The reaction of the Hungarians to the Austrians is amusing, and it's interesting Marie had this insight away from Vienna - it's funny how we sometimes need to be momentarily out of a situation to make sense of it.
Nice chapter DKW! I really appreciated how you developed Marie through her inconspicuous sexual expression in the naturalist spa, adding greater depth to her as a character and utilizing a Marija as a catalyst for her to explore her own insecurities as well as her connection to her body. I love that Marija tells her she should wear sexier clothes and than Marie “put[s] on red lipstick for courage” prior to the dinner, subliminally or actively taking the que from Marija to accentuate her feminine sexuality and bodily features, as well as exert power entering a new situation the way Marija appear to embrace power. Marie is really rounding out as a character while the backdrop and in Vienna comes alive. Again, nice work!
Thanks a lot, Brian! I'm really happy that aspect came out for you. I wanted Marie to reflect on who she is in space and time - i.e. in the body - because she is so disconnected in a way to everything around her. Appreciate the comment!
This was delightful to read, Kate. Everything going on in Marie's head is so well-structured and intriguing. It makes me feel like I'm there, reflecting on these things myself. Such a great job. I'm thrilled to continue reading and see where this goes! :)
"They weren’t even in their own country and yet their culture seemed to dominate."
A piece of universal truth? It made me think of Pollensa Bay (although it wasn't about Austrians there)
Great chapter, the nudist interlude, Marie the invisible third wheel, making a difference without knowing it. I suspect Michael Brown will be a recurring character, she'll need that card at some point!
Oh yeah, completely relatable to other places. I find it interesting that in really diving into a single culture/place, we can find these more universal ideas or at least points of comparison. Thanks a lot, Alexander.
Marie’s interiority is so relatable. I can see myself having similar thoughts and reactions at a naturist spa. Having been to a grand baths in Budapest (not naturist), I could picture the place perfectly. What a wonderful communal experience. I hope Marie knows what she’s doing. 😮
Thanks Julie. Cool that you’ve been to one of the spas! I only made it to a Budapest spa last summer when we were there during a heat wave for the athletics world championships (not naturist though I’ve been to some naturist Austrian ones, and this was a kid friendly one so not quite as ornate as others). I learned that even though Austria and other nearby countries have many naturist spas (and other places like river beaches, etc) Hungarians typically don’t. So I was interested in the contrast knowing many Viennese come for spa holidays in the countryside. I think there must be a ton of layers of perspective in the differences between Budapest and Vienna dwellers that I don’t understand! It intrigues me.
I really enjoy, how you are continuing to weave the scenes with threads of different layers of stories, individual and collective, private and public, the external action and inner thought/ emotional activities...
One part I'm missing is Chapter 9. I couldn't find the link, so it wasn't clear to me at the start that Chapter 10 plays in Budapest... (although it becomes self-evident pretty soon).
I thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 10 of "An Interpreter in Vienna." Your writing continues to be engaging and thought-provoking, which is a challenge to achieve. The theme of scopophobia is handled with such nuance, making it deeply relatable and captivating. Your narrative style draws readers in, as ever. Thank you for sharing this intriguing and well-crafted chapter. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next part now.
I feel as though each chapter you settle into this more and more.
I loved reading Marie's reaction to the spa and how quickly she adjusted to it, and even found some internal thrill to the whole thing. Plus, through the interaction of others we learn a little more about Marie as she appears to those around her. I liked this a lot.
Then there's the ongoing sense of *what is she actually doing here?* The shroud of mystery. Brilliantly done, Kate.
Of course, I cannot leave without noting my favourite line. Although I found the description of the spa wonderful, this was the one that grabbed me most, especially the final sentence: "I naively shadowed others’ lives and became a vessel of interpretation; my influence was minor at best. I was a spectator to consequence and a host of information."
Settling in - yes, it feels that way as the writer - like method acting maybe? Hopefully not, as I don't want to fully embody this story but maybe certain parts of it. Thanks, that's a great comment!
Thank you also for pointing out those parts you enjoyed, Nathan. :) I'm thinking I could push the spa description even more. Julie mentioned her experience with the beautiful spas in Budapest. There is a lot of the ornateness that maybe could be reduced to a few lines to add depth.
The reaction of the Hungarians to the Austrians is amusing, and it's interesting Marie had this insight away from Vienna - it's funny how we sometimes need to be momentarily out of a situation to make sense of it.
That’s a great observation, Troy. I find that happens all the time with me (in different places). Thanks!
Had the same thoughts. I felt this was well placed, Kate.
Nice chapter DKW! I really appreciated how you developed Marie through her inconspicuous sexual expression in the naturalist spa, adding greater depth to her as a character and utilizing a Marija as a catalyst for her to explore her own insecurities as well as her connection to her body. I love that Marija tells her she should wear sexier clothes and than Marie “put[s] on red lipstick for courage” prior to the dinner, subliminally or actively taking the que from Marija to accentuate her feminine sexuality and bodily features, as well as exert power entering a new situation the way Marija appear to embrace power. Marie is really rounding out as a character while the backdrop and in Vienna comes alive. Again, nice work!
Thanks a lot, Brian! I'm really happy that aspect came out for you. I wanted Marie to reflect on who she is in space and time - i.e. in the body - because she is so disconnected in a way to everything around her. Appreciate the comment!
This was delightful to read, Kate. Everything going on in Marie's head is so well-structured and intriguing. It makes me feel like I'm there, reflecting on these things myself. Such a great job. I'm thrilled to continue reading and see where this goes! :)
Thank you, Silvio. I'm so happy to hear it has that effect! :)
"They weren’t even in their own country and yet their culture seemed to dominate."
A piece of universal truth? It made me think of Pollensa Bay (although it wasn't about Austrians there)
Great chapter, the nudist interlude, Marie the invisible third wheel, making a difference without knowing it. I suspect Michael Brown will be a recurring character, she'll need that card at some point!
Oh yeah, completely relatable to other places. I find it interesting that in really diving into a single culture/place, we can find these more universal ideas or at least points of comparison. Thanks a lot, Alexander.
Marie’s interiority is so relatable. I can see myself having similar thoughts and reactions at a naturist spa. Having been to a grand baths in Budapest (not naturist), I could picture the place perfectly. What a wonderful communal experience. I hope Marie knows what she’s doing. 😮
Thanks Julie. Cool that you’ve been to one of the spas! I only made it to a Budapest spa last summer when we were there during a heat wave for the athletics world championships (not naturist though I’ve been to some naturist Austrian ones, and this was a kid friendly one so not quite as ornate as others). I learned that even though Austria and other nearby countries have many naturist spas (and other places like river beaches, etc) Hungarians typically don’t. So I was interested in the contrast knowing many Viennese come for spa holidays in the countryside. I think there must be a ton of layers of perspective in the differences between Budapest and Vienna dwellers that I don’t understand! It intrigues me.
I really enjoy, how you are continuing to weave the scenes with threads of different layers of stories, individual and collective, private and public, the external action and inner thought/ emotional activities...
One part I'm missing is Chapter 9. I couldn't find the link, so it wasn't clear to me at the start that Chapter 10 plays in Budapest... (although it becomes self-evident pretty soon).
Very well written and engaging as always! 🙏 💕
Thanks a lot, Veronika. I like those dichotomies you point out!
I've updated the Table of Contents - sorry about that. Also on the website of course. Happy you could figure it out :)
I thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 10 of "An Interpreter in Vienna." Your writing continues to be engaging and thought-provoking, which is a challenge to achieve. The theme of scopophobia is handled with such nuance, making it deeply relatable and captivating. Your narrative style draws readers in, as ever. Thank you for sharing this intriguing and well-crafted chapter. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next part now.
Thanks for such a lovely comment, Jon! Happy you’re enjoying this.
A wonderful exploration of "inner space" and an erstwhile cosmopolitan Vienna. What a great scene in the naturist spa.
Thanks a lot, Ben!
I feel as though each chapter you settle into this more and more.
I loved reading Marie's reaction to the spa and how quickly she adjusted to it, and even found some internal thrill to the whole thing. Plus, through the interaction of others we learn a little more about Marie as she appears to those around her. I liked this a lot.
Then there's the ongoing sense of *what is she actually doing here?* The shroud of mystery. Brilliantly done, Kate.
Of course, I cannot leave without noting my favourite line. Although I found the description of the spa wonderful, this was the one that grabbed me most, especially the final sentence: "I naively shadowed others’ lives and became a vessel of interpretation; my influence was minor at best. I was a spectator to consequence and a host of information."
Settling in - yes, it feels that way as the writer - like method acting maybe? Hopefully not, as I don't want to fully embody this story but maybe certain parts of it. Thanks, that's a great comment!
Thank you also for pointing out those parts you enjoyed, Nathan. :) I'm thinking I could push the spa description even more. Julie mentioned her experience with the beautiful spas in Budapest. There is a lot of the ornateness that maybe could be reduced to a few lines to add depth.