but in this one, the layer of mystery is palpable, and you sense that what's to come could be key. Particularly in transitions like this one: "She looked at the dark wall for several seconds in silence, then remembered I was there and turned with a new sparkle in her eye to look at me with what felt like faith." This is getting more interesting by the minute, Kate. Loved it!
Thank you, Silvio. Funny, this was the quote I shared on Notes before reading your comment. Appreciate your view of the layers and cinematic experience very much!
What a coincidence, hey! Not a big Notes user here; not a regular, but I'll have to change that. Glad to hear my reflection has been well received. Ciao!
Oh, you reach into history and truth of what actually happened, the hidden and the found, and the failures of humanness and the discovery of the force of art in the midst. Striking, Kathleen,
"Six months in Vienna had chilled my insides." 😅 Another great chapter and Frau Grüber is easily one of my favourite characters! On to Salzburg, a wonderful city.
The passage about children kept in isolation reminded me of Kaspar Hauser.
It's fiction, how can anyone be offended? 😅 Besides as I always say... all generalisations are false. Frau Grüber and her theatre days, I can already see it...
“I didn’t know what it was, so in an attempt to break free from my recent trauma (which feels kind of stupid to write down, because I do realize they were simply trying to sell me some olives, but the feeling was real), anyway…” So, did the author just break a wall to step on the narrator and provide context to a feeling or experience that may be somewhat autobiographical, and then the narrator brushes it aside with “anyway.” lol, i love it, great chapter here and i really like that Marie is starting to feel hardened into the facade of Vienna the more she opens her eyes to the monster that is the culture. And separately, i read a great article about walking and writing forwarded me by a friend that also talks about mapping walks through the city…id really like to see a map of Marie’s wanderings in Vienna…hint, hint :)…link to article: https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/walking-helps-us-think. Thanks again DKW!
Thanks! I’ve saved your article and am reminded to renew my NYer subscription. Map! Yes, what a great idea. I’m going to think about how to do this…
Haha, 4th wall. Filmic? Happy to make you lol.
I guess with the epistolary form Marie can talk to her two intended readers like this. I keep adding in little bits like that (Nathan caught a few) but then I think most people forgot this is all a long letter. The challenges of publishing online!
"Like the effect of an invisible Medusa spread through the cracks of the city, we were all slowly turning to stone." This lovely line caught my attention. It goes with the sense of Marie "going native" and losing her moral compass...
The mystery deepens - at least now she practically has permission to search for the painting, although that in itself is a little suspicious - or perhaps this is making me paranoid? 😂 p.s. I think I would have run screaming from that street market too - if not the hucksters, perhaps the olives...😝
How can I convey just how big of a crush I had on Otto Wagner as a grad student and young architect. His work is stunning, perfectly sited and scaled for Vienna. The Secession building is so cool. What do you think of Wagner’s PSK? ( the post office) I enjoy how you capture the city’s moods.
Love it! (Both that you had a big crush and the PSK.) There are so many incredible buildings in Vienna. Makes it a wonderful place to walk around. I used to walk early to the metro for work through the 1st even though it took longer just to soak it all in with the wind from the river rushing through the alleys.
Fantastic chapter, Kate. Love the mystery and build-up and little secrets and facts divulged. There's also some great internal reflection by Marie going on here.
A few favourites here:
"Constantly alert, I began to willingly poison myself with adrenaline that became a perpetual drip, at once keeping me very, very alive and also moving me toward the stony existence that was coming."
Really like this and how it goes with the Medusa of the city.
"And now I feel I was just a tool, with little to offer society, because I even failed at saving this piece of art for you to put in the right hands." -- quite heartbreaking.
"Of course, I wouldn’t see her soon, because soon the virus would come to us and we would all be kept in our little crypts." -- and again, but this works in isolation as fiction as a foreboding line and also because we, having lived through it, know exactly what it meant in reality too.
Thanks so much, Nathan. I really appreciate this feedback and the annotations!
Your favorite moments line up with my own! Something going on with the aspect of the letter and its audience. I'll leave it at that. :)
Ooh yay 🤗
This chapter had me glued to the screen from start to finish. Not that the others didn't -- I really enjoyed them all -- but in this one, the layer of mystery is palpable, and you sense that what's to come could be key. Particularly in transitions like this one: "She looked at the dark wall for several seconds in silence, then remembered I was there and turned with a new sparkle in her eye to look at me with what felt like faith." This is getting more interesting by the minute, Kate. Loved it!
Thank you, Silvio. Funny, this was the quote I shared on Notes before reading your comment. Appreciate your view of the layers and cinematic experience very much!
What a coincidence, hey! Not a big Notes user here; not a regular, but I'll have to change that. Glad to hear my reflection has been well received. Ciao!
Oh, you reach into history and truth of what actually happened, the hidden and the found, and the failures of humanness and the discovery of the force of art in the midst. Striking, Kathleen,
What a lovely comment, Mary. Thank you!
"Six months in Vienna had chilled my insides." 😅 Another great chapter and Frau Grüber is easily one of my favourite characters! On to Salzburg, a wonderful city.
The passage about children kept in isolation reminded me of Kaspar Hauser.
Thanks a lot, Alexander. Hope I’m not offending any Austrians! 🙈 The US has plenty of stereotypes of legends as well to dive into its darkness.
Maybe Frau needs her own story!
It's fiction, how can anyone be offended? 😅 Besides as I always say... all generalisations are false. Frau Grüber and her theatre days, I can already see it...
Now that would be a story!!
Romance and Espionage in Nazi-occupied Vienna, a heist, a betrayal and true love threatened by unspeakable evil. It'll write itself ;)
“I didn’t know what it was, so in an attempt to break free from my recent trauma (which feels kind of stupid to write down, because I do realize they were simply trying to sell me some olives, but the feeling was real), anyway…” So, did the author just break a wall to step on the narrator and provide context to a feeling or experience that may be somewhat autobiographical, and then the narrator brushes it aside with “anyway.” lol, i love it, great chapter here and i really like that Marie is starting to feel hardened into the facade of Vienna the more she opens her eyes to the monster that is the culture. And separately, i read a great article about walking and writing forwarded me by a friend that also talks about mapping walks through the city…id really like to see a map of Marie’s wanderings in Vienna…hint, hint :)…link to article: https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/walking-helps-us-think. Thanks again DKW!
Thanks! I’ve saved your article and am reminded to renew my NYer subscription. Map! Yes, what a great idea. I’m going to think about how to do this…
Haha, 4th wall. Filmic? Happy to make you lol.
I guess with the epistolary form Marie can talk to her two intended readers like this. I keep adding in little bits like that (Nathan caught a few) but then I think most people forgot this is all a long letter. The challenges of publishing online!
"Like the effect of an invisible Medusa spread through the cracks of the city, we were all slowly turning to stone." This lovely line caught my attention. It goes with the sense of Marie "going native" and losing her moral compass...
Thanks Jeffrey! Happy this idea rang through :)
The mystery deepens - at least now she practically has permission to search for the painting, although that in itself is a little suspicious - or perhaps this is making me paranoid? 😂 p.s. I think I would have run screaming from that street market too - if not the hucksters, perhaps the olives...😝
Not an olive fan? haha
Thanks Troy! I'm pleased to make a little (ficitonal) paranoia 😀!
How can I convey just how big of a crush I had on Otto Wagner as a grad student and young architect. His work is stunning, perfectly sited and scaled for Vienna. The Secession building is so cool. What do you think of Wagner’s PSK? ( the post office) I enjoy how you capture the city’s moods.
Love it! (Both that you had a big crush and the PSK.) There are so many incredible buildings in Vienna. Makes it a wonderful place to walk around. I used to walk early to the metro for work through the 1st even though it took longer just to soak it all in with the wind from the river rushing through the alleys.
Thanks Julie!
Here's some background and photos for other readers - https://smarthistory.org/otto-wagner-postal-savings-bank/
Gripping chapter, Kate — I love how you’ve taken a simmering sense of suspense and started turning up the heat here. 🔥
Thanks so much, Michael! 💙
It was a great chapter today. The atmosphere is just excellent.
Thanks a lot, Jon!
Love this one.
Thanks Mike!