• Forest Born Reread: July 11th

    Date: 2016.07.11 | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,

    Chapter 7

    Lots happened in this chapter! I really didn’t have time to do a write up on it last Friday, so I’m glad I stopped at the one chapter even though it was short.

    First of all I am impressed by the measures Rin took to be prepared for a trip she wasn’t invited to join. She’s fully dressed like a kid with only one more sleep until Disney World and she has all of her gear packed ready to take on the world. However, I believe she doesn’t really think that she will be allowed to go or will be able to sneak in with the party without being discovered. All she packs for food is bread and Hale doesn’t mention that her waterskin had actually been filled. She planned everything thing else and had slept in her clothes to on save time. Also, remember this is the girl who anticipates needs. How far does she actually think she’ll get on old bread and no water?

    What a relief that the chief steward catches the queen before she left! I’m feeling very uneasy that Cilie is missing. Why is she still in the castle?? I guess it would have been wrong to reassign a servant based on nothing more than a hunch, but that’s why you’re a monarchy! You can do whatever you want through divine, birth-given right! Right??

    (One advantage of setting your book in a castle is that you can introduce and throw away characters as needed. Readers aren’t going to be upset that we just learned about Janissa on page 71. Of course she’s there! Someone has to look after Tusken as he sleeps and there are droves of others doing who knows what in the background, but also no one is going to stress over whether or not she has a hand in continuing the story either.)

    Child-carrying muscles are serious business. Babies look so tiny and fragile, however, they are great at being dead weight that just pulls at your arms until you cry out, “Somebody bring me a pillow!”

    Geric and Razo and Finn are okay!!! Isi and Geric in the world of their own was a bit hard for me to read due to all the hearts in my eyes!

    Rin is back to being an accessory to the action instead of being part of it. I can hardly blame her, though, when you are as unsure of yourself as she is. It’s hard to insert yourself into a conversation–especially when you don’t have anything to contribute.

    I think Isi being angry and making threats would be much like me being angry and making threats. No one takes it seriously due to our size or general demeanor, but when it comes down to it I know Isi has the gumption to take care of things. (Everyone is still probably safe from threats I make.)

    “[Rin] felt forgotten, alone and left with the night. It was what she had been dreading. Nothing to distract her now.” (River Secrets, page 79) Night can be the worst struggle for anyone with depression. What Hale writes here is so perfect. You are left without anything to distract you from dark thoughts or anxiety-causing scenarios that seem to be on a constant loop. Rin puts a stop on her downward spiral by seeking out solace. It’s actually an amazing to watch the change. She went from dreading the night to trying “to take comfort in the fact that good things like night still existed.” (page 80) She’s still unsure of herself, but she’s figuring it out.

    Rin has a lot more conviction than I do. I’m not sure the small amount of information that Rin has would be enough to spur me to run off into the unknown. Her need to belong and discover who she is pushing her forward.

    Final note for this chapter: Razo is the best. He can instantly deflate the stress out of any situation. We need more Razos in the world.