War and Peace readalong thread 2022 - thread 3

I rather liked Dolokhov's daring... he's shown himself to be quite a cold-hearted fellow before but also very brave. I'm surprised he allowed Petya to go with him as he's a complete liability... what was all that dreaming about the 'magic'.

I too have a bad feeling about Petya - sorry, I said Pyotr earlier but I'm reading Briggs too!

Good observations, BakeOff.
Dolokhov* *and Denisov are like chalk and cheese!

I feel like with Petya and the French drummer boy, we’re seeing the other side of the scenario when Pierre watched the murders as a prisoner. Petya’s instinct is to be kind and considerate, childlike, natural and human; but he fights against it to seem grown up and play with the big boys and impress Dolokhov.

Dolokhov is so sinister.

Yes I was thinking that!

I've got a bad feeling about Petya!

Petya doesn't seem to be with the programme. Now is not the time to be in the 'land of magic'!

03/11/22

Volume IV, Part 3, Chapter 10

Pyotr stays up the night before the attack, talking with Cossacks and watching the beautiful clouds.

I keep forgetting that the troops aren't all necessarily French, but yes, I would have thought so too.

I guess the Napoleonic troops were from all over the place but I would still think a Russian accent could stand out.

Yes. Petya in the Briggs. Exactly, rifling.
No matter if they spoke French fluently, they would have had a Russian accent, I would have thought. The French came across as not being very sharp at all!

I was holding my breath for all of that chapter!

Me too! When Petya is talking in Russian I literally wanted to put my hand over his mouth! (He's Petya rather than Pyotr in this version). I did wonder whether the Russians all spoke French with a perfect French accent?

Yes, that's correct, Desdamona.
I was holding my breath for all of that chapter! * *

Oooof that was a tense one!

And Gradesaver is quite wrong the French didn't 'give' them horses, Dolokhov and Pyotr rode into the French camp, Dolokhov handed the horses reins to one of the French soldiers, and Pyotr panicked that he wouldn't give them back, but he did and after Dolokhov taking what seemed like an age to remount, they both rode out on the same horses they'd come in on.
I sometimes wonder if the people who do the summaries have actually read the book!

02/11/22

Volume IV, Part 3, Chapter 9

Dolokhov and Pyotr enter the French camp by pretending to be officers. Speaking in excellent French, they question the officers about the state of their company. The officers seem suspicious, and Pyotr is terrified. Nevertheless, Dolokhov gets information from them and even gets them to give him some horses.

He is very young and eager to please. He would be better off going back to his regiment for order and discipline.

Pyotr is a bit dim, isn't he? Well - read that as young, I guess..

01/11/22

Volume IV, Part 3, Chapter 8
Dolokhovv_ arrives to assist with the attack on the transport. He openly mocks Denisov and Pyotr. Nevertheless, Pyotr insists on accompanying Dolokhov to sneak into the French camp to do reconnaissance.

29 - 31 /10/22

Volume IV, Part 3, Chapter 5 - 7

Chapter 5
Denisov sends Tikhonn_, a peasant partisan, to capture a French soldier so they can find out how many guards are protecting the transport. The French see Tikhon and begin shooting at him.

Chapter 6
Tikhon manages to escape the French and to return to Denisov’s camp. Although he failed to bring a prisoner back, he discovered that the French troops surrounding the transport are in poor health.

Chapter 7
Pyotr Rostov’s general has forbidden him from participating in Denisov’s attack because of his reckless conduct in an earlier battle. However, Pyotr decides to ignore the order. He intercedes to make sure the French drummer boy who has been taken prisoner is treated especially well.

Tikhon sounds like a loon. A useful loon, though :)

I'm enjoying this again now there's actual story to the chapters again - I like the personal touch and hearing from those we've been following since the off is very satisfying. I love Tikhon although he sounds off his head 😄

But annoyed as the only Shamshevo I can find on my map looks to be far too south. The French are headed for Smolensk so presume sort of going out the way they came in and 'my' Shamshevo is nowhere near the logical route! Booo

29/10/22

Volume IV, Part 3, Chapter 5

Denisov sends Tikhonn_, a peasant partisan, to capture a French soldier so they can find out how many guards are protecting the transport. The French see Tikhon and begin shooting at him.

Finally caught up! And yes @SanFranBear, I was thinking along similar lines, re the lessons of history that are never learned.

28/10/22

Volume IV, Part 3, Chapter 4
Denisov’s group takes a French drummer boy prisoner. Denisov runs into Pyotr Rostovv_, who is nearby with his regiment.

Hahaha! Wonderful to see Denisov, ba k at the heart of the action!

I must admit, the recent chapters on how war is won etc has put me in mind of the current situation in Ukraine as well... the smaller, less organised (allegedly) Ukrainians taking on the war machine that is Russia and succeeding in ways that Putin just never considered... its very astute writing from Tolstoy - a shame the lessons of war never seem to get learned!

It's weally wather splendid to have Denisov back, even if he is in cahoots with that wascal Dolokhov.