The Fall of Giants-Numbers

The first novel that ended the reading challenge, although it was already the second brush, was still read with relish, and I wrote some small thoughts while warming my heart.

Summary:? The book mainly depicts the rise and fall of five families in four countries before the outbreak of World War I, namely, British aristocrats represented by Count Fitz and Lord Moday, British bottom miners represented by Billy and Ethel, German elites represented by Walter and his father, Russian bottom working class represented by Gregory and Lev, and American new ideological class represented by Gus. The full text revolves around the life of the core figures in Britain, and other figures are inextricably linked with them, showing the domestic and international environment of various countries before World War I, which seems calm but actually undercurrents. As Austria went to war against Serbia because of the assassination of the Grand Duke, European powers balanced various interests and entered the war for various reasons at the end of the game, and World War I broke out.

Fitz: a conservative idealistic aristocrat

Count Fitz is a very typical English aristocrat. They inherited their status and wealth from their parents. They are eager to have military achievements like their parents and are ready to go out for the country to get this honor. They are very gentlemanly, willing to pay for charity and will not treat others badly, but they are conservative and unwilling to accept new things. They will think that the Liberal Party has messed up the country and that their sister's support for women's voting rights is very radical.

Modai: A Rare Awakening Woman

Dai Mo is my favorite female image. Although she comes from a famous family, she can personally improve the lives of the people at the bottom, instead of pretending to express regret. She is independent, always gets all kinds of political news intelligently, and has her own unique ideas. She is passionate and willing to break away from convention. In London, all qualified men are attracted by her amazing beauty and lively personality, but in the end they will be scared away by her mind, her firm political opinions and practice. Therefore, only a very rare man can win her heart. That man must be very clever, but very open-minded, and must strictly abide by the moral norms, but not conservative, powerful but not overbearing. Luckily, she met the right person.

Billy: Kind and determined young man.

Although there is not much description of Billy in this book at present, it is enough to make him glow. He came from a miner's family, and he was upright and kept calm in times of crisis. The first time I went into the well, I was teased and stayed in the dark for several hours. Although he was flustered at first, he didn't use the belief of self-hypnosis to make those who wanted to see his jokes succeed. There was an explosion at the bottom of the mine behind him. He saved many people with heavy and calm treatment and made him a hero for a while. Through books, you can feel that you are a noble and upright teenager, and the latter two roles will become more and more important.

Ethel: Different maids.

Ethel is a person who has a good plan for his career. She seized the opportunity to become a housekeeper. She is bolder and better at solving problems than others. Of course, she also made a very low-level mistake. She fell hopelessly in love with Fitz and was pregnant with his child. When Fitz's agent negotiated with her, she made the best choice for herself in time. Like Mody, she also has her own views on women's rights and interests, but these are more detailed in the last two films.

Walter: The ideal partner.

Walter is a German diplomat in London. He is young, but he is appreciated. Although sometimes his views are a little immature compared with his father's, he was one of the few people who tried his best to promote peace before the outbreak of World War I ... He and Mody fell in love and got along well from love to secret marriage. Walter is very careful and respects Modi's ideas. He is a strong and open-minded man.

Gregory and Leo: honest people VS hedonists

Gray is the best brother, right? He worked hard to clean up the mess for his younger brother Lev, saved money to go to the United States, and finally gave his precious boat ticket to his younger brother to save him, and of course he became the catcher of his younger brother. In the early days, he often talked about how free the United States is, and there will be no aristocratic class to punish the bottom. It will be even worse for him to give the ticket to his brother in the future. That was his only hope for many years. For so many years, he raised his younger brother and acted as a parent. He has no life at all, and all he wants is that ticket.

There is a little foreshadowing. Gray's mother died in the parade. At that time, they met an old man, wishing them a long life and seeing the czar pay for today's atrocities. Later, it really overthrew the rule of Russia, and Gray was the backbone of the working class.