Ashes comments 58-67
My comments on chapters 58 - 67 are below the cut. I'm just posting away today apparently. :)
Topic of the Week: Roger wakes in the night knowing he killed Harry Boble. Do you think it would be easier not knowing who it was regardless of the reasoning behind the killing?
It might be, but I would think killing, no matter the reason, would be hard to deal with.
Thoughts and Topics:
1. Don’t you feel terrible for Bobby when he pleads for Lizzie’s hand in marriage?
Not overly. It is sad, but not unexpected.
2. Claire, Bree, Lizzie and Marsali go to check on the MacNeills and we discover they are dying of dehydration. It really shocks you when reading that such a thing was so dangerous back then?
I think I've read enough about the time period that it's not so shocking. Extremely sad though since Claire might have been able to prevent their deaths.
3. When Bree asks for the sulfuric acid, Malva remembers her mother had some and her facial expression suggests anger and sadness. Thoughts about her mother? Any?
Seems strange, but I'm not sure what to think. Could be why Malva is so interested in medical stuff. I'm not sure what all you can do with it to really have any reasonable thoughts on what her mother might have been about.
4. Doesn’t Claire’s description of her heart make you think of when she turns inward to check her health?
It didn't at the time.
5. Claire is seeing Jamie and Bree in her delirium but also says there are people she doesn’t know? Any thoughts?
Perhaps her parents? Although you'd think she might know that it was them.
6. Claire dies but sees Malva comforting Jamie and returns to her body. What is up with the Malva thing?
My first thought was that may be why Malva says she'll never marry. She's in love with Jamie. I did love the image of Jamie at the window before that. Even though I knew Claire couldn't die, there is another book and she's in it, it still made me very sad knowing that she almost did leave him.
7. What was your reaction to Claire’s hair being gone? Jamie cried when seeing it.
I felt badly for her and angry at Mrs. Bug and (was it Lizzie or Malva?) for doing it.
8. Didn’t you just love the description of Roger saving and baptizing Henri-Christian?
Yes, I did.
9. What was your reaction to the fact that Fergus tried to kill himself and his reasoning?
I just shook my head, not all that surprised. He's been a coward for some time so taking what he thinks is the easy out isn't shocking.
10. Jamie told Fergus he had to stay alive, if not for himself, then for those who need him. Jamie doesn’t think he was talking about Fergus. What does this tell you about Jamie’s reaction to Claire’s illness?
That he was quite afraid of losing her, but that too isn't a surprise.
11. Claire goes off to the Christie’s. She tells Tom that their illness was nothing like the flux and they haven’t been around each other. What were your thoughts on this?
The whole encounter was rather amusing. I'm just wondering what it was they did get, if it was really meningitis as Claire suspects, which is rather scary.
12. Tom walks her home and tells her if she wishes to ask intrusive and bothersome questions, he can’t stop her. Softening?
I laughed out loud over that as I was walking to the library. Yes, I do believe that perhaps he is and has been for a little while.
13. Tom enjoys Claire being scolded?
Another amusing moment.
14. I loved when Claire tells Jamie that calluses on a man’s hands are erotic. Do you agree with her?
I'm not sure. I think it might depend on the man and maybe even how he got them.
Topic of the Week: Roger wakes in the night knowing he killed Harry Boble. Do you think it would be easier not knowing who it was regardless of the reasoning behind the killing?
It might be, but I would think killing, no matter the reason, would be hard to deal with.
Thoughts and Topics:
1. Don’t you feel terrible for Bobby when he pleads for Lizzie’s hand in marriage?
Not overly. It is sad, but not unexpected.
2. Claire, Bree, Lizzie and Marsali go to check on the MacNeills and we discover they are dying of dehydration. It really shocks you when reading that such a thing was so dangerous back then?
I think I've read enough about the time period that it's not so shocking. Extremely sad though since Claire might have been able to prevent their deaths.
3. When Bree asks for the sulfuric acid, Malva remembers her mother had some and her facial expression suggests anger and sadness. Thoughts about her mother? Any?
Seems strange, but I'm not sure what to think. Could be why Malva is so interested in medical stuff. I'm not sure what all you can do with it to really have any reasonable thoughts on what her mother might have been about.
4. Doesn’t Claire’s description of her heart make you think of when she turns inward to check her health?
It didn't at the time.
5. Claire is seeing Jamie and Bree in her delirium but also says there are people she doesn’t know? Any thoughts?
Perhaps her parents? Although you'd think she might know that it was them.
6. Claire dies but sees Malva comforting Jamie and returns to her body. What is up with the Malva thing?
My first thought was that may be why Malva says she'll never marry. She's in love with Jamie. I did love the image of Jamie at the window before that. Even though I knew Claire couldn't die, there is another book and she's in it, it still made me very sad knowing that she almost did leave him.
7. What was your reaction to Claire’s hair being gone? Jamie cried when seeing it.
I felt badly for her and angry at Mrs. Bug and (was it Lizzie or Malva?) for doing it.
8. Didn’t you just love the description of Roger saving and baptizing Henri-Christian?
Yes, I did.
9. What was your reaction to the fact that Fergus tried to kill himself and his reasoning?
I just shook my head, not all that surprised. He's been a coward for some time so taking what he thinks is the easy out isn't shocking.
10. Jamie told Fergus he had to stay alive, if not for himself, then for those who need him. Jamie doesn’t think he was talking about Fergus. What does this tell you about Jamie’s reaction to Claire’s illness?
That he was quite afraid of losing her, but that too isn't a surprise.
11. Claire goes off to the Christie’s. She tells Tom that their illness was nothing like the flux and they haven’t been around each other. What were your thoughts on this?
The whole encounter was rather amusing. I'm just wondering what it was they did get, if it was really meningitis as Claire suspects, which is rather scary.
12. Tom walks her home and tells her if she wishes to ask intrusive and bothersome questions, he can’t stop her. Softening?
I laughed out loud over that as I was walking to the library. Yes, I do believe that perhaps he is and has been for a little while.
13. Tom enjoys Claire being scolded?
Another amusing moment.
14. I loved when Claire tells Jamie that calluses on a man’s hands are erotic. Do you agree with her?
I'm not sure. I think it might depend on the man and maybe even how he got them.