Literary Feast: The Warrior Heir Discussion Chapters 5 through 11

*SPOILERS BELOW* We're into the main course of the book, now.

SHEL: I'm also interested in the Ohio setting. How the story is still connected to England and the past? Can't anyone just accept that Ohio is a magical and fantastical place?

MONICA: Honestly, one of my biggest gripes about the book right now is that Ohio is described, not as a magical and fantastical place, but at least as a fleshed-out, existing sort of setting. I can imagine myself walking around Trinity, at least as I can imagine myself walking around any tiny, filled-with-wizards town. But this alleged “England” they keep talking about sounds like it could be taking place inside the Matrix’s training room, for all the “real” feeling I’m getting from it. Now to be fair, maybe we’re supposed to think that everything that happens to him Away From Ohio is ephemeral and difficult to describe, but seriously, I’d kill for a little more detail.

Well, not kill.

But certainly threaten with a blunt object.

 I’m a good Halfway through the book. Still not completely enamored of it. I’m fairly fond of his friends, actually, more than anyone else – I feel like they’re doing the best they can to take care of him even though it’s obvious that the crazy is hitting the fan. *Don’t* like the fact that his moody and ineffectual godmother has apparently put a geas on Will to have him act as Jack’s protector, but what can you do?

When I put the book down today, he had just been called into the principal’s office, where two Strange Men are waiting for him, all full of portent and foreboding.

OMG What will happen next!?

(Probably this is the point where I say I can't wait to find out, but honestly, I'm okay with a little waiting. Maybe it'll give the aunt time to get her act together. And for Hastings to stop being so loomy.)

SHEL: Thinking about that moment when the aunt tasked Will with watching Jack. I was really annoyed. Mostly, I didn't like that the book switched to Will's point of view. I know it wasn't the first or the last time that happened, but it started to make me question if it was still Jack's story.

And the speaking of the trip to England--suddenly there are ghosts! WTF? I mean, I'm fine with ghosts...but couldn't there have been a better introduction to them?


MONICA: What, like something out of Casper? I think the author probably figured that if we were kosher with the Sword From The Grave and the Burying Dead People Fifty Feet Under The Schoolyard Blacktop and the Poisonous Slurpees, we weren't going to say much about the ghosts.

I could really go for a slurpee right now, honestly....


Shel:  Have a fish try it first to make sure it's not poisoned!