Today is week two of our Rosemary and Rue readalong arranged by Lisa from Over the Effing Rainbow.  I’ve been looking forward to reading this and so far it’s really living up to my expectations – this week’s chapters were great so I apologise for going overboard with the questions – but I had things on my mind and I needed answers!!

The schedule is as follows and it’s definitely not too late to join in so go and grab a copy – or if you’re already read it dive in with the comments:

Week 1: Saturday 9th January, Chapters 1-6, hosted by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow
Week 2: Saturday 16th January, Chapters 7-14, hosted by moi at Lynn’s Books
Week 3: Saturday 23rd January, Chapters 15-20, hosted by Anya at On Starships and Dragonwings
Week 4: Saturday 30th January, Chapters 21-End, hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow (still me!)

All are welcome to join in and there’s a discussion page over on Goodreads if that makes it easier to join.  Without further ado here are the questions and answers with a word of warning that spoilers will be lurking below:

1. We finally get to meet Devin and Sylvester. They’ve both played important roles in Toby’s life. What were your initial impressions of both of them and the worlds in which they live. What were your first thoughts about them?  

I think I need more information about Devin and this whole setup of his because at the moment I’m not totally sure I understand what it’s all about.  He obviously has an interest in Toby (and by interest – I mean ‘an interest’!)  I can’t quite make my mind up at the moment if he’s being portrayed as a bit sleazy and dangerous but really he isn’t – or maybe really he is!  It’s interesting that he surrounds himself with slightly more vulnerable and younger types – so, he either has a heart of gold but likes to give off a ‘don’t mess with me attitude’ as a cover or he finds it easier to play the boss in this way.  I don’t really get the feeling it’s the latter.  Or maybe I’m just hoping that there’s more to him if you scratch the surface as at the moment I didn’t immediately dislike him or anything – although he has made something of a pact with Toby which I think she may regret.

Sylvester – he seemed to be so genuinely pleased, nay thrilled, to see Toby – twirling her around and grinning, acting all concerned, etc.  But, at the back of my mind, and I’m not saying I distrust him – but I can’t help wonder why he didn’t make the effort to go and see Toby himself when he knew she was alive – he kept sending messages.  I know, I know, he shouldn’t have to run his own errands – but even so.

Do you remember the whole scene in LoTR where Frodo and Sam first meet Strider and Sam says something along the line of trusting him because he looks foul but feels fair – well, it kind of makes me think… maybe sometimes things look fair but feel foul.

That being said, I liked Sylvester.  Okay, I’m just going to go away and debate  (argue with myself) some more.

2. I’m totally intrigued by the Hope Chest – do you have any ideas about what exactly it is and what might be the significance of it being found?

Well, I have a notion that it somehow increases the magical abilities of the changelings – which is why they’re drawn to it like iron filings to a magnet.  Now, the only reason I thought that is because Toby seemed of a sudden to be able to conjure things more easily, for example, her human appearance or her fancy pants dress when she appeared in Sylvester’s court.  That could of course be a complete clanger but I thought I’d chuck it out there.  You can see why the fae would want to keep it hidden as it certainly would tip the balances a little.  So, not to enjoy my own idea too much – I was then, on the other hand thinking of the name – A Hope Chest – is this a play on words or is this chest genuinely going to give hope to those that find it.  Can’t wait to find out.

3. Tybalt – I was curious as to Toby’s reasoning to trust him with the Hope Chest – what do you think?

I guess it goes back to the Strider/Frodo scenario above.  Can you really trust Tybalt.  Is he foul or fair?  I actually think you can.  I’m not sure that I totally agree with Toby’s reasoning.  But, maybe underneath it all she trusts Tybalt more than she wants to admit.  After all there’s a fine line between love and hate and these two do seem to be getting in each other’s faces so far.  Plus, there was that whole ‘rescuing Toby from the coming dawn scene’!  *waggles eyebrows* – come on, he could have just left her to it methinks!

4. We experience the reaction of other members of the fae to the murder of Evening and Toby telling them about the Queen’s reactions – did their reactions give you any clues at all??

Yes, they did – but now I’ve forgotten in what way!  Well, not totally (but why oh why don’t I make some notes occasionally!).  Okay, it was interesting that everyone seemed to be puzzled by the Queen’s reactions to Evening’s murder.  It seems to be genuinely felt that maybe she’s going a little crazy.  Personally, it feels like she’s almost afraid – that could be totally off kilter but she feels like the ostrich with her head in the sand at the moment.  She has her hands over her ears and is singing ‘lalalalalalal’ to stop from hearing anything.  Which just makes me puzzled.  She’s powerful isn’t she.  Surely she wants to know who murdered Evening – unless she does know and is scared.  Why, oh why, am I making all these highfalutin guesses!  Simply to give you all a giggle.

5. What were your thoughts on Raysel and Luna?

You know – my immediate feelings with the whole ‘gone missing’ episode was that ‘how do we know they’re really who they’re supposed to be’ (arrggghh, stop with the guesses – stop, stop, stop!)  After all – I can’t stop – fairies are always swapping fae for humans – what if they also swap fae for fae!  IT COULD HAPPEN.  Failing that, I guess they’re both traumatised by their ordeal (completely understandable).  Luna feels a little withdrawn – Raysel, well, what can you say.  Maniac, maybe?  Too strong??  I wouldn’t want to meet her alone in a dark alley – that is all.  Plus there’s this whole element of blaming Toby – she didn’t abduct them did she.  She didn’t find them either but she wasn’t responsible for the fact they went missing, plus, her investigation was a bit hampered by the lack of a body and the addition of gills and fins.

6. That ending, did we just end up back in the first post? – what is going on? Speculation?? Lets just talk about it please.

I couldn’t believe it!  I mean, obviously it’s not totally a deja vu to the prologue because Toby isn’t turned into a fish!  Bear in mind that I haven’t read on here at all so I’m just going to say that I have no idea.  Why was somebody in her car – and that did give me the goosebumps , I’ve got them again now just thinking about it – part of me wondered if he just really wanted to talk to her – and then I thought, yeah, maybe breaking into somebody’s car wouldn’t be the best way to go about doing that – plus, surely he had a chance to garble something during Toby’s high speed car drama.  I’m genuinely puzzled over all of it and for once have no fantastical flights of fantasy floating round my noggin.

I must admit I really enjoyed these chapters though and can’t wait to read everyone’s thoughts 😀