Danielle L. Jensen's Reader Group discussion
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Hidden Huntress
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Hidden Huntress Read-Along
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Hidden Huntress Chapters 1-5
Mod
Chapter 1 – The first paragraphs of all three books begin in a similar fashion.
Stolen Songbird: My voice rose an octave, resonating through the Goshawk’s Hollow marketplace, drowning out the bleating sheep and the hammer of the blacksmith down the way.
Hidden Huntress: My voice faded into silence, though the memory of it seemed to haunt the theatre as I slumped gracefully, trusting that Julian would catch me, however much he might not want to.
Warrior Witch: My voice, the one thing about me that had always been valued, suddenly seemed inconsequential in the cacophony of voices filling the courtyard.
Chapter 2 – When I first started drafting Hidden Huntress, I didn’t know who the messenger would be, or if he’d be an important character at all. For about the first half of the manuscript, he remained nameless.
Chapter 3 – I found this chapter very difficult to write. Watching torture on television or reading about it in books really troubles me, but after some thought, I decided it was the most realistic way for the King to force a promise out of Cécile. Also, I really wanted Cécile and Tristan to see each other early in the novel, so it had a double purpose.
Chapter 4 – This chapter is one of my favorites, because Marc manipulates Tristan for once. Tristan has hit rock bottom. He feels broken and hopeless. But rather than pleading with Tristan or giving him encouragement, Marc points him in the direction of something that will catch his interest and get him thinking. He’s smart, our Marc.
Chapter 5 – I have a few references to the consumption of absinthe in this novel. I wanted to include it, because I felt like it had such strong association with the art/performance scene in Paris during the time period that inspired the setting of Trianon. And as luck would have it, my mom was in Amsterdam while I was drafting, and she brought me back a bottle. It’s… gross.
Mod
(Anyone just joining in, their are chapters summaries for Stolen Songbird in the Stolen Songbird Read-Along folder)
Chapter 1
Cécile has moved to Trianon where she works for her mother preforming on stage. She is still on the hunt for Anushka, and she has her friends, Sabine and Chris, on the lookout for the witch as well.
Cécile has just finished a performance with her costar, Julian, and she makes her way back to her dressing room. Everyone compliments her, but her mother is upset because her voice lacked passion, and they quarrel. In her dressing room, she reflects on her failure to free Tristan and the ceaseless despair she sense from him. Sabine, who works as her assistant, arrives, and she voices a similar concern that Tristan has stolen Cécile’s passion for singing. This has been an ongoing argument for the past two months, as Sabine struggles to understand how Cécile can remain committed to her kidnapper. Her views have caused a rift in their friendship that wasn’t there before. Although Sabine doesn’t agree with Cécile’s choices, she still keeps her ears open for anything to do with witches or Anushka.
Cécile remains in her dressing room until everyone has dispersed, then goes out the back door of the opera house, where Chris is waiting for her. Like Sabine, he hunts down leads on witches, but thus far, they’ve mostly encountered charlatans. They go to a tavern where Cécile’s brother, Fred, likes to spend time.
They discuss their failure to find Anushka, and Chris suggests maybe Cécile should give up, because Tristan doesn’t even want the trolls to be freed. She grows angry and accuses him of being selfish. He retorts that she’s the selfish one, because she’s willing to sell the world into slavery for the sake of a love affair. She starts to drink heavily while she contemplates Chris’s words. There haven’t been any leads since she reached Trianon and she’s becoming frustrated. But she drinks too much and runs out of the bar to throw-up in the gutter. A hooded man approaches. When she asks what he wants, he tells her that wishes to deliver a message to “To her Royal Highness, Princess Cécile de Montigny.”
Chapter 2
The messenger has been sent by the King, but he assures Cécile that he is not here to kill her. Chris comes out of the bar looking for her and rushes to her defense. The messenger says that the King has requested a meeting tonight. As quickly as Chris says no, Cécile says yes.
They make their way by moonlight to the entrance of the River Road. However, instead of being greeted by the King, she is greeted by Roland. She tries to hide her fear, but Roland toys with her. When she demands to see Tristan, Roland informs her that Tristan is in a prison and he is now the heir to Trollus.
The King arrives and sends Roland back up the road to Trollus. She asks him what he wants, and he tells her that she already knows. Instead of elaborating, he watches her, and she cracks, demanding to see Tristan. He mocks her, then proposes an exchange as they both have something the other wants. He tells Cécile that he has no desire to see the destruction of humanity, and that he intends to take the Isle peaceably. Despite knowing he can’t lie, she isn’t convinced, but she plays along, revealing she’s already looking for Anushka. He suggests that her search would be aided if she were to use her magic.
He offers her the grimoire in exchange for her word that she’ll use it to hunt the witch, but she refuses to help until she is allowed to see Tristan. Unsurprised by her demand, the King orders guards to bring his son. Tristan arrives bloodied, shirtless, and miserable. Instead of being relieved to see Cécile, he says, “I told you never to come back.”
Chapter 3
Cécile is horrified that the King would treat his own son this way. Tristan invokes the promise Chris made to protect Cécile in order to get him to take her away, but she fights back with her own magic until he relents. Cécile tells Tristan of the King’s plans to take the Isle peaceably, which shocks him. But he quickly tells her to agree to nothing.
Cécile asks what will happen if she refuses, and the King orders the guards to whip Tristan. Unable to stand his pain, she yells for them to stop. But they do not. So she cracks and makes the promise the King demanded of her: to find Anushka and do whatever it takes to bring her here. Despite her having saved him from further torture, Tristan appears angry, turning his head. The King gives her the grimoire and tells her to get to work.
Chapter 4
Tristan is dragged back through the streets of Trollus. Except instead of going back to his prison he is brought to his old rooms. Marc is waiting there for him. He is the only person who wants to see Tristan. His half-blood servants want nothing to do with him, and the twins have been sent to work in the mines as punishment.
Tristan has given up and he tells Marc that it is pointless speculating and plotting their next move. Everything he does hurts those around him. In an attempt to rally Tristan, Marc draws his attention to the construction going on in Trollus. The King has provided the half-bloods with the plans for a stone tree, and is allowing them to build it. He has also relinquished control of magic tree – a duty that has always belonged to the King – to the Builder’s Guild. Tristan is confused by his father’s actions, and his mind begins to turn as he puzzles through them, noticing as he does that the half-bloods aren’t following his plans. He goes into his courtyard and finds the documents dusty and hidden with Cécile’s piano music, indicating his father has given the half-bloods false information. Marc asks who hid the plans, and Tristan tells him that it was Anaïs before she died. Marc is taken aback, and quickly tells Tristan that Anaïs isn’t dead. And not only isn’t she dead, she’s claiming that the King saved her life.
Chapter 5
Cécile dreams of Tristan being tortured. She awakes in a panic, and when she can’t get control of herself, uses her singing to calm her fear. Her mother, Genevieve, storms in, demanding why she’s making so much noise. Cécile turns to her for comfort, but her mother is cold, telling her that crying makes her unattractive. Then she softens, and asks Cécile to accompany her downstairs for some tea.
Cécile enquires where her mother has been all night, and Genevieve divulges more details about the nature of her relationship with her patron, the Marquis. She explains that his money is what pays for all that they have, and suggests that one day Cécile might take her place when the Marquis desires a younger woman on his arm. Cécile finds the notion off-putting, and snaps that the Marquis must not have very high regard for Genevieve to put her aside for ageing. Her mother informs her that is the nature of men, to which Cécile retorts that it wasn’t the nature of her father. That it was Genevieve who cast him aside.
Genevieve grows upset, and implies that Cécile has been lied to. She tells Cécile her version of events, which focus around Cécile’s father forcing her to choose between her dreams of the stage and her family. Despite knowing that she shouldn’t, Cécile feels sympathetic to her mother, as she understands how difficult that choice would be.
As they talk, Cécile’s thoughts and words begin to feel fuzzy. She starts to drift off to sleep when her mother asks her where she went during the months she was missing. Cécile reveals that she was taken by the trolls. When Genevieve asks what they wanted, she tells her that they wanted her to set them free. Then Cécile drifts off to sleep.
#1 If the book is about a year apart I find I don't re-read the books because I have an amazing memory. If they are more then a year apart I sometimes read a summary posted online or choose to re-read the book depending on how good it was.#2 To answer this one I really don't know. I mean if you were trying to find a witch that was over 100 years old, what would you do? i think if I really tried I would maybe look for clues about women who dabble in the magical arts and hopefully find someone who knew of her.
#3 I was like so freaking out! At first I was pissed off, then I was worried that Tristan wasn't there, and then when Roland went a little crazy I was just plain sacred/disturbed. That kid really needs some help.
#4 I was really happy actually. I mean I really warmed up to her as a character in the end of the first book and was glad to hear the news. It made me think that she could help in some way as the story progressed.
#5 Once she told her about her family history I was suspicious of her actions and totally thought the tears were fake. I feel that Genevieve never truly loved her children and that they were just a means to an end.
1. Very rarely, do i reread a book before the next one comes out. I usually read like maybe the last 50 pages or so as a refresher? Sometimes I try really hard to look for a summary lol2. Yeah, I wouldn't ask me that question. I'm not here to be any kind of opinion on hunting, I can barely climb the stairs without wanting to take a nap.
4. YESSSSSS! I WAS THINKING YESSS you cruel woman!
1. When I read YA series I usually don't re-read between books. I feel like the time frame is short enough that when the next book comes out and I'm able to read it everything comes flooding back, although there are times I do reference the previous books if something happens in the new book and I'm confused or think I noticed something connecting. I didn't even know there were summaries of YA type books around! I'll have to reference those if I ever need!2. Oh man I would have absolutely no idea! I guess I would do exactly as Cécile did and start looking for every single witch I could find in the area. It would at least be a starting place!
3. I thought it was super evil but a very well calculated move by the King. He must have somehow knew how Roland affected Cécile and brought him as an extra intimidating factor or he was there to brag to Cécile about his newly appointed position to heir. Either way it was all a calculated move by the King.
4. I couldn't believe that she was still alive and if she was there was a reason for it. There is no way the King would leave her alive if not for a specific purpose. I also was concerned she had made a binding oath to the King and she was going to somehow betray Tristan. So many possibilities but the actual reason did not come to mind!!
5. I was really conflicted at this. I wanted to believe Genevieve, I wanted Cécile to have a relationship with her mother but then when Cécile starts to feel hazy and her mother asks her about where she was I knew that woman was trouble and totally fake and didn't care at all for Cécile! This is also where I started to think that she was really Anushka or at least working for her. I couldn't bring myself to even like Genevieve after this scene!
1. I don’t usually reread books before a sequel comes out. I might flip through it to remember some key things, but I rarely do a proper reread of books I’ve already read. I might read the synopses if it’s been a really long time between books though. But none of this is a problem for me with this series because I only just finished reading Stolen Songbird a week ago. This will be my first time reading Hidden Huntress.2. Well, if I was Cecile, that would make me a witch, right? lol I think I would probably go about hunting for Anushka by casting some kind of tracking spell, if such a thing exists. Granted, if I’m Cecile I would be a beginner witch. But by now I’ve gotten my hands on Anushka’s grimoire, and she’s got to have some kind of spell in there that can help me locate her. Plus there are other witches and grimoires out there, so one of them might help me.
3. I think Roland is a little creep in general, so I thought he was a creepy little troll child for waiting for Cecile just to freak her out. He probably unsettled her enough so that the King could come in and make his deal with her.
4. When I found out Anais was alive I had two thoughts going through my head. The first was “yay!! Anais is alive!!” because I was really starting to like her right around when she got killed in the first book. This was quickly followed up by the thought that this might not be such a good thing if she’s only alive because the King brought her back... and why would he do such a thing for someone who’d betrayed him? There’s got to be some kind of ulterior motive there.
5. I immediately thought that Genevieve was trying to manipulate Cecile with the sob story, though I do think some of her emotions may be genuine... that’s to be determined. However, judging from the way Cecile became sluggish and appeared to have been drugged (and since Genevieve was the one who prepared the tea), I think she was simply trying to ferret out information from Cecile. For what purpose, I don’t know yet, but probably nothing good because she’s proven herself to be quite selfish already, so I assume it can only be for some self-serving purpose.
1. I don't reread books when waiting for a sequel, especially if they are a year apart. And I have never had to wait more than a year for a book, but there have been times when I have not picked up the next book in a few years but still haven't reread the books, I actually don't like rereading books at all. The only time I can recall reading a book was when my friend started reading a series I had put down so I read the books along with her. 2. I have no idea of how I would search for Anushka if I were Cécile .
3. Roland scares me to no ends. The fact that he was there to greet Cécile was a bad omen. I knew it would not be a good talk with the King.
4. I was very suspicious of Anaïs being alive. I feel as though the King would have had to change her or do something to her to be alive,
5. I don't think I'll ever trust Genevieve, I don't think her tears were real. Factoring in that she wants Cécile to "take her place" and that she drugged her own daughter to get answers and how she spoke to her after her performance, pressing into her wounds was so harsh. I definitely didn't like her at first, and now I definitely do not trust her.
1.-I didn't usually re-read books in a series before reading the latest installment, but I started doing it last year, and I found that I do enjoy it very much, I remember LESS than I thought and when I re-read I do enjoy the new book much more! BUT I don't I will be re-reading the entire Song of Ice & Fire series to prepare for Winds of Winter whenever it might be published... TOO MANY BLOODY PAGES!2.- I guess I'd do a bit of what she's been doing, trying to watch or inquire about high society ladies and try to get a hang of my own magic. And maybe try to find some hints about witches & the like...
3.- Quite a strong message from the King, and something that makes me suspect about a certain alliance between the King and Angouleme too... I'm not sure those two as enemies as they might pretend.
4.- I didn't think Anaïs would be dead for some reason, the King has more leverage with her being alive, with both Tristan and even her father, much as Angouleme might discard her.
5.- Given my suspicions and theory, I don't trust Genevieve as far as I could throw her, BUT, if I didn't have those suspicions, I'd feel for her a bit, because she shouldn't have had to choose between a career she loved and her family. It would have made me angry that she's the bad guy because she didn't give everything up for love and family as women are always supposed to do. But since I suspect she's just trying to manipulate Cecile and my other theory... well, good try Genevieve, but not buying it!
I usually don't re-read or look at summaries. I have a pretty good memory, and authors are usually very good at summarizing and hinting at what had happened before for the reader.I have no idea how I would look for Anushka. I guess I might try to find other witches? Or if there was like... a tracking spell? Or a scribe bowl type thing that could be used?
At first I thought Roland was brought back into the palace and would play a bigger role, but that didn't seem to be the case when he was told to leave.
I thought Anaïs was somehow healed! Like, she owed a life dept to the king or something.
At this point, I had my suspicions of Genevieve, so I didn't trust her story or her tears.
1. I usually always reread the prior novels before reading the next installment. I feel like it pulls me back into the world that was created and helps prepare me to continue with the sequel (if that makes sense). The only times that I don't reread the prior novels is if I don't have any time to... other than that I always do, and I looooove doing it! 2. I don't think if I were Cecile, I would even be able to think of all the ideas she had to hunt Anushka. I would be so lost and actually pretty hopeless at it... so kudos to Cecile!
4. I hope I'm not the only one but I was extremely happy to know that Anais was still alive. She grew on me and I find that she's an interesting character that I wanted to see more of so I was ecstatic when Marc told Tristan. Though during that time I was thinking how exactly did Anais survive and what the king did in order to save her (if he really did save her, that is).
1. I do reread stories before the next ones come out, especially if it has been a while since I saw the last. I don’t know about summaries, though. I tried at first but since I rarely found them I just reread the books which I prefer anyway.2. I don’t think I would do anything different. The most logical way, which incidentally is what the trolls were doing, is to hunt down witches. Obviously she wouldn’t look the same anymore so that is the only basis she’d have. But there is one thing I would do differently. I would try to find witches, not really to teach me since it is obvious from her attempts that most witches don’t share secrets but to answer 2 questions: 1. How is it possible that Anushka has remain alive for 500 years? And 2. How is it possible that I can open her book when no one else can? These questions would have led her to the answer much sooner than she got there I mean, I had been betting on her being related to Cecile somehow just by asking these two questions. Also I would have dissected the prophecy better to realize that there were exact instructions for her to carry out, as well as a warning of what was to come. “Together as one the witch they’ll slay.” She was supposed to find a way to release Tristan and I would have done it the minute I saw him in the cave with his father.
3. It was an explicit threat. I think the king wanted her to see Roland, see the one that nearly killed her, so she would be more cowed and afraid and would be much more easily manipulated into his hands. Also it was a ploy to show that he was the “heir” although anyone with half a brain knew Roland would never really inherit the throne.
4. That it couldn’t be. Her wounds were fatal. She’d given her life for Tristan and Cecile. After reading a bit more into it and going back to the Stolen Songbird book to make sure I’d understood right, I smelled a rat. There was just something off about her behavior towards the king.
5. She was telling Cecile the truth in a way, the way she saw it at least. But it was really a ploy to win Cecile’s sympathy and deflect any possible suspicion on the girl which would be important later on when the truth is revealed. At the time I thought they might be real, but it was really only a ploy. She wanted answers, probably had her suspicions considering who she really was, and she got them by whatever potion she put in the tea. Actually this scene is the first clue that there’s more to Genevieve’s identity than what met the eye.
1.) I usually don't bother rereading prior books in a series, because even if I can't remember some parts of it, it always comes back to me as I start the next book. It's as if the memories are stored away and can be recalled by the familiar settings.3.) I was rather unnerved that Roland was the one to first meet Cecile and Chris. Because, what's a more freaky omen than a reintroduction from a mentally unstable, probably-evil child? I was thinking that maybe Roland has a bigger role in the story than it appears.
5.) Since I try to keep an open mind when reading books, because it helps with figuring out mysteries, I thought that it might have been possible that Genevieve was speaking the truth. But it still didn't make all of my suspicions disappear, especially when she was asking questions when Cecile was nearly asleep. Because if Genevieve was asking out of plain curiosity, then she probably would've done it when Cecile was fully conscious.
1. I usually don't. While I may love a lot of books in a series, there's not enough time to reread every single book before their release while I have many others on my TBR. That's why I appreciate how authors subtly remind readers in the beginning of the next installment the most important things that happened in the previous books. But it has to be like this super short summary. Just a few facts, like names and such. And when that is not enough, I spend the first few chapters scratching my head trying to remember the previous book.HOWEVER, I do tend to reread my most favorite books before the next book in the series comes out. It's something REALLY rare, but I've done it.
2. I think how Cécile goes about it it's what I've probably would have done. Props for her for getting Chris and Sabine to help out, they make a great team and they covered a lot of ground faster.
3. I thought he was going to do a fine good job of scaring us, and possibly try to kill Cécile. I also thought that it was a trap and that the king had not called for Cécile...
4.I was excited, but then thought she was possibly under control by the king. Maybe he has her name and would force her to go after Tristan. Maybe increase the chance of a possible love triangle. I wasn't happy about THAT, but I could see it.
5. I've always questioned her tears in that scene. Because, from what we learn later on in the book, Genevieve could have been suffering a bit about her... family. But then she starts questioning Cécile in a very suspicious way that makes you see through her act.
1. I almost never re-read in preparation for a new installment coming out. I usually re-read at random for fun. I do an annual Harry Potter re-read religiously, and I'll do an Outlander series re-read to tear out my guts and make me melt. The rest of my rereads are because I'll miss a specific character, or I'll want to re-live a romance, or feel the power of a remarkable adventure with a satisfying ending. 2. If you were Cécile, how would you go about hunting for Anushka?
I would go straight home and point to my "mother" and say, "There she is, that's the witch I've been looking for." There was never a moment I didn't know it was her. Sorry!
Mod
Hi Perla!
I'm going to mark this one as a spoiler for anyone who hasn't finished Hidden Huntress, because I know quite a few people are reading it for the first time.
(view spoiler)
Mod
Hi Makenna!
I'm jealous - I have the worst memory. I frequently have no idea what is going on when I start subsequent volumes in series if more than a few months have passed.
Mod
2. Yeah, I..."
Genevieve certainly wouldn't win mother of the year ;-)
Mod
Hi Kelsea
You are starting to sound like Tristan in believing that everything that happens is part of the King's plan...
Mod
Hi Ashley!
Looks like there are quite a few people who are reading Hidden Huntress for the first time as part of this read-along, which is great. I love seeing reactions as they happen :)
Great answer for #2, and yes, that Genevieve drugged Cecile certainly doesn't inspire much trust, does it?!
Mod
Hi Annah!
Genevieve is not a pleasant woman, that is for sure. Hopefully she makes us all appreciate our mothers more ;)
Most people seem to think that Anais being alive is maybe not such a good thing, because it probably involves the King and his schemes.
Mod
HI Pili,
I haven't read Dances with Dragons, and I've decided I'm not going to until the series is finished, at which time I'll probably reread the prior books. I was the same with Wheel of Time - I got so sick of rereading them in order to keep the million characters straight. I still haven't read the last book, but I know some of what happens, and frankly, I probably won't bother.
Angouleme is a dangerous troll – you are right to have some concerns about him :)
Mod
I have no idea h..."
Hi Ellie,
(view spoiler)
Hate that I haven't had time to answer the other discussions because of school :'( But love that I can still be a part of Hidden Huntress! :)1. Personally, every time a new book comes out in a series I have to re-read the previous ones. I love refreshing my memory and having the anticipation of starting the new one :D
2. If I were Cécile I would probably go about the same way she did. Trying to look for places where she would be spotted, trying to find out every detail possible about her to try to find out where she would go next.
3. I got so freaked out that Roland was there, I felt like it was a really dirty and reckless move on the King's part.
4. All I could think was "WHAT" haha I still have mixed feelings about Anais so I wasn't sure if I was happy or not.
5. I've seen how fake mothers can be to their own daughters, so when Genevieve cried I thought she was faking in order to manipulate Cécile.
1. I usually read about 100 books a year (probably more like 75 this year, though), so I forget A LOT by the time a new book comes out. Trying to remember 100 different plots is pretty darn difficult. And I don't reread books often since I have so many books on my TBR, but I absolutely love being able to read summaries. Not understanding what a book is about because I can't remember what happened in the previous book is one of the most frustrating things I've ever experienced in my bookish life!
Danielle wrote: "Annah wrote: "1. I don't reread books when waiting for a sequel, especially if they are a year apart. And I have never had to wait more than a year for a book, but there have been times when I have..."I haven't fully caught up with the next chapters in the readalong yet but I read along and I was right about Anaïs :)
Danielle wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I usually don't re-read or look at summaries. I have a pretty good memory, and authors are usually very good at summarizing and hinting at what had happened before for the reader.I ..."
GASP! I just assumed..... My heart! Again! *clutches chest and curls up on floor*
Mod
Hi Thissi,
I hope lots of readers were feeling hopeful when Marc told Tristan that Anais was still alive! But yes, one cannot help but wonder about the King's involvement. It's not like he would let anyone just walk away without extracting something from them...
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Hi Karim
If Cecile had you for a friend, Hidden Huntress would've been a much shorter book!
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Hi Lillian,
There is nothing scarier than a freaky horror-movie child. I personally would've been terrified to be face to face with him, especially knowing that he'd love to see me dead. Cecile's braver than I am, I guess.
Genevieve is definitely a blend of truth and deception, but above all, she's extremely manipulative. She knows exactly what to say to Cecile to get her to do what she wants. One of the reasons I wrote The Songbird's Overture was that I really wanted to expand their relationship/history beyond what I'd be able to do in the books.
Mod
Hi Melissa,
You raise a good point - Cécile really relies on her friends for help. But what I really like about them is that they do their own thing quite often - they aren't just following Cécile along for the ride.
1. I usually don't. I usually don't reread in general. lol. Because I consider myself a slow reader, I don't my time can accommodate ALL the books I want to read if I reread. But there are exceptions, of course --- if I really really love the series/book. :)2. I think I'll do the same go with Cecile's way. Get all clues, and start the act afterwards.
3. Oh, Roland always scare the hell out of me whenever he's near Cecile. So, I thought there's some evil plan behind the reason why he was there.
4. "Huh?! Wait, what?! How?!" <--- Exactly like this. But I got thrilled... because I love plot twists and mysteries. Haha
5. I didn't like Genevieve since Stolen Songbird for some reasons. And I didn't like her even more after Cecile started living with her in Hidden Huntress. Genevieve was not the mother Cecile thinks she is (considering we don't know her real identity yet by this time) and I don't trust her for that. So, I didn't trust her tears either. I kind of considered her story to be true as well, but my distrust towards her won over. lol
Danielle wrote: "Karim wrote: "1. I do reread stories before the next ones come out, especially if it has been a while since I saw the last. I don’t know about summaries, though. I tried at first but since I rarely..."What can I say. I love disecting misteries. It's why I'm studying to become a doctor
Mod
Hi Erika!
I think deep down Cecile worries that the reason her mother pseudo-abandoned their family was because of something she'd done, or that she hadn't been good enough. Logically, she knows that her mother isn't a good woman, but her subconscious desire to please Genevieve and to prove her worth sometimes takes over.
Mod
Hi Nicole,
I agree! I hate feeling lost or confused about who is who. I'm always glad when I can find a summary to read.
1. Ummm... I'm not reading the prior books of the series, because usually if the installment come out around the next year, I still remember the main plot of the story. Summaries is good, but only if it's as less as possible, let's move on. I mean, I want to read the next thing that happen after the end on the previous scene.
2. No. Even that Tristan's life on the line, I won't risk the possibility that the trolls freed. After wrote this, I already felt bad, but making promises with the trolls usually end up bad, so... no.
3. The appearance of Roland surprised me. I still don't get why would he came... by Angouleme's order or what? I know he's there to kind of threated Cecile, but after reading Warrior Witch, I'm beginning to wonder his motivation now.
4. Since I've grew fondness on Anaïs, it shock me. Like, really? Why? How? Why so sudden... and yeah, all that denial. I mean, Anaïs is the strongest troll, put aside Tristan. So how could that she died? I want to know how that finally happen (view spoiler)
1. Personally, every time a new book comes out in a series I have to re-read the previous ones. Because i need to refreshing my memory and having the anticipation of starting the new one :D2. If I were Cécile I would probably do what she did. I will try to find out every possible details about her to try to find out where she would go next.
3. I feel weird with Roland's appearance; I felt like it was a really dirty and reckless move on the King's part.
4. All I could think was hmm, I still have lots of mixed feelings about Anais
5. I'Il always believes that a mother's love is very pure; so when Genevieve cried I believes in her
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1. No I don't tend to re-read the previous novel unless in the rare chance I can't remember anything that happens. I'm planning to re-read The Bone Season before reading the Mime Order because I feel like I've forgotten important details when it comes to the world.I also still have to read book #2 and #3 in the Infernal Devices series and I think I'll re-read book #1 because I read it years ago.
I usually get to series late, so I'll read the sequels within the same year, but not one right after the other.
Now I keep a journal and write down everything I liked/disliked about a novel so that helps with my memory.
1. I definitely do have a habit of rereading previous novels before the next installment comes out, and I've already done that with this series too! Even after I've acquired a copy of the new book, I still make sure I read the previous books first because I guess I like the delayed gratification aspect of it. I also do like looking at different types of summaries for both books i'm yet to read and those that i've already read because I like seeing how others would paraphrase the idea of the book into their own words and how it would come from their viewpoint :)2. I would follow the same strategy that Cecile is following right now, that is, I would use my connections as a popular opera singer to scour for Anushka. I would make acquaintances with people higher up on the social ladder and use them to further my search.
3. Roland to me is a bit of a wild card. He could've been there to spy for Angouleme or to scare Cecile away from his brother or to even just amuse himself. But I personally like to think that he was there to rub it in her face that he was the new "king to be" and when she denies that fact, he goes berserk as a result.
4. I wanted to believe Mark, and I kinda did, that Anais was alive, but I have grown suspicious of everything (just like Tristan) so I guess I suspected foul play. I did hope she really was alive, though, because she was a good friend to Tristan and would've been a proper advisory council. I also like the interactions she has with cecile! They were entertaining to read.
5. Personally, I hated Genevieve. While I did think her tears were fake, I wouldn't have cared either way because she annoyed me in a way that no character has been able to in a long while. When she told Cecile about her family history, I knew there was some truth buried in there, but I thought it was fairly obvious that the lady was trying to put herself in a better light. Plus, Cecile actually sympathized with her! I mean, I know she's her mother and all, but I don't understand how she could possibly feel anything positively towards her. I personally take Fred's side when it comes to how they feel about mother dearest.
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Summaries is good, but only..."
Maybe I should write that as an extra - what exactly happened when Anais died!
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2. If ..."
Hi Aretha,
The King definitely doesn't have a problem fighting dirty. He knew seeing Roland would throw Cecile off her game. As far as reckless... I suspect the King was waiting and watching, and that he would've interfered if Cecile had been in real danger. He NEEDS Cecile, so the last thing he'd want was for Roland to kill her.
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Hi Adriyanna,
That's so cool that you keep a journal about the books you read. I wonder, do many bloggers/reviewers do that? I don't write reviews, so it's never been something that crossed my mind to do.
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Hi Shreya,
Genevieve is pretty darn awful, I agree! Selfish, mean, and manipulative. As for why Cecile sympathized with her, I think she has grown up missing her mother and wondering why Genevieve chose to abandon the family. As much as she knows her mother isn't a nice person, I think she's so desperate for there to be a good reason her mother abandoned them, that she'd believe just about anything Genevieve told her. As is the case with many children who are abandoned/neglected by a parent, she wants to have the love, affection, and approval of her mother, and that makes her do things that appear illogical to an outsider.
Danielle wrote: "ShinHyunRin wrote: "1. Ummm... I'm not reading the prior books of the series, because usually if the installment come out around the next year, I still remember the main plot of the story. Summari..."
YESSS!!!!!! please tell us what happened to Anais!!
Oh I SO want to find out why the singing is so important in the series! It's definitely one of my favourite aspects of it! :DI hate anis, so I'm sure that Absinth tastes horribly!
On to the questions:
1. In some cases I reread the prior novels, if I really enjoy the series and if it seems that it will be important to remember details from the previous books. If it's a series in which you only have to remember what happened in general then I won't reread the books. I usually don't read summaries.
2. Hm... Difficult question! I would probably try to find witches like Cécile did, but maybe also look for libraries or public buildings that could have documents with clues in them.
3. I honestly don't remember. I guess I might have thought that he wanted to scare Cécile, not with any particular plan in mind but to have fun at her expense.
4. My immediate thought was "oh no!!" hahaha! That probably makes me a horrible person :b But I never liked her relationship with Tristan, and I feared at that point that with Cécile gone something might happen between the two.
5. I never trusted Genevieve, she always seemed very selfish and manipulative. The fact that she was clearly drugging her own daughter makes me think her tears were not genuine, just an act to make Cécile trust her. (view spoiler)
Danielle wrote: "Adriyanna wrote: "1. No I don't tend to re-read the previous novel unless in the rare chance I can't remember anything that happens. I'm planning to re-read The Bone Season before reading the Mime ..."I used to keep journals about the books I had read when I was in school. A teacher in the 5th grade made us do that to encourage us to read (he demanded a certain amount of books to be read during the year) and I kept the habit for a while. Now I use Goodreads to track which books I've read and if I've liked them (I always write a review when I finish a book).
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I hate anis, so I'm sure that Absinth tastes horribly!
On to the ques..."
Cecile's singing plays a role in Warrior Witch - I hope you enjoy it when you get to that part!
1. The majority of the time I do reread the previous books. Even if it's only been a year. There are so many tiny details that I wouldn't remember and I want the full experience of being back in the world. The only time where I don't do a full re-read is if the series has more than 3 books. Then I will usually read all of my highlights in my kindle from each book.3. I thought that Roland was there to psych out Cecile. That he was to toy with her emotionally so that way she would be easier to manipulate when she met the King. The King always seems to have a solid plan in place and has the ability to make people fit into that plan perfectly.
4. I couldn't understand how she could still be alive after her condition. The only thought that ran through my head was that she had to have made some kind of deal with someone for them to save her.
5. I don't like Genevieve, and I don't believe her emotions. She flips so easily back and forth. After how chapter 5 ended, it solidified my feelings towards her.
Nicole wrote: "Oh I SO want to find out why the singing is so important in the series! It's definitely one of my favourite aspects of it! :DI hate anis, so I'm sure that Absinth tastes horribly!
On to the ques..."
Hey Nicole,
I'm Penny, Danielle's publicist. You've won this section's signed copy of Warrior Witch!
Please contact me on penny.reeve@angryrobotbooks.com so I can arrange getting your copy posted to you.
Thanks,
P
Danielle wrote: "Adriyanna wrote: "1. No I don't tend to re-read the previous novel unless in the rare chance I can't remember anything that happens. I'm planning to re-read The Bone Season before reading the Mime ..."Yes, lots of reviewers keep notes on the books they plan to review, sometimes in a notebook and sometimes in the book. I keep notes on all the books I read, regardless of whether I plan to review it or not.
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1. Most traditionally published YA series have about a year between books. With adult fantasy novels, it’s often several years between books. Do you reread the prior novels before starting the next installment? What about summaries of the prior novels – do you ever look for/read those?
2. If you were Cécile, how would you go about hunting for Anushka?
3. Roland is the first troll waiting for Cecile and Chris when they get to the River Road entrance. What did you think about him being there?
4. Marc drops a pretty big bomb on Tristan when he tells him that Anaïs is still alive. What were you thinking?
5. Factoring in only what you’ve read so far, what did you think about what Genevieve told Cécile about their family history? Were her tears genuine?