NH: Small plot point that I was hoping would get explained

[Tim]

First off, loved the book overall. This is probably a bit nit-picky, but I thought it might have ended up being significant later, so it kept coming back into my mind...

(view spoiler)[Early in the book, Alex gets a vision of how Tara dies, and she sees that it's Lance that does it.

Later, when she goes to Lance and Tara's apartment, she's attacked by someone who's only described by his appearance (wearing overalls, looking huge), and we don't find out that it's Lance until Turner comes in and says who it is.

I guess it could be explained away as the vision not being very clear, but it specifically says that she sees a face, and that it's Lance. (hide spoiler)]

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I didn't read that scene as Alex having a vision of what Tara saw that night.

(view spoiler)[The spell she uses was to show the injuries that Tara had suffered and Alex plunges her hands into that injury cloud above Tara.

Alex can feel what Tara is sensing and thinking. Tara know's that it is Lance stabbing her. (Obviously she was meant to think that) Alex has no idea what Lance looks like. All she knows is what Tara is thinking.

Even if she did get a true vision of what Tara saw, memories aren't stored like a movie. They are impressions that our brain pieces back together. Even remembering a past memory will change it slightly and the longer ago it was, the more likely it is to be corrupted by false memories or faulty recall.

It's why reading someones memories will never happen. Only the person who made those thoughts has the context to know what it means. (hide spoiler)]

[Tim]

Hmm... it's a bit of a weird one... on the one hand, the language she uses seems very like she's actually seeing/hearing etc what Tara experienced. (view spoiler)[On the other hand, she *also* doesn't recognise the "unfamiliar" voice at the end, who I presume is meant to be Sandow. So I guess it's as you say (hide spoiler)]

[Buzz]

I have a question... (view spoiler)[ It's my understanding that Marguerite/Daisy ate Sandow's soul at the end, right? Then why didn't he come out of her when Alex pulled all of the Wheelwalker women's souls out of her? (hide spoiler)]

I was a little confused so I could use an explanation lol.

[John (Taloni)]

My recollection of the ending is(view spoiler)[ that Marguerite/Daisy pulled out Sandow's soul, then rejected it because she was going to consume Alex. Wheelwalkers being so much more nourishing than normal people, even ones with modest gifts as used by Lethe. (hide spoiler)]

[Buzz]

John (Taloni) wrote: "My recollection of the ending is (view spoiler)[that Marguerite/Daisy pulled out Sandow's soul, then rejected it because she was going to consume Alex. Wheelwalkers being so much more nourishing than normal people, even ones with modest gifts as used by Lethe. (hide spoiler)]..."

That still doesn't explain where (view spoiler)[his soul went. Besides, she didn't reject it - here's a snippet from that scene:

"Belbalm pursed her lips in distaste and daintily wiped the corner of her mouth. “Soul like a mealy apple.” “You killed him,” Alex said, unable to look away from the dean’s body. “Did he really deserve better? Men die, Alexandra. It’s rarely a tragedy.” “He won’t pass behind the Veil, will he?” Alex said, beginning to understand. “You eat their souls and they never move on.” That was why North hadn’t been able to find Gladys or any of the other girls on the other side..."

So she ate Sandow's soul but it didn't come out when the girls came out. And obviously his soul didn't stay in Belbalm since she crumpled to ash. (hide spoiler)]

A small plot hole, I think. Doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the book, though. :-)

[Buzz]

Buzz wrote: "That still doesn't explain where his soul went. Besides, she didn't reject it..."

Sandow's soul's whereabouts after Belbaum's death is explained in Hell Bent. It's kind of an "oh by the way" and I wonder if it was added after the author realized the plot hole...