The Jamey Dodger Society

[ninedaysaqueen]

For prevention of cruelty to reprobates.

Current Members
ninedaysaqueen
smallsotong
inkasrain
an_english_girl
dannybailey
filkferengi
mikkaybear
agh_4
frosted_feather

*rings gong*

I call to order the first meeting of the Jamey Dodger Society, a group for those who have read a "Thick as Thieves" arc or want to become as spoiled as Varuca Salt.

Comments

[inkasrain]

These are all excellent prompts, but all I can think about is the miscarriage. Kamet's scene with Irene at the end made me cry.

[ninedaysaqueen]

THAT POEM!

That was such a perfect scene. I can tell Kamet really respects Irene, and she was being really sweet too. Such a melancholy scene. One of my favorites in the book.

I do have a working theory that maybe the baby didn't die and was sent away. Everything is from Kamet's POV and thus has to be taken with a grain of salt. He's not nearly as clueless as poor Costis though.

[inkasrain]

...Huh. That's... very interesting. The poem made me think that Irene was saying goodbye to her child, but there is the whole "We will welcome her when she comes again" thing...

You have confused me, NDQ!

[ninedaysaqueen]

I'm confusing myself going back and forth. Is it a double bluff or a triple bluff? Is it just in my head? Of course, I wrote a fic once in which Irene was thinking about sending her baby away for safe keeping, so maybe I'm biased. We shall see in the next book!

[inkasrain]

I'm suddenly wondering what exactly Costis was doing while he was "visiting his family" at the end of the book...

[ninedaysaqueen]

ZOMG! That's so true. I'm sure there was a cover story for when he was gone to get Kamet as well!

It would be a sensible political move, as their heir would be safe from danger. Also a sensible parental move as their child would be safe from danger.

[inkasrain]

It's true, but I do feel like there could be the potential for a whole lot of confusion there. False princes and dubious claimants are a bad business, and awfully likely if a child is sent away from absolutely infancy.

[ninedaysaqueen]

Yes, there are problems in the long term much like the Princes in the Tower. As well as admiting you lied to your entire country.... Awkward!

I could only see them sending a healthy child away if the concerns of short term safty outweighed the long term complications. I mostly thought it was wishful thinking, but the Gitta Kingsdaughter detail on the map has me thinking, esspecially after the confirmation that the baby was a girl!

We shall see! Maybe, they will have another daughter.

[an_english_girl]

But would Gen do that to Irene? I don't know. I want to hope you're right, and I want to hope you're not :/ And I want Books 6 & 7 right now!
Greedy, aren't we?
'When she comes again' made me wonder which of the gods in the Eddisian pantheon brings babies? Moira? The one who spoke to Gen at the end of QoA?

[ninedaysaqueen]

I'm sure they would've made the decision together. :)

Right now, this is in the realm of wild speculation and circumstantial interpretation, but you never know!

[freenarnian]

I had a theory back when everyone was reacting/theorizing about Gen's illness in KoA, that he was bluffing in order to hide the real reason(s) there were so many doctors visiting the palace. I wasn't sure what those reasons were, though. (Irene's pregnancy? Confusing the Medes?)

So, now, Kamet describing both Gen AND Irene as being in fragile health threw me off balance a little. (Irene? Fragile? Since when?!)

I'm honestly not sure what to make of it all. You'd think there'd be more alarm among Gen and Irene's intimate acquaintances and less talk of Gen being at the forefront of a long and glorious reign (resulting in a "golden age") if everyone knew and/or could see both Gen and Irene were at risk of keeling over off their thrones!

[ext_2808369]

I AM SO GLAD to find (however belatedly) that I was not the only person for whom this was their first theory on finishing TaT. I've been shoving it at everyone I know who's read the book and expressed Great Sadness over Irene's miscarriage ever since.

To me, the whole thing hinges on on the "We will welcome her when she comes again" line, as has already been mentioned here and in the other discussion. Not only because Irene has no reason to believe in reincarnation, seeing that a) we've seen zero mention or implication that reincarnation is a facet of Attolian religion, and b) Irene is famously NOT devout when it comes to the gods, but also because even people who DID believe in reincarnation would not believe that a miscarried baby would later be reincarnated into the same family as her own sisterSo how else could Irene possibly recognize her lost baby, let alone welcome her when she comes again, unless her coming again is in the most literal and not-at-all mystical sense? It might not be a safe time for the baby to be with Gen and

[frosted_feather]

That scene was beautiful. I also teared up upon hearing the news at first. That moment is also one where we see a very tender side of Irene that we usually don't. And with so few words as well.