The Assassin's Curse Re-Read discussion

Join us on 9 April to begin discussing Chapters 8 - 11 of The Assassin's Curse!

And the reread is clipping right along! Today I’m opening up the discussion board for Chs. 8-11, but of course feel free to comment on the earlier boards if it suits your fancy.

A quick recap:

Chapter 8: The battle! Ananna and Naji fight against the Hariris, and Naji is injured by the other assassin. Ananna flees the battle, taking a magic-delirious Naji with her. When she finds the canyon, Ananna asks the river to give her the magic needed to cure Naji.

Chapter 9: Naji and Ananna finally arrive at their destination: the house of the river witch Leila. Unfortunately, Leila isn’t exactly kind to either of them, and Ananna is definitely not fond of her.

Chapter 10: Leila, despite her unkindness, does manage to help Naji get better. However, she’s unable to cure his curse, although she does tell him to seek help from the Wizard Eirnin on the Isles of the Sky—a dangerous place in the north.

Chapter 11: Ananna and Naji sail into Port Iskassaya, where they see about booking passage to the north. Ananna also learns, during their time together on the river, why the Mists are after Naji and is suitably impressed. In Port Iskassaya, Ananna is able to talk her way on board Ayel’s Revenge, a ship heading to Qilar, where she hopes they’ll be able to find someone crazy enough to take them to the Isles of the Sky. Of course, she has to lie to do it.

As always, it’s time to discuss your thoughts on these chapters! Favorite and least favorite parts? We see some new characters introduced here—Leila and Marjani and some of the crew of the Ayel’s Revenge. What do you think about them? Do you think Ananna’s plan to convince someone to just take them to the Isles of the Sky is going to work? How do you feel about the reasons the Mists are after Naji?

Remember, spoilers should go in the spoiler thread

I just finished reading Chapters 10 and 11 over lunch today so they are fresh on my mind.

I thought these four chapters were really fun. I especially enjoyed Ananna getting in touch with her water magic to heal Naji and her relationship (or lack thereof) with Leila.

I'm looking forward to see what happens next, as we get to see Ananna in a more familiar environment for her (the ship).

LOVE Ananna in chapter 8! She is such a bad ass with her fighting and demanding when she need things done. "Get on the horse, Naji!", just love her. He might be dying, but she still tries and tells him what to do.

When it comes to healing him, and how frantic she gets about what happened to Naji. You REALLY start to feel for her on how she is staring to feel for Naji. Just for how worried she is for him, thinking that if he dies, you could just say that she killed him. Well to me it looks like she is caring for him.

""Hold on, " I whispered to Naji, smoothing his hair back away from his face, wiping off the water that dripped into his eyes. "I got something to help you.""
Ananna is so smart to remember so many things her parent of taught her and just slimly watching some one else do it. When she ask the river for help, remembers her Mom giving the water an offering, and gives the river her knife.

I don't like Leila at all. I'm on Ananna's side when it comes to her. Really happy when Ananna stands up for herself and Naji. Also doesn't put up with any of Leila's crap on "finding a cure". Then I like how Ananna puts Naji in his place when they bargain about going to the Isles of the Sky. Making a deal that Naji needs to tell Ananna every detail on any question she ask. Made me laugh a little there.

Learning more about the Mist makes things a little more creepy. Learning about the Otherworld, it makes things interesting.

Once at the Port, I like see more of Ananna pirate side come out. She know how to work the pirates to believe anything. I feel pretty good about her when the captain complements her ""Exactly the kind of woman I like to have on board."
I ain't gonna lie, after weeks of following around Naji, not knowing what was going on, it felt good to hear that."

Come on Naji!! Get your shit together!! That's my only comment on that. She just keeps on saving his life and he just keeps her in the dark with information (well till she fixed that problem). And all she gets in return is a "Thank you". Which is ok, but there could be so much more!

Good way of putting it on the edge with their relationship Cassandra. Makes it really hard to know if Naji really cares for Ananna, or he is just acting that way because of the curse. It's really hard to say at this point. There was been lots of line Naji has said to make it look as though he cares.. but you have to wonder. I know there are some parts the Ananna says some things that are very touchy for him. Like when she explained not trusting beautiful people and Naji took that wrong toward himself. I felt guilty for Ananna there.

Anyways, really enjoyed these last few chapters, lots happening. Looking forward to the next chapters.

I think what Monicha wrote sums it up fair and square for me as well.

Yes Ananna gets Naji on that horse, and from there on she takes the bridle in her hands,so to speak.

I love the River Healing scene 'Everything was silver and light, cold and beautiful.'
"River, I ask to speak with you." 'Those were the words Mama had told me a long time ago.'

I love how Ananna 'bargains' with the River to save Naji's life by throwing in the knife she saved him with- the knife that bound them together.

'I sang in a language I didn't know; the words sounded like the babble of water over stones, like rainfall pattering across the surface of a pond, like rapids rushing through a canyon.' Just beautiful.

Rivers and Roads are elements I love in stories; to me they represent movement,motivation,chance encounters,and adventure.
Here comes a personal remark: in reading the whole river scene I couldn't stop having that eerie, albeit pleasant feeling I felt in reading Diana Wynne Jones' Spellcoats- I kept on wondering whether perhaps it had been a scource of inspiration for this moment in the book (will put this up for the questions board, I think :)

I have to admit Leila is the epitome of the irritating Witch-Vamp.I tried, actually really tried appreciating her-telling myself to go beyond the influence of that little green fairy called jealousy- but I gave up when she made that tart remark about having only men's clothes to hand over to Ananna,as her own clothing would not fit. I came to accept that her itch starts with a B and not only a W.
But I do love her house.

In a true storytellers' style Cassandra's timing is perfect, she introduces the elements of the adventure at the right moments. Here we're given the 'instructions' of where the story is to lead us when Leila mentions the Wizard Eirnin and the Isles of the Sky-that one place Ananna's wishes to avoid at all costs. She ran away from Tarrin because he had mentioned wanting to go there.

In Chapter Eleven we're back on the water, and like Joe mentions; they're on Ananna's turf now. It is where she has the upper hand, because Naji,
'Don't know nothing about sailing.'

I had a good laugh with the whole 'don't wear your mask scene,' " That don't look dodgy at all," Ananna says: could totally picture it.

Like Monicha says, the Cassandra-Naji relationship tension is spanned in the right places.

One final note on the appearance of one of my favorite characters (didn't put that up yet in the fav. character section, but here she is!) Marjani. What a woman!

Craig wrote: "I just finished reading Chapters 10 and 11 over lunch today so they are fresh on my mind.

I thought these four chapters were really fun. I especially enjoyed Ananna getting in touch with her wat..."

Yeah, it was fun to write her out of her element for a little while. I like it when she gets back on a ship, too, though.

Monicha wrote: "Good way of putting it on the edge with their relationship Cassandra. Makes it really hard to know if Naji really cares for Ananna, or he is just acting that way because of the curse."

Thank you! I'm so glad you mentioned that because it was EXACTLY what I had in mind! Glad to know it worked :) Naji really is pretty dense about all this, isn't he?

Mathilda wrote: "Rivers and Roads are elements I love in stories; to me they represent movement,motivation,chance encounters,and adventure."

Ohh, I love this! I'll hold off on answering the question about Diana Wynne Jones for the Q & A, but I really liked this comment about rivers and roads and wanted to let you know.

Mathilda wrote: "I have to admit Leila is the epitome of the irritating Witch-Vamp.I tried, actually really tried appreciating her..."

Reading everyone's comments about Leila is starting to make me feel sorry for her, lol!

Cassandra wrote: "Monicha wrote: "Good way of putting it on the edge with their relationship Cassandra. Makes it really hard to know if Naji really cares for Ananna, or he is just acting that way because of the curs..."

Very much so, but it really makes it good.

Mathilda wrote: "I think what Monicha wrote sums it up fair and square for me as well.

Yes Ananna gets Naji on that horse, and from there on she takes the bridle in her hands,so to speak.

I love the River Healing..."

I also really like Marjani!! She really is one of a kind.

I liked the conflict and tension between Ananna and Leila. Ananna did not trust her at all, whilst Leila still had a certain amour of pull over Naji.