• Forest Born Reread: July 18th

    Date: 2016.07.18 | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,

    Chapter 12

    I always get excited when Hale introduces a new town or culture. She always remembers to include so many little details that are important in creating a new world. She paints Cathal as a place that is small and existing–not exactly thriving–but could be peaceful and happy. It has bright fields, healthy animals, and homes that are close to one another.

    Enna is so amusing! Instead of responding in a grumpy manner to Dasha about her cursing she makes a joke of how much worse it is in her head. Some times you just gotta let people deal with bumpy roads the best they can.

    Cathal’s residents show kindness and welcome to travelers by placing a lit candle in a window. First of all, that is a really interesting custom; I wonder if Hale borrowed it from another culture. Secondly, how brave and open-hearted these people must be to be known for hosting travelers instead of having an inn to house outsiders. Think of all the stories they hear and share from practicing this custom! Thirdly, this system would work really well for those of us who always do a mad dash of cleaning before company arrives.

    I would really love to see someone’s vision of Kelish garments! They sound really interesting. I love how Dasha takes a moment to appreciate the clothing of the people who are all melancholy and unwelcoming.

    I think Mistress Mor may be of the same stock as Enna. I love that she is throwing her own anarchy against a soldier she is being forced to house. I can totally see Enna doing whatever she could–going completely out of her way–to make some menace’s life harder for being forced upon her. In fact, I’m pretty sure she did in her own book, Enna Burning.

    Rin, I do so love bread, too.

    Striking wording from Hale: “Like ants they are crawling all in houses” (page 145). Right now the mercenary soldiers are pests. Bugs too big and too many to step on, but not yet enough of a threat to Cathal’s people to be called a plague.

    I just don’t understand how someone could throw a chair at anyone–let alone an old woman flanked by four young, unarmed women. A town whose nerves are shot and are waiting for some sign of what they should do suddenly snap at the mistreatment. Isi orders Rin to stay with Mistress Mor and through Rin we don’t learn much of what happens. It’s a very interesting device Hale uses. By keeping her protagonist in the dark her readers are also left with little knowledge of the conflict and are caught up in the suspense eager to continue reading.

    Rin finally joins the foray. Immediately she is caught up with a hateful soldier threatening the life of a child. Rin, struggling against her body reacting to intense stress, manages to save the girl from senseless killing. I liken it to the moment in To Kill a Mockingbird when a mob comes to kill Tom Robinson and Scout not wholly understanding what is going on picks out one man and reminds him of who he is. True empathy and compassion comes from understanding people and remembering that we’re all the same; we’re all people. This soldier for a moment forgets his anger while envisioning the future Rin lays out for her. Thanks to Rin he spared the child because she reminded him that the girl is a person.

    This chapter ends on a cliffhanger…so let’s keep reading!

    Chapter 13

    Thank the Lord for Dasha! Oh my goodness, I was really worried for Rin there. Sudden loss of air supply is really scary for me–and a bit triggering–so I completely understand why the soldier ran away from Rin.

    Rin isn’t the only one shaken up here! Excellent writing, Hale!

    Got to love a queen who is willing to take care of not only her people, but everyone without even thinking about what she might be losing in the process (i.e. looking respectable, warmth from her cloak, needing that material for something else).

    I love Mistress Mor’s humor. It’s gruff, but there’s warmth there, too.

    How very odd that a king marries without fanfare–and the marriage instantly brings turmoil to the kingdom. Also, the queen is residing in a castle apart from the king. This is very peculiar.

    Enna is a very interesting character. Here she reminds me of Reepicheep from The Chronicles of Narnia who also has a fiery spirit and a high sense of honor.

    “The cowards. They love a midnight attack when there’s no one to fight back, but one little push and they run away. They make me want to spit in their eyeballs.” (page 157)

    Ok, maybe Reepicheep would have phrased it differently.

    Yay bread yay! Hale masterfully weaves in funny moments to break up the somber ones and keeps this reader very happy!

    Dasha is very level-headed and maintains a firm eye on the future. Queens and ambassadors getting directly involved in another country’s affairs could spell disaster for both Bayern and Tira.

    I love Isi showing her playful side as she bucks up her friend.

    I always feel it’s important to be around different people. When you see how they interact with each other you end up either seeing how something in your own life needs to change or becoming really appreciative of what you have. Rin realizes that her mother does a great deal without having an ally (though personally I think she is discrediting herself).

    Ha and moo! Oh my goodness how I love it!

    Isi and Enna and Dasha and Rin. Squad goals if there ever were any.

    Hale quickly gives us a peek at Kel as well as the interests of Bayern’s royalty before delving into one of their stories which we would probably call a fable. Woah, Enna, what are you saying about women here? I would really like to know what Hale thought the wolf from the tale is. Perhaps she agrees the most with Rin, but knowing Hale she probably wouldn’t tell us. She has on many occasions stated that once the novel is out in the world it isn’t hers anymore and it’s ok that it means different things to different people. I like Isi’s idea of professions, but I can’t think of what job would coincide with the destruction of the others.

    I really wanted Rin to connect with the tree, but she’s probably not ready yet.

    Hale, you do an excellent job with diction and anticipation!