[EnWorld Book Club] The Club Dumas: Discussion.

[Wombat]

I dunno. In the end I felt both plot lines felt like bad shaggy dog stories, where at the end all the dog says is "woof".

The Dumas line was ridiculous -- how many people would so identify with characters out of books that they would spend their whole lives re-enacting those parts, especially the parts of the villains, and that to no real purpose. I felt sad for many of the characters in this plot line for leading such shallow, limited, and rather pointless lives.

The Nine Doors line had some promise, but the end, after all the build-up, was severely disappointing. I felt like the author got to the end and said, "Ooops! I have no idea how to end this! I better just drop it."

I had really looked forward to reading the book, especially with the way in which many people had recommended it, as well as a deep love of Dumas' writings (although not to the extent of the loonies in the book), but in the end I felt as if I had been cheated, that the whole book was a huge bait-and-switch. I have duly sold the book to my favourite used book store and picked up some more Amelia Peabody to replace it.

 

[shadoe]

The Dumas line was ridiculous -- how many people would so identify with characters out of books that they would spend their whole lives re-enacting those parts, especially the parts of the villains, and that to no real purpose. I felt sad for many of the characters in this plot line for leading such shallow, limited, and rather pointless lives.

Not too many people would so identify with the characters, and even in the story only two did. Rochefort(sp?) and Lilly. To everyone else in seemed to me to be nothing more than a club, not unlike your average gaming club that has a costume party for Halloween.

The Nine Doors line had some promise, but the end, after all the build-up, was severely disappointing. I felt like the author got to the end and said, "Ooops! I have no idea how to end this! I better just drop it."

To me the Nine Doors line always felt rather deliberate. Like author had planed for that all along. He even leaves hints about it throughout the book starting at the very begining where they talk about the three known copies all being thought of as "true" copies even though there should only be one, and that the records didn't agree on the number of woodcuts in them. Between that, the talks with the brothers who "repaired" old books, and the discovery that they all three had nine woodcuts told me that something was tampered with.

I didn't like the movie ending where

Spoiler

Corso found the missing woodcut behind the piano in the brothers shop

, because it felt like they were trying too hard to explain the ending.

 

[shadoe]

I did think the Nine Doors plotline, with the mysteries involving the woodcuts, was really very well crafted. What did everyone think of the ending? And did anyone spot the final twist,

Spoiler

involving the forged woodcut

, before it happened?

I liked the plotline and it felt right, but I can't remember if I spoted the final twist before it happened the first time I read it around '96. :\

 

[nikolai]

To me the Nine Doors line always felt rather deliberate. Like author had planed for that all along. He even leaves hints about it throughout the book starting at the very begining where they talk about the three known copies all being thought of as "true" copies even though there should only be one, and that the records didn't agree on the number of woodcuts in them.

The Nine Doors plot was all flagged well in advance. Both with Borja's advanced knowledge of the one "true" book. And the bookbinders chapter, where Corso gets the true meaning of the conversation which the reader misses (at least the first time around).

I thought Borja's fate was also very well constructed. The reader is continually reminded that the book got Torchia and others involved with it burnt. The Borja, Corso, Book & Devil interaction is all wheels within wheels, with each of them playing the others for nebulous reasons until the end. The engravings also prefigure the whole plot line:

I: The Horseman with his finger to his lips. Corso not telling Borja of the missing engraving and thereby dooming him.
II: The Dog [devil] guarding the keys. The girl guarding the book, preventing it from being stolen or damaged.
III:The archer and the bridge. A warning of what lies in wait for anyone attempting to use the book.
IIII: The jester and the maze. Not everyone will fail to contact the devil.
V: The miser and death. Either Borja's books, none of which did him any good, or his money, which his refusal to part with doomed him in the end.
VI: The hanged man. The various deaths, and the devil's disinterest in preventing any of them.
VII: The king and servant playing a chess game. Borja's plot against Corso, and Corso's against Borja.
VIII: The headsman and the woman. Corso's meeting with the Baroness, knowledge of her past, and blackmail of her with it.
VIIII: The girl, dragon and burning castle. Corso and the girl.

These are also explicitly referenced in the text at appropriate times.