Francis Abernathy - Blog Posts

Camilla Macaulay: the twist villain that never was.

(ps: this is just a headcanon and personal opinion, nothing serious!)

Out of all the characters in TSH, Camilla to me seemed the most enigmatic, more than even Henry Winter. There's something about her that I cannot understand. I couldn't trust her when I was reading TSH for the first time, I thought she was going to be the mastermind behind it all.

Why? Isn't Camilla the nicest of all of them? So was Charles, and look at what happened to him. The twins gave me the ick a lot of the times, especially during re-reads where I could see the early hints of the incest reveal and the abuse. It could have been completely believable, if Camilla, behind the scenes was the one causing the drama all along.

1. Richard's rose coloured lens: since the story is told from his point of view, it's understandable if he decided to leave some details, changed the story or was oblivious to some things he didn't want to remember or think about. He had the most bias for Camilla, she was his crush. And we often look at our crushes with rose tinted glasses and often hide their flaws and mistakes. Richard shows bias towards the Greek class even before he was in it and his infatuation with Camilla could be the reason why we don't get any bad details about her throughout the story.

2. Motives: while Bunny did get murdered for blackmailing and trying to betray the Greek class. Only Camilla had other motives to cause distress among the others. Particularly, Charles. We know he was extremely possessive with her and has caused her emotional and physical abuse (there's background info we get at times about the twins having broken objects in the house and other times where Charles is possessive of Camilla). I don't think she truly loves Henry, it's more that being with him gives her the protection and safety she needs. She has shown some kind of liking to Francis, they seem good friends and have kissed two times (I call it gay solidarity). She plays with Richard's heart a lot, kissing him when no one is looking and making him think he has a chance when he clearly doesn't. Camilla is overshadowed by the guys in her friend group; getting the "only girl treatment". Bunny is always trying to get under her nerves and is misogynistic towards her. Charles is controlling and abusive (her own brother). Henry is cold and sociopathic, as well as someone you can't trust ("I call it redistribution of matter"). Richard is a simp. Francis is there.

3. What could have happened: Camilla, tired of the way her life is tied to Charles, Henry and Richard and their feelings towards her forcing her into a corner with no choice of her own. As well as, mentally scared from the murder of the farmer, decides to end all of the misfortunes in her life. Instead of Henry making the plans, it's Camilla in this version of the story that decides to kill Bunny both to get rid of him from her life as well as to hide the first murder. But she does this from the shadows. And the person that discovers her plan is Francis, since they have a relatively good relationship, it's possible he wouldn't spill her plans and stay quiet. She gaslights Henry into believing he ended up killing Bunny (let's say he went through with the poisonous mushrooms but instead Camilla gave Bunny actual posion)

When Charles goes into his villain arc, Camilla uses Henry as a shield to keep him away. And in the final scene, instead of Henry shooting himself, Charles ends up shooting him and Camilla shoots Charles as an act of revenge. She then threatens Richard that if he says a word about this (both Bunny and Charles's murder) then he would die too, she does that to seal her secret; she knows Richard has a big mouth and might betray her and spares Francis, since he already knew and is trustable. Camilla cleans her fingerprints from the gun and puts it in Charles's hand in order to frame it as a murder-suicide. Camilla attends their funerals and gives an alibi in front of the police that her, Richard and Francis were in the country house during the murder-suicide and then testified that Charles and Henry were the ones who were involved in the two murders and were holding them hostage with that information, clearing the three of them from the murders. Then she finally leaves for a better life. (Maybe the epilogue would be about Francis telling Richard about Camilla's behind-the-scenes story, showcasing the aftermath and what they are doing in the present)

4. Character arc: making Camilla crucial to the plot and a twist villain would give so much to her character. Her mysterious nature, absence from the main plot and lack of impact at the start of the story could be explained by her secretly planning their downfalls and her escape. Instead of her being the object of affection for the three guys and being the typical "girl that ruins the friendships between guy friends", she is the hidden mastermind with her own motives, personality and story. She was the only one who didn't change in the second part. But in this version of the story, she is the one who drives it's entire narrative.

Let her be manipulative, a liar, a gaslighter. Let her show the wrath of female rage.

When the twins were introduced in white clothing, looking like angels. Maybe they were wolves in sheep's clothing. Both of the twins. Not just Charles but Camilla too. They were creepy, eerie, and strange. They hid their true personalities behind southern hospitality and beautiful features.

"Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it"

After all, the best characters are the grey ones.

As the winter approaches I think back to the time Richard Papen tried to stay without a heater or proper roof at the hippie's house during the cold winter of Vermont.

If that isn't peak Californian behaviour, I don't know what is.

Also, the irony of Richard being saved by Henry WINTER is so funny.

Henry was so nice to him during this time because he was trying to indoctrinate Richard into their group further, before revealing the murder they all did and getting him in their side instead of Bunny's. Although my heart wants it to be a genuine friendship between the two. Richard was never truly friends with them, at the least not with Henry. He was used by Henry again and again, whether it be doing small chores, keeping secrets, trying to frame Richard with the poisonous mushrooms and so on.

Richard was fucked the moment he stumbled upon the twins, Bunny and Henry in the library.

Richard : What did you guys get in your yearbook?

Camilla: 'Prettiest Smile'

Francis: 'Nicest Personality'

Charles : 'Most likely to start a bar fight'

Henry: 'Least likely to start a bar fight, but most likely to win one'

Bunny: *didn't make it to the end of the year*

Richard : There are seven chairs and ten kids. What do you do?

Charles: Have everyone stand.

Camilla: Bring three more chairs!

Francis : The most important ones can sit down.

Bunny: Make them fight for the chairs!

Henry: Kill three.

Richard : Why isn’t the statue smirking at me?

Camilla: It isn’t smirking at anyone, they’re all just imagining it.

Richard : Three of us saw it, Camilla. How do you explain that?

Camilla: *points at Francis* Sleep deprivation. *points at Charles* Paranoia. *points at Henry* Delusional personality disorder.

Bunny: Would you guys be there for me if I was going through something?

Richard: Nope, absolutely not.

Camilla : I hope it sucks, whatever you're going through.

Charles : I hope it emotionally scars you for the rest of your life.

Francis: I hope you reach out to me so I can ignore you.

Henry: I can't wait to go to your funeral, knowing I could've changed that outcome.

Bunny:....

Henry: I have a plan!

Richard: you always have a plan, bless you.

Francis: does this plan involve murder in any way?

Henry:......I no longer have a plan.

How Gay do you want your books to be?

Dark academia authors: Yes.

Henry: let's kill Bunny.

Francis: sounds good

Charles: no problemo

Camilla: I don't care if you do

Richard:....okay? Yay, killing bunny!!!

Me: YOU ARE GONNA COVER UP A MURDER BY ANOTHER MURDER????? I KNOW WE HATE HIM,BUT MURDER, HENRY SERIOUSLY! AND RICHARD WHY ARE YOU EVEN TRYING TO GET INVOLVED???? DIDN'T YOU COME HERE FOR THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, IS MURDER A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE????

Also, me: wait I already knew Bunny was getting killed why I am so surprised.....I had forgotten it was coming?

Also, me: fuck Bunny, let's kill him!

Looks like a cinnamon roll, is actually a cinnamon roll: Richard Papen

Looks like they could kill you, is actually a cinnamon roll: Francis Abernathy

Looks like a cinnamon roll, could actually kill you: Charles Macaulay

Looks like they could kill you, could actually kill you: Henry Winter

Could kill you by feeding you too many cinnamon rolls: Camilla Macaulay

Does not deserve cinnamon rolls, will actually get killed: Bunny Concoran

Basically how Bunny's death went:

Henry: knock knock!

Bunny: who's there?

Henry: push!

Bunny: push, who?

Henry: push you!

Francis, Camilla, Charles, Richard: *gasp* anyways----

Julian: so you killed two people?

Henry: you can justify anything, if you do it poetically enough

Francis *wishpers*: wrong fandom Henry.

Richard's unhinged energy is the most entertaining part for me beside the murders. Like the guy is an inspiration for chaotic people. He lies about his family life, pretends his rich father has business in oil (who irl has a petrol pump), lies to his part time employer to get money, goes on a 90s teen movie shopping spree, takes any free item from Judy, lies about going to a prep school, lives on a diet of wine and more wine, takes any pill anyone gives him, joins a cultish greek gang, lets Bunny die an aesthetically pleasing death and not to forget.....does cocaine in the parking lot of Burger King.

Reading TSH again and again and finding out more details and theories is always fun.

Like the fact the entire story happened because Bunny wasn't able to fast for some more time and got caught eating.

Or that no one would have found Bunny's death suspicious if it hadn't snowed

Or that Henry tried to frame Richard by making him write the calculations for the posion mushrooms

Or that Richard thought of murder as poetic as a coping mechanism

Or that none of these horrible things would have happened to Richard if he hadn't picked up the pretty brochure.

(edited after a re-read)

So, for my sanity. Let me get this straight (lol); Henry was in love with Camilla and she was in love with him. And Richard was also in love with Camilla but she friendzoned him. Francis and Camilla had kissed (twice) and Charles was furious. Francis was flirting with Richard the entire time ( "cubitum eamus") Richard fantasized about spending his old years with Francis (and they kissed ofc). Richard also described Henry in a very no homo way. Francis and Charles were secretly hooking up. And so were Charles and Camilla (also, Charles was an abuser, why don't people talk about that more?). Richard described Camilla to look very masculine and like Charles to a tee, so he also liked Charles (?). Bunny was a huge homophobe, kinda sus; also had a strange interest in Henry. And Henry was probably in love with Julian (that little weird kiss mentioned ounce). I am a missing something?

Donna. Donna. Donna, what tf is this book is about?

I love that the gang never truly felt bad for killing Bunny, in the sense of grief (ngl I would have killed him too). Even in his funeral instead of feeling guilty for his death they are fanning flies, drinking, doing drugs and popping random pills they found in someone's drawer. They were chaotic af.

Person: did you like the love triangle in the Secret history?

Me: oh you mean the love Hexagon? Loved it!

Richard: who are them?

Judy: those are the weirdo greek kids, or as we affectionately call them "douchebags"

Judy: that little one is Francis Abernathy, he's rich as shit and cares about nobody.

Jud: he knows everything about everyone, that's why his coats are so big

Frank: they are full of secrets...

Richard: he looks cool.

Judy: whatever. See those two, don't be fooled, they are Charles and Camilla Macaulay, they are twins.

Jud: they might look like little angels but they are the one's who cause the real trouble.

Frank: they are also really incestuous.

Judy: the big blond one is Bunny Corcoran, he is one of the dumbest people you will ever meet.

Jud: he asked me how to spell "Metahemeralism"

Frank: he is the guy everyone loves to hate.

Richard: and who's the one in a suit?

Judy: .....that is Henry Winter, he is the leader of the group. He the richest, the smartest and the most insane out of all of them. How do I begin to explain Henry Winter....

Richard: I feel challenged.

Judy: it's okay, we can be your friends...

Richard: I am gonna go study greek, bye!

Judy: *sighs*

Charles:  You know who's looking fine tonight? Camilla.

Francis: Okay, you did not just say that.

Charles: What? She's a good kisser.

Francis: She's your twin.

Charles: Yeah, but she's my faternal twin.

Francis: Right.

Charles: So, you have your siblings, and then you have your idnetical twins, and then you have your faternal twins...

Francis: No, honey, uh-uh.

Charles: That's not right, is it?

Francis: That is so not right.

Finished reading Secret History by Donna Tartt. It is long book but in my opinion it's worth it, even if ending is wild. Basically that's it, fallinh in love with dark academia aesthetic.

P.S. I absolutely love Francis Abernathy, this boy deserves everything

I feel like the main reason Francis called Richard when anxious and sabotaged is because after he sees that hot chaotic though incredibly mundane man the only intrusive thought left in his mind is how much he wants to fuck him on the backseat

Francis’ “shit, shit, shit!” with Richard rigorously asking him to shut the fuck up after they collapsed to take Bunny’s letter from julian permanently exist in my head. Brilliant scene.

I thought I couldn’t relate more to Francis Abernathy but after he pretended to have a heart attack and insisted that Richard must drive him to the hospital I remembered me crawling down the stairs, breathing loudly- I could feel a heart in my mouth- and then realized I was holding hand on the wrong side of my chest all the time