Still reading...

[deird_lj]

Do you ever find, when reading something, that there are phrases which make perfect sense, really, but still sound completely strange in context?


For instance:
"The man's hand was arrested before it had grasped the telephone receiver. He drew it back..."

That sounds relatively normal.
But when it's:
"The policeman's hand was arrested..."

Suddenly it sounds very odd.



This is from a Georgette Heyer murder mystery I've been re-reading.

A murder mystery in which, as it happens, two people are killed by having their heads beaten in with a blunt object.
Which also makes a later metaphor sound strangely un-metaphorical. Look:

"He went into a small private office, and once more spread his notes on the case before him, and cudgelled his brain over them."

Of course, it's really just a metaphorical way of describing how frustrating he was finding the case - but, given the brain-cudgelling murders that keep happening, it's very noticeable...

Comments

[padawanspider.livejournal.com]

I think the author had too much fun.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I think I agree!

[lavastar.livejournal.com]

Ha! Them's some funny expressions.