Author: Avery

This passage is near the beginning of the book Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin. The protagonist Lou is walking with her friend Ansel whom she sees much like a younger brother.

“She keeps looking at you.” Ansel tripped over a stray limb, nearly landing face-first in the snow. Absalon leapt sleekly from his path.
“Of course she does. I’m objectively beautiful. A masterpiece made flesh.”
Ansel snorted.
“Excuse me?” Offended, I kicked snow in his direction, and he nearly tumbled again. “I don’t think I heard you correctly. The proper response was, ‘Goddess Divine, of course thy beauty is a sacred gift from Heaven, and we mortals are blessed to even gaze upon thy face.’”
“Goddess Divine.” He laughed harder now, brushing the snow from his coat. “Right.” (p.30-31)

I loved this moment between the protagonist and Ansel because it was one of the few moments of lightness in a very loss filled book. Later in the book, Ansel’s life is ended by the mother of the protagonist. His life is lamented by all who knew him well, as he is seen as one of the only characters who was pure and good. Lou, along with almost every other character in this book, grew up in a way which forced them to kill or be killed. It was what kept them alive. I believe Ansel’s death held a greater impact than many other deaths in this book because of the moments of lightness and humour the author allowed the readers to have with him.

In a kingdom where religion rules all, witches are hunted by an elite group of law enforcers called Chasseurs. Lou, a witch in hiding, is a criminal using her witch abilities and learned skills to thieve and steal what she needs. To use the magic of a white witch you must trade for it. Lou brakes her fingers to trade for the magic to unlock doors unlike blood witches who wield the connections that blood holds. Magic has a smell though, and because others can sense when magic is used she very rarely uses it unless absolutely necessary or she deems it safe. She is walking home from a narrow escape after stealing from a well known lord when enemies from her past attack her in the street. She is a very talented fighter and a very capable woman of taking care of herself. This is an excerpt from the attack.

“Wait! Please!” He forced them closed, but I kept pressing, curling my knuckles beneath the lids and into the sockets. “I’m sorry! I-I believe you!”

“Stop!” Grue’s footsteps pounded behind me. “Stop or I’ll-”

“If you touch me, I’ll blind him.”

His footsteps stopped abruptly, and I heard him swallow.

(pp.73)

This scene showed just how powerful Lou is without her power, she was able to fend for herself and subdue two full grown men. She did sustain many injuries but she came out on top, without having to give up her stolen treasures or any information. I love powerful women in books and this scene started off the book with a show of her competence and independence.

 

The book Foxglove by Adalyn Grace (Second book in the Belladonna series) follows the character Signa Farrow through the incredible journey of discovering her otherworldly abilities as the reincarnated embodiment of Life. In the first book it was assumed that Signa was a reaper just the same as her lover, Death. Death’s brother, Fate had previously loved Life for thousands of years in her past life and in the second book has shown his devotion to bringing back her memory of the love they once shared. Fate had just told her of his belief that she was his love reincarnated and has just started to attempt bringing back her memories.

“They say that all is fair in love and war. I have built my trench and brought my rifles, and I have no intention of retreating. I will pursue you until you remember who you are. If that means I need to court you, Signa Farrow, I will. Flowers, promenades, even poetry if that’s what you want. Whatever it is you enjoy, I will learn, and eventually you’ll remember the life we once had.”

This sentiment was memorable because of the determination and intensity that Fate spoke it with. The incomprehensible magnitude of the desire Fate holds for Life to remember the world changing love that they shared struck me with how rare that would be in the real world. I long to see someone who would tear down worlds for the one they love but alas, that is the life of a romance reader. I love the idea of a love so great you would defy Fate or even Death to be with the person you share it with.

Holden, the boy who’s perspective of the Catcher in the Rye is written in is remembering a double date with his roommate Stradlater. Stradlater and his date are in the backseat of Stradlater’s coach’s car. Holden and his date are in the front seat. Holden is recounting the strategy that Stradlater uses on his dates.

His date kept saying, “No-please. Please don’t. Please.” But old Stradlater kept snowing her in this Abraham Lincoln, sincere voice, and finally there’d be this terrific silence in the back of the car.

I was confused as to weather Holden’s roommate is forcing this girl to do something. Thus far in the book there has been no mention of forced affection or anything of the sort. I may be incorrect but Holden does not seem very surprised by the ‘snowing’ of Stradlater’s date. It shows how normalized sexual assault and persuasion might be normalized in this time.

The protagonist Bob (version 2) has been revived as a sentient being using advanced futuristic programming. The book has brought forth unexpected thoughts of what makes something alive. I had not put as much thought into it until I read this book.

“I had three issues that bothered me. Was I conscious? Could I actually consider myself to be alive? And was I still Bob? Philosophers had been going on and on about this type of thing for centuries, but now, for me, it was personal. A human, regardless of their opinion on the subject, could depend on being a human. The minister’s offhand reference to me as ‘it’ and ‘replicant’ had stung at a level I was just now starting to appreciate.”
― Dennis E. Taylor, We are Legion (We are Bob)

Just after Bob had been revived as a replicant he was philosophizing on what made something alive, weather it was the ability to have thoughts or the desire to survive. I found this very interesting and made me wonder what criteria I use to determine weather or not something is alive.