A Critic's Meta Review: 4/5
A Critic's Meta Review: 4/5
It was the best of rhymes; it was the worst of rhymes.
I am a sage with wisdom; I am a sage of foolishness.
I am but a reciter of words I have heard from birds that serve to swerve my senses into densely packed pretenses - must be from working for the Census.
But I digress.
Anyhoo.
Forget about London. No need to think of Paris. I think it is high time to amend the setting of this novel and update it to reflect our modern context. Because the title, the plot, the characters, the major themes, the motifs - even the writing style, to be honest - are all relevant enough to hold it all together in 2021. But to focus on the French Revolution is a little bit outdated, especially considering that we’ve got our own revolution underway right here at home (at least, in my home - the good ol’ U.S. of A) and it is unfolding more and more as I type this. As a matter of fact (yes, fact - the time for opinions is long gone), the day on which I am forced to abandon my literary pursuits and enter into survival mode, using every wit I’ve managed to retain thus far, is rapidly approaching. We are accelerating towards the destruction of our society. The Reign Of Terror is about to begin. I have already seen a few Robespierres roaming around, lurking the streets, searching for the right set of heads to make an example of when the guillotines are up and running.
We all know how that is bound to go, though. Live by the guillotine, die by the guillotine. Me, personally, I am inclined to pass on both options. I would much prefer to die by astonishment. If that does not work out, well, then I guess I better start writing some jokes.
Thankfully, the laziness of those who have been tasked with spearheading today’s incarnation of the French Revolution is an impediment to its commencement. Rather unfortunately, however, is the resulting continuation of corruption and exploitation that is allowed to occur, unchecked, due to there being no force with which to check it. That is, of course, the goal of the revolution - to check this stuff. But who will check the checkers? Did you ever think of that? Of course you didn’t. I am the first person to have thought of that. Nobody else is that clever.
Boom, baby!
Still got my wits.
