53. Avi, Poppy -- this is a children's book that L read and then passed on to me, because it was about mice and she figured I'd like it. ( I did enjoy it, although not as much as L )
I liked the detail of licking a cub clean in the previous book even when I thought it was a throwaway cultural detail, and I thought it was really neat that it became a major plot point in this one.
Good to know about Silence!
It's not that I want the books to turn shippy -- not at all (I suspect I will find myself annoyed when/if that happens because of how it's likely to work). For me, the cultural exploration is the major payoff (I find the magic hit-and-miss -- some of it works really well for me, but a lot of it, like the whole thing with the personification of water in the previous book, is just tedious. I do like the mystery aspect, definitely! That's actually what I wanted to read when I picked up this series).
My gripe with the lack of forward movement in the relationship with Severn is just that it seems artificial to me, and coy. I guess it's at least justified a little better in CiF with her attempts to tell him more about her past, which seems one of the big roadblocks between them, but not yet being able to do it. But even that seems artificial to me. It reads like the author wanted Severn set up as a potential love interest and then suspended in limbo while all the other -- more important and more interesting, I won't argue -- stuff happens. Severn's too much of a cipher, and Kaylin's relationship with him (romantic, platonic, whatever) is too elided compared to everything else in the books. (I find Nightshade far more interesting, but the status quo there makes a lot more sense to me, thus, no complaints.)
I do really enjoy seeing Kaylin grow through the stories. It's actually hard to believe how little time has passed since the first book, in in-world time, because not only has a lot happened, but she's learned and changed a lot, too.
I actually feel like where she and Severn are is more or less where they were as kids - he's always watching her back, and she's accepting of it. It's a lot more brother/sister at this point than romantic. Which I believe it always was, in a very real way (and not just because they met before puberty). It might, eventually, change. But it'd have to be really well done for me to like the way she handles that.
Plus, Kaylin doesn't really strike me as thinking about romance or sex a lot. In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
I find the Nightshade dynamic interesting as well, but it has a lot more hurdles. But - to me - the best part of that dynamic is just how well he recognizes the people around Kaylin. The line to Severn at the end of CiF, where he tells him to trust Tiamaris because he's doing the same is just precious.
I think you're right about the Severn vibe continuing more brotherly than romantic. Maybe the thing that bugs me is that their relationship doesn't seem to be evolving (platonically OR romantically) where her other relationships definitely are. But it does seem like CiF was at least taking strides in that direction towards the end, so I'll just be patient.
In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
Good to know about Silence!
It's not that I want the books to turn shippy -- not at all (I suspect I will find myself annoyed when/if that happens because of how it's likely to work). For me, the cultural exploration is the major payoff (I find the magic hit-and-miss -- some of it works really well for me, but a lot of it, like the whole thing with the personification of water in the previous book, is just tedious. I do like the mystery aspect, definitely! That's actually what I wanted to read when I picked up this series).
My gripe with the lack of forward movement in the relationship with Severn is just that it seems artificial to me, and coy. I guess it's at least justified a little better in CiF with her attempts to tell him more about her past, which seems one of the big roadblocks between them, but not yet being able to do it. But even that seems artificial to me. It reads like the author wanted Severn set up as a potential love interest and then suspended in limbo while all the other -- more important and more interesting, I won't argue -- stuff happens. Severn's too much of a cipher, and Kaylin's relationship with him (romantic, platonic, whatever) is too elided compared to everything else in the books. (I find Nightshade far more interesting, but the status quo there makes a lot more sense to me, thus, no complaints.)
I do really enjoy seeing Kaylin grow through the stories. It's actually hard to believe how little time has passed since the first book, in in-world time, because not only has a lot happened, but she's learned and changed a lot, too.
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Plus, Kaylin doesn't really strike me as thinking about romance or sex a lot. In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
I find the Nightshade dynamic interesting as well, but it has a lot more hurdles. But - to me - the best part of that dynamic is just how well he recognizes the people around Kaylin. The line to Severn at the end of CiF, where he tells him to trust Tiamaris because he's doing the same is just precious.
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In fact, it's as if these things don't apply to her right now. And that's fine, because in very real ways, she still has a lot of growing up to do.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense.
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