So for the second week I’m taking part in a readalong of the Wee Free Men, being hosted by Little Red Reviewer and Dab of Darkness.  If you haven’t joined in the fun, dont fash yeself,  it’s never too late to start, especially as we’re going to continue the fun with book No.2.  However, if you haven’t read the Wee Free Men read no further as spoilers are contained below.

1.  Do you think Tiffany will be able to hold up her end of the bargain that she made with the Kelda?

Actually, I’m beginning to think that Tiffany could do anything she really put her mind to.  So far she hasn’t been fooled – she might have to take a timeout to think about things but she seems to manage okay – although there isn’t much witchcraft involved so far I’m sure there will be when it’s good and necessary.  As to whether she can hold up her end of the bargain with the Kelda – I would say it’s only a temporary measures.  After all, she’s not really going to marry one of the Wee Men and have hundreds of little blue skinned wee men is she?  And that does seem to be a bit of an essential requirement for a Kelda!  I hope she’s not going to marry one of them anyway!!

2.Do you think Tiffany and Fion will ever be friends?

Not sure about Tiffany and Fion being friends, well not yet anyway.  There’s a good deal of resentment from Fion at the moment although I’m sure she’ll get over this and eventually realise she doesn’t want to stay in a clan with all her brothers!  Maybe when she get’s her own clan – perhaps then they may become friends.  Who knows, she may become one of Tiffany’s allies.

3. What do you think of the Queen’s world? How does this interpretation of Fairyland mesh with other interpretations you’ve run into in other books?

The Queen’s world is an odd one.  It definitely puts me in mind of other interpretations and yet at the same time seems fairly unique.  I suppose the obvious comparison is the queen in the Narnia stories – simply for the snow – although the reason behind the snow was given a reasonable explanation I thought.  I like the way that everything comes into sharper focus when Tiffany is looking at it – like the trees for example, as if they get all self conscious and feel they need to do better and I also think it’s a funny notion that they may be walking through a small forest that just keeps moving forward with them!  There were definitely tones of Labyrinth as well – thinking in particular of two particular scenes – the one where she is back in the kitchen at home – felt very similar to when the young girl in Labyrinth finds herself back in her bedroom surrounded by her things.  The other scene was at the masked ball.  And yet, even though these scenes make me think of Labyrinth I still feel that the Queen’s realm feels quite unique.  I liked the way that nothing there is real but borrowed from elsewhere and I also thought the whole dream scenes idea was intriguing.

4. What do you think of Roland? Will he be a help to Tiffany or a hindrance?

Not sure what to make of Roland yet.  It seems as though he may have been trapped in Fairy too long to ever really recover.  Although maybe Tiffany will be able to turn it around.  He seems fairly harmless at this point although there’s always the possibility that he could prove a hindrance without ever meaning to alternately I can see him being helpful in a totally none intended way but just by stumbling upon something.  So, I’ve covered all outcomes there haven’t I?

5. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want to run into a Drome!

The Drome’s are a great invention.  Really creepy – even the way they continue to change and manipulate the dream even whilst Tiffany is in it.  The scene where they’re following her through the forest and she’s all alone was quite sinister.

I love the humour in the book – in fact I found it really picked me up earlier in the week when I started reading.