Fifth sentence meme and the Marlows

[vilakins]

From kerravonsen: Grab the nearest book, open to page 123, find the fifth sentence. Then post the next three sentences.

From Autumn Term by Antonia Forest:

She said hopefully: "I thought, you see, that you might be Falsely Accused and that I, as the Headmistress's Niece, could Exert my Influence to Clear Your Name."
Despite herself, Nicola grinned.
"Well, I'm not and you can't and I don't want to talk about it."

I was named after Nicola Marlow, and when I was about 10 or 11 (younger than the twins anyway) I read Autumn Term and loved my namesake and the eccentric Tim who is quoted here, and even wanted to change my last name to match Nicola's. I recently decided it was time to reread the Marlow--and Peter Wimsey--books because I've seen them mentioned on LJ and good books are always worth going back to.

So I borrowed Autumn Term this week and devoured it, realising just what a clever and beautiful book it is with its complex, well-drawn and understood characters. I even found words I picked up and used for a while (Nicola's "trimmensely" and "scudding" for running). I am saddened that The Marlows and the Traitor isn't in the library system, but I do remember that one quite well too: the fog, Nicola going widdershins round the lighthouse, Lawrie injured in hospital with a huge bandage on her head... I shall however work my way with delight through the ones I can borrow.

Comments

[azdak.livejournal.com]

I've only read The Cricket Term, but, like you, I see mentions of the Marlows all over my flist, and since I liked The Cricket Term I'm thinking maybe I should get some of the others. Though I see amazon only has The Autumn Term available.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's worth it!

I only read three or so as a kid so I'm looking forward to the ones that will be new to me like Cricket Term. I hope that's not missing from the library too; I can't afford to buy books from the other side of the world.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Luckily for me Wolfgang goes back to the UK once a month or so, so he picks up my amazon orders from there. Otherwise it wold be prohibitively expensive.

[kerravonsen]

Oh that does sound worth reading! I didn't read very many boarding school books when I was a teen -- I was gulping down things like "Clan of the Cave Bear" and "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" at that time.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's an excellent book and written with such insight into how children and teenagers think.

And you read things like "Clan of the Cave Bear" and "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" at 10 or 11? I read adult books about the Holocaust and the camps, but nothing with that level of sex. :-P

[kerravonsen]

Well, more like 13 or 14 -- I did say "teen".

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Oh sorry, I was thinking of my age when I read 'Autumn Term'.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I hadn't realised that was where your name was from! They're splendid books, aren't they? I'm very fond of Lawrie. I hope you enjoy the re-reading the others!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I like Lawrie too! I never warmed as much to the others. I'm looking forward to the books that will be new to me.

[gair.livejournal.com]

I was named after Nicola Marlow

OMGreally? What a fantastic start in life for a person!

Enjoy the books, read the fic by rose_and_lizard (even the crossovers that look weird are very well worth it, eg the Labyrinth crossover...), and join trennels!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Except that I was Nicola in my imagination and more Lawrie in RL.

Ooh, thanks for that! [joins even though she's only read about three books]

[the-summoning-d.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that sounds interesting. Let me try:

Mast cells and basophils possess surface Fc receptors with a high affinity for IgE (Fc[epsilon]RI). Mast cells become activated either when surface-bound IgE molecules become cross-linked by antigen (Or experimentally by anti-IgE) or following the local release of anaphylatoxins C3a or C5a for which mast cells bear receptors.In either case, a complex series of events follows in which various membrane enzymes are activated, calcium ions enter the cell, and granules and their preformed mediator contents are released by exocytosis.

...wow.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I gave up biology as soon as I could.

[the-summoning-d.livejournal.com]

Heh, I barely understood a word of that. It's my mother's university immunology textbook, which I borrowed to cnfuse my biology teacher with.

[richenda.livejournal.com]

I'd love to know more about your mother - who obviously was an AF fan, and was probably nearer my age than you are.
Scudding - isn't that a sailing term - don't boatd "scud" before the wind and through the water?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. I know clouds scud, so my image of Nicola (who is the one who usually does it) is her skimming lightly and quickly over the ground.

My mother was indeed an AF fan (she never got SF or fantasy) and I was delighted to find out how much I loved Nicola too. I bear the name with pride and wonder how many are named for NM; I don't think there were many before 'Autumn Term'. I think I was a huge disappointment to my mother though, for being hopeless at sport, and singing too for that matter. I was better at academic subjects, acting (like Lawrie but without the crying jags), art, and being the cynical class wit like Tim.