Name that mood.
title unknown, circa 2020
street mural in Torremolinos, Spain
©Nesui, urban artist based in Malaga, Spain (on Instagram, he’s nesui.src if you want to see more of his work)
I’m not yet finished with this book, but it’s a much faster read than I’d expected it to be (at 750ish pages). Set in 1969, published in 1971, it captures the mood of a time and generation (or three generations). Based around six characters from around the world, one narrator, and a very large supporting cast, and in that way, there are similarities to the Neverending Saga, though the writing styles are quite different. I feel like I’ve traveled–am still traveling–all over the world (including the Spanish coastal town of Torremolinos, where this art can be found).
I can imagine my character reading it when she was twenty-one, her age at that time roughly corresponding to the six main characters (which is why I decided to read it). She would be reading with very wide eyes.
It’ll have such a tiny mention in her story, but these are the paths I like to take in understanding who I’m writing.
I can’t get in the mood for that mural, because it makes me imagine a Lord of the Rings musical (spanning six block-busting epics) featuring Queen, and The Beatles as the hobbits and dwarfs, Rod Stewart as Saroman, all singing smash musical hits by Weird Al and Mozart.
But set in Spain.
Because the deserted desert brings out the Wild West in any epic tale.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Hollywood
(New Zealand, though admittedly stunningly photogenic, has raised its rates after cleaning up from all those other alien flics.)
Interesting! There’s even a reference to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly involving one of the same characters who’s on this beach in my imagination. =)