Jack Burdwood > Recent Status Updates

“You stay in the car. I told your ma I’d bring you home safe, but disobey me and I’ll break her fucking heart.”
Holy shit what a threat.

Was it possible, Lan wondered, to be both a strong leader and a compassionate person, or were those two things opposing forces, pushing each other away?

So in a story where the theme is facing your fears/regrets, Yarra’s fix is to be given a nice “it’s okay to fail” speech under 100% different circumstances and now she’s a confident leader again, and Odd can just “I’m angry” his weird powers away while in a fever dream and now he can join society and a normal person?

I wish I could “I’m angry” this book out of existence. What a disappointment.

Farys shouted out an old and storied call, one not heard for generations. She shouted it so loud it seemed to rip the air. “Keyshawn rising!”
All aboard the ship stopped. Every woman and man on board Tide Child knew they were no longer simply the crew of a black ship; by the presence of this fabled creature, they had become part of history. The name of this ship would live forever.

A fools custom
But it keeps our ships safe.
Does it? Or are they just pretty lights?
They are the health of a ship. The lights are his soul. That is why the black ships are dead: they cannot hold corpselights.
And yet they still fly, do they not?

I love how Meas sees things for how they really are and is slowly breaking down Joron’s (and our) world view through these exposed moments of bitterness. So good.

I get the feeling that Meas is called lucky not because of some ability to pull good fortune out of bad situations, but more because the entire world just wants to see her die and she refuses to comply.

‘Part of him, a small part he did not like but could not deny, hoped they were too late; the thought of those who wanted to kill him and having to kill in return filled him with fear like he had never known. But another part, one raised on the tales and stories of his father, thought of how he would be a hero, flying in on a black ship to save the children. It was the sort of thing women and men sang songs about’

“When he looked in Gerren’s eyes he didn’t see a boy anymore. There was only pain, sadness, and a terrible longing for what had been lost. For his home, the safety it represented, the comforts he’d scorned. For the family he’d left behind. For the loss of ignorance as knowing the true nature of the horror that existed in the world was worse than fiction. If Gerren made it home would anyone recognize him?”

“It doesn’t matter. The only thing you need to decide is why you’re here. Why did you really come on this journey? Take some time to really think about it. Tomorrow, if you want to go home then no one will think any less of you. But if you want to travel north with us, then make sure it’s for the right reasons. Your reasons, selfish as they may be.”

If Gerren dies so help me I’m going to cry so much.

The world’s view of Kell: legendary hero who’s off to vanquish evil and save the world again.
The faith’s view of Kell: devious mastermind who works with the crown to deceive the public and undermine the faith.
Actually Kell “fuck this mess, I’m taking the next boat to another continent. Have fun with your eternal winter!”
I love it.