If there is any merchandise out there to do with the Montmorency series, do not, I repeat do not show me! I will be poor collecting everything from posters to a Fox Selwyn t-shirt. A lot of people know me to be a hoarder, or at least hang on to things that might appear to be obsessive to an outsider’s point of view; but I swear, if you were an author, you would certainly adore me! I promise!
I have a soft spot for anything that is set in the 19th century and it all really kicked off when I read the first book in the series many years ago and catapulted when I read Sherlock Holmes. I couldn’t fathom the amazing language of the writing, so modern and yet written in a time that I couldn’t imagine. I am very fond of reading books that capture my imagination, as I’m sure all readers are, but somehow with the 19th century, it feels interesting on a completely different level.
But even if you are not usually a fan of the 19th century you should still pick up the series. Eleanor Updale, author of Montmorency, has written in such an advanced way I still can’t believe it is marked as a young adult book. In the first it talks of lies, deceit and theft. In the second it talks of drugs and implies sex. In the third it really screams sex and murder, and the last; revenge. I do wish the story never ended but I think it finishes quite beautifully; most people would disagree completely and argue that ties weren’t knotted and a longer series would have been more well liked than only four books. However, I can’t see what she could have continued further with. All my ties were tied, but I say nothing more about that so I don’t spoil it for you because I do think you should read it for yourself, I do!
Language was so thorough and the history so interesting, I found Eleanor Updale a new author to mark as a special place on my bookshelf. I was thinking about the history of the stories in all four books the past two Monday classes, as we were talking about technology in our society today and how it shapes our understanding of the world. In week two of my classes we looked at the spirituality of technology and how we thought about communicating with the dead in a very scientific way, using copper, zinc and other materials that draw energy. All this was done in the 19th century, a world described as a “whispering gallery”, everyone will see and hear everyone else. As we draw further into the mind as a computer I realize how much my world is shaped into technology. The clothing I wear, the tools I use to get through every day life. Of course, it wasn’t roman times in the 1800’s but I still appreciate the difficulty of having no phone to contact someone, like it was shown in the books in many cases. To me, in my world the medium really is the message. The phone itself is a message of what makes up me, and the way I live my life.
Next time I pick up my phone, which will probably be in the next five minutes, it is something I will think about. Though I promise I won’t get too obsessed with the idea!
Technically yours,
Jinx xx
