The rooftops of Fez
Leave a comment on today’s Mutterings post, and you have a chance at winning a copy of the Garment of Shadows ARC.
Russell’s first view of her larger surroundings comes when she climbs to the rooftop terrace, to see:
All around lay a tight jumble of buildings, their rooftops—squared, domed, and crenellated; brick and stone and tile; crisply renovated or crudely patched or on the point of collapse—at a myriad of levels, like the world’s largest set of children’s blocks. The town covered slopes dropping into a valley; higher hills, green with winter rains, lay in the distance. Here and there, tree-tops poked up between the structures, but there was no discernable break for roads, and the buildings were so intertwined that they appeared to be resting atop one another.
In modern Fez, one has to squint and remove the satellite dishes, aerials, and plastic sheeting from view, but behind those accretions, the city is the same.
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The city has looked the same for many, many years with more to come I suppose. And yet here in our own town we ask “when did they build that, tear down that, and where are the trees?”
Looking at the picture, it’s just like that. How many other old towns and cities can be found under TV aerials, add-on glass, neon signs and the like?
Perhaps one of the greatest technological tricks of today is the ability of photoshop to remove the remnants of technology in pictures and return historical locales to their original appearance…
It.´s wonderful to have all these illustations to the text. I will certainly go back them and explore them once more when I have the book. It adds so much to the experience of the story itselt, even if thats is an awsome experience of its own.
It sounds like the perfect town for Russell and Holmes to explore! A town practically built for investigation with all of its nooks and grannies though I do wonder how long it will take Holmes to find Russell since it sounds as if she will not know to look for him!
I love the juxtaposition of disintegrating walls and satellite dishes. It makes me wonder what those children’s blocks look like on the inside . . .
The setting is beautiful, and I imagine, the writing is as well.
A million places for Russell and Holmes to disappear in…if all those walls could talk, I wonder what stories they could tell…
Thanks for showing me a place that I’ve never seen before.
I am looking forward to reading Garment of Shadows even more so now that you have provided us with some photos of the setting. I never tire of Russell and Holmes’ adventures. Thanks!
Wow, I’m really loving these illustrations and photos–its making Morocco more of a real place and less just a setting for the next Mary Russell novel.
If it weren’t for the little orbs of connectivity, this could almost be a deserted city. Many buildings are just walls with the weeds replacing occupants. A lone glass greenhouse within a courtyard. Laundry hanging on line that looks like it’s painted on the wall. After looking for things within all that gray, I really want to make a jig saw puzzle out of this! That would keep our family busy for a while!
What an intriguiging tapestry to work with!
The addition of visual cues certainly enhances and brings a sharper image of what our minds can only imagine while reading of Russels’ adventures. I am looking forward to yet another great read!
Amazing old city, full of mysteries. Thanks for the chance.
So many satellite dishes and so few people. Intriguing cityscape, indeed.
I wonder how many of these homes have rooftop gardens?
Nothing can ever truly stay the same, no matter how much we may wish it.
I suppose in a place like like Fez, the aromas/odors and the sounds as well as the sights lend such an air of timelessness.
I am intrigued with walls–the sense of protection they provide–what they enclose, what they exclude. And this photo has introduced a new point of fascination for me: what’s growing on top! There must be more rain there than I had imagined.
And yes, I would very much like the ARC I won on Day 2! I’ve corrected my email address here, and sent a message to info at laurierking.com. I’m also a fan on facebook, if all else fails.
I Also enjoy these little photos that you share with us the readers
I wonder if people sleep up on those flat roofs on hot nights.
This really re-ignites my interest in going to Morocco! Perhaps we should design a Russell tour!
The rooftops of the fez remind me of the rooftops of Jerusalem! I just love wandering the maze-like streets of these old cities, it’s quite magical.
I love Russell’s visual of the city. Being a person who has always lived in a fairly rural area, my first glimpse at this picture of Fez was a bit overwhelming – almost claustrophobic. Then the eyes start to take in the structures and the mind focuses on the intricacies of maneuvering through this architectural phenomenon. Wonderful!
It amazes me how there are places this old in the world, that don’t ever seem to change much, while here in the US, we consider anything more than 100 years old historical.
There is such a special look about the old cities of the Middle East.
Loving the daily pictures of Morocco–all building the excitement for Russell’s newest adventure come September. 🙂
What an amazing place!
cheers,
Laura
love the photo with the “grass” on the roof! And of course would love to win — you’ve wetted our appetite mightily with the post of the two excerpts…. 🙂
How incredible. I love the modern touches meeting the rustic architecture. And I am so beyond excited to read this book.
I love this photo! It looks just how I would imagine an ancient Roman city would have looked (other than the power poles, obviously!). How fun that you get to go to all of these beautiful places!
I should think the layered accretions of building would appeal greatly to Holmes, in its resemblance to a beehive. Except in Fez, the honey to be harvested comes in the form of generations of stories, and not all of them are sweet.
Can’t wait to read more about this wonderful place.
Fascinating, intriguing, but oh, I could never face the heat!
I agree with Carina. It will be so fun to read the book and come back to see the photos that correspond with various parts of the story.
Fez looks like an interesting place, can’t wait to read more!
You prose evokes the reality (well, the historic reality) wonderfully. Now for more!
Ah, one of my favorite words. Crenellated. I first heard that word when I was quite young – maybe Shakespeare? I have always thought of that word as elegant. It must have been wonderful to walk that history.
We have some friends who went to Morocco for their honeymoon. Never could understand why (other than it was cheap at that time) but now I’m beginning to see ….
Thank you!
Fez, past and present look and sound intriguing…and crenellated is one of my favorite words.
Loving the photos with the snippets of descriptions! Cannot wait for this release!
Wow, it _has_ been a long time since I’ve dropped by here. Good day to come, though…:-)
Whoa. It kind of reminds me of Aladdin and how he jumps from roof to roof to get away from the police. AMAH-ZING!!!!
The scirocco wouldn’t find much to destroy; all the building materials are either solid (beams, tiles, mortar-built mud brick) or easy to take down in a hurry, like awnings. I wonder whether the modern buildings use the system of metal slat blinds set into tracks called ‘persiani’ (sp?) in other Mediterranean countries.
LOVE the photos and snippets. Making me even more impatient for the next book!
It’s easy to see the Fez of Mary’s description in your photograph. Thank you for sharing these images! And all the excerpts just make me more and more eager to read the book.
I love these little glimpses of the city and the story to come.
Wonderful!
What a fascinating place! I can’t wait to read more about it.
Can’t wait for this book… so excited!!
Fez sounds fascinating. I would like to visit there someday.2
You can hardly tell where one ends and another begins!
I really like reading about this part of the world!
Thank goodness September will be here soon!
It is a jumble, isn’t it? I can’t imagine what the streets and alleys below this mishmash of building must be like.
In all the books I have read of yours, I find myself captured by the descriptive and evocative picture you paint…or should I say write…of the countries, cultures, arcitecture and the people. So much so that I am eager and do look for further books to read about these wonderful places. Further Education…I enjoy it so much!! Thank You.
The pictures will add to the reading experience. Wow