Pick-a-Shelf discussion

After reading the first two books of the series we will continue with the last one.

⏰ Starting date: 21 november

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Particpants:
Lusie
Meg
Susan
Tien

📚 Reading schedule:
21 - 24 nov: Prologue - Syl anagist four
25 - 28 nov: Chapter 5 - 9
29 nov - 2 dec: Chapter 10 - coda

I won't start until December 1st - trying to finish off some src books for November
I don't mind if you want to start earlier, I'll catch up.

Meg wrote: "I won't start until December 1st - trying to finish off some src books for November
I don't mind if you want to start earlier, I'll catch up."

If you really don't mind, Meg, I would like to go ahead sooner if other people are ready. The digital copy I was able to check out only gives me two weeks. Or, if it's better for us to wait, I can return it and check it out later.

Also, I now see that there's to be a Readathon the first two weeks of December. Does that affect anyone's preferences about when to do read this?

No worries, I am happy to start earlier. I should be picking the book up on Wednesday

I've already got the book from the library on Thurs so ready whenever. I am aiming to finish SRC but I think I should be able to fit in this too with no problem ;)

I already have my copy as well, so am ready when you are

Do we want to start this weekend then?

Tien wrote: "Do we want to start this weekend then?"

I'm in :)

good plan :)

About 1/3 of the book every 4 days, like we did the last one?

How about:

📚 Reading schedule:
21 - 24 nov: Prologue - Syl anagist four
25 - 28 nov: Chapter 5 - 9
29 nov - 2 dec: Chapter 10 - coda

approximately a chapter a day, I can do that

Thanks, Lusie.

Sounds good to me.

Tien wrote: "approximately a chapter a day, I can do that

Thanks, Lusie."

The hard thing is stopping yourself after one really good chapter!

I'm going away this weekend (to the exotic and distant outer suburbs of Melbourne) so I will probably start on Monday.

I know all about that Meg. I usually just keep reading lol

I have to work this weekend, so not sure either how much reading I'll get done.

Just finished chapter 3. Not really spoilers, but I'll mark them in case someone really doesn't want to see anything...
(view spoiler)[
I'm really enjoying seeing more of the relationship between Essun and Hoa - strange, but very caring and protective.
And Nassun is off on an adventure - very exciting! (hide spoiler)]

I have read up to chapter 5

21 - 24 nov: Prologue - Syl anagist four
(view spoiler)[It starts a bit confusing in the prologue with talking about then and now, but we are used to that by now. I think Hoa and Essun might turn into more than just friends.
I was surprised to hear Hoa was the one to send the moon away. Was he rebelling against his treatment as a slave? What would his aim have been?

Essun is turning into stone. I think she will eventually end the same way as Alabaster. Probably by the end of the book. It's a bit sad to think of that.

I like reading about Hoa in the time before the stillness. It's interesting. The outing will probably trigger his rebellion. Looking forward to see what happens next

Nassun has to leave the comm, which was to be expected. I think the children they left behind along the way will be safe and maybe we will see them again later on. I hope her way to control the Obelisk Gate is better than her mother's way. Does this mean she will turn to stone too when she used the gate? Nassun seems to have so much anger in her.... but I think/hope she will calm down (probably when she sees her mother again) and won't destroy everything.
(hide spoiler)]

I've read a bit ahaead
Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[Such a small world. Essun keeps meeting others from her past. (hide spoiler)]

I've finished our first section (21 - 24 nov: Prologue - Syl anagist four) So many revelations in the first chapter! I'm finding the author's style easier to read now that we've sort of gotten used to it in the first 2 books, and enjoyed learning things like (view spoiler)[ Hoa being the one to throw away the moon, an important reason the stone eaters eat the parts of the body that have turned to stone [because it's too heavy for the human to handle otherwise] (hide spoiler)] and the rest of Hoa's backstory.

Other thoughts:
(view spoiler)[ Is there a showdown coming between Essun and her daughter?

Which side is Steel on? He talks about trying to persuade Essun, but he couldn’t be the big grey guy, could he? I thought Hoa ate him, and it takes a long time to come back from that.

How does the metal piece work for the regular Guardians, but work differently & with more control for the compromised ones? (hide spoiler)]

about Lusie's Ch 5 spoiler
(view spoiler)[ "Such a small world. Essun keeps meeting others from her past." I totally missed that. Who is/was it? (hide spoiler)]

I agree with you, Meg, about the (view spoiler)[ relationship between Essun and Hoa. I also had the same thoughts about the relationship between Schaffa and Nassun. (hide spoiler)]

Tien, anything confusing because it's been so long since you read the first 2 books that the rest of us could help with?

In reply to Susan's comments...
(view spoiler)[There might be a showdown between Essun and her daughter.

Steel seems to want the moon back. I think he is working for father Earth. I don't trust him. I can't recall if Hoa ate him or if that was another stone either. I think it was a different one...

I'm not sure either how the metal things works for the compromised ones. It sounds like father earth takes control over the compromised ones. (hide spoiler)]

Susan, I don't think you have read chapter 5.... so maybe that's why you don't know who I mean in my spoiler.

It's hard to stop reading. The book is intriguing

I am confused!!! Which is probably why I haven't asked any questions because I don't know what questions to ask lol

These Syl chapters - who are they?!

oh and I totally missed that about Hoa & the moon??? hhmm....

Tien, the syl chapters are Hoa from before he turned to stone. It was when he was younger, before the stillness when things were still normal

It was in the prologue that he said he was the one who send away the moon. Hoa is the voice that often tells the story when no name is said

I think I just didn't understand what's happening so I just kept going in hope that something will click later on. I've just reread prologue and gosh, now everything makes more sense ha ha ha

Do we know what side nassun is on regarding the moon? Is she trying to stop it being brought back?

Meg wrote: "Do we know what side nassun is on regarding the moon? Is she trying to stop it being brought back?"

(view spoiler)[ I guess her plan to blow up the earth makes the moon irrelevant. (hide spoiler)]

Lusie wrote: "Susan, I don't think you have read chapter 5.... so maybe that's why you don't know who I mean in my spoiler."

Oh, you're right. I waited to start that tonight.

Lusie wrote: "Tien, the syl chapters are Hoa from before he turned to stone. It was when he was younger, before the stillness when things were still normal"

I think "normal" might be a bit generous. After all, there were people like Hoa who were created to be used as slaves, and they came into being by being "decanted." Instead of "normal," we could say it was before the moon was sent away and the Seasons started.

Susan wrote: "Lusie wrote: "Tien, the syl chapters are Hoa from before he turned to stone. It was when he was younger, before the stillness when things were still normal"

I think "normal" might be a bit generou..."

you are right Susan

Susan wrote: "Meg wrote: "Do we know what side nassun is on regarding the moon? Is she trying to stop it being brought back?"

[spoilers removed]"

Is that what she's up to?! I wasn't sure what's supposed to happen with opening the gate.

(view spoiler)[Was Schaffa also Essun's Guardian?

and do we know who Steel is (in relation to Hoa)? (hide spoiler)]

Tien wrote: "Susan wrote: "Meg wrote: "Do we know what side nassun is on regarding the moon? Is she trying to stop it being brought back?"

[spoilers removed]"

Is that what she's up to?! I wasn't sure what's s..."

Susan - that makes sense, I had forgotten that was her plan!
Tien, yes he was.
Steel is also the grey man right? But not sure about the answer to your question.

Chapter 6 - 9
(view spoiler)[Why do you think Essun never wants to see her daughter again, Shame? Since she failed to give enough love and Schaffa seems to have replaced her as "parent"?

Nassun's journey to her destination sounds pretty uneventful. The place sounds very strange with all the dust and building within the crater. The transport station is even more strange. With having to fill the vine with silver. It sounds dangerous. How could Steel ask this of her knowing she could have died!

The fallen obelisk is puzzling too. I still don't understand how the obelisks are made, though they did say it can me made from a forrest, coral and other things. The obelisk is said to kill orogenes. Is that by turning them to stone?

The Hoa in the past has now realised he is not a tool, but actually is human and is part of a surpressed people turned into slaves. I wonder what they did to the Niess people. Used them for the obelisks maybe?

Essun's journey through the desert is tough. It's good that she has now accepted the comm as her own. I think it will help her get through things. I thought the turning to stone might be slowed now that she isn't using her powers, but this is not the case since she is feeling so detached
(hide spoiler)]

Yes steel is the grey man, but I can't answer Tien's question either.

I finished the book , but haven't written down my thoughts about the end yet

Wow, you've finished?! I'm struggling 😅

What is "grey man"?

Tien, the grey man is what essun calls steel. She's seen him before but didn't know his real name.

Lusie, re the first question in your chapter 6-9 spoiler - (view spoiler)[my feeling is that she wants to protect nassun by staying away from her. She caused the deaths of her other two children, so she thinks she will end up harming nassun too (hide spoiler)]

Meg wrote: "Tien, the grey man is what essun calls steel. She's seen him before but didn't know his real name."

ooh, I guess this was in previous books because I don't remember ;p

Tien, you know how I am. I often reach a part in book where I just can't stop reading lol

Meg, that makes sense. I think you are right

Lusie wrote: "Tien, you know how I am. I often reach a part in book where I just can't stop reading lol"

That doesn't happen to me very often these days *sad*

Any particular part in this book that kept you going? As in which chapter?

Tien, I thought this book was the best ofthe series. I especially liked Hoa of the past. But also liked Essun's story

Tien wrote: "and do we know who Steel is (in relation to Hoa?"
There was a point near the end of the last book, after Essun had opened the gates, when Hoa told her a tiny bit about Nassun's situation. There's a network of sorts among the stone eaters. He said something about "one of us" being there. But something in what he said then made me think he didn't especially like this particular stone eater. And I agree with (Lusie? Meg?) above - I haven't felt like I really trust his (Steel's) loyalty to Nassun. It's more like he's trying to manipulate her, to use her to get what he wants.

Meg wrote: "Tien, the grey man is what Essun calls Steel. She's seen him before but didn't know his real name."
I'm not convinced of this yet. It makes sense, but if so, I don't see how he recovered so quickly after Hoa destroyed him.
Tien, near the end of the last book, when the other comm invaded the one where Essun was living, they had a stone eater who helped them try to drive Essun's comm's people out. That was who Essun calls the Gary Man. I thought Hoa ripped him apart (or ate him) to protect Essun. But maybe I'm remembering that part wrong.

I'm falling behind in reading, because I'm watching a couple episodes a day of the adaptation of Philip Pullman's Dark Materials series while it's free on HBO for a very short time. So I'm not reading any spoilers from chapter 5 on yet. Will catch up soon.

um, why does Nassun want to (view spoiler)[destroy the world (hide spoiler)]? Was this in the last book or did I miss it in this book?

Tien wrote: "um, why does Nassun want to [spoilers removed]? Was this in the last book or did I miss it in this book?"

(view spoiler)[ I believe it was in this book. I think it might've been during the conversation she had with Steel right after her father attacked her & she killed him by turning him into crystal that shattered. Was that here or the last one?

Best I can figure out, it's just that she's so angry at how people perceive and treat her because she's different that it makes her want to just destroy everything. (hide spoiler)]

It was in the last book. Thanks, Susan, I was wondering if there was any deeper reason than anger.

(view spoiler)[So Nassun wants to open the gate to destroy the world.

Essun tried to open the gate before but then she realised that it was going to destroy the world so she didn't (end of book 1)? Am I remembering this correctly? (hide spoiler)]

So hard to remember previous books!!

I also think her motivation was anger, like Susan said.
Nassun is only 10/11 years old. I like that in her actions you can sometimes see she is so young.

I think you are right Tien

Lusie wrote: "I also think her motivation was anger, like Susan said. Nassun is only 10/11 years old.

I think you are right Tien"

And also, since I've now read chapters 5-7, it's clear that (view spoiler)[ The Grey Man/Steel (The rest of you were right, and I was wrong - that is who he is) is manipulating her feelings to get her to do it for his own reasons (hide spoiler)]

I finished last night.
I don't really have a lot to say I don't think!
The last half got quite complicated, but still enjoyable. I really liked the descriptions of the core.
Overall it was a great series, with amazing detail and world building. I'm not sure all the questions I had were answered. I feel like I need another book in this series, or a prequel.

Meg, I didn't have much to say about the ending either. It was both sad and good. I agree that it got complicated near the end. Not sure if I understand everything though. I also thought it was a great series and I thought the lasst book wast he best. The world building was amazing.

I finished too.

Good ending. It was a struggle for about the first half - mostly because I read the last book a year ago so couldn't remember the world & who's who etc.

The last book was probably the best because everything was brought together and finally making some sort of sense lol

I think the first was my favourite. It was such a great surprise and i fell in love with her writing and the world

I'm glad for the buddy read we didn't wait long between the books. It's confusing enough already! I'm glad to hear you didn't give up despite struggling at first. It's a good series. lol Tien, you are right about that.

That's nice, Meg. I had to get used to the writing. The first book started out as a 2 stars for me, but slowly build up to 4 stars; which is an average of 3 stars ;-)

I'm not done yet, but will probably finish tonight, and then go back to the spoilers I haven't opened up yet. At the moment, I'd have to say the second book is my favorite. 4.5* for the first, because everything was too confusing for too long. 5* for the second. And - well, I'll wait to decide about this last one, but it hasn't held my interest the way the second one did.