The French Letter
Viewing comments for Chapter 17 "Alain Gaudin"A Novel
30 total reviews
Comment from ciliverde
Excellent job, Tony. Alain seems to be a boorish type of man, in spite of his skill with flowers. He seems angry about how his grandmother's life turned out. You do a nice job of painting the lovely scene in Giverny - and the contrast to the minds of our hero and heroine.
Carol
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Excellent job, Tony. Alain seems to be a boorish type of man, in spite of his skill with flowers. He seems angry about how his grandmother's life turned out. You do a nice job of painting the lovely scene in Giverny - and the contrast to the minds of our hero and heroine.
Carol
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Thanks, Carol. Alain is certainly a fellow with a chip on his shoulder! Possibly with good reason. We shall see. I'm glad that the various characters are beginning to become more individually defined.
Comment from BeasPeas
Hi Tony. This is a well written and described chapter, expressed with good action, dialogue and scene setting. I particularly like the paragraph describing Alain's talent with gardening.
Typo here: "He set the steak sandwich down in from (front) of his friend,"
Marilyn
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Hi Tony. This is a well written and described chapter, expressed with good action, dialogue and scene setting. I particularly like the paragraph describing Alain's talent with gardening.
Typo here: "He set the steak sandwich down in from (front) of his friend,"
Marilyn
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Many thanks for your review, Marilyn, and for catching the edit. Appreciated! Tony
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Hmmm, after reading this I have more questions than answers. LOL I am curious about those men in black suits and I am curious why Alain was so upset. I am sure I will get the answers in good time. Great Write.
I poured him some wine from the carafe, and he sat down next to Helen. (sat beside Helen)
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Hmmm, after reading this I have more questions than answers. LOL I am curious about those men in black suits and I am curious why Alain was so upset. I am sure I will get the answers in good time. Great Write.
I poured him some wine from the carafe, and he sat down next to Helen. (sat beside Helen)
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Very many thanks, Barbara, both for the review and for the six stars. Very much appreciated, as always.
I see where you are coming from with your suggested edit. I wanted to emphasise that he chose to sit next to Helen, rather than next to Charles. A deliberate act, to annoy Charles. To make that clearer, I have amended it to 'and he sat down - next to Helen'
Comment from Spitfire
Your prose has the rhythm of poetry in it. Do you realize how many times you use alliteration and internal rhyme?
example:peace was shattered by a car backfiring in the street. Three crows in a nearby stand of pine trees took flight, cawing like a coven of witches disturbed from their cauldrons.
Skillfully tucked are hints of what life was like for a lone woman back then.
Helen watched in fascination, as one might view a ravening wolf.-- a double meaning there considering her flirtation with him.
"I suspect those poor roses are in for a hard time this afternoon."--and to think he treated them so tenderly before reading the letter.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Your prose has the rhythm of poetry in it. Do you realize how many times you use alliteration and internal rhyme?
example:peace was shattered by a car backfiring in the street. Three crows in a nearby stand of pine trees took flight, cawing like a coven of witches disturbed from their cauldrons.
Skillfully tucked are hints of what life was like for a lone woman back then.
Helen watched in fascination, as one might view a ravening wolf.-- a double meaning there considering her flirtation with him.
"I suspect those poor roses are in for a hard time this afternoon."--and to think he treated them so tenderly before reading the letter.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Thank you so much, Shari. You have seen things in this chapter that no-one else has, and I'm delighted by that. The poetic techniques were deliberate, but seem to have gone over most people's heads! Thank you, too, for the six stars! You are definitely one of my favorite reviewers this week! All the best, Tony
Comment from krys123
Cheers, Tony;
> Seems they wennt all that way for unclimactic episode with Alain. He just took the letter And said little about it and then drank the wine and left with just telling her the two men that were seeing him asking about her or Helen.
> Now the back to Paris where they started.
> Or did I miss something here?
> I enjoyed your writing but I'm a little lost at where we are they finally found on Alain but did they get all the answers?
>Thanks for sharing this, Tony, and have a good one.
Alx
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Cheers, Tony;
> Seems they wennt all that way for unclimactic episode with Alain. He just took the letter And said little about it and then drank the wine and left with just telling her the two men that were seeing him asking about her or Helen.
> Now the back to Paris where they started.
> Or did I miss something here?
> I enjoyed your writing but I'm a little lost at where we are they finally found on Alain but did they get all the answers?
>Thanks for sharing this, Tony, and have a good one.
Alx
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Thanks, Alex. I think that there will be one or two things that emerge from this chapter. I hope so, anyway! All the best, Tony
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Looking forward to it, Tony.
Alx
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written chapter. It seems they found someone who knows the handwriting on the envelope and he claims it as his property because of his grandmother's involvement.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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A very well-written chapter. It seems they found someone who knows the handwriting on the envelope and he claims it as his property because of his grandmother's involvement.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Thanks, Sandra. Glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks very much for the review. Much appreciated. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from damommy
The nerve of the guy, taking the envelope away from Charles. There seems to be more mystery than ever. Those two goombahs following them everywhere. Apparently, Alain's grandmother had some dodgy connections. Good chapter.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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The nerve of the guy, taking the envelope away from Charles. There seems to be more mystery than ever. Those two goombahs following them everywhere. Apparently, Alain's grandmother had some dodgy connections. Good chapter.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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He doesn't seem to be a very pleasant character! I hope he's not in league with the two goombahs! Love that word!
Comment from Sally Law
Always such superb, flawless writing Mr. Tony.! I had to catch up a little in this story. It seems to have side tracked a little but that's okay. I can be patient. I love the lime about the crows being disturbed, comparing them to witches. "Cawing like a coven of witches that had been disturbed from their cauldrons."
A fine writer you are!
All my best,
Sally
P.S. I have writing up for review on page one that needs your attention.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Always such superb, flawless writing Mr. Tony.! I had to catch up a little in this story. It seems to have side tracked a little but that's okay. I can be patient. I love the lime about the crows being disturbed, comparing them to witches. "Cawing like a coven of witches that had been disturbed from their cauldrons."
A fine writer you are!
All my best,
Sally
P.S. I have writing up for review on page one that needs your attention.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Thanks, Sally. Appreciated. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from Pantygynt
This story is one of those where the more one finds out the deeper the mystery becomes. I could taste the wine, and the steak sandwich for that matter. A corner of the curtain over the past is lifted briefly here revealing something of the Parisian life of a demi mondaine at the fin de siecle. Oh all righ it was just into the new century and I doubt if much had changed by 1903. It doesn't sound like it anyway.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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This story is one of those where the more one finds out the deeper the mystery becomes. I could taste the wine, and the steak sandwich for that matter. A corner of the curtain over the past is lifted briefly here revealing something of the Parisian life of a demi mondaine at the fin de siecle. Oh all righ it was just into the new century and I doubt if much had changed by 1903. It doesn't sound like it anyway.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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1903 - Paris - it was always going to go this way with a title like the French Letter!
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Mais certainement!
Comment from Adri7enne
Not a very gracious Frenchman! And he took the envelope. So the picture he mentions must be one his grandmother sat for. I like the continuing easy pace. Your characters get very emotional but you maintain the same relaxing narrative style. I am quite enjoying the ride. Good chapter, Tony.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Not a very gracious Frenchman! And he took the envelope. So the picture he mentions must be one his grandmother sat for. I like the continuing easy pace. Your characters get very emotional but you maintain the same relaxing narrative style. I am quite enjoying the ride. Good chapter, Tony.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2018
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Thanks, Adrienne. I appreciate your comments. All the best, Tony
