Today is week two of our readalong of book #3 of Emma Newman’s Split Worlds series, All is Fair.  The schedule is below, all welcome and please be aware of potential spoilers lurking below.

1. We finally meet the Sorcerer of Mercia (Rupert?) – He is VERY different to Ekstrand. Not only does he seem younger and more adaptable to the modern world, he seems comfortable working with scholars from and In the Nether! As we compare and contrast the two Sorcerers, what does this say about Ekstrand – and does it change our views of his actions, behavior and decisions? Is he completely bonkers?

I think Ekstrand is completely bonkers and meeting Mercia has finally made it even more apparent.  I think Ekstrand is afraid of change or anything modern – perhaps he’s one of the reasons that the Nether stays so olde world – I don’t really know to be honest but I don’t trust Ekstrand at the moment.  He comes across as just plain harmless and dotty but I’m not sure I buy into it.

2. Cornelius and Amelia have been well and truly rumbled – Will knows how badly he’s been manipulated by the siblings, and exactly how! Do you think that either or both of the siblings might bounce back somehow? What about Will and Amelia’s baby? Did Amelia benefit inadvertently from the “help” Will received from Lord Iris’s faerie? If Amelia benefited, Why didn’t Cathy?

I never even considered Amelia benefitting from Lord Iris’s faerie in that way – although I’m sure Cathy wouldn’t have seen it as beneficial!  I don’t think this is the last we’ll see of at least Amelia – not sure about Cornelius.  Amelia is very calculating I think.

3. Skullduggery and Subterfuge! Sam has uncovered Leanne’s secrets and mission – Cathy is unearthing the secrets and like minded thinkers that Miss Rainer has kept hidden. Margritte and Bartholomew seem to have been likely allies to Cathy’s cause – is it possible Lord Iris/Poppy and the other Fae are Intentionally manipulating events to keep the current status quo/gender in-equality in Londinium? If So, to what end? As for Sam – what is he going to do with his new knowledge about Leanne or her findings?

I don’t really know – things definitely seem to be coming out of the woodwork now.  I don’t know what the fae are playing at to be honest.  It feels a little like the Nether is being kept from progressing somehow – like as though keeping it in it’s current status makes it easy to manipulate people or something.

4. Where do you think the main characters are going to go now? Will Cathy meet Rupert? Will Rupert destroy Ekstrand? Will any more/new hidden players in this drama come into the center stage?

Well, I hope Ekstrand’s plot to kill Rupert doesn’t work.  I don’t know much about Rupert but I think Ekstrand’s plot to kill him is terrible!  We don’t know that this Rupert has done anything wrong after all.  It’s all speculation on Ekstrand’s part and makes me suspicious of him.

5. So much happened in this weeks chapters It was hard just limiting my questions to the above – What did you find to be the most interesting event/revelation? Or is there anything else you want to talk about?

I thought this week’s chapters were very intriguing.  I’m still not sure that I really have a handle on what’s going on so I keep jumping to all sorts of crazy conclusions.

I thought Cathy’s visit was very interesting – particularly that it seems like maybe a few of the wives in the Nether are unhappy and are having charms used on them to keep them all in line.  Kind of puts you in mind of the Stepford Wives or something.