Cliches in Historical Fiction

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Thu March 14th, 2013, 4:06 pm

[quote=""Margaret""] The main character exploded out of his chair (in response to upsetting news, I believe), exploded out of something else, and finally exploded out of his pants. [/quote]

And Drake thought to himself, I knew I shouldn't have eaten that jumbo bean burrito.

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Thu March 14th, 2013, 9:51 pm

I was reading a timeslip historical where in every scene people threw themselves down onto chairs and sofas. Once or twice is okay and gives you that feeling of energy and immediacy - you know it's not literal. But with overkill, one's vision of it does become literal. It crosses that boundary and now when a character enters the room, you immediately visualise them casting themselves at the furniture and worrying that it will soon need upholstering.

I came across this line (unintentionally hilarious) in a novel that shall remain nameless, but it's a recent -ish work of historical fiction.
'...Suddenly her eyes were no longer in custody but running amok.'

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Thu March 14th, 2013, 10:58 pm

[quote=""EC2""]
'...Suddenly her eyes were no longer in custody but running amok.'[/quote]
The mind boggles

. I wonder if she had to catch them by feel?

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu March 14th, 2013, 11:32 pm

I can't recall if it's been mentioned, and I am too miserable with a nasty head cold to read back. First person narrative - if you're going to use it, use it reasonably. Too many conversations listened via keyholes or hidden in cupboards wears thin very fast. If your character can't witness events first hand, don't use it and don't info dump to catch your character (and reader) up on what happened elsewhere.

More common in romance, but I can't resist mentioning:

Sex on the horse
Sex in the carriage (Regencies)
Heroine imobilized (sp?) by the arm grab. Really?

*ponders*

I know there's more, plus some hilarious threads at the Amazon romance boards. I'll search them out when I'm feeling better.

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 12:09 am

EC2, that sounds uncomfortable not only for the eyes' owner, but it sounds almost impish and rude of the eyeballs!

rebecca, I brought that one up once - it drives me BATS (though not eyelash-batting). I think we had a discussion about how heavy and long one'e lashes would have to be to curtain the eyes like that.

rebecca · Post by **rebecca** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 1:48 am

"rebecca, I brought that one up once - it drives me BATS (though not eyelash-batting). "

LOL Diane, it came to mind because I had just read it again in another book that night. It is impossible to 'look or peer through her eyelashes'...Why can't they use...'she lowered her head and peeked up at him(aka the princess Diana gaze), it's more realistic.

"many conversations listened via keyholes or hidden in cupboards wears thin.."

*nods head*...I think I read a book with Jane Parker Boleyn where she was forever hiding behind screens, inside cubboards or behind the doors....I thought what next-hiding up on the great four poster bed?

"Suddenly her eyes were no longer in custody but running amok.'

That had me giggling.

Bec

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 6:45 pm

[quote=""rebecca""]
"many conversations listened via keyholes or hidden in cupboards wears thin.."

*nods head*...I think I read a book with Jane Parker Boleyn where she was forever hiding behind screens, inside cubboards or behind the doors....I thought what next-hiding up on the great four poster bed?

[/quote]
Yep, my first thought also was that novel, The Boleyn/Tudor Wife by Brandy/Emily Purdy (it had a slightly different title in the UK and she used a much more British sounding pen-name!). To be fair, Jane Parker Boleyn does tend to eavesdrop and spy on people a lot when she turns up in fiction for some reason, but that book was just ridiculous!

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 9:33 pm

[quote=""LadyB""]Yep, my first thought also was that novel, The Boleyn/Tudor Wife by Brandy/Emily Purdy (it had a slightly different title in the UK and she used a much more British sounding pen-name!). To be fair, Jane Parker Boleyn does tend to eavesdrop and spy on people a lot when she turns up in fiction for some reason, but that book was just ridiculous![/quote]

That's the book I had in mind as well.

Speaking of first person, other bugaboos are things like the narrator (while talking to herself), mentions her creamy neck, glorious hair and heaving bosoms. Stuff like that, especially when it's done over and over and over again. Or like a certain book about Anne Neville that had Anne thinking of her parents as the Earl and Countess...

Oh, and don't forget the As you know, Bob trope. Philippa Gregory being one of the worst offenders.

rebecca · Post by **rebecca** » Sat March 16th, 2013, 3:10 am

[quote=""LadyB""]Yep, my first thought also was that novel, The Boleyn/Tudor Wife by Brandy/Emily Purdy (it had a slightly different title in the UK and she used a much more British sounding pen-name!). To be fair, Jane Parker Boleyn does tend to eavesdrop and spy on people a lot when she turns up in fiction for some reason, but that book was just ridiculous![/quote]

I think I actually threw that book across the room...wasn't worth the money! But that's the one I was thinking of.

Bec

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Sat March 16th, 2013, 1:58 pm

[quote=""rebecca""]I think I actually threw that book across the room...wasn't worth the money! But that's the one I was thinking of.

Bec

[/quote]

I didn't finish it. I read about 1/3 of the way through and decided I'd had enough, so for one last giggle I skipped to the infamous 'honeypot' scene, read that, shook my head, and put it on the charity shop pile