Comments on: The Duchess Redux: Reviewing for Politics or Pleasure http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/ Book Reviews, Philosophy, Academic Life Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:53:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jessica http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-976 Jessica Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:36:14 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-976 Robin -- I very very much hope you do that. Robin — I very very much hope you do that.

]]> By: Robin http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-974 Robin Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:18:27 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-974 Jessica, I think I'm going to have to write a formal review at some point so I can work out my sense of what is and isn't going on in the book. A lot of it is still pretty nascent. Jessica, I think I’m going to have to write a formal review at some point so I can work out my sense of what is and isn’t going on in the book. A lot of it is still pretty nascent.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-961 Jessica Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:56:28 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-961 @<a href="#comment-952" rel="nofollow">Laura Vivanco</a>: Thanks Laura! That's a helpful way to put it. @<a href="#comment-953" rel="nofollow">Robin</a>: Robin, it's true that I get the same vibe all the way through the book. It's interesting to me that you see a shift somewhere in there! @Laura Vivanco: Thanks Laura! That’s a helpful way to put it.

@Robin: Robin, it’s true that I get the same vibe all the way through the book. It’s interesting to me that you see a shift somewhere in there!

]]> By: Robin http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-953 Robin Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:53:50 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-953 I agree with you, Jessica, about that first scene between Henri and Camille, but I wish I had the same subversion vibe you do from the rest of the book. I haven't thought through yet why I don't, but it's a very interesting question. I agree with you, Jessica, about that first scene between Henri and Camille, but I wish I had the same subversion vibe you do from the rest of the book. I haven’t thought through yet why I don’t, but it’s a very interesting question.

]]> By: Laura Vivanco http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-952 Laura Vivanco Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:26:07 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-952 "Literary analysis" can include a lot of things, including the more purely type of literary analysis (e.g. looking at intertextuality, alliteration etc) but as soon as you start to look at the ideas contained in the book and its relationship with the social/historical context in which it was produced, you have to engage with at least a little bit of subjects such as philosophy, cultural history etc. “Literary analysis” can include a lot of things, including the more purely type of literary analysis (e.g. looking at intertextuality, alliteration etc) but as soon as you start to look at the ideas contained in the book and its relationship with the social/historical context in which it was produced, you have to engage with at least a little bit of subjects such as philosophy, cultural history etc.

]]> By: Victoria Janssen http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-951 Victoria Janssen Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:02:58 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-951 Philosphical, then. I tend to lump any book analysis as "literary." Whatever it is, it's fun to do! Philosphical, then. I tend to lump any book analysis as “literary.” Whatever it is, it’s fun to do!

]]> By: Jessica http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-950 Jessica Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:41:36 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-950 @<a href="#comment-947" rel="nofollow">Victoria Janssen</a>: Victoria, it's neat to hear from you that my take on the book matches yours. It's also interesting that you say I was doing "literary analysis" (and Charlotte's point about technique makes me think this too). If "literary" refers to the subject of the analysis, yes. But I didn't say anything about the literary elements of the text. I can do philosophical analysis. Literary? Not a clue. @Victoria Janssen: Victoria, it’s neat to hear from you that my take on the book matches yours.

It’s also interesting that you say I was doing “literary analysis” (and Charlotte’s point about technique makes me think this too). If “literary” refers to the subject of the analysis, yes. But I didn’t say anything about the literary elements of the text. I can do philosophical analysis. Literary? Not a clue.

]]> By: Charlotte http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-949 Charlotte Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:25:36 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-949 Wow, great review! I felt the same way about the gender roles and age disparity. Another interesting aspect is that there didn't seem to be a link between gender and top or bottom (espeically interesting with your comment on the demasculinized gender of eunuchs). I have to admit, I love books that make me think. Whether I'm ranting or raving, if it's made me think about writing technique, cultural or social analysis, I will enjoy talking about it with other people. Wow, great review! I felt the same way about the gender roles and age disparity. Another interesting aspect is that there didn’t seem to be a link between gender and top or bottom (espeically interesting with your comment on the demasculinized gender of eunuchs).

I have to admit, I love books that make me think. Whether I’m ranting or raving, if it’s made me think about writing technique, cultural or social analysis, I will enjoy talking about it with other people.

]]> By: Victoria Janssen http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-947 Victoria Janssen Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:01:59 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-947 And can I tell you what a strange feeling it is to be reading my favorite kind of literary analysis blog post, and have it be about my own book? And can I tell you what a strange feeling it is to be reading my favorite kind of literary analysis blog post, and have it be about my own book?

]]> By: Victoria Janssen http://www.readreactreview.com/2008/12/13/the-duchess-redux-reviewing-for-politics-v-pleasure/#comment-946 Victoria Janssen Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:31:19 +0000 http://www.racyromancereviews.com/?p=622#comment-946 Wow. You got what I was doing! *happy dance* Henri is totally the ingenue of the book. He even moves up in the world, as lower-class heroines often do in romance novels, with help from his social superiors (Camille and Maxime). I don't know if you noticed, but re: the book's morality, there is no organized religion portrayed in the book's world; no mention of Christianity or anything else. (I did use the phrase "set a devil loose in his head" once, but that's it, and I didn't intend that as a religious expression.) Wow. You got what I was doing! *happy dance*

Henri is totally the ingenue of the book. He even moves up in the world, as lower-class heroines often do in romance novels, with help from his social superiors (Camille and Maxime).

I don’t know if you noticed, but re: the book’s morality, there is no organized religion portrayed in the book’s world; no mention of Christianity or anything else. (I did use the phrase “set a devil loose in his head” once, but that’s it, and I didn’t intend that as a religious expression.)

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