Questions About Unbury Carol

by Josh Malerman (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (5)

Well, dang y'all, I think I missed the explanation behind James' "magic trick". Can someone remind me of this? Thank you in advance!

Cari Yeah, I wasn't clear either. It obviously involves string, but what was the string tied to? Moxie's gun was cold after the duel, so did he set up a se…moreYeah, I wasn't clear either. It obviously involves string, but what was the string tied to? Moxie's gun was cold after the duel, so did he set up a second gun somewhere else and tie the string to his own finger? Why did he need the sun in his eyes? Did literally none of the dozen witnesses see the string in broad daylight? How did he pull off the same trick in the jail cell?(less)

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I'm still confused about The Trick. How was it the same as when he hooked up Dwight with all the string? Clearly he couldn't have done that to Proud or when he was in the cell like that. Where'd he get all that str8ng from anyway? Did Smoke share his string stash with Moxie?

Alexa

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[Well, I'm not sure how he pulled off the Trick with no one noticing in the jail cell or even exactly how he did it with Proud, but I'm pretty sure he got all that string from his old riding buddy, Jefferson--the guy who lived in the abandoned schoolhouse with all the books hanging from the ceiling via...you guessed it...string!

When Moxie first enters the place, he brings a "green sack" with him and notes that "there was a lot of string. Stacks of books were held together with string; candles were secured to their sticks with it; coats hung from the string between bookshelves; balls of string stood precariously piled in the corners; string for the pictures, string for the tools. Enough of it to cocoon the schoolhouse twice over." When Moxie gets ready to leave, Jefferson says, "I expect you could use something from me, Jimmy... Well, you done seen for yourself I got enough." He trades the green sack, full of clothes, for a yellow sack from Jefferson. He pulls something out of that yellow sack right before going into the jail...where he reveals his Trick to us (the readers) for the first time.

In the "Abberstown" chapter, when Jefferson and Moxie are trading Jefferson's books to an old man in exchange for beer, Moxie "removed the considerable string that kept them together in a stack and put the string in his pocket." After his duel with Proud and the original Trick, when Jefferson asked how Moxie did it, Moxie begins by asking if Jefferson "remembered the old man looking at my books out back, [Jefferson] said of course [he] did, [Moxie] said, 'Yeah, well...'"

From all this, I think we're meant to inference that on both occasions, Moxie acquired the string he used for the Trick from Jefferson.

I think also that Moxie set something up with the string at the location of the duel prior to meeting Prouds there, which is why he insisted upon standing on a certain side of the ditch during the duel--"the only side he could ask for and expect to get it". I think the gun must've been pre-positioned somewhere inside the hole via string (similarly to how all the guns were suspended in appropriate positions via strings to massacre Dwight), because Moxie definitely picks up the end of the string as he and Prouds are taking up positions when he "knelt to the dirt and [appeared to clear] a stone from under his boot." (hide spoiler)]

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Is it set in "the Old West"? There is a mention of a President Coopersmith. Is this an alternate universe US President? Or a territorial "president" instead of governor? Or a company President? The use of the term "pre-existing condition" made me wonder if we were in some post-apocalyptic/early industrial world. There's a reference to a photograph of Moxie, so that technology exists. What is the time & place?

Jim My take is that it was an alternate version of the Old West of the late 19th century. One with a little bit of magic and the supernatural, and maybe m…moreMy take is that it was an alternate version of the Old West of the late 19th century. One with a little bit of magic and the supernatural, and maybe more lawless and chaotic than even the real West was. Sort of like Stephen King's Gunslinger books, with less supernatural elements. (less)

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I might have missed it, but why did Rot want Carol so bad? Why he showed up to James Moxie when he was young and on his quest to save her?

Fred Mcdaniel Because he's frustrated that she is basically teasing him by dying and then coming back to life. I think he wants Moxie to leave her so she won't be s…moreBecause he's frustrated that she is basically teasing him by dying and then coming back to life. I think he wants Moxie to leave her so she won't be so protected. (less)

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I'm still in the beginning and I missed what time era this is in. I'm listening to the audio and not sure where to scroll back to... so if anyone could clue me in?

Elizabeth Zimmerman Just based on context clues, I think it was a slightly alternate version of the late 1800s.

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Unanswered Questions (1)

What is a "range rider brownie?" At first I thought it was a phrase like "road apple," but it seemed to be used to described the maid as genuinely sweet. Historically, range riders were something like park rangers, but more intimidating. And there was an old western show THE RANGE RIDER, but I'm unaware of any related baked goods, et cetera.

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