• DagwoodIII@piefed.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    12 days ago

    There’s a famous play called ‘Brief Encounter,’ and one of the aspects of it is that the hero borrows a friend’s apartment for the afternoon so he can see his married lover. Director Billy Wilder was intrigued by the idea of someone lending out their home for trysts and wrote ‘The Apartment’ which is considered one of the best movies ever made.

    https://youtu.be/OcslkrBMLGc

    ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’ was one of the most widely read books in British history. There’s a beastly bully in the books, a rogue by the name of Harry Flashman. Flashy gets thrown out of the school for drunkenness. Another writer came along a few decades later and wondered whatever happened to the scoundrel.

    https://youtu.be/jdJGRKBPhPw

    Courage. You might have a shot!

      • Dr. Bob@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        12 days ago

        They are about minor characters in other books that were reinterpreted to great success. The Flashman novels are great picaresques.

        • nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          12 days ago

          Oh I see, thanks for the explanation. My focus is more on female leadership representation in a medieval setting, less on spinoffs in general.

          • Apathy Tree@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            12 days ago

            You could try the Mists of Avalon, it’s a book about the Arthur legend, magic and all, told from the perspective of the women involved. I enjoyed it, but admittedly I read it decades ago.

            It’s maybe not exactly what you are looking for, but might scratch the itch all the same :)

            • nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              12 days ago

              Thanks :) my hunt is specifically for respected female leadership at the center of the narrative. It’s hard to find, especially done very well. I like Joan of Arc stories, for example.

              • Apathy Tree@lemmy.dbzer0.com
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                ·
                12 days ago

                Then you might like mists of Avalon :) it’s about powerful women and their role in common lore, though it’s fiction :) it was written by a woman if that helps, Marion zimmer Bradley (why I remember that is unknown, but I do. I misplaced my copy many many moves ago)

                Either way I wish you luck on your hunt! That’s the only thing I know of that might work, sorry I can’t suggest further!