One Dark Window (June 2024) Group Read Discussion

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

This is the group thread for One Dark Window!

Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, imprisonment.

This thread is open for discussion beginning June 1st! Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed (mark as a spoiler) in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days of the month can be used to catch up if needed! Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads.

The Group Read Discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 06/01
June 01: Chapters 1-2 or 22 pages
June 02: Chapters 3-4 or 22 pages

Week of 06/03
June 03: Chapters 5-6 or 22 pages
June 04: Chapters 7-8 or 22 pages
June 05: Chapters 9-10 or 22 pages
June 06: Chapters 11-12 or 22 pages
June 07: Chapters 13-14 or 22 pages
June 08: Chapters 15-16 or 22 pages
June 09: Chapters 17-18 or 22 pages

Week of 06/10
June 10: Chapters 19-20 or 22 pages
June 11: Chapters 21-22 or 22 pages
June 12: Chapters 23-24 or 22 pages
June 13: Chapters 25-26 or 22 pages
June 14: Chapters 27-28 or 22 pages
June 15: Chapters 29-30 or 22 pages
June 16: Chapters 31-32 or 22 pages

Week of 06/17
June 17: Chapters 33-34 or 22 pages
June 18: Chapter 35 or 22 pages


You can read the group book at any time during the month and at your own pace. This is the pace the group will be using, but if you read ahead or will be giving spoilers, please mark them (click the "some html is ok button"). If you have any questions a mod or another member can help you.

[Brianna]

up through end of chapter 2:
(view spoiler)[I am intrigued with this magic system - cards (tarot cards?) and the fever and her own dad being the one to hunt people down when she should be hunted as well... Can't wait to learn more! (hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

up through end of chapter 4:
(view spoiler)[This book is a pretty easy reach which I completely appreciate considering I am also reading 2 classics at the same time lol. I am intrigued by Emory Yew - was he previously infected or was it just the booze? I am definitely intrigued by the magic system and these cards. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out - especially with her uncle potentially selling his daughter to a prince with the Nightmare card. (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

To the end of chapter 4

(view spoiler)[ The magic system is really unique, I’ve never read any fantasy novel in which the magic system focuses on tarot cards and fevers. Bess’ (I think that’s her nickname) relationship with her dad is really sad to see. You can see how much it breaks her heart, but if her father thinks her staying away is going to help, there’s not much she can do.

Brianna, I agree with you on Emory Yew, his switch in behaviour was so bizarre, I’d like to know the reasoning behind that. And his brother (?) Rayvn literally came out of nowhere. At the end of chapter 4 it was hinted at that maybe he had some form of magic. (hide spoiler)]

[Juliane]

Up to Chapter 2
(view spoiler)[
So everybody can use magic through the cards (if they can afford them) but only the people who suffer the infection can gain magical powers without further means like the cards needed? This book is off to a very promising and intriguing start.
I totally agree the magical system is so fascinating and seems to carry so many possibilities for powers and their impact on the people carrying them.
It does seem rather careless how the uncle of Elspeth left such a rare card like the nightmare just openly lying around somewhere in his house, where a child could get to it.
(hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

through end of chapter 6: (view spoiler)[
How does she know it's the 2nd Nightmare Card versus the 1st that her uncle just traded?
Intrigue is beginning! How did her get in her mind and why does he not care about the infection when pretty much everyone else does? (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

To the end of chapter 6

(view spoiler)[ I really hope Elspeth doesn’t lose her relationship with Ione over a man and the nightmare card. It comes across as though Ione is one of the only people who Elspeth truly loves and can trust. I would hate for her to lose that.

I did not foresee Rayvn having the other nightmare card. I did however predict that one of the highwaymen that threatened Elspeth was Rayvn. I’m curious as to what Rayvn’s feelings are towards the infected. Obviously he said it was no problem and didn’t do anything when he found out about Elspeth, but there’s got to be more to it.

I would like to know how the nightmare in Elspeth’s head links into the cards. Unless it was already mentioned and I missed it.🤷‍♀️ (hide spoiler)]

[Juliane]

Chapters 3 and 4
(view spoiler)[Life in the kingdom must be so creepy and to a big extent fleeting knowing that in the not too distant future it all will be swallowed by the mist, not to mention the fear of losing more spaces for farming and similar.
The little insight into the nature of the nightmare while Elspeth was sleeping was really interesting, it seems good that Elspeth has the possibility to sometimes surprise him without directly losing control of herself to him.
Intriguing how both Emory and Rayven react to Elspeth, I'm guessing we will see more of either one of them although even from just his short scene I kind of already hope Emory will end up shredded by the nightmare 😏 (hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

through end of chapter 10:
(view spoiler)[So the king's family and their cousins are plotting against each other for some reason. There are hidden cards. Elspeth's cousin is now in the line of fire. I am excited to see what happens next! (hide spoiler)]

[Juliane]

To the end of chapter 10
(view spoiler)[
I'm even more curious now about the whole magic system especially in regard to Elspeths powers taking into account the revelation that she absorbs the cards.
Assuming that the nightmare only appeared to her as he does because of her infection does that mean other people do not see anything in their heads when using the card or maybe only in a temporary way as opposed to Elspeth permanence? I'm mainly wondering if there are more people with the same kind of creature in their head or at their use from the two existing nightmare cards or if her being able to absorb them means that the card of Elspeth uncle is actually kind of empty or dimmed in its power due to the nightmare finding a home within Elspeth, although at least from the light she can see from the cards that does not seem dimmed.

Also regarding the absorption would that mean that Elspeth might be invisible forever if she touched the mirror card, it would explain her apprehension although she propably does not even know the possible consequences for sure, it would be foolish to simply try and find out I guess.

For me that also leads into the question how often the nightmare card can be used before the cost for the magic needs to be paid in some form, since Rayven clearly also knows how the card works and seems to have used it quite a few times already, judging from how he so easily communicates through it.

All the palace intrigue, I feel bad for Ione to have to suffer because of it. I'm surprised there seems to be such large fractions, so its not just Rayven as a kind of lone Avenger but half the royal family in alliance with him having secrets and different plans for the kingdom.

Regarding Emory and his control issues I agree that probably he is/was infected or maybe him being controlled by a card as the physician hinted at has left some serious damage. Creepy how liberally the cards seem to be used on other people even in the royal household.

(hide spoiler)]

[Juliane]

Chapters 11 to 16
(view spoiler)[
Of course they have to pretend that Rayvn is courting Elspeth, what other solution could there possibly have been 😂
The magic of the head physician sounds like a cop-out, especially with how many people have clearly been infected in the whole country, but especially in the royal family itself and because of the growing amount of people we learn about who have not yet had significant disadvantages while surviving the infection even years afterwards.
Although I do wonder why Emory is feeling the effects so badly while his brother seems mostly without larger issues.
I'm assuming considering Emorys condition that Ravyn will at some point decide or be forced to sacrifice himself for his brother. (hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

@Juliane - through end of chapter 16: (view spoiler)[I agree about the head physician - like how does the royal family have so many people infected when they will just kill anyone else all willy nilly? The royal family feels suspicious. It will be curious to see what bad effects Ravyn or the others deal with since Emory is in far worse shape but it seems like Ravyn uses the cards a fair amount - what is the price that will be paid? (hide spoiler)]

[Juliane]

@Brianna Till the end of chapter 22
(view spoiler)[Well at least chapter 22 cleared up one of our questions, as usual while opening up so many others 😂

The idea of not being able to use the Providence cards anymore must be terrifiying for Ravyn considering his and his families position in the kingdom. Against the kings men one must be rather helpless in such a case.

I feel so bad for Ione, having to use the maiden card and the prospect of being married to a brute like Hauth Rowan is horrible. She clearly figures out what happened to Elspeth during the raid in the woods, I’m guessing her decision whos side she wants to be on will be quite decisive for the story at some point.

Holy crap the nightmare is who now? Thinking about afterwards I guess there were probably hints with the whole golden knight images but I have to admit I did not actually see this coming (hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

through end of chapter 24: (view spoiler)[So.... he's the Shepard King? How does that work? I'm still unsure if he is good or bad - leaning towards bad. I very much dislike the High Prince - Hauth? and I'm weary of Ione - she has caught on to certain things but how and why and what will she do with that information? (hide spoiler)]

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I really want some clarity on Ione’s position. We keep getting hints that she feels negatively towards Hauth, but why? I have a feeling that she may play some significant part nearing the end of the book for the cliffhanger, but I have no idea what.

[Brianna]

through end of chapter 30: (view spoiler)[This is getting a bit more complex but in a way it is still easy to follow. Is what Elspeth has within her truly the Shepard King or something/someone else? What is the significance of the room in the ruins with the stone?
I *seriously* do not like Prince Hauth. (hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

so.... kind of ended up finishing the book lol
through the end: (view spoiler)[So this WHOLE time he knew where the Twin Alders was?! Did he purposely get her to this point so he could barter with the king? Is this now his revenge story? What did he do to Hauth? Hw is he maimed? Definitely need to get the next one. (hide spoiler)]

[Juliane]

A couple of thoughts till the end :-)
(view spoiler)[That game with the chalice was so creepy.
Hauth deserves whatever is coming for him in my opinion, he seems like a domestic abuser who is only protected from consequences by his royal position.
I first worried that the spoiled royal would be Emorys role after we first met him but now his story has tuned so much more tragic. Though I do feel there should be better mechanisms for keeping him and the people around him safe whenever he has one of his episodes.
Regarding Ione I also think she will have an important role to play in part 2 since it is so unclear just how badly the maiden card has impacted her ability to feel.
Was the nightmare/Sheperd king maybe never as strong as he pretended? After all where would he have ended up if Elspeth hadn't taken on his soul?
(hide spoiler)]

[Dia]

I only just started this yesterday. The magic system is intriguing but at the moment it is still confusing for me, I'm not too sure how it works. We know from Elspeth how Nightmare works, but that is to the extent we see of the magic.

The explanation of the curse and mist was good and believable, and the end of Ch 3 where we get a hint of Nightmare's identity is intriguing.

[Dia]

Ch 10
I'm really intrigued by the royal family. I wonder what Ravyn and his family is up to, hiding what they're doing from the King. My guess is they're the good guys. I'm also starting to understand how the magic and the cards work, which now makes sense to me.

[Dia]

ch 27
The gang of highwaymen are definitely putting themselves in plenty of trouble, they're getting bolder and I can just see them getting caught. I'm glad Ione in a way still had Elspeth back after the first incident with Hauth. In a way, I pity Ione, she's probably not in a position that she wants but had no choice?

I like this Emory, I guess he's regained some of his old self, but maybe not for long. I also liked the story he told. I had my suspicions about the Yews and their lineage! I wonder about what he said about Elspeth looking like a Maiden from the books. how exciting!!

[Dia]

wow what an ending. i was fearing for Elspeth that whole time but was so pleasantly surprised! i really like the ending and can't wait to read the next book. I'm so intrigued by what the nightmare has planned, @Brianna exactly what I was thinking! it's like he's been waiting for this to meet the current Rowan king to exact his revenge.