☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎’s Comments (group member since Dec 20, 2013)

☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Thanks Jen.

Hi team.

I finished reading Strange the Dreamer but due to a death in the family I was not able to finish posting my last few DQs :( So right now I'm playing catch up on so many different challenges. I will check the spreadsheet in the morning to see if anyone is missing anything and update it as well unless Plethora did it.

Ch 30 - Ch 39 Pages 244 - 335

15. The author seems to have tried to make the Gods seem inhumane, I know they are not human but do you believe this is on purpose to help us readers choose a side? Does anyone hope the Gods win? Or are we hoping for a more compromising conclusion?
I am hoping they will come to a compromise and learn to live together.

16. How do you think Sarai felt seeing herself as Strange the Dreamer does? Do you think her seeing herself this way will help her have more compassion for the humans in the long run?
I think this will change what she thinks of humans and maybe see herself differently as well.

17. I love how fascinated Sarai is with books when she sees them in Lazlo's dream. What was it that made you fall in love with books?
I found books to be my home away from home especially in crazy, stressful times.

18. Why do you think Lazlo took the risk of getting on the plane after Sarai's warning of death?
I think he must have thought it was just a bad dream.

19. “What matter of new dread would this cause?” -- Do you think the people of Weep deserve to know what happened on their flight mission? (Seeing the very much alive Gods) or do you think they chose correctly to keep it quiet for now?
I think its best to not to tell the others because there will be chaos but maybe later introduce it slowly.

B?

Hi team. This morning I went through the spreadsheet and added all the missing pages which was a few more than I was expecting. LOL

I'm nearing the end of Strange the Dreamer and also with DQs. I have only the last 2 days of DQs to do and we should get those points as well.

I so loved this book. I hope you all enjoy it

DQ Day 3. Chapters 19-29. Pages 161 - 243.

10. In chapter 20 Sarai has a nightmare, despite her efforts to keep herself from dreaming. A ghost named Yaselith attempts to kill Sarai with a knife and learns that ghosts are not able to hurt the living. Yaselith then tells Sarai, "Then you should hurt yourself...Put Weep out of its misery. Kill yourself, girl. Have mercy on us all. Do it." She finds herself in her mother's bed and when she removes the knife from the bed, the bed squirts blood everywhere, then she plunges the knife into her chest. What do you think Sarai's dream symbolizes? Do you think her subconscious is trying to remind her of something from the past?
That's what I was thinking but I though it also could be that she was trying to punish herself for what she was doing. I believe she'll see more of this when she falls back to sleep.

11. Minya treats the ghosts in the citadel like puppets. Why do you think Minya toys with the ghosts?
Minya hates humans and I think she plays with them so she try to train them for her revenge.

12. Eril-Fane (the Godslayer) doesn't like to sleep in Weep because he has nightmares. Lazlo learns this from Eril-Fanes's mother. "He realized that all this time he'd been looking to the Godslayer as a hero, not a man, but that heroes whatever else they are, are also men- and women- and prey to human troubles like anybody else." I loved this quote. It shows that no one is invincible or perfect. Everyone has something in their lives that they've gone through. What does this revelation about Eril-Fane mean to you?
That he has fears, sorrows and regrets like anyone else.

13. Sarai is in search of her father, The Godslayer, and instead finds Lazlo. She invades his dream and he is able to see her. Why do you think Lazlo can see Sarai when no one else can?
I think they are meant to meet and that's why they can see each other.

14. Minya reveals that she has been collecting ghosts for years, building an army of the dead. The others seem appalled, especially Sarai. When Sarai expresses her sympathy for the humans Minya replies with "I should have saved a different baby." (I think I felt the slap in the face come right out of my book.) What do you think Minya has planned? Do you think the four others will fall in line with Minya's plan?
I think Minya has plans on destroying the humans with the ghost and the others will try to either get Minya to change her mind or stop her.

Day 2 of Strange the Dreamer

DQ's Chapter 12-Chapter 18 pages 83-160

#5 God spawn are the 5 unknown survivors residing at the Citadel. Each child half god, half human and born with blue flesh. All 5 children are gifted with a magical talent: Sarai - "muse of nightmares", Feral - "Cloud Thief", Sparrow - "Orchid Witch", Ruby - "Bonfire" and Minya - Ghost catcher. Each of these “gifts” are a contribution for survival. Water, fire, food, caregivers and … torture? Sarai’s gift comes from her mother, The Godess of despair, Isagol. How does Sarai's gift to contribute to their daily needs?
I feel like she is able to go and report what's going on in the outside but also feel that she leaves the people with nightmares.

#6 In Part 2, We are introduced to the 5 god spawn teenagers who have been hiding for 15 years in the Citadel. At age 6, Minya saves 4 other infants and captures several ghosts to assist in raising these children. The 4 continue to grow and age normally, yet Minya continues to appear 6 years old. Why do you think Minya doesn’t age physically yet the others are teenagers?
I think Minya is too stuck on her vengeance that she doesn't age so she stays in this state.

#7 Minya is the only god spawn who remembers the carnage when the god slayer killed all the children. She enjoys hearing the recollection of Sarai haunting their nightmares and torturing the people of the city. Does this make Minya evil? or is she only doing what she needs to do for their survival?
This makes her childish in a way since she is only going by what she knows.

#8 Sarai’s gift as the Muse of Nightmares, didn’t appear until she was older than the other children. While waiting for her gift to present itself , Sarai often wished she could fly. If you could pick one of the god spawn’s gifts which would you choose and why?
I would like to have the power to control the weather so I can make it sunny during the day and then rainy at night. LOL

#9 Sarai screams Moths to embark on her nightly gift, why do you think the author chose Moths? What do they signify?
I think it signified flight. Maybe it meant that she will be leaving.

DQs Prologue - Ch 1 - 11

1. The author starts us with some beautiful imagery of a violent end. What did you think of this as a beginning? Did it draw your interest and leave you wanting more? Do you like it when you are given a prologue that might not be answered until the end of the novel?
I really like how it began. It made it interesting and did draw your attention to see what was going to happen next. Yes, I like when the prologue leaves you wondering since it makes the search for the answer more interesting.

2. Lazlo Strange came from humble beginnings, and is now a grown man. Do you feel he has changed from that rebellious boy in the orchard? Why do you think the library chose him? And do you believe people have a calling in life to follow, or do you think you can choose your own path?
I have had mix feelings towards Lazlo. He did take risks but I had a feeling that he would change throughout the story since I felt the library did call to him. I do think that people do have a calling but it may take awhile before they actual find the right path.

3. Lazlo was drawn to help Thyon when he stumbled upon the scene in the tomb walk between Thyon and his father. Do you feel Lazlo made the wrong decision to share the book with Thyon or do you think it was all part of fate’s larger plan? And would you have been tempted to keep the book for yourself instead?
I think it was fate and I might have been tempted to keep the book to myself.

4. “Some men are born for great things, and others to help great men do great things.” How do you feel about this quote? Do you believe people are born to their roles in life or do you believe people can change their stars? Lazlo takes a huge risk by impulsively offering his services to Eril-Fane. Would you have taken a similar risk to help fulfill your dreams? Have you ever taken a risk that changed the course of your life?
I believe people can change their roles in life. I think Lazlo made a good choice to offer his services even with the risk.

No problem :)

I'll fix it :)

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I tried it again Plethora but I just couldn't get into it :/

I'm starting Strange the Dreamer today. Hopefully I'll finish it soon and then get the DQs in.