TTL: Section 3: 6th Marcus - 8th Geder

[Lindsay]

Please keep all discussion to the events and speculation from this section or previous sections.

No spoiler tags required. Though it would be highly appreciated if you Uncheck Add to my Update Feed to avoid accidentally spoiling this for your goodreads friends.

Please do not discuss events from later chapters. Referring back to events from a previous section/book is fine.

This section covers the 6th Marcus chapter through to the 8th Geder chapter. The first sentences of the section are:

The mountains changed when they got close. The air still tasted of dust and the sun still pressed down on them like it bore a grudge, but before, the rise and fall of the land had been rough and stony.

[Lindsay]

Finally a religion that has a good reason not to have female priests.

[Lindsay]

Having read it, I should have split the sections after 6th Marcus, as this is the chapter that brings the first half of a book to a close with the realization that the Spider Goddess isn't a creature to be killed.

This section is where all the cast seem to be headed towards a collision course with each other. Marcus and Kit go to Suddapal to meet up with Cithrin and Yardem. Clara's letters have found their way far enough that Cithrin and Marcus can act on what they find, and for the first time the forces opposing Geder are clear what they're up against it.

And, just checking in here, Geder: still nuts.

But the bit that finally made me engage with this book is the mourning ceremony that Isadau has for the Timzinae cities and she throws in Vanai. All of her family there and her people suffering, and she still has time for Cithrin. Cithrin calls herself broken at this point, but this is probably the first time she seems whole to me.

[Suzanne]

Insightful comments, Lindsay. Cithrin grew so much as a person living with the Timzinae.

I was quite surprised to learn the Spider Goddess isn't some big "last boss" character.

I like the Geder still nuts comments too.

I really liked the conversations between Marcus and Kit - many of them made me laugh.