1. Let's get this out of the way at the top so that I don't ask all the questions about it. Dean Priest: worst or worst ever? How much did you want to punch him in the face for lying to Emily about her book being terrible and how much did you want to punch him again when he took advantage of her injury to get her to marry him?
I HATE HIM SO MUCH, I WANT HIM TO DIE A THOUSAND FIERY DEATHS, WORST EVER. Ahem. But no, this book is just like, the culmination of everything that's wrong with Dean and Emily's relationship from the beginning and I HATE that so much of the book is given over to it. Ugh. I hate his face and I've never even seen it.
2. We talked a lot about whether or not the number of suitors Anne had was ridiculous, but I think Emily had way more proposals. How ridiculous did you find them?
The proposals in this book are out of control. I mean, I quite enjoy Emily and think she's pretty awesome, but I'm supposed to believe all the dudes want her? No.
3. Over the course of the book, Ilse, Perry, Emily, and Teddy's friendships grow and stretch and change as time and distance separates them. Did you find it a reasonably realistic portrayal of what can happen to friendships when people scatter to the winds?
I do find it realistic and that's the part of the book that makes me saddest. Distance sucks.
4. Ilse and Emily: how badly did you think that Ilse violated the girl code by agreeing to marry Teddy in the first place? Or did you think she genuinely didn't know/understand how Teddy and Emily felt about each other?
This is the part of the book I never quite get. Like, I know there were complications of distance and communication, but it drives me MAD that Ilse didn't give Emily a heads up that something was going on between her and Teddy before she announces their engagement. Something, anything, a hint, whatever. But that's just a shitty friend thing to do.
5. Which of Emily's books would you rather have read, The Moral of the Rose or A Seller of Dreams?
A Seller of Dreams.
6. Emily calling to Teddy on the Flavian: creepy, romantic, or creepily romantic?
Creepily romantic. I love that scene, but man it gives me goosebumps to think that something like that's possible.
7. How badly did you want to shake both Emily and Teddy over the course of the book? They both knew and yet they never managed to overcome their selves to get it together? Does it make you sad to think about how much time they wasted?
I want to knock their damn heads together for most of the book. YOU STUPID IDIOTS, YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. STOP BEING PROUD AND GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY AND BE HAPPY TOGETHER.
8. Were you reasonably satisfied with how the romantic entanglements sorted themselves out? Do you think that after all that Ilse and Perry and then Teddy and Emily can be happy together?
I'm very satisfied with the way things hook out. As for whether or not they can be happy, I choose to believe they can and consider that sufficient.
9. Finally, how much do you love this line: "Don't tell me you can't love me--you can--you must--why, Emily"--his eyes had met the moonlit brilliance of hers for a moment--"you do."
I WOULD FORGIVE THIS BOOK ANYTHING FOR THAT LINE. I just really love it, okay? I can't speak rationally about it.
YOU STUPID IDIOTS, YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. STOP BEING PROUD AND GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY AND BE HAPPY TOGETHER.
UGH, I hate that it really does come down to that! I mean, Teddy's mom played her part, but they were doing a fine job of messing it up on their own. *sigh*
You got an Emily icon! Had you had that before and I just never noticed?
And yeah, Mrs. Kent did play a part but even after she fessed up Emily's pride still got in the way, because she could have told Teddy what had happened sooner. I don't know. They're such dumb idiots. But they're MY dumb idiots.
I had before, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've used it! And YOU have a Babysitters' Club one! Now I want to overhaul all my icons and make them all book related.
Or, at least, IDK, HINTED at it or something? Especially after the wedding didn't happen.
And, yes, they may frustrate me, but I do love them.
That one's new! toreadabook. I found it this morning. I want to do a big icon overhaul but deleting my icons makes me sad.
Something. I've always wondered if there was a "Phil writes to Gilbert after Anne turns Roy down" situation going on with why Teddy finally comes back.
LMM is very good at the memorable human moments. And I dno't know what it is about the declaration, but it's one of the ones that just sticks with me. Right up there with the Letter in Persuasion, and Darcy's declaration in P&P. It's just, it's his surprise when he realizes it and the obvious joy. Clearly it's excellent.
I HATE HIM SO MUCH, I WANT HIM TO DIE A THOUSAND FIERY DEATHS, WORST EVER. Ahem. But no, this book is just like, the culmination of everything that's wrong with Dean and Emily's relationship from the beginning and I HATE that so much of the book is given over to it. Ugh. I hate his face and I've never even seen it.
2. We talked a lot about whether or not the number of suitors Anne had was ridiculous, but I think Emily had way more proposals. How ridiculous did you find them?
The proposals in this book are out of control. I mean, I quite enjoy Emily and think she's pretty awesome, but I'm supposed to believe all the dudes want her? No.
3. Over the course of the book, Ilse, Perry, Emily, and Teddy's friendships grow and stretch and change as time and distance separates them. Did you find it a reasonably realistic portrayal of what can happen to friendships when people scatter to the winds?
I do find it realistic and that's the part of the book that makes me saddest. Distance sucks.
4. Ilse and Emily: how badly did you think that Ilse violated the girl code by agreeing to marry Teddy in the first place? Or did you think she genuinely didn't know/understand how Teddy and Emily felt about each other?
This is the part of the book I never quite get. Like, I know there were complications of distance and communication, but it drives me MAD that Ilse didn't give Emily a heads up that something was going on between her and Teddy before she announces their engagement. Something, anything, a hint, whatever. But that's just a shitty friend thing to do.
5. Which of Emily's books would you rather have read, The Moral of the Rose or A Seller of Dreams?
A Seller of Dreams.
6. Emily calling to Teddy on the Flavian: creepy, romantic, or creepily romantic?
Creepily romantic. I love that scene, but man it gives me goosebumps to think that something like that's possible.
7. How badly did you want to shake both Emily and Teddy over the course of the book? They both knew and yet they never managed to overcome their selves to get it together? Does it make you sad to think about how much time they wasted?
I want to knock their damn heads together for most of the book. YOU STUPID IDIOTS, YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. STOP BEING PROUD AND GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY AND BE HAPPY TOGETHER.
8. Were you reasonably satisfied with how the romantic entanglements sorted themselves out? Do you think that after all that Ilse and Perry and then Teddy and Emily can be happy together?
I'm very satisfied with the way things hook out. As for whether or not they can be happy, I choose to believe they can and consider that sufficient.
9. Finally, how much do you love this line: "Don't tell me you can't love me--you can--you must--why, Emily"--his eyes had met the moonlit brilliance of hers for a moment--"you do."
I WOULD FORGIVE THIS BOOK ANYTHING FOR THAT LINE. I just really love it, okay? I can't speak rationally about it.
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UGH, I hate that it really does come down to that! I mean, Teddy's mom played her part, but they were doing a fine job of messing it up on their own. *sigh*
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And yeah, Mrs. Kent did play a part but even after she fessed up Emily's pride still got in the way, because she could have told Teddy what had happened sooner. I don't know. They're such dumb idiots. But they're MY dumb idiots.
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Or, at least, IDK, HINTED at it or something? Especially after the wedding didn't happen.
And, yes, they may frustrate me, but I do love them.
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Something. I've always wondered if there was a "Phil writes to Gilbert after Anne turns Roy down" situation going on with why Teddy finally comes back.
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Hmm, I could see that . . . even if it wasn't something as explicit as that, but just someone saying something about Emily that made Teddy try again.
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Or he looked at one of his paintings that were of her? There were lots of options.
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I just wish we'd learned what it was, I guess.
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However, we do have it on good authority that his face isn't nice to look at. STUPID DEAN.
I just really love it, okay? I can't speak rationally about it.
Why do we need to speak rationally about it? I refuse. Rationality is overrated. It's the best thing ever. That is all.
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Hee, you make a fair point. Just, it's honestly one of the greatest declarations I've ever read. Out of everything. That's really quite remarkable.
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