AO: Spoiler Question for Sunday 16th December 1979, and about her family

[John]

The entry for Sunday the 16th is signed, unlike most entries in the book. However, it's signed "Morganna Rachel Phelps Markova."

Morganna is Morwenna's dead sister. Morwenna is our narrator, presumably for every entry, since this is her diary. Morganna ought not to be alive to write this, let alone be nearby, and tampering with the journal is never mentioned later. It seems written in the same voice as Morwenna.

Is this a typo? An error? Has Morwenna signed her sister's name as some element of a pact, since she's just sworn never to abuse magic? If so, why would she sign her sister's name instead of her own? I don't believe Walton was so outlandish to have had the sisters swapped and identities mistaken.

[Rob, Roberator]

Good catch. I totally missed that. I'm curious if it will be explained, or if it's a typo.

[Sandi]

I totally missed that. (view spoiler)[When I read the book the first time, I wondered how much of it was supposed to be "real" and how much of it was some sort of break with reality. I even wondered if Morwenna even had a sister. The magic system is certainly screwy. If you perform magic, you change the past so it never happened and you can't be sure whether it was magic that produced an outcome or whether the outcome is what it always would have been. I think the book is pretty ambiguous about Morwenna's grasp of reality. (hide spoiler)]

[Dazerla]

Good catch, I totally missed that. What's interesting is that , it's a sworn oath regarding magic.

[Louise]

It's been a while since I read it, but (view spoiler)[doesn't she say early that she's started going by her sisters name, or something. (hide spoiler)]

[Dazerla]

Louise wrote: "It's been a while since I read it, but [spoilers removed]"

Yes, but later in the book than this. (view spoiler)[ I was trying not to spoil that it wasn't a typo but a a rather easy to miss hint of the name change. (hide spoiler)]

[Louise]

Julia wrote: "Louise wrote: "It's been a while since I read it, but [spoilers removed]"

Yes, but later in the book than this. [spoilers removed]"

Ah. I could of sworn it was right at the beginning :) This is what happens when I don't re-read the month's book but rely on reading it over a year ago.

Which leads me to another issue - I have no idea how far through the book "December 1979" is...I'd somehow decided it was near the end. Might it be possible to give some idea of progress through the book beyond a date?

[Dazerla]

Louise wrote: "Julia wrote: "Louise wrote: "It's been a while since I read it, but [spoilers removed]"

Yes, but later in the book than this. [spoilers removed]"

Ah. I could of sworn it was right at the beginn..."


Or I missed it in the beginning, and only realized later in the book when it's more spelled out.

[John]

Louise wrote: "Julia wrote: "Louise wrote: "It's been a while since I read it, but [spoilers removed]"

Yes, but later in the book than this. [spoilers removed]"

Ah. I could of sworn it was right at the beginn..."

I thought the date would be the easiest way for people to look it up since there are different versions. It's on page 159/160 out of 320 in my copy. Almost exactly halfway.

[Louise]

John wrote: "I thought the date would be the easiest way for people to look it up since there are different versions. It's on page 159/160 out of 320 in my copy. Almost exactly halfway.
"

Ah, right, ta :)

I don't have a copy - read it from the library.

[John]

Louise wrote: "John wrote: "I thought the date would be the easiest way for people to look it up since there are different versions. It's on page 159/160 out of 320 in my copy. Almost exactly halfway.
"

Ah, righ..."

That's totally understandable!

And I completely missed that she said she went by her sister's name. Can anyone dig up the date of the entry she said that on?

[Louise]

Its also mentioned on Jo Walton's LJ FAQ on the books:

http://papersky.livejournal.com/50411... (skip to section three to avoid potential spoilers). Though (view spoiler)[she does add that it doesn't really matter to the plot or anything of consequence (hide spoiler)]

[John]

Louise wrote: "Its also mentioned on Jo Walton's LJ FAQ on the books:

http://papersky.livejournal.com/50411... (skip to section three to avoid potential spoilers). Though [spoilers removed]"

That's wild!

[Teena]

Louise wrote: "Its also mentioned on Jo Walton's LJ FAQ on the books:

http://papersky.livejournal.com/50411... (skip to section three to avoid potential spoilers). Though [spoilers removed]"

Very interesting! I just assumed it was an e-book typo or something. Thanks for sharing!

[Katina]

I noticed it. I assumed it had to do with the old saw that (view spoiler)[true names give you power over others, but in the LJ, Jo says nope, it was just a grief reaction, and her mother knew anyway. Ah, well.

But it's nice to know that I was right about the what if not the why. Up until the accident, the narrator went by Morganna and after, she told everyone she was Morwenna. (hide spoiler)]