Rosy Birchall’s Reviews > The Mad Ship > Status Update

Just marry each other already for goodness sake.
Also Brashen is forgiven, he has both apologised with honesty and done more than just a big gesture with his help with Paragon to be redeemed in my eyes. I really enjoyed how slow the redemption was though, truly felt earned by Hobb. Great stuff.

Oh and also, I always have hated him, but I considered him as almost unimportant (very clever from Hobb, because his idiocy has become instrumental in the plot) and now Davad Restart makes my blood boil more than all of them. His horrid behaviour is only driven by profit and business opportunities & somehow that’s worse than Kyle or Kennit for me. Selling poor Malta off (not his daughter!) for his own benefit.

You know, Keffria’s mothering to Malta is actually beautiful. The way it developed from weary parent and destructive teenager to proud mother and strong daughter (the turning point for me was when Malta discussed the numbers regarding floating Paragon) and also I love how Ronica’s relationship with them all has changed. Without the men, they all have flourished in strength!

IS KENNIT THE BOY WHO SUPPOSEDLY DIED ON THE PARAGON??

The one thing I can’t get behind with Kennit is he appears to groom all of those around him into loyalty. I feel so much for Vivacia because she required a compassionate guiding hand, and unfortunately the first one to come along is a textbook psychopath.

So thrilling to read though.

I also wonder if Brashen’s huge acts of service toward Althea will be enough to redeem him. Both in Althea’s eyes, and my own. I don’t judge his drug habit, but I do judge the way he reacted to being turned down by Althea. I don’t believe it is irredeemable, but he needs to grow somewhat before I fully like him again.

Perhaps…Malta is She Who Remembers? Or maybe she will become that?? Very excited for this next development for her, she was so easy to hate until recent chapters, now she is seeing things with a mature mindset & she makes very interesting choices. I love Hobb’s differing expressions of femininity!!

Okay so my theories thus far:

Igrot (the pirate) captured Paragon way back, used him to try and have ownership of the seas. Paragon went mad from the death - killed the crew and returned to Bingtown.
Key Island, where Kennit lived, was raided by Igrot whilst he had Paragon. Kennit decided he would take revenge by claiming his own live ship.
Paragon & Vivacia together are One Who Remembers.

Etta POV!! Hell yeah!!!

Oh hell yeah, Malta is one driven kid. I like her redemption starting to come in, she is young and has much more to learn. Exciting to see this character develop!