The Spark Army discussion
Discussion: All the STRAY feels!
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okay that should do it. *nods*
*takes deep breath*
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT AIDEN HAD TO DIE LIKE
PLZ
THE WHOLE BOOK WAS INTENSE IT WAS ABOUT TO BE HAPPILY EVER AFTER
THEN GODS DAMN IT STUPID PROXY!!! THIS ISN'T NICE BEHAVIOUR!!!!! DON'T MANIPULATE PEOPLE'S BRAINS TO SHOOT OTHER PEOPLE'S BRAINS!!!!
Although I do kinda see her point about Affinity then wanting to test Aiden 5eva and what not
ALSO WHAT THE HECK IS A STRIKER!?!??!?! PLZ EXPLAIN WE MUST KNOWWWWWW IN SHIELD!!!!
but also sjkhflkjdhflkjfdlk I JUST HAVE SO MANY FRUSTRATION FEELS AND FEELS FEELS AND MORE FEELS!!!!!! SQUEEEEE I SHIP JAMIE AND EVIE SO MUCH!!!! Also I'm sad about her hair. It would make me very annoyed too.
ALSO TESLA!!!! DADDY EVERTON!!! Well atually his name wasn't Everton, I'm pretty sure that's Miriam's and was April's.
ALSO I WAS ROOTING FOR AIDENxKITTY BUT NOOOO NOW HE HAS TO BE DEAD SO THAT WON'T WORK!! ARJKHAKRLJH SOOOO SAD MADE ME CRY SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!
okay rant over.... FOR NOW!!!
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oh man I just need to CAPS LOCK A LOT after Stray!!!
Eugenia (Genie In A Book) wrote: "I guess I'll start off - what did everyone think of how Affinity came into this story and their methods were portrayed? I think it was interesting to have a whole new cast of secondary characters t..."I loved adding these new guys in, especially the Proxy and Ethan. The Proxy literally came out of nowhere in the rewrite. She kind of freaked me right out. It's hard to hate her completely - she's had a hellish life.
Renée wrote: "okay putting this sentence here so if you load the page accidentally without having read Stray the spoiler sentence isn't something you see first and foremost.....
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okay t..."
I truly fought hard to keep Aiden alive. I did not want him to die. I spent ages trying to come up with loopholes, trying to justify how he could stay alive. I even had a version where Stray ended with Miriam and Evie tidying up the basement of Miriam's house for Aiden to move in once he was cleared by Affinity. I cried and cried when I knew I couldn't keep him. My heart wanted him to be with Kitty.
Yes, I love Ethan too. So much.
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Also, Evie sleeping in the bath is actually the best! XD I can totally relate to being so cold!!
Renée wrote: "KittyxAiden was a once-was ship? *longs* They sound like happy days! Also, Evie sleeping in the bath is actually the best! XD I can totally relate to being so cold!!"
Well Kitty and Aiden never quite made it to any declaration or demonstration of 'ship-ness' but I wanted them too and I had considered expanding it in book 3.
Renée wrote: ""really that gif is so so lovely, Renee
Eugenia (Genie In A Book) wrote: "I guess I'll start off - what did everyone think of how Affinity came into this story and their methods were portrayed? I think it was interesting to have a whole new cast of secondary characters t..."I loved reading about the psychological torture that Affinity inflicts on their Assets. The scene where Evie is in ReProg and is being made to feel ashamed of herself was a really powerful scene for me, and it was one of my favourite scenes of the book. I thought that aspect of it was really interesting. And yeah, the Proxy was pretty creepy.
@Brooke It's so interesting (and very cool) to hear you enjoyed the interrogation scenes. It was a real challenge to keep what are essentially static scenes engaging. It's also a disturbing insight into the power Affinity have to manipulate thoughts/perspective. Makes me shudder.
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Also, Evie sleeping in the bath is actually the best! XD I can totally relate to being so cold!!"
I wish they were together too (they would have made a good couple I think). BUT even so, in a series like this not everyone can survive *sobs*.
This was a book that gave me so many emotions - I almost laughed at some of the dialogue (especially at the start when the mood was a bit more lighthearted), I was waiting on the edge of my seat anxious for the characters, was totally broken by Aiden dying and then so excited for the next book!
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"I'm not drunk" -said every drunk ever. XD
Eugenia (Genie In A Book) wrote: "This was a book that gave me so many emotions - I almost laughed at some of the dialogue (especially at the start when the mood was a bit more lighthearted), "I wanted the beginning of Stray to provide a strong contrast with the rest of the book. The Halloween dance, her attempted seduction of Jamie, I wanted it to be the sweetness, the glimpse of a wished for burden-free normal life (even though she can't pull it off and it's marred by the shadow of the Affinity Project - her body's negative reaction to alcohol - the over-reaction with the cheerleader, even the pressure to 'seize the day' and have sex because she's so afraid of missing out) set against the harsh reality of actual life. As soon as AP arrive it's a harrowing wake up call: YOU CAN'T HAVE WHAT YOU WANT. WE OWN YOU. It taps into that whole theme of freewill. It's what she fights so hard against and what makes her so reckless and desperate.
Okay ... got a little overboard in my response.
Renée wrote: "*cough* EVIE TIPSY ON CHAMPAGNE ANYONE????? HA HA HA HA HA HA"I'm not drunk" -said every drunk ever. XD"
I do love this moment between Jamie and Evie. He knows how dangerous it could be, the damage she could do ... the damage she nearly does do! Watch out cheerleader!!
So I don't really know where to start... I'm still trying to process all of itEvie after a few drinks was interesting to read, you got to see more about her life and the limits of shields but at the same time it felt like you were saying goodbye to friendly safe vibe of Spark
It jumped straight into the action when affinity came, I'm still not sure how to feel about them but I was so excited about getting to find out more about them
Although the proxy is weird, understandable in her situation but killing Felicity was kind of sad but I also liked how she did it, but only towards killing her, I almost cried when she killed Adien (I say almost because I got teary eyed but I'm not a great crier) I didn't want him die, I wanted a cute relationship between him and kitty, he was my favourite character and AAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
I was hoping it would be a dream the proxy gave Evie for whatever reason, help the proxy escape maybe
Also, purple, it turned purple!!!! HE WAS ALSO A STRIKER, WHAT THE HELL IS A STRIKER!!!!!!!
Sorry
And Tesla being the father, awesome!
But it finally makes sense why Evie is so powerful, but why any Adien?
And last but not least, poor Miriam, Evie has to save her, or even the replacement proxy
This whole book has put me on edge, can't wait for shield!
Side note Rachael is such an amazing person with a beautiful family, I'm so privileged to have met her at the launch
No pressure for shield
Hannah wrote: "Side note Rachael is such an amazing person with a beautiful family, I'm so privileged to have met her at the launch"Awww, Hannah. That is so kind. It was so much fun to meet you and Abbie FINALLY! :-D
Hannah wrote: " HE WAS ALSO A STRIKER, WHAT THE HELL IS A STRIKER!!!!!!!..."lol, sorry - forgot to answer this one. In Spark - if you cast your mind back to bk1 Miriam explains that in the original gene experiment there were those who responded with the defense/protect affinity and those who responded with the offense/attack Affinity. Shields and Strikers. Shields for hire for protection etc of people/documents/ materials/secrets and body guard potential. Strikers for hire for retrieval of sensitive materials/documents/secrets/people also good for hired assassin work. It was the rise of the mutation/Fixation Effect that turned Strikers into psychotic killers who became knows as the Stray. Nasty business.
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but yeah the after effects not so good. :/
ERMAGHERD lTHE FEEEEELLSSSI WANT AIDEN. NOW
Also like Ethan is a super kewl guy and i really want to see more of him in Shield
Annnndd the Proxy...creepy af but I kinda like her idk really
ok something very important that needs to happen with minimal obstructions:
JAMIE AND EVIE ALLLLLL THE WAY
Like c'mon who can resist jamie's charm? be realistic here guys, we would all melt in a puddle if he smiled at us
Right now my brain is sort of scrambled because i'm still trying to process everything that happened also: book hangover
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If the Proxy wasn't in the original, does that mean that Aiden didn't originally die??? Or was he killed some other way?
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IT'S BEEN MONTHS AND I AM STILL NOT OK! KITTY AND AIDEN WOULD HAVE BEEN SO WONDERFUL TOGETHER!
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Amrita wrote: "Also like Ethan is a super kewl guy and i really want to see more of him in Shield ... something very important that needs to happen with minimal obstructions:
JAMIE AND EVIE ALLLLLL THE WAY
Like c'mon who can resist jamie's charms
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You totally will see more of Ethan in Shield, Amrita! And as to Evie and Jamie you will just have to wait and see though I think it is fair to say that Evie has no interest in 'resisting' Jamie's charms. LOL ;-)
Cassie wrote: "WHOAIf the Proxy wasn't in the original, does that mean that Aiden didn't originally die??? Or was he killed some other way?..."
*ahem* trust that Cassie to ask such a pointy ended question! :-P ;-) You are correct, in the original version of Stray there was no Proxy and Aiden survived. It even ended with Miriam and Evie tidying up the basement for Aiden to move in. The Proxy changed everything. She also presented a question for me in Evie's development of what if the worst actually happened and she lost everything? Though, Aiden isn't merely a sacrificial lamb. He dies because in the Proxy's deeply warped thinking killing him is an act of mercy and her thinking is warped because of what the AP have done to her. Aiden dies therefore because of the AP. His loss becomes the cornerstone of motivation behind all of Evie's future decision making in Shield, it drives her need for justice.
Renée wrote: "@Cassie IKR????? ha ha it would've been like bro swapsies for Kitty and Evie!!!"I deeply wanted Kitty and Aiden to be together (can you imagine Jamie having to come to terms with that?) it broke me when he died. I wept many many tears.
Amrita wrote: "ERMAGHERD lTHE FEEEEELLSSSI WANT AIDEN. NOW
Also like Ethan is a super kewl guy and i really want to see more of him in Shield
Annnndd the Proxy...creepy af but I kinda like her idk really
ok som..."
Book hangover is still here after a week and a half...
//cries// Longest book hangover ever, when is it going awaayy TT__TT
Audrey wrote: "Book hangover is still here after a week and a half... //cries// Longest book hangover ever, when is it going awaayy..."
Oh, Audrey. I know this pain. It took me a week and a half before I could pick up another book after Queen of Shadows. However, I am just so delighted that Stray has stayed with you. Xxx
I keep meaning to post this but then I get distracted. Let me tell you some of my favourite moments in Stray:1. Jamie removing Evie's boots. *eternal swoon*
2. Jamie reciting the words of the sanction. *weeps*
3. Evie and Kitty in bed with Aiden. *dies laughing*
4. Kitty cutting Evie's tracker out. *surgery!*
5. Evie in the men's mess hall. *awkward*
Rachael wrote: "Hannah wrote: " HE WAS ALSO A STRIKER, WHAT THE HELL IS A STRIKER!!!!!!!..."lol, sorry - forgot to answer this one. In Spark - if you cast your mind back to bk1 Miriam explains that in the origin..."
Does this mean Aiden had a half chance of turning into either a Shield or back into a Stray, assuming that Affinity would conduct experiments that could possibly speed up or change the mutations?
Deanna wrote: "Does this mean Aiden had a half chance of turning into either a Shield or back into a Stray"Hi Deanna. If Aiden had survived he would have been a Striker. Strikers and Shields were the original design plan. One for attack and one for defense depending on the need of the person looking to hire an assassin. The Fixation Effect caused the mutation in Strikers turning them into psychotic killers (Strays). Cheerful, huh? :-D
By now the STRAY blog tour is underway which is very exciting, and there have been some fabulous posts up already by the bloggers participating which is wonderful to see.
In reviews, it's obviously not a good idea to post spoilers, but if you want to talk freely about all those intense moments and OMG reactions then here is the place!
WARNING: If you have not read STRAY yet there may be spoilers ahead