The Bone Season Series by Samantha Shannon – A Read Along discussion

More about the Emim in this section. Those Buzzers are terrifying—what do you think they are? Are they really the threat that the Rephaim make them out to be?

I have had different ideas about them. One was that maybe they are more inter-related w/the Rephaim than we know yet. As we get farther along in the story, there is mention of a condition the Rephaim can contract. There is also a scene where Paige does what appears to be permanent damage to a male Rephaim. Can't help but wonder what would have happened to him if he hadn't met w/his demise, & had only been partially injured. Would he have recovered, or would he have survived in a damaged state? If so, would he have been able to function in Sheol-1, or could he have been cast out? If cast out, would he become like the Emim, or become easy prey for them? I have an overactive imagination, one of the reasons I love fantasy lit. Total imaginative stimulation! Apologies if I've jumped the gun, but from the very beginning, I felt that there was a closer-than-revealed relationship betwixt the Emim & the Rephaim....

I've also wondered about the connection. They definitely seem pretty dangerous, but I'm doubtful that they would be in this world apart from the RepahaiM, and if all the Rephaim have indeed come to Earth and left the Netherworld, I suspect they made a mess of their home world. I suspect that Emmim might be former Rephaim who have been corrupted somehow. Warden also seems to have a particularly strong vendetta against the Emmin, given that he's always sneaking off to fight them, and I look forward to learning why that is at some point in the series.

That makes sense, Alix. Former Rephaim who have been corrupted accidentally or intentionally. And if they had been enemies of Warden in their previous carnation, would absolutely make sense he would still feel the need to vanquish them.

I agree with alex, it seems like the Emim have followed the Rephaim to Earth and the humans are being used as dispensable soldiers that are made to fight the Rephaims' battle.

M, I think you're right, especially since, given Warden's numerous nearly fatal injuries, the Rephaim seem unable to fight them on their own.

I agree with Alix and M. I think that the Emim could be some kind of "zombie", Rephaim who have changed because of a virus (the illness Warden makes reference talking to Paige) or magic or... who knows!
Humans don't fit in the story, they are just the only soldiers they could find.

PS: in the Spanish version, the Emim are referenced like "emite", "emims", "Emim" and other ways. This happens in the original version? It's annoying at first reading.

Seo, in the English language version, I have seen "Emite" used as a singular and 'Emmim' seem to be the plural form of the noun, but those are the only two words used, as far as I remember. "Emmims" etc must be an issue with the translation.

Thanks Alix, I've always had that question

I still have no idea what they are. But they seem to be a creature trying to keep Rephaims in check? Natural predator?