Chelsea’s Comments (group member since Jun 08, 2015)

Chelsea’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

I've never written DQs before, but I could give it a go if no one does it in the meantime. I could probably have the last section read shortly after school, so in about 8/9 hours from now. (I'm in Europe, so ahead of yall in the US by a good bit.) But yeah, I can be the backup or something, if you want. I'm open.

Discussion Questions Day 4
Chapters 15-18

21. In chapter 15 Severin tells a Ben a story about his sister and father. Do you think Ben will be able to relay the info to Hazel?
Well, yeah, considering Severin was calling Sorrow "sister" in front of everyone. I'm sure there will be time to explain at some point, even if the full story comes later.

22. Severin mentions faerie love and Sorrel's love for her husband. Do you think it is very different from human love?
I don't think it's necessarily different; I think Severin just hasn't had any experience with love and thus can't really understand it. He can only judge based on what he's seen, which apparently isn't much. But even he admits he might be wrong.

23. Were you surprised to find out that Sorrel is Sorrow?
Yes, I definitely wasn't expecting Sorrow to have been more humanoid in the past. And we had no idea that Severin had a sister, so we couldn't really have guessed. Although honestly, I was having trouble picturing her in the first place, so her recent description makes it more understandable because she does have basic human proportions.

24. The Alderking trapped Severin in the crystal coffin for disobeying him and not backing down. Do you think he overreacted or that maybe there is more to the story?
He definitely overreacted, based on what we've heard. Typical lashing out on someone other than who's really hurting you behavior. The Alderking definitely has issues with loving his children and so doesn't make the best decisions about them.

25. Why do you think Hazel decided to tell Jack about what the Alderking asked her to do (bringing him the prince)?
I think that she understands that she needs some help at this point. She knows that there's more to the story, more that her night-self knows and she doesn't, so she needs to find a way to put all the pieces together in order to make the most informed decision. And Jack is both a fae and intelligent, so he can probably help.

26. Jack's mother told him not to come home until she specified, How did you feel about this at first? After finding out about the town meeting do you think it was the right decision?
I definitely suspected that there was something going on in the house that he wasn't supposed to see rather than her just rejecting him. But I didn't guess exactly what it was. I think it's perfectly understandable that the town had a meeting about Jack because they're scared- it's just unfortunate that so many are against him.

27. I was glad that Jack's human parents stood up for him regardless of his decision to leave. How did you feel about the situation?
Yes, I was proud of them for not giving in to the town people's wishes. Once you make a decision to keep a baby, you have to fight for it or you're not a good parent.

28. The Sorrow fight scene was pretty intense! Luckily Ben was there, do you think using his musical abilities was instinct?
Perhaps using music in general was an instinct, but I think he had to analyse how best to use it. I guess I don't believe that it immediately occurred to him to take Sorrow through the stages of grief, but rather he had to think about the best way to end things without hurting people.

29. Do you think Ben really helped Sorrow with her grieving or was it just a temporary solution?
That's hard to say. I think she'll be less likely to follow her father's orders blindly now, but she's definitely still not healed. With magic being what it is, I would assume that once she's fully healed, she'll retake human form, but we'll see. It's possible that she may no longer be the "big boss" to fight, but I'm sure the solution wasn't totally permanent either.

Tania wrote: "I'm really into name meanings and fairy tale lore, so the the name Ainsel rang a bell, so I looked it up to confirm. I think there is something big to the meaning of the name Ainsel."

Very interesting! That reaffirms some of my own suspicions about her night self's intentions but opens questions about other things. Thanks for sharing that!

Tania wrote: "Holly Black goes into detail about how scraped up and stiff Hazel is from her fall. She even says she has scrapes on her knuckles."

Yeah, they came close enough for her mom to hand her two drinks, so ample opportunity to see her close up! I'm not sure if I believe the possibility of there being something in her past that makes this normal. Because even if it was, wouldn't her mom still be upset and offer to help bandage her up? She seemed scared when they took awhile getting home from school, but nothing here? I think it was a bad calculation on the author's part.

Day 3 Questions
Chapters 11 - 14

14. What did you think of the story of the baby? How do think this story and the story of his origins would have affected him growing up? Knowing about Jack's childhood, do you think his "adoptive" mother was right in keeping him from the folk and raising him?
That was an odd little tale. I feel like it would make him feel even more out of place since they chased the spirit away to have their baby back, and he doesn't really belong to his parents. So, not the best story to tell a little boy. I'm torn about whether or not it was right to keep Jack from his people. He is clearly conflicted about it himself because he's ashamed of attending the full moon revels. I think he feels torn between two worlds. I guess it would have been easier for him to have never been raised as a human, but maybe he likes it.

15. "One wore a face familiar familiar enough that it seemed to him that this must be a dream." Pg 139 Do you think Jack may have known about Hazel's double life this whole time and just not been able to tell?
I don't remember this line and don't have a way to look it up. But Jack's knowledge of her other life is something I've been wondering about. He certainly acts like he knows nothing about it, but then maybe he was just sworn to secrecy. But it really seems to me like he doesn't know. Maybe he doesn't know because the only time he sees the other faeries is during the revels that Hazel is forbidden to attend. Which is perhaps why she is forbidden to attend- so that Jack won't see her and tell her day self about it. We'll see.

16. Why do you think the school was attacked? Was it random because the beast after the prince is loose or was it chasing the sword and prince? Could it have been after Hazel?
The Alderking seemed to suggest that he was sending the beast to attack the town as a warning about their capabilities, so I think it wasn't sent to look for something or someone in particular but simply as a warning.

17. Leonie told a story about how Jack had given away he was not human and Hazel wonders if there are other times his mask has slipped. Do you think Hazel's crush on Jack has made her blind to see this?
Love definitely blinds you! But in this case, I think it's more of the fact that she's comfortable around him but also knows that other people don't know much about him, so she's realizing that there are conflicting images of him.

18. What did you think of Hazel's decision to join the revel? Do you think what she learned outweighed the danger? Do you think there will be any consequences for Jack?
I think it was extremely risky but ultimately she learned some important things. She learned about her other life and that she should be wary of it and she learned about the prince's ties to the Alderking. So far there don't seem to be any consequences for Jack, although it seems like he might have an important role later in helping Hazel. And I don't think the revel scene is entirely over yet, so there's surely more info to come in the next chapter.

19. Were you surprised to find out that Hazel has already been paying her bargain off since she first made the ? Does this mean that what's happened with the prince being released at this time is just a coincidence? Or do you think there might be some connection?
I was surprised about the amount of time she has been serving. I had assumed before that she had only just begun because of that note about the seven years, which makes me now wonder about the purpose of that note. (Maybe someone suspects that wants to defect and is warning her not to?) But in fact she's been serving for at least two years, which is also a bit weird because why for that long instead of since the beginning of the actual deal? Unless the king judged her too young at the time and waited for her to be a bit older before claiming her.

As for the timing of the prince being released, I have my own theories about that. I'm thinking that her night self started by making a deal to keep it a secret from her day self because she wanted to be a knight so badly. But that over the years, she realized how awful the job really is and now she wants out. With that story of the family being turned to stone, I think she did that as a way of being able to free them later instead of kill them. And so now she is working with someone, maybe Ainsel, to overthrow the Alderking. To do this, she both needed to release the prince and find a way to tell her day self about what's really going on to get the job done faster.

20. It seems that Hazel dream about hunting with the folk might actually be a memory from her subconscious and night time 'Sir Hazel' seems very different from her usual self. Why do you think this might be so?
Well, I think that maybe her night self has had to learn to act the part of the faithful knight in order to stay alive. So they're not really different, but they have different journeys, so to speak. But I suspect that they may conjoin soon.

Tania wrote: "Oh my goodness, yes! The parents, or lack of, kind of annoys me. I feel ..."

My guess is that they are simply background characters, but that's still no reason for them to not be involved in their children's lives to the point of not knowing they are literally out fighting monsters! I mean, I understand that there are negligent parents out there whose kids often get into trouble or drugs, etc., but to this point of danger? Hard to believe. I would like to hope that they later become involved, but I highly doubt it.

Chapters 6 - 10

7. Ben breaks his hand on purpose so that he can't play after his music teacher is killed when he plays when he is upset. I get him being upset, but this seems like an overreaction, when he could just learn to be more careful with his gift. What did you think about that? Also is that why he could no longer play the music?
I was so sad when he did that, being a former musician myself. That just shows how it's both a blessing and a curse. I think that definitely has to do with why he no longer plays, but I think it's also a mental thing. There are definitely some instruments that can be played with one hand and/or limited movement, so it's not that he can never play again. I think it's a fear of hurting someone again.

8. Hazel mentions spaghetti, meatballs and peas as a common childhood meal that is comfort food for her. Do you have a meal like that that you associate with comfort from your childhood?
Well, I went through stages of being addicted to certain breakfast foods, that's for sure. As for a family dish... spaghetti is actually one of them, with garlic bread. Homemade sourdough bread for memories of my aunt and grandmother.

9. Why do you think the prince was awakened and released now?
This goes back to my previous discussion with Tania. I think Hazel was used by someone to release him to counter a certain threat. Alternatively, one of the prince's enemies figured out that Hazel could release him so that they could then go kill him. But then why not just have Hazel kill him? So yeah, I think he's going to be an important tool on one side of some sort of battle.

10. I was surprised that Ben has not been to college to study music yet, but the fairies can collect on their seven year agreement. Am I misunderstanding something here? Is the time in Philadelphia the school that Hazel bargained for, or is it college?
I don't think he has graduated high school yet- I'm pretty sure he's a senior. It was the Philadelphia school that she bargained for, which would have been when they were in middle school, I think. It was five years previous to the present that Hazel made the deal because he had already had his audition but didn't have the money to get in. So then he received a scholarship right away and they left for Philly. And he left the school because of his teacher/hand.

11. I was surprised by how much Severin knows about the desires of Ben and Hazel. Is that part of his magic? Do you think he knows everyone's desires?
He said that he heard everything that was said near his coffin while he was asleep. Which means he not only knows their desires, but also their mother's as a young girl since she hung around the coffin as well. And anyone else who came to the coffin, of course.
At first, I was wondering if he could read minds, but since he had to ask Hazel about the sword, I concluded that he can't. Although maybe he can "read" emotions.

12. When Hazel is thinking about her family she thinks "Normal was a lot more tempting when it was out of reach." Do you agree or disagree?
Everyone wants what they can't have. But then if they get it, they're not always happy. People are usually better equipped to deal with the problems life hands them naturally rather than other people's problems.

13. Are you enjoying the story so far? Any favorite characters?
Definitely enjoying it so far. There seems to be enough content to make it into a series. As for a favorite character, it's hard to pick someone other than Hazel since we see everything through her perspective. I hope that Ben goes back to playing music. And I hope Jack always remains a friend and doesn't turn into an enemy. And for goodness sakes, what is up with their clueless parents? I can't believe how unobservant they are.

Tania wrote: "Do you think that they don't want violence toward the horned prince or toward the coffin itself? Perhaps they don't want the coffin to be broken, because they don't want what is inside to be freed. If so, this means he could be a threat to the fey."

(Some of my reasoning for my answer to this question comes from info in about Chap 8, so I'll put it as a spoiler just in case.)
(view spoiler)[I think they didn't want the prince to be released, for whatever reason. He is either a threat to the fey or their savior that needs to be released at the right time to conquer a certain threat. But because of what Jack said that the Alderking (sp?) is hunting both the prince and whoever released him, it sounds like the prince is an enemy of the king and the king bound him there. So an enemy of the king used Hazel for whatever reason to release the prince. And I would think that they fey would realize that at some point there would be someone who could break it and so punish those who try in case they try again and succeed. The biggest question I have now is whether Hazel's involvement in releasing him has to do with her seven-year deal or not. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 1-5

1) Fairfold sounds like an interesting town. I would love to live there! What about you?
It sounds interesting but definitely dangerous. The kind of town where it's overly tempting to make unfair deals for something you think you really want... Not sure if I would really want to live there.

2) The story about Jack and Carter was amazing! Their mom sounds very brave. Could you have done what she did?
Well, I would certainly try to save my family if I needed to. But I think a lot of her success came from knowing fairy-lore, so being prepared is where her bravery really came from.

3) So Ben seems to have been blessed (or cursed) with the gift of fey music. Why do you think he has chosen to try and deny it?
Well, he gave it up when he returned from Philadelphia, so it almost makes me wonder if he also made a deal with the fey and promised not to play in return for something else. If so, Hazel should have been honest with him about her deal. I'm sure he at least thinks he has a good reason for stopping, even if someone else would know better.

4) The horned prince sounds creepy! And I find it interesting that the fey don't seem to mind people hanging around him. Thoughts?
I don't think he sounds creepy. I'm sure it has to do with some kind of magic or curse. The question now is- where is he? And the fey may not mind people being around his coffin if they know it is unbreakable, simple as that. Although they obviously don't like violence towards it.

5) What on earth do you think Hazel did on the night she can't remember? Any predictions?
Considering that she had glass on her hands, I'm guessing she somehow broke open the coffin herself. But she was obviously under some sort of spell to do it since she doesn't remember anything. Not sure yet how it's tied into her 7-year deal. Maybe seven years of her life are to be added to the boy's? So maybe the fey gave her the ability to break the coffin in order to do so? But why now?

6) Hazel and Ben used to fight dark fey when they were kids. I'm sure this will play a role in the story. Do you think they were brave or foolhardy?
They were definitely foolhardy, but it seems like a good fighting duo all the same. And yes, I'm sure their childhood games will come back in some way.

I want to join in but I'm still waiting on my copy from the library, so I don't think I'll get it in time:( If I get it soon, I'll try to play catch-up.

14. What did you think of the book? My favourite story was The Mystery Knight - what was your favourite?
It's tough to pick a favorite! I thought The Hedge Knight was a nice debut, but The Mystery Knight had a lot more intrigue. It feels more like the Game of Thrones!

15. I missed the different viewpoints you get in the Game of Thrones books. I would really have liked to know more about Egg, his thoughts and the things he gets up to when he's not with Dunk. Would you have liked to know more about Egg or any of the other characters?
Sure, it would have given the story more detail. But I feel like one of the main reasons GoT has so many POVs is because the characters are so physically spread out, so they need their own scenes, more or less. But I felt like these stories worked really well with only one POV.

16. At times I got frustrated with Dunk and the fact he wouldn't listen to Egg about his chances against the other knights. He seemed overconfident considering he didn't have much experience. I also felt that this didn't fit in with his usual view of himself. What do you think about his attitude to the tournament?
Well, I think it's understandable seeing as how he's a young man who wants to prove himself and he knows that he doesn't have a lot going for him, so he just wants a chance. He's willing to risk everything for the opportunity to do really well for once.

17. I liked that Dunk fit the story's title with the mysterious name he gave for the tournament but that then The Fiddler's true identity was revealed to serious consequences for several of the characters. Did you guess the true identity of The Fiddler?
No, I definitely did not guess his identity! I thought he was just another lord who paid people off to get his way.

18. Do you think Bloodraven was right to keep Daemon captive rather than having him executed?
Definitely. He's right that it would have turned him into a martyr and one of his siblings would just try the same thing again. It's good strategy.

19. What do you think the future holds for Dunk? Do you think Daemon's dreams of seeing Dunk dressed as a Whitecloak will come true?
I think the only way he could become one of the Knight Guards is via Egg. Even then, his chances are extremely low because he's not of noble birth. He would have to do something really important to earn it. But I think eventually he will accept to work for Egg's father, which would be a good position. He could even work his way up under his service.

Day 2 - September 13
Discussion Questions - The Sworn Sword

6. What do you think of the practice of putting criminals in crow cages? Why do you think this might be used as a punishment?
Well, I think that was fairly common in that time period. Obviously that wouldn't be sanctioned in modern times because it's completely inhumane. But it's pretty effective as a torture and kill method for extreme cases, of course.

7. What did you think of Sir Bennis? Did your opinion of him change from the beginning to the end of the story?
He's an ass and a half. I disliked him from the beginning, but was actually shocked that he was bad enough to steal and run away at the end. Confirmed as horrible.

8. How did you find this story compared to the first? Did you like it as much or more?
It was less predictable than the first, since I expected Dunk to succeed in some way during the tournament. There was a more interesting range of good-to-evil characters- not so much black and white. And I think the circumstances challenged Dunk's ethics more than in the first, which is good character growth. But I think I may have enjoyed the first story a bit more despite that.

9. I think this story gives us reasonably good insight as to the type of Knight Dunk is? How do you think the story might have differed had Dunk not investigated the empty stream or not stayed after getting the peasant company to leave?
Yes, it definitely showed what a good person he is. He's willing to fight for what's right no matter the cost. Considering the entire story pretty much hinged on that stream investigation, it definitely would have turned out differently if he hadn't gone looking. And staying after the peasants left just proved his worth yet again. Good guy Dunk.

10. What did you think of the way the dispute was sorted. With the duel of sorts in the stream and then a wedding? Did you think Dunk would win the duel? what did you think of Lady Rohan and Ser Eustace being wed?
I was a bit confused as to why it was only the two of them dueling, but obviously that's good for the peasants to not fight. And yes, I thought Dunk would win by sheer strength of will- he wanted it more. And the wedding... OMG. I thought she would ask Dunk to get married or quickly write to one of her previous suitors. Definitely did not expect her to marry Ser Eustace... but then again, he'll die soon, so it's not like she'll have to deal with him for very long, lolz.

11. Do you think Dunk did the right thing revealing Egg's ring to Lady Rohane? Should he have used it sooner?
I'm not sure that he really needed to because she seemed like she didn't necessarily want to fight that badly. But it helped Dunk's position. I think the timing was right.

12. Ser Eustace seems to live mostly in the past talking about what once was and what should have been? Did it surprise you when you found out what side of the Blackfyre rebellion he had been on?
I'm not surprised at his living in the past- that's pretty common for older people. But it did surprise me to find out what side he was fighting for. However, he made some pretty good points about the "right" side being subjective, etc.

13. Do you think we will run across Sir Bennis again in the last story?
Ugh, I hope not unless it's to thoroughly kick his ass. Justice is needed there.

Sept. 12 - Day 1 DQs - The Hedge Knight

1. Is this your first time reading George R.R. Martin? If so, did this story make you want to give the Game of Thrones series a try? If you've already read some of the GOT books, how did this story measure up?
I have read the first in the GoT series, but haven't gotten the courage to read further despite my enjoying the first. Mostly because I have such a long to-read list. As for how it compares so far- it's definitely different in that it only follows one main character as opposed to about a dozen, but similar in style and description. I suppose it could be said that there's less variation and more predictability given that there's only one main character and he's a good kid that's easy to relate to. But I definitely could not having guessed the ending, either.

2. Dunk is an orphan from Flea Bottom, so his options are limited on how to make a living. Now I understand why some knights turned into robbers. Is there anything else Dunk could have done to support himself in these times, other than taking a chance in the joust?
Perhaps by selling the majority of his possessions and getting work as some kind of servant somewhere- definitely in a small place and not in a lord's house. He would only be able to earn enough to eat and clothe himself, I'm assuming.

3. Egg, a prince in disguise. Did you have any suspicions that Egg wasn't the stable boy that Dunk assumed him to be?
Well, I didn't necessarily suspect that he wasn't a stable boy, but I suspected that there was more to his background than he let on, especially given his aversion to entering the castle. He didn't seem the type to feel unworthy of entering, as Dunk assumed, so I knew he had another reason.

4. Did the excitement of the jousts make you want to read more books (or watch some movies) set in medieval times?
I have always loved stories (books and movies) set in medieval times! And Ren fairs! I would love to see a proper joust in person and not just an acted-out version, but then that's very dangerous... ;)

5. I didn't anticipate the trial by combat ending that way! And it was a little gross too. Darn, I really liked Baelor. Between Raymun, Egg, and Prince Baelor, there were several characters that I loved in this story. Did you have a favorite?
I was definitely shocked by Baelor's death. Not surprised by the gross factor, considering the real danger of jousting. As for favorites, Dunk is obviously a good guy and likeable, and Raymun and Egg are, too. I was pleasantly surprised by Maekar's offer, though I don't necessarily like him. I hope Dunk finds his puppet girl later:)

I'm assuming you don't need to have read the whole regular series before reading this one? I've only read the first. Like Karrie, I stopped after that even though I enjoyed it and need some motivation to start again.

Comments and Questions for September 6
Part Two, Act Four

18. I spent the whole book trying to understand how the time turner worked. For floo, they need to say the place's name and that place needs to be connected to the network. The other time turners used turns... each turn was an hour in the past. But this one? How does it work? No explanation...
Yeah... yet another plot hole. The best I can guess is that it read their mind? Somehow intuitively guessed when they wanted to go back to? Or maybe they spoke it aloud and that part wasn't in the script? It's stuff like this where I think I feel the influences of the other writers because Rowling is not usually this sloppy.

19. Hermione gathers an assembly and Professor Macgonall just snaps at her. And she lets her? She's the Ministry of Magic for crying out loud! She deserves respect and she's entitled to make decisions. But no, she's justifying and allowing people to treat her like a student. After saying she wouldn't be Fudge. She is right. Fudge would not allow people to address him like that.
I don't remember the particular instance, but there was also at least once when Hermione was a bit rude to her, so maybe their relationship is a bit strained. Like Hermione just barging into her office several times, etc. I saw a lack of respect on both sides.

20. Dumbledore weeping painting. What? Okay, so a painting is supposed to be a shadow of former self, but how dare they?
How dare the writers make him sad? Not sure I understand the question. But yeah, I thought that conversation was odd because it didn't seem like a conversation you could have with a "shadow". Whatever.

21. Scorpio and Albus way of sending a message was pure genious, don't you agree? That kinda reminded me of something the original HP troublemakers would do. I actually love little Scorpio.. he's a mix between Harry and Hermione that totally stole the stage.
Yes, it was smart:) I liked Scorpio more than Albus because he was more mature and in the end figured out not only how to stand up for himself but how to be confident. Albus just learned not to act so rashly.

22. Why didn't they just vanish to the present? Why staying to watch Harry's parents die? Dramatic effect? Or maybe a lesson/test to both Albus and Harry?
Well, I think the weakest point in all that is that they weren't supposed to be able to stay so long. In all the other times, they could only stay five minutes, so why now half an hour or more? That seemed like a huge liberty taken by the writers. And yeah, I guess it was just a nostalgic-type moment and it felt important to stay for invisible moral support and homage. Not sure that it was necessarily a lesson, but definitely got Albus to see Harry in a different light.

23. So, the plot was not so much as to resurrect Voldermort but to change the past enough that the future was not the same... or maybe just a quest for a lost child to find her father. Or maybe a lesson that the past is the past and it better stays that way?
Mostly just a huge lesson to not mess with the past, which is not a new lesson... And don't get me started on Delphi again... lolz

24. How will you rate the book? Were you disappointed to realized that the curse of the child was nothing more than generation gap? Albus kept complaining that being the son of a legend was hard. Was it harder than being the child that survived and was raised by muggles and knew less about his family than everybody else?
I thought the cursed child was Delphi for being the daughter of Voldemort? But yeah, it's obviously hard to be Harry's son, but in a different way than how it was hard for Harry. Albus just had a lot of pressure to live up to his father's image, whereas Harry had to learn to be a good person without his parents and fight to learn who he was without a lot of guidance.

I ended up rating it three stars, mostly because of all the plot holes. The whole thing just seemed like an excuse to continue the HP franchise and it did nothing to really continue the main story itself. In the end, nothing was changed besides some lessons learned and a dark witch being imprisoned. This felt less like Rowling's work and more like the other writers. Like she gave the basic idea and they followed it through, not thinking about plot holes and technicalities. There was some good action and I liked Scorpio, but otherwise disappointed in general.

Emily, you bring up some great plot holes. I do think the worst one is (view spoiler)[the Bellatrix part, both for the fact that she is never mentioned to be pregnant and then dies in the Battle of Hogwarts (meaning she would have given birth beforehand and surely the Malfoys at the very least would have known about her pregnancy whereas Draco knows nothing about it now), but also because of the oddness of Voldemort having a child in the first place. I still stand by my opinion that he wouldn't want an heir because that might mean he would have to share power, something he has never been ok with, and he intended to live forever anyway. So Delphi's entire existence is based on a very weak possibility.

As for the transfiguration, I was wondering if it was possible without polyjuice potion because it was multiple wizards and witches contributing with their mental images of him or something. So polyjuice is usually more convenient because you don't need others to do it for you and it lasts an hour, as opposed to the joint effort of the transfiguration that only lasted a few minutes. That's the only way I can make sense of it. (hide spoiler)]

Part 2 Act 1

12. Somethings in this story seem too simple. In the alternate reality Draco seems so tough and mean, but then he is easily convinced by his son to make some changes. Also, Snape is way too easily convinced about Scorpius's desire to help out of the blue. What do you think? I would be more suspicious, or set in my ways I think.
I think both of those men are good at heart and would be willing to believe that they could set things right. And it was obvious to them that Scorpius was very different and knew secrets.

13. Snape is willing to make a huge sacrifice by allowing the use of the time turner even when he knows the outcome for himself. Any comments?
When you have to weigh your own life against the rebirth of someone so evil... you don't really have a choice. And he knows that he died for a good cause and in a noble way.

14. I am not thrilled about the possibility of resurrecting Voldemort. It just seems cheesy to me. I am enjoying the other parts of the play, the alternate realities and the characters in the future. How do you feel about resurrecting Voldemort?
Well, obviously Voldemort being alive in another reality is always a possibility. But I don't think it's possible for Delphi to resurrect him without going back in time... but then again we don't yet know what time they are in. I really have no idea what she's planning.

15. How do you like the play so far? (I know this seems like a lame question, but I was hoping it would draw out some Harry Potter fan free discussion -- feel free to add any comments as your answer here!)
I'm actually liking it better now- the action is picking up and Albus and Scorpius are acting much more maturely. I was fairly disappointed at the beginning, but now I have hope for Albus and Scorpius fixing things. Although it's terrifying that it's up to those two boys to prevent Delphi from doing something horrible.

16. Delphi is evil! Some of you saw it coming. Was anyone surprised? Any other sage predictions for Part 2 Act 2?
I most definitely suspected her of something from early on because she was always acting oddly. But I didn't suspect that she wasn't actually related to Amos Diggory. I just thought that a leftover Death Eater had converted her or something. And no, no more predictions from me, I don't think.

17. Is anyone surprised by the revelation of Delphi's dad? (I was)
Definitely! I mean, I didn't know that Amos didn't have siblings, etc., so I didn't know to suspect her relations. But I also find it surprising that Voldemort would have a child... For one thing, who's the mother? But it also seems out of character for Voldemort to have developed any kind of feelings for a woman to even have minor relations with her. I think he always intended to be immortal and had no interest in an heir, so I find it odd that he would have a child. Seems like an unnatural plot creation.

Discussion questions 3 September: Act two

6. Bane: “There is a black cloud around your son, a dangerous black cloud.” Could this divination by the centaurs mean that Albus is the cursed child from the title of this book? Can you think of another explanation?
I would think so considering the book mostly revolves around him. I think all that Albus tries to accomplish probably leaves an indelible mark that can't be undone, thus the black cloud.

7. Albus: “But I am nothing like my dad.”I think Harry and Albus are more alike than they think, like how they look out for their friends but also for people who are overlooked by others. Do you think so too? Are there more similarities between Harry and Albus?
There are definitely similarities. Like how they both don't hesitate to take action when they feel like they can right a wrong. Both very headstrong in the face of danger. Both don't necessarily fit in, although in different ways.

8. Wow, Harry getting advice on how to raise his son from Draco. Do you think Draco is right in what he said to Harry (Act 2, scene 15)?
Yeah, I thought Harry's parenting technique of separating the boys was pretty bad... Draco isn't an awful person at all and he can just as easily understand what's best for the boys.

9. O, o Voldemort day?!?! What happened here? Umbridge headmistress of Hogwarts? How did that happen? Guesses?
Well, if Cedric doesn't tie with Harry in the Tournament and go with him to the cemetery, maybe Harry ends up having less confidence in himself and dies? Thus, Voldemort is never defeated and rises to ultimate power. Something along those lines, since Harry clearly died before he was supposed to.

10. Do you like how all the characters have turned out as adults?
Well, Harry has had some poor parenting skills... and I sure hope the "mean Hermione" doesn't stick around. I'm going to be disappointed if stuff doesn't get fixed...

11. Any favorite scenes from act 2?
No? It was cute to see Moaning Myrtle again, though.

I agree with what most of you are saying on two points:
1) That this already feels like an unnecessary addition to the HP universe because Rowling is just feeding into the hype. Unfortunate, but then who can say no to more HP?
2) That the Cedric connection feels extremely weak and unnecessary (and very petty on the part of Amos).

But still hoping for a good ending!!!

Comments and Questions
September 2
Part One, Act One

1. Have you read many plays? Do you find it easy/difficult to read and imagine the stage production? I'm still picturing Hermoine, Ron and Harry as the actors from the film rather than these actors from the play. How about you?
I have read several plays, but this one doesn't seem to have that much stage direction compared to others. And yes, I'm definitely still picturing the actors from the movies!

2. Without giving any spoilers, have you read much about what this book is about, or are you going into it with no pre-conceived ideas?
I'm a blank slate going in! I've only heard that it reads a lot like fan fiction.

3. I absolutely love that Albus is in Slytherin, that he is unpopular, best friends with Scorpius... It has kept this story quite different to Harry's and adds a new dimension to Harry as he needs to learn how to be a parent to a child who doesn't enjoy Hogwarts. What are your thoughts?
Yes, I definitely think it's more realistic that there will be one in a family who doesn't quite "fit in", just like with Sirius! But I do hope Albus resolves some of his issues soon because he doesn't seem happy.

4. I wasn't expecting Cedric Diggory to be a plot point and I can't see how it would be possible to change time and have him survive. If they succeed, does the last 19 years just become a gap in Cedric's memory? How would that work? Time travel is always so timey-wimey!
I think it would mess up waaay too many things to try to go back. Because considering the context, can you imagine two 14 year-old boys in that graveyard at the same time as Pettigrew and Voldemort?! They'll end up killed themselves or screw up the timeline by preventing Harry from returning or something. I think it would be a huge mistake to try it.

5. Initial thoughts? Loving? Hating? Ambivalent?
I'm still skeptical, but I don't want to expect to be disappointed, either. I'm worried that some things in the story will clash with the existing story. But it is cute to learn about their children.