Dragon Keeper - strange fashion

[Nuytsia]

This doesn't really spoil the plot at all, but if you don't want to know anything at all about Dragon Keeper then don't read on ........

From Dragon Keeper - p 312 (in my UK edition anyway)

"She added a nut-brown jacket of sturdy duck and belted it securely around her waist"

I am wondering what the heck is a duck jacket? Is there some sort of duck skin leather? Or is Alise wearing a feathery jacket?
Either seems bizarre.
Or is this some sort of typo? (for what I can't imagine)

[maulkin]

I am wondering what the heck is a duck jacket? Is there some sort of duck skin leather? Or is Alise wearing a feathery jacket?
Either seems bizarre.
Or is this some sort of typo? (for what I can't imagine)

According to Wikipedia, duck comes from the Dutch doek, meaning "linen canvas". It is a heavy, plain, woven cotton or linen fabric.

[Nuytsia]

Wow!!!
Why didn't I think to Google or Wikipedia it? I just didn't think of the possibility it was a real thing
Thanks Maulkin!

[chriSchaeffer]

Maybe I'm alone in this, but whenever I read I never imagine clothes. Not that I picture them naked, but mostly I see only elements of the character like their skin, weapon, or maybe facial expression. For that reason, I often skim through descriptions of clothes.

In a real life parallel, I can't remember what I wore yesterday.

[maulkin]

I can remember what I wore yesterday, but only because I am still wearing it...

I think that Hobb's detailed descriptions of clothes are useful. They give a feel for the differences in climate, technology and social stratification between the various different cultures of her World. One thing that struck me immediately about Hobb's writing is how character-centred it is. She spends relatively little space objectively describing things like landscape, politics and technology. Instead, we are left to experience these things from the viewpoints of her characters. This gives us a powerful sense of what is familiar and what is unusual in the various different cultures.

[Nuytsia]

Yes I like the descriptions for the most part, but then again I probably have forgotten the clothes about 3 seconds after I read the description

It CAN be used less successfully.
I THINK it was in one of Robin's books, I recall every character seemed to be described wearing 'soft leather boots'..... after a while I just thought OK I get it, these boots are standard footwear here!

[McWolf]

Now that you mentioned it, I remember the overuse of 'soft leather boots'. I can remember thinking at the time 'she must have a shoe fetish.' Hobb's thing may be clothes.

I can remember one author I read, Lawhead, spent an abnormal amount of time describing in detail the meals which the characters ate during his novels. And then there is Tolkien who spends pages describing a rocky mountain.

Yet if novels didn't focus on small details like clothing, food and landscapes then experience of reading a novel would be that much poorer.

[Nuytsia]

Ahh glad someone else noticed it!!
Gee the details of the meals - have you read Hobb's Soldier Son trilogy?

[Lady Laura]

LOL I was about the bring up Hobb's food fetish from SS, but Nuytsia beat me to it I remember when I was reading that, every time she started describing in detail about Nevarre eating something as simple as a piece of bread, it made me feel really hungry XD