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Jane Kindred | Confessions Of A Closet Monarchist
November 17, 2011
I didn't expect to be writing novels about the unjust persecution of
misunderstood monarchs. It sort of just...happened. I blameTHE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. I
loved that story as a girl; I loved the 1934 movie with Leslie Howard and Merle
Oberon on the late-night movies, and I loved the made-for-TV movie in the 80s
with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour, and I loved the 90s version with Richard
E. Grant and Elizabeth McGovern that I recently stumbled upon on Netflix. (And
just about died of swoonage at the line Grant delivers to McGovern at the end,
when Sir Percy realizes he's in love with his wife; as they're going in for the
romantic final kiss, she says something that ends with "...in a word, marriage,"
and he replies in his fabulously perfect foppish drawl, "Marriage i'n't a word,
it's a sentence.") Okay, so maybe that says more about how I have a thing for somewhat effeminate
men with foppish drawls, but that's a story for another time. It was while watchingTHE
SCARLET PIMPERNEL that I had this twinge of guilt: I was rooting for the
French aristocracy. Shouldn't I have been on the side of the poor and oppressed?
Shouldn't I feel downright evil for lovingTHE SCARLET PIMPERNEL? And then I got to thinking about the world of my first novella,THE DEVIL'S GARDEN, and how
the divine monarchs are wronged during a violent revolution. Well, it's one
little story, I told myself. It's not like I—and then I remembered my
upcoming novelTHE FALLEN
QUEEN was inspired by the tragedy of the murdered Romanov family during the
Bolshevik Revolution. (So okay, maybe I didn't actually forget this little
detail; let's say it was a repressed memory. For five seconds.) InTHE FALLEN QUEEN, Book
One of The House of Arkhangel'sk series, my fallen angel Anazakia is the sole
survivor of a celestial coup that fuels a demon uprising. Since the pair of
demons who hide her in the world of Man feature prominently in this story, you'd
think perhaps I'd be on the side of the revolutionaries. But as with the
Romanovs themselves, my sympathies lie with the murdered rulers. They may have
been flawed, but they didn't deserve to be slaughtered. That was when I realized it: I am a wicked, wicked monarchist. So what is it with me siding with the ruling class of an outdated and oppressive
form of government against the peasants who suffered under it? It isn't that I
think the peasants were wrong to resist oppression or that those monarchies
should have remained in place (though I won't deny there's something romantic
about royalty; I didn't watch the most recent British royal nuptials, but I got
up at 3:00 a.m. to watch Charles and Di's wedding live when I was a kid). I suppose what it comes down to is that in all of these cases, it wasn't just
governments being overthrown, it was individuals being blamed for all the ills
of their societies and then being brutally murdered as scapegoats. It's the
people caught up in situations beyond their control—like Tsar Nicholas and
his Alexandra, and their four daughters and son murdered with them—who tug
at my heart. Perhaps my sympathies are misplaced, but I've always found these events in
history deeply tragic. And tragedy, well—to me, it's always the beginning
of a great story. Whether you're a dirty monarchist like me or it's vive la revolution all
the way, I'd love to hear about your favorite stories of class and conflict.THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO andTHE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
are some others I've always adored. TELL ME YOURS AND I'LL PICK ONE COMMENTER AT
RANDOM TO WIN A SIGNED ARC OFTHE FALLEN QUEEN. * * * THE FALLEN QUEEN Heaven can go to hell. Until her cousin slaughtered the supernal family, Anazakia's father ruled the
Heavens, governing noble Host and Fallen peasants alike. Now Anazakia is the
last grand duchess of the House of Arkhangel'sk, and all she wants is to stay alive. Hunted by Seraph assassins, Anazakia flees Heaven with two Fallen
thieves—fire demon Vasily and air demon Belphagor, each with their own
nefarious agenda—who hide her in the world of Man. The line between vice
and virtue soon blurs, and when Belphagor is imprisoned, the unexpected passion
of Vasily warms her through the Russian winter. Heaven seems a distant dream, but when Anazakia learns the truth behind the
celestial coup, she will have to return to fight for the throne—even if it
means saving the man who murdered everyone she loved. * * * Jane Kindred began
writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far
as she recalls, never killed anyone...who didn't have it coming. She spent her
formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and
watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to
learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from
the University of Arizona. She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but
surely edge her off the side of the bed. You can find Jane on Twitter: @JaneKindred on Facebook or on her website
Comments
23 comments posted.
Re: Jane Kindred | Confessions Of A Closet Monarchist
The Scarlet Letter was always my favorite. Tale of Two Cities was one of my top ones too. Thanks for sharing yours!
(Dawn Staniszeski 1:42pm November 17, 2011)
I can't think of a specific one off the top of my head. I do love when love is found between a nobel and a peasant.
(Patti Paonessa 2:17pm November 17, 2011)
The Count of Monte Cristo has always been one of my favorites, too, Jane.
I just love the story of Anastasia and your book is phenomenal. All I can say is
thank you for writing it!
(Misa Ramirez 3:30pm November 17, 2011)
The Scarlet Letter is one of my faves too! Great post.
(Rachel Firasek 4:39pm November 17, 2011)
The book sounds soo good...can't wait to read it...count me in on the contest...would love to win a [email protected]
(Lnda McFarland 6:11pm November 17, 2011)
A Tale of Two Cities was one of my favorites of the "Classics" we had to read in school...
Your book sounds great Jane!!! I can't wait to read it... :)
Lisa
(Lisa Kessler 8:00pm November 17, 2011)
My favorite story of class and conflict is Wuthering Heights'
- Catherine and Heathcliff are perhaps more realistic than
characters in other novels. They not only make mistakes, they
cause debacles, completely devastate both people and places
and ruin it all by blaming solely themselves.
(Diane Brixius 9:24pm November 17, 2011)
One of my favorite stories is The Secret Life of Bees, much of the story is the struggle for equal rights.
(Shirley Younger 9:43pm November 17, 2011)
"Les Miserables" would fit. Great story.
(Mary Preston 9:55pm November 17, 2011)
Thanks for the giveaway! I love those same movies but my
favorite is "The Great Gatsby"".
(Laura Henderson 9:59pm November 17, 2011)
Stories of class and conflice? Oooo, you have asked a tough one! Obviously, Upstair Downstairs is a classic along with Little Women and Wuthering Heights. But, a more modern interpretation is Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's series. Plus, it epic!
(Jennifer Beyer 10:10pm November 17, 2011)
Oh, I love The Scarlett Pimpernel... The books were great... the movies so-so...
(May Pau 10:16pm November 17, 2011)
wow i can not really say because i have read so many good book thank you
(Desiree Reilly 10:17pm November 17, 2011)
I'm hoping that by reading your books, I'll be reacquainted with this period of History again. It's been quite a while since I studied about early Russia and their struggles. Anyway, Marie Antoinette came to mind as well as Henry VIII. You have sparked an interest in me to want to read your books and keep me up late at night. It's amazing that I could remember a little about the Bolsheveks while reading your post. Thank you for the spark!!
(Peggy Roberson 10:36pm November 17, 2011)
I love The Count of Monte Cristo.Other favorites are Jane Eyre and The Great Gatsby
(Jan D 10:56pm November 17, 2011)
little women!!!!
(Jennifer Beck 11:18pm November 17, 2011)
No book really stands out as being by favorite class and conflict.
(Sheila True 11:42pm November 17, 2011)
The movie I liked best of those mentioned is the Leslie Howard version of The Scarlet Pimpernel. I also enjoyed the book, but not the 1980s version as much. Maybe the Howard version was just less anachronistic.
Like others, I grew up with fairy tales--or shall I say royal tales--like Cinderella or Snow White. I have no real prejudices. Whether hereditary ruler or elected prime minister, president, or other official, what matters to me is how the person actually rules: compassionately, justly and frugally or not. I remember my mother's telling me about the abdication of King Edward VIII in favor of his brother while she was visiting Scotland in 1938. But my first "real" look at royalty was in 1951 when we were delayed getting off the ship from Europe which brought my family as immigrants to Canada. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrived on her first official visit to any Commonwealth country. At first our ship's passengers wondered if the red carpet we could see from the ship had been put out in our honor. We saw the royal couple again up closer a few weeks later and several other times over the years. My closest look was watching Queen Elizabeth's 1953 Coronation on a special film shortly after June 2 in a theatre--remember: there was no TV coverage at that time. I even had a Queen Elizabeth cut-out doll with lots of fancy gowns.
During the Canadian Centennial in 1967, my parents even got to attend a dinner for them and I saw them on the Britannia just small lawn and some water away from where I stood. I guess that fosters some "familiarity" even if you don't really know them.
(Sigrun Schulz 3:51am November 18, 2011)
Oh that early movie version of The Scarlett Pimpernel got me to read the book! It remains one of my favorites.
(Cate Sparks 10:14am November 18, 2011)
I'm wondereing when we'll start getting some fiction books about the current class conflict of the Occupy Wall Street movement?
(Sue Farrell 11:46am November 18, 2011)
I loved the book Scarlet Pimpernel but have only seen two of
the three film versions of it. Like you I loved the line about
marriage being a sentence :D
(Ilona Fenton 12:33pm November 18, 2011)
I like all of those you mentioned and THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER.
(Penny Mettert 6:12am November 19, 2011)
My very favorites are the Scarlet Letter and Joan of Arc. I find the story intriguing. How she was a peasant girl (that dressed in mens clothing) born in France and led the French army to several victories during the Hundred Years' War. Then she was sold to the English and burned at the stake, being declared to be "a witch", at the young age of 19. Then 25 yrs. after her execution was pronounced innocent of the false charges by Pope Callixtus III and he declared her a martyr and named her, "Saint Joan of Arc". She is considered a heroine of France and a Catholic Saint.
(Linda Luinstra 5:03pm November 19, 2011)
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