Week 3: pages 110 -156 (week 10: 5th - 11th of March)

[Taake]

Welcome to week three and getting into the story for real! Or do we? (posting a day in advance because I might not have time tomorrow)

Some questions for discussion, as always, feel free to ignore these or add your own. 🙂

• Does it feel strange how Lyse talks about Echo Park? It's as if she hasn't been there in 50 years, but realyl she just left for college a couple of years ago?
• Do you think Eleanora magically compelled Lyse to go to college?
• What did you think about the dog attacking? Was it scary?
• I asked this last time, but - Eleanora is asking Lyse not just to be a part of the coven but to lead the coven, again - was it irresponsible of her to keep it a secret for so long? Do you not need a lot of skills to be a leader?
  
• Ehm... what did you think about the "initation ritual"? Did you expect it?
• Did you think the other person in the ritual was a twist or predictable?
  
• Do you like Eleanoras back story? Does it contribute to the story or slow it down?
• The end of the final chapter.... that took a bit of a dark turn, or what do you guys think? Is the book surprising you?

🙂

 

[Taake]

I still think it's kind of dumb that Eleanora hasn't told Lyse until now since she is after all, expected to lead and she knows nothing about magic or witchcraft... I wouldn't want her to be my leader. Just saying.

As for the initiation and the smut... I didn't like it. First of all it was as though Benson couldn't decide if she wanted to write it poetically or vulgarly, so she starts with "manhood" then jumps to the rooster, so to speak, and makes use of words like blossoming p's etc... It was a bit meh for me. Also I hate book-sex that's like literally mind blowing and amazing. I don't know why, it just bores me.

I suppose it's supposed to be a "charming" take on the old rumors that witches slept with the devil, only here it's the "horned god" and it's in balance with the universe or something, so it's not like it's the devil, but still... the whole to be a witch you have to sleep with the horned god did not work for me. Also, is the guy posing as the horned god always the same? Because Lizbeth is his sister? I need answers, and also gross!

I think Eleanoras backstory is pretty well written and the ending of the chapter surprised me, but for me at least, it slows down the story. Is this book about Eleanora or Lyse? I'm not sure I care all that much about Eleanora's background... but I suppose it might have a point on the bigger plot later on?

 

[Grace]

Does it feel strange how Lyse talks about Echo Park? It's as if she hasn't been there in 50 years, but really she just left for college a couple of years ago?

I guess I'm chalking that up to the dream experiences she had? Some of her "memories" feel like they happened a really long time ago.

Do you think Eleanora magically compelled Lyse to go to college?

I haven't gotten that impression, but I'm not sure.

What did you think about the dog attacking? Was it scary?

Yes, that stuff gets to me. I was bitten by a big dog once and had a close call another time.

I asked this last time, but - Eleanora is asking Lyse not just to be a part of the coven but to lead the coven, again - was it irresponsible of her to keep it a secret for so long? Do you not need a lot of skills to be a leader?

Yes. It wasn't a good plan. But since it's hereditary to some degree, it doesn't seem like anyone else could fill the role anyway. It seems like Lyse is super special in some way.

Ehm... what did you think about the "initiation ritual"? Did you expect it?

I didn't expect it, but I wasn't a big fan. Seemed very cliche to me.

Did you think the other person in the ritual was a twist or predictable?

Totally predictable. We'd only met one guy!

Do you like Eleanoras back story? Does it contribute to the story or slow it down?

At this point, there's not really that much plot going on. Eleanora's back story has drawn me in more than some of the other parts, so I'm OK with it.

The end of the final chapter.... that took a bit of a dark turn, or what do you guys think? Is the book surprising you?

Not necessarily big surprises, but it's intriguing enough to keep me going. I think this might be building up to Hessika's ghost becoming a bigger part of the story, which is appealing to me.

Post automatically merged: Mar 13, 2018

Also, is the guy posing as the horned god always the same? Because Lizbeth is his sister? I need answers, and also gross!

I think it's supposed to be your true love, or some such. Remember Dev was telling Annabelle that when she was initiated, she wasn't sure if it was going to be her now-husband as the horned god or that other guy she had dated?

Post automatically merged: Mar 13, 2018

Whoops, I meant Arrabelle. (Getting her confused with the Potential who died in Season 7.)

 

[Mr Trick]

Does it feel strange how Lyse talks about Echo Park? It's as if she hasn't been there in 50 years, but really she just left for college a couple of years ago?

Have to be honest and say I haven't noticed her talking about it as if it was alien to her, but that's just me. It could just be the writer trying to get across that effect of things feeling different to Lyse because of the changes in her personal life. Also going to college is a change in someone's life. So maybe throwing back into hometown life after two years away might be seen as an adjustment.

Do you think Eleanora magically compelled Lyse to go to college?
No.

What did you think about the dog attacking? Was it scary?
Yes, that was effective. Also, the Dog added an element was mystery to the story.

I asked this last time, but - Eleanora is asking Lyse not just to be a part of the coven but to lead the coven, again - was it irresponsible of her to keep it a secret for so long? Do you not need a lot of skills to be a leader?
Again I think her decision was partly based on expecting to have more time to talk things over with Lyse and that her illness has caught her off guard. As time have moved on I think she owned it to Lyse to have been a bit more honest and discussed these issues.

Ehm... what did you think about the "initiation ritual"? Did you expect it?
Was a bit of a cliche and weak. Didn't really grab my attention. I think maybe those moments have been the weak parts of the novel. Don't think its added a lot of originality to the idea of Witches in fiction. Think Benson has fallen back on a lot of the "Mother Earth" ideals of the genre.


Did you think the other person in the ritual was a twist or predictable?
Not sure I expected it to be a guy, but if it was then yeah it was likely to be him.

Do you like Eleanoras back story? Does it contribute to the story or slow it down?
Think its improved yes. From the start she has not been one of my favourite characters. I wouldn't say that's changed, but certainly the backstory has given her a bit more depth.

The end of the final chapter.... that took a bit of a dark turn, or what do you guys think? Is the book surprising you?
Probably the same as @Grace it was decent enough to keep me adsorbed. It was nothing groundbreaking, but it's something that makes me wonder the direction of the book from here.