More Grist to the Mill
Viewing comments for Chapter 21 "The Last Nightmare - 1925"Book 2 of the Cleeborough Mill Trilogy
31 total reviews
Comment from Sugarray77
You are such a good writer, Jim. Your description of the dream was captivating and kept my attention completely. Your attention to detail is what makes this book so very good. I enjoyed reading it.
Melissa
reply by the author on 13-Mar-2021
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You are such a good writer, Jim. Your description of the dream was captivating and kept my attention completely. Your attention to detail is what makes this book so very good. I enjoyed reading it.
Melissa
Comment Written 12-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 13-Mar-2021
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Lots of people liked this post and it was great fun to write. In a book as closely tied to history as this, it is seldom one can give such free rein to one's imagination.
Thank you for a great review.
Comment from Pearl Edwards
macabre baubles decorating a ghastly Christmas tree of death:-dramatic description
A good combination of Hettie's demise and Warburton's in this well written dream sequence of Peter Allen's nightmare. Great chapter, enjoyed it
cheers.
reply by the author on 12-Mar-2021
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macabre baubles decorating a ghastly Christmas tree of death:-dramatic description
A good combination of Hettie's demise and Warburton's in this well written dream sequence of Peter Allen's nightmare. Great chapter, enjoyed it
cheers.
Comment Written 12-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 12-Mar-2021
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Thank you for this six star review and complimentary remarks. This chapter was appreciated in particular by several reviewers, for that dream sequence.
Comment from Katherine M. (k-11)
This is by far the best chapter I have read of your book. The (apparent) change of subject is matched by an abrupt change of pace, and the description of the dream is masterful.
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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This is by far the best chapter I have read of your book. The (apparent) change of subject is matched by an abrupt change of pace, and the description of the dream is masterful.
Comment Written 07-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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The two lines of this six-star review were like gold dudt to me and I am so grateful for the accolade. Very many thanks.
Comment from Elizabeth Emerald
SSSSSStupendous! I've been champing at the bit to say so--read this two days ago when out of sixes--stunning depiction of dream takes this over the top! Cheerssssss. LIZ
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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SSSSSStupendous! I've been champing at the bit to say so--read this two days ago when out of sixes--stunning depiction of dream takes this over the top! Cheerssssss. LIZ
Comment Written 07-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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Thank you so much for waiting for the magic sixth star. It is very much appreciated.
Comment from Pam (respa)
-This is a very good, detailed chapter.
-The images from war and the
juxtaposition with those from the mill
were done very well in Peter's nightmare.
-It was full of symbolism, like Hettie
catching a bouquet which was then
replaced by Warburton's grenade.
-It was nice to see Charles more at
ease after this dream.
-Maybe seeing Hettie and Tom struggling,
then Bache getting Hettie out
of the water has shown him that
each of these two who lost their
lives was doing so because of
circumstances, and not necessarily
on purpose. They were struggling to
survive, but the odds were against them.
-I also like the discussion of dreams
between Peter and Charles.
-Well done.
-One small thing I noticed:
crater was no longer stagnant...
out of, and into, the stagnant water of the crater.
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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-This is a very good, detailed chapter.
-The images from war and the
juxtaposition with those from the mill
were done very well in Peter's nightmare.
-It was full of symbolism, like Hettie
catching a bouquet which was then
replaced by Warburton's grenade.
-It was nice to see Charles more at
ease after this dream.
-Maybe seeing Hettie and Tom struggling,
then Bache getting Hettie out
of the water has shown him that
each of these two who lost their
lives was doing so because of
circumstances, and not necessarily
on purpose. They were struggling to
survive, but the odds were against them.
-I also like the discussion of dreams
between Peter and Charles.
-Well done.
-One small thing I noticed:
crater was no longer stagnant...
out of, and into, the stagnant water of the crater.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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Thank you for this fine review of my latest chapter as well as for the heads up at the end.
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You are very welcome on both counts.
Comment from Leann DS
I must say that I am most impressed with your ability to re-create the confusing and nonsensical events of a nightmare. Even when retelling dreams that I have actually had, I can never seem to quite tell the accurate story. This was very interesting and well written, with lots of detail and imagery. I'm wondering what he thinks his nightmare actually meant. Well done, as usual. Hugs.
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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I must say that I am most impressed with your ability to re-create the confusing and nonsensical events of a nightmare. Even when retelling dreams that I have actually had, I can never seem to quite tell the accurate story. This was very interesting and well written, with lots of detail and imagery. I'm wondering what he thinks his nightmare actually meant. Well done, as usual. Hugs.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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I much regret that I do not seem to dream as vividly as I once did. I was amused at your use of the word 'accurate' in your review. The evanescence of most dreams renders them inherently inaccurate though frequently appropriate.
Thank toy so much for this most supportive review.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
I am glad Allen's nightmare has ended. I am sure he has his answers. I am not sure I am satisfied but I guess I will have to be, because there is really no real answer only our feelings.
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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I am glad Allen's nightmare has ended. I am sure he has his answers. I am not sure I am satisfied but I guess I will have to be, because there is really no real answer only our feelings.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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Thank you so much for this review. perhaps the next chapter, in which Allen explains what he was not trying to do will help.
Comment from estory
I thought this was a great chapter. The descriptions of the battle front of the first world war was very detailed and it really put us there in the trenches, with these dead bodies hanging on the barbed wire and German machine gunners mowing the charging troops down. Then you had that nightmare sequence when the body of the dead girl catching the bridal bouquet comes up out of the water at the bottom of the trench. It really seems to speak in a surreal fashion of this sense of life being reborn through death, much like an Easter story. It was also interesting for me because my grandfather fought on the Western Front on the German side. He was in the Pomeranian Uhlans, a crack German cavalry division, in the battle of Verdun, where he was wounded. He became a Christian during that battle. When he returned to the front, he was captured in the German offensive at Rheims and spent about a year in a French POW camp. estory
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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I thought this was a great chapter. The descriptions of the battle front of the first world war was very detailed and it really put us there in the trenches, with these dead bodies hanging on the barbed wire and German machine gunners mowing the charging troops down. Then you had that nightmare sequence when the body of the dead girl catching the bridal bouquet comes up out of the water at the bottom of the trench. It really seems to speak in a surreal fashion of this sense of life being reborn through death, much like an Easter story. It was also interesting for me because my grandfather fought on the Western Front on the German side. He was in the Pomeranian Uhlans, a crack German cavalry division, in the battle of Verdun, where he was wounded. He became a Christian during that battle. When he returned to the front, he was captured in the German offensive at Rheims and spent about a year in a French POW camp. estory
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 07-Mar-2021
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Thank you so much for this glowing, six-star review. It was interesting to some feedback from the other side of that particular argument. I have heard of the Pomeranian Uhlans before and I know of the respect in which they were held on this side of the Western Front.
Verdun is well known to be one hell of a battle for both French and German armies, the equivalent perhaps to the British versus the Germans on the Somme in 1916.
Comment from Sanku
The dream sequence - very graphic and disturbing .I was filled with unease and felt very upset at the thought of young soldiers in the battle ground. The survivors still suffering with guilt that caused nightmares.
I am glad that peter finally resolved his internal conflicts and laid his ghosts to rest .
The dream gave him a resolution? Warburton disappearing and being replaced with Tommy Bache as one who hauls up Hettie's Body ...seems to have given him his conclusion...
I can feel there is something more before you can conclude this chapter.
I have to say I was very affected by this write.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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The dream sequence - very graphic and disturbing .I was filled with unease and felt very upset at the thought of young soldiers in the battle ground. The survivors still suffering with guilt that caused nightmares.
I am glad that peter finally resolved his internal conflicts and laid his ghosts to rest .
The dream gave him a resolution? Warburton disappearing and being replaced with Tommy Bache as one who hauls up Hettie's Body ...seems to have given him his conclusion...
I can feel there is something more before you can conclude this chapter.
I have to say I was very affected by this write.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Thank you so much for this magnificent, six star review. We are certainly not finished with this yet and will be posting tomorrow as usual.
Comment from Mary Kay Bonfante
Another beautifully written chapter! What a terrible but vivid nightmare. I wish I could remember my dreams that well, but would never want to dream of such terrible events--but of course, I'm no war veteran. It seems that Peter Allen has reached some kind of conclusion about both the death of Hettie and the death of Tom Warburton: that they were both suicidal, but perhaps not to the same extent, if that's possible? I understand his conclusion more in the case of Hettie, because of her despair in being the cause of the mill losing the business of Jericho farm; I don't understand how he reached that conclusion in the case of Warburton.
I found some errors, and have some suggestions:
...where both Tommy and Heather bache took part in an interesting discussion ...
-->
...where both Tommy and Heather Bache took part in an interesting discussion ...
...becoming the parents of Twins, Jack and Julia in 1918.
-->
...becoming the parents of twins, Jack and Julia in 1918.
All around lay the dead and dying men of his company who had tried to reach it.
-->
All around lay the dead and dying men of his company, who had tried to reach it.
When the nightmare had first visited him, Allen would fight himself awake to rid his mind of the scene he knew was to come.
-->
When the nightmare had first visited him, Allen would fight himself awake, to rid his mind of the scene he knew was to come.
...and filled to within eight feet of its brim with stagnant filthy water.
-->
...and filled to within eight feet of its brim with stagnant, filthy water.
...but in rolling full motion under a starless night sky.
-->
...but in rolling, full motion under a starless night sky.
...from the upholstered comfort of the rector's arm chair,
-->
...from the upholstered comfort of the rector's armchair,
...but the bible contains so many references to important dreams,
-->
...but the Bible contains so many references to important dreams,
***
Of course, the story isn't over yet, and I would still like to find out where else you may be taking us, on this adventure.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Another beautifully written chapter! What a terrible but vivid nightmare. I wish I could remember my dreams that well, but would never want to dream of such terrible events--but of course, I'm no war veteran. It seems that Peter Allen has reached some kind of conclusion about both the death of Hettie and the death of Tom Warburton: that they were both suicidal, but perhaps not to the same extent, if that's possible? I understand his conclusion more in the case of Hettie, because of her despair in being the cause of the mill losing the business of Jericho farm; I don't understand how he reached that conclusion in the case of Warburton.
I found some errors, and have some suggestions:
...where both Tommy and Heather bache took part in an interesting discussion ...
-->
...where both Tommy and Heather Bache took part in an interesting discussion ...
...becoming the parents of Twins, Jack and Julia in 1918.
-->
...becoming the parents of twins, Jack and Julia in 1918.
All around lay the dead and dying men of his company who had tried to reach it.
-->
All around lay the dead and dying men of his company, who had tried to reach it.
When the nightmare had first visited him, Allen would fight himself awake to rid his mind of the scene he knew was to come.
-->
When the nightmare had first visited him, Allen would fight himself awake, to rid his mind of the scene he knew was to come.
...and filled to within eight feet of its brim with stagnant filthy water.
-->
...and filled to within eight feet of its brim with stagnant, filthy water.
...but in rolling full motion under a starless night sky.
-->
...but in rolling, full motion under a starless night sky.
...from the upholstered comfort of the rector's arm chair,
-->
...from the upholstered comfort of the rector's armchair,
...but the bible contains so many references to important dreams,
-->
...but the Bible contains so many references to important dreams,
***
Of course, the story isn't over yet, and I would still like to find out where else you may be taking us, on this adventure.
Comment Written 06-Mar-2021
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2021
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Thank you for this detailed and helpful review. A thumb should be coming you way for this one. One of the features of real life is that all too often its questions are not fully answered immediately and its mysteries often remain unsolved. I have tried on several occasions to reflect that annoying fact of of life in this trilogy. Allen was not particularly interested in what happened and who was responsible but why people acted as they did. As a result this never ends up with an 'Agatha Christie' ending and the mystery remains - just like real life - at least, I hope so.
Where will we go next? The only place it is possible to go, ever forward as, 'time like an ever rolling stream, bears all its sons away.'