Crossroads of Twilight Thread

[Marie 73]

Well! Tomorrow I should take the book out of my car to give better "notes" although I don't feel right calling them that since I stopped writing down things back at book six.

 

However, I actually am enjoying it so far (about page 300-something). I remember CoT seemed better the second time around (this is my third) but I think that is dependent on reading it right after Winter's Heart, and it doesn't hurt that I know a lot of stuff gets done/comes close to done in book 11.

 

Everyone mother Elayne is still annoying, though.

[Olivia 26]

I think my favorite parts (after the Galina parts) were the Mat/Tuon interactions. They were funny because of how little Mat and Tuon understand each other, yet the sexual tension between them just keeps building. In a way, it kind of felt like Min/Rand all over again, with one partner already "knowing" they will end up as a couple so that partner resigns themselves to just falling in the love with the person they're going to end up with anyway.

[Marie 73]

Except Tuon knew she was going to marry him too, though. I think that is revealed in 11

[Olivia 26]

Oh, right. I forgot about her damane's "fortune telling" or whatever they call it. Silly me!

[Cerendrallion 32]

I assume damane's fortune telling is actually Aes Sedai foretelling, right?

[Kaitlin 22]

I'm pretty sure it's fortelling. The Seanchan are big on fortunetelling of all kinds.

[MierinSedai 0]

However, I actually am enjoying it so far (about page 300-something). I remember CoT seemed better the second time around (this is my third) but I think that is dependent on reading it right after Winter's Heart, and it doesn't hurt that I know a lot of stuff gets done/comes close to done in book 11.

 

Everyone mother Elayne is still annoying, though.

 

I had the same reaction to this book. I remember HATING this book the first time I read it. But coming straight on the heels of Winter's Heart I enjoyed it. WH and CoT read like one book to me. One big awesome book... minus Elayne... the politics of Andor bore me. So do Seafolk and the Kin though I'm pretty sure that's not a popular opinion around here.

 

I've already moved on through Knife of Dreams now but I seem to remember CoT not having too much Rand... that makes any WoT book more bearable.

 

I occasionally have a hard time suspending belief for all of RJ's seriously young characters in positions of Authority. Somehow it flows well for Mat when he's in charge of the band, Perrin is bearable most of the time, but Egwene, Elayne, and Rand make my head hurt.

[Marie 73]

Got my book!

 

Jesain, a woman who would have been short even if she were not Aiel, with a great mass of hair red enough to make fire look pale and a temper to match.

 

Red hair=temper, Kaitlin.

 

Galina was pretty, but nowhere near beautiful, and Faile did not understand what Therava saw in her, unless it was simply the pleasure of dominating an Aes Sedai.

 

First off, Faile is one to talk about beauty, and second I can't help but wonder about the ways Therava would choose to dominate. That and I have to wonder how everyone knows about their, um, relationship. Galina screaming perhaps?

[Kaitlin 22]

Sheriam = gentle!

 

As far as Faile goes maybe she would take yelling as a sign of a healthy relationship. I always thought she was talking about the ways Thevara dominated her in everyday situations just by treating her that way. Who knows with kinky RJ though!

[Marie 73]

I think Galina's looks would only enter the equation if sex was involved somehow.

[Marie 73]

Double posting for the win!

 

When I read in CoT that Bethamin was as dark as Tuon I was pretty damn shocked. I thought she was a blond white woman.

[Kaitlin 22]

Yea, but I still got the impression that Faile was talking about everyday interactions even though she also knew there was sex involved. "Sex" because if Galina didn't want it then it was rape. It is only kinky if Galina gets to choose.

 

I did not see your doublepost! RJ has too many whites! I was glad that Bethamin was dark but not that she got slapped. Then again, she is training to be AS so there is that.

[Olivia 26]

I agree with Marie, they are definitely having sex (in that same Faile PoV, Faile points out that Galina sleeps in Therava's tent) but not in the normal pillowfriend way. I think it really is just the pleasure of dominating for Therava. She publicly humiliates Galina a lot, doing things like calling her "Lina" or "my little Lina" when Aiel never use pet names in public, and I think it's mentioned that she's hung Galina upside down in public for beating and also singed her hair off once. (And Faile wonders something like "That still left the question why Galina stayed when Therava seemed to take everyone opportunity to humiliate her.") And in private Galina says Therava beats her just to take out her anger with Sevanna. I think rough forced sex (I assume it's rough and forced, unless Galina is really kinky =X) is just another way for her to exert power over Galina. Purposefully making sure everyone in the camp knows that Galina is Therava's personal plaything is just another aspect of the humiliation, I think.

 

I didn't hate CoT on the first read-through, I just felt like it was too... reactionary. Basically the whole book was PoV's from everyone and their donkey reacting to the Cleansing (with little pieces here and there of the BA hunt or crap like ghosts appearing and food going bad to emphasize upcoming Arma'geddon). Maybe it was to drive home the point of just how world-changing the Cleansing really was, but it got dull.

[Kaitlin 22]

I agree with Marie, they are definitely having sex (in that same Faile PoV, Faile points out that Galina sleeps in Therava's tent) but not in the normal pillowfriend way. I think it really is just the pleasure of dominating for Therava. She publicly humiliates Galina a lot, doing things like calling her "Lina" or "my little Lina" when Aiel never use pet names in public, and I think it's mentioned that she's hung Galina upside down in public for beating and also singed her hair off once. (And Faile wonders something like "That still left the question why Galina stayed when Therava seemed to take everyone opportunity to humiliate her.")

 

I think I am not making myself well understood. This is what I meant by everyday interactions. I meant that I didn't think Faile was just reacting to the noises of Therava raping Galina. Forced sex is rape. It doesn't matter that Galina doesn't go.

[Marie 73]

Oh I wasn't thinking about Faile referring to noises (that was my own aside) I was only speaking of her thinking about Galina's looks. XD Like, that quote exactly. Does that make sense? The rest of the paragraph I don't think had anything to do with sex so I didn't quote it. One tracked minded and all.

 

Also, I can't imagine anyone wanting to be Therava's lover willingly.