Comments | magisterequitum: day .03

magisterequitum

day .03 - sienna lauren

Dec 03, 2013 12:00

day 3 and i'm still on schedule!

Caro/dreamywriter19 asked me to talk about Sienna Lauren, and since I made her read this series, after others made me read this series, I couldn't be more happy to talk about her. I will try to keep this post from devolving into a mass of incoherent feelings. But I make no promises.

( I'm the monster under the bed. )

holiday topic calendar, book: psy changeling

Comments 14

rosaxx50 December 4 2013, 00:21:09 UTC

Lol I'm with you, if I were forced to choose one favourite character there is a clear choice for #1

I think watching other shows have really put Sienna's characterization into sharp relief for me. There are parts of her that are a mystery -- her powers, her training -- and yet we always feel like we know her. Sienna herself isn't a mystery.

I also really like what you say about her isolation. She is feared and afraid, stronger and more vulnerable than many of the other characters we meet. On a personal level, I actually really love that she breaks the mold as a female character with an active, martial ability.

(We could get sidetracked a lot about talking about the AU I want/am writing where she doesn't defect along with her family and stays for their safety and becomes that ultimate weapon).

O_O this sounds exciting.

Oh yeees, that wonderful Margaret Atwood quote. DEVOURING WITHOUT GUILT WHICH IS ALSO AN ART.

AND SHE GETS IT ( ... )

magisterequitum December 4 2013, 00:50:15 UTC

I think I was doomed from the start to love her most in the best possible way.

There are parts of her that are a mystery -- her powers, her training -- and yet we always feel like we know her. Sienna herself isn't a mystery.

YES. Exactly, which actually I think takes a bit of reflection to get? Or at least till we get her definitive POV in her own book, and really it's not her herself. She very much knows what she wants or dreams to have and dares to want. It's the things that have made her up and shaped her which aren't clear and are murky. Which I sort of love from a storytelling perspective. Especially since here it's done so well.

On a personal level, I actually really love that she breaks the mold as a female character with an active, martial ability.I love that too. I was wondering for a while if we would get someone with an ability a bit more terrifying than a Tk, or even Judd's very detailed fine ability to affect blood and organs and skin and cells ( ... )

rosaxx50 December 4 2013, 09:01:12 UTC

And then literally we get a girl who can melt your bones from your flesh in the time it takes her to blink. Who is made up of fire. I'm so happy it was her and a female. (Also I'm obsessed with knowing more about the two named female Arrows that we have. The one we meet in book 11 and then the one Siohn who is the foreseer Arrow that rivals Faith in abilities; I want to learn more about female Arrows, PLEASE, and how they operate inside the structure if it's any different or if there are stereotypes or what).

Mhm. While I go back and forth on whether I like the more recent books better, per say, I really appreciate that the world's expanding, and romantic tropes and gender roles are being muddied. Yes, I'd love to see more of Zarra (I think it's Zarra?). I don't seem to recall a foreseer female Arrow, though? Hm.

That sounds like an awesome AU -- and, actually, imagine how far it would spiral for everyone. Would Judd still be able to disrupt the PsyNet in book 1, enough for Sasha's plan? Would Kaleb still rise to power quite so ( ... )

magisterequitum December 4 2013, 13:39:31 UTC

I love so much that she's expanding the world and we get to see so much more. I'm excited for Book 13 because based on it's premise it seems that we'll be getting even more. Which I'm so here for.

Zarra! Yes that's her name. Sione (I misspelled earlier) pops up first in Faith's book. It's in Kaleb's book that she gets mentioned again as an Arrow; she actually gets mentioned, if I remember, that she's one of the best "trackers" the Arrows have, which makes me wonder if her foresight abilities are geared toward that for the Arrows.

Yes! Exactly. The AU lets me play with so much and I'm super excited to work on it after finals. :) So hopefully everyone can enjoy it.

empressearwig December 4 2013, 01:07:38 UTC

I am still endlessly fascinated by the ways in which Sienna's backstory sometimes contradicts each other. Like, she was clearly always meant to be a crucial part of the series, both as a character and in her relationship with Hawke which is set up for NINE BOOKS. But some of the details don't mesh, like the stuff in Judd's book where she's just presented as someone that Ming wanted as his protege, not someone that Ming came and took when she was five years old. Considering how detailed Nalini Singh's bible for this series is, it's just strange to me the things that changed.

BUT SIENNA LAUREN, LOVE OF MY LIFE. She's just so great. Everything about her is so great.

magisterequitum December 4 2013, 01:15:04 UTC

You know I am still bugging on that too. And the options are ( ... )

empressearwig December 7 2013, 00:57:18 UTC

I DO think that some of it can be explained away with the Laurens just lying to each other, like the reveal that Sienna had done that op before, that was something that Judd never knew. But Judd does know that she was with Ming, because remember that scene where Hawke asks if Sienna knew she was going to get out and Judd loses it and throws a paper opener into the wall? There's something in there about her spending all of her time with Ming.

Which, that's another thing. Just how long were Judd and Walker planning this? And was Kristine ever involved? Why, if having children was going to be a problem for getting out, did Walker sign a reproduction contract in the first place? Don't get me wrong, I'm super glad that Marlee exists, but it's just an interesting choice from a dude that was playing a long game of defection.

(The comment has been removed)

magisterequitum December 4 2013, 13:35:33 UTC

:D

JUST WAIT AND LOOK AT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO!!!!

and then we can return to this.

magisterequitum December 4 2013, 13:40:55 UTC

but from what I've seen, that Margaret Atwood quote is P E R F E C T for Sienna. Ever since her conditioning crumbled when she met Hawke, Sienna longed to absorb life. And I love that she gets to do it. She gets to experience the beautiful things in life and the not so beautiful, but that's because she gets to live

When I saw it come across my dash one day, I made a noise. Because I'd seen it before, I'm familiar with Atwood, but I'd not made the connection. AND THEN I DID.

and my life is a lot of Sienna Lauren feelings.

tosca1390 December 4 2013, 04:33:11 UTC

ROLL ME AROUND IN THIS POST AND LET ME LIVE IN THIS FOREVER

SIENNA, BB GIRL. SO LARGE OF HEART AND SO SURE OF POWER. JESUS CHRIST.

SHE GETS TO LOVE ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS FOR DECADES.

JORDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

magisterequitum December 4 2013, 13:36:49 UTC

I was so upset in her book because, you know despite all "happy" endings in previous ones, EVERYTHING LOOKED SO BLEAK for so long on her living through it and I was like NOOOOOOO.

But now she does!! She does get to have decades to figure out a life for herself. And what she wants and doesn't want and she gets a family to do it with.

torigates December 9 2013, 14:58:06 UTC

I love you describing her as hungry. That's so apt and I love the way she just goes NOPE I'M ALL IN and just goes for the things she wants and needs and the way she's learning to live with that and accept it's an acceptable way of life. SO GREAT.

magisterequitum December 9 2013, 15:07:19 UTC

I JUST LOVE HER SOOOO MUCH. IT'S EMBARRASSING.

but yes it really struck me on one of my re-reads of that book that she is so desperately hungry for EVERYTHING. AND IS LIKE NO MINE NOW. THIS IS MINE. YOU'RE MINE. THIS IS ALL MINE AND NO ONE ELSE TOUCH OR TAKE AWAY. or literally set you on fire for it. lol.