Sarcastic Lust

While reading Crown Duel I got dragged into believing that what happened to Mel could happen to me. Meliara lived my dream; fighting and defending your home while unconsciously falling in love. I, unfortunately, have fallen down that road of believing fictional tales are real many times. Too many times. It happened when I read Twilight, Harry Potter, Blue Bloods, The Truth About Forever, A Great and Terrible Beauty... believe me the list goes on forever. But I can tell you that in believing in these tales, I have found new inspirations for... living my life. In a strange way each time I read a novel, I change. Whilst reading Twilight I talked less and dressed very descretely and, despite what Bella does, I pinned for my Edward to come. At the time I could care less if he was a vampire or not. Well, that got a good laugh out of my friends. But soon enough I moved on to my next obsession; A Great and Terrible Beauty. Gemma, the main character, is my idol and still is! Gemma has bright red hair and vibrant emerald green eyes. I died my hair red, as you witnessed in January, and got green contacts. I wanted so badly to be like Gemma. I began pretending I could stop time and have extraordinary powers. (Yes, I hate to admit, this was in November.) But in reality, I knew I was not any where near being who Bella is or who Gemma is. Those experiences have taught me one thing; I am such a wannabe. I cannot just be myself, I have to copy other people or story book characters. But maybe that is who I am; just a mix of different characters in my life. As long as I am happy and satisfied with the accomplishments I make, I will keep on imitating my story book friends.
I am glad I do not have to deal with sadistic vampires, power-hungry teachers, awkward boyfriends, and something like Voldemort. But I do have other battles...

#6: Love At Last!

"You ask why there has been no formal announcement concerning a coronation. I think this question is better addressed to the person most concerned, but I do know this: Nothing will be announced until the sculptors have finished refashioning a goldenwood throne for a queen"(Sherwood 402). This letter is from Meliara's unknown and when I read this I nearly jumped off my bed with joy for I know it is from Shevraeth! Oh and his name is not Shevraeth but Vidanric. (Sexy.) But another courtier is in the picture, Elenet, who has been a childhood friend and still good friend to Vidanric. Mel, naturally, thinks her unknown means Elenet. Jealousy takes over her immensly but she does not understand why. (I do!) Vidanric and Mel get a chance to dance at Nee and Bran's last ball before they get married. Mel steals many glances at Vidanric throughout the dance and notices that Vidanric does not dance with Elenet for the whole evening. In some odd way that comforts Mel. (I know why it comforts her!) Mel admits, "No matter how my emotions veered during those social occasions, it was comforting to realize that I would return to my room and find a letter from the person whose opinions and thoughts I had come to value most"(395).
BUT the night of the ball, the Merindars make an attempt to steal the crown. There will be another war. Mel finds out from Azmus that the Merindars plan to attack the Hill Folk, a special "tribe" that lives in the woods and who practice magic. Mel rides out that night to try and stop the warriors but discovers another rider riding the same way. She meets up with this mysterious rider in an inn and finds it to be Vidanric. Vidanric and her discuss the plan and who to attack but then he pulls off his gloves and... BEHOLD he's wearing the ring she sent to her unknown! Vidanric is her unknown! Remember that wager they made in the beginning of the book? Well Mel finally pays off her debt in a sensational kiss! Vidanric admits, "I think I fell in love with you the day you stood before Galdran in the Throne Room, surrounded by what you thought were enemies, and glared at him without a trace of fear. I knew it when you sat across from me at your table in Tlanth and argued so passionately about the fairest way to disperse an army, with no other motive besides testing your theories"(442).

#5: Intelligence and Insecurity

"... his gaze was still as limpid as the stream riling at our feet..." (Sherwood 332) Limpid was one of our vocab words when we read Nectar in a Sieve; connection! Yes, one word connects one book from another. Meliara seeks out Flauvic after makes a mysterious motion with his hands when his mother takes Mel into their beautiful library and demands what he meant by it. Mel finds out that Flauvic is an illusionist, or so he claims, as he slyly distracts her from her original reason to seek him out. They have a pleasent talk but when the Duke of Savona and the Marquis of Shevraeth come to escort Mel back to the palace, Flauvic some how dissappears. (Was that just an illusion as well?) Mel recieves another letter from her unknown after she asked him about her most recent encounter with Flauvic's mother. Mel is so insecure and it frusterates me she cannot have the courage to at least try to gain power. Mel writes to her unknown," I expect you're being confused by my proximity to power-my brother being friend to the possible king and my living here in the Residence. But believe me, no one could possibly be more ignorant or less influencial than I," (Sherwood 338). And the fact that Mel is a countess and a revolutionary she should have the most power in the kingdom, save the king. Speaking of king, Shevraeth is on his way. I think he is Mel's unknown. She sends him a ring she wanted that included "leaves, spring, circles-all symbols that complemented the friendship. The gemstone was the best ekirth that Azmus could find, carefully faceted so it glittered like a nightstar, so deep a blue as to seem black, except when the light hit it just so and it would send out brilliant shards of color: gold, blue, crimson, emerald." (373) Nee, Bran's betrothed, says once, "One doesn't lose a self, like a pair of gloves or a pin. We learn and change, or we harden into stone." (381) I just wanted to mention that. Well thought out and intelligent; because it is true.

#4: The Sweetest Gesture

The Marquis and Mel have another "sa-woon" moment when he asks to kiss her! (I feel like I've already wrote about that....) They make a wager; if Shevraeth arrives at the inn first, he wants a kiss from Mel. (I am internally screaming. Screaming for joy.) In the end, Shevraeth takes a short cut and he gets to the inn first.... KISS. But he doesn't kiss her, he is waiting until the perfect moment for Mel is fuming with anger and would punch him if he touched her the wrong way (Not possible!) This next part needs some explanation; when Mel was back at her own palace, she received a note form the Marquise of Merindar, the cousin of Galdren (the evil dictator that Shevraeth killed) saying that she would like Mel to come to court so they could "meet at last." Mel is hesitent because of the Marquise's name and relations so she keeps the letter secret. During the most recent ball, the Marquise arrives with her children; a girl who is tall and thin and very intimidating and a boy, who is extroadinarily beautiful. Both children kept to themselves. During the party the Marquise takes Mel by her hand and leads her into the library; a library the size of three public libraries put together. Mel qawked at the history. The Marquise is trying to win over Mel. Trying to get her on their side, I thought.
This next part gets juicy.
Mel runs into Shevraeth in the palace's library (not he Merindars, but the one in Shevraeth's palace). Mel finds him in a secret room. (I am internally screaming) They get into an arguement, however, and the "sa-woon" moment is nearly ruined. But on his way out, for they were interrputed, Shevraeth says, "I apologize. I also realize trying to convince you of my good intentions is a fruitless effort, but my own conscience demanded that I make the attempt." That night Mel finds a beautiful saphire ring on her pillow; she has no idea who it is from.
SA-WOON.

Blog #3: Crown Duel

I forgot to mention in the last post that Bran, Mel's brother, is struck with an arrow and Mel believes him dead. Well, a few pages into the next chapter, we fine that after the struggle with Debegri Shevraeth kills the king and aids Bran back to life. I am still frustrated as ever with Mel! She thinks once again, "I was also, therefore, intensely aware that my life was now in the hands of people I had considered enemies not two dawns ago. Did they still consider me one?" (Smith 195). I have an overwhelming urge to chuck this book out the window and yell, shut up, Mel! But the tale itself, keeps me reading and wondering what will happen next. Their plans for overthrowing the current ruler go awry, even though they did succeed in killing Debegri, the military leader. Mel explains, "There's no use in talking about the plan, because of course nothing went the way it was supposed to. Even the passage of time was horribly distorted" (Smith 197). The group of rebels meet up with Galdran, the king of their land, and faced a fight. Mel is knocked unconscience but is told the whole story after she awakes in a wood gatherer's cottage. Shevraeth killed Galdran. Mel and her brother recieve all of Galdrans earnings, making them fabulously rich. PART 2: Mel stays at her palace, away form court, while Bran stays with Shevraeth and all the court pricks Mel hates. Bran returns home with a fiancee and Shevraeth. Mel is surprised. Mel is forced to go to court to marry off her brother, all the while..... DUM DUM DUM falling in love with the Marquis!! He sends her love letters, although Mel has no idea who they are from. (Shevraeth! Shevraeth! Shevraeth!) Mel replies and falls in love with the mystery man. (Shevraeth! Shevraeth! Shevraeth!) BUT the Marquise of Merindar presents a problem; the Marquise has her eye on the crown because no one has taken Galdran's place yet. Of course the land and villages all wish to see Shevraeth as king; for he has been charitable and clear minded and has his military advantages.
So, here it is, there is a crown duel.

Blog #2: Frusterating

After Mel has been captured and humiliated in front of court, she is locked in a dungeon where she receives unexpected and certainly secret gifts. Such as food and blankets and water. The Marquis of Shavraeth obviously granted Mel these secret gifts and wished that she surrender so she is not killed. (Out of love. I just know it.) Of course Mel escapes and spends the majority of the reading hiding from horseback. It is so obvious that the Marquis loves her! Mel is so stubborn and so ignorant to notice, however, how much effort he gives to keep her from being caught! One time he even looks into her eyes when he and others are searching a building, smiles slightly, but does not say a word to the other searchers. Mel, of course, does not understand his behaviour and thinks it is because the Marquis wishes to finish her off himself. (She has to be wrong. I just know it.) I am getting a little annoyed at how much she analyzes other people's reaction toward her. She believes that every person on the planet has something against her. She believes that there is an undercurrent, secret meanings, to everything people say to her. And it frusterates me that she always wishes to escape when, clearly, the Marquis is helping her! Mel thought, "All right, defeat so far, I thought as I winced and gritted my way through arranging my leg much as it had been on the previous ride. All I have to do is catch him in a single unwary moment... He mounted behind me and we started off, while I indulged myself with the image of grabbing that stick and conking him right across his smiling face." (Another sign of an unspoken love!)

Blog #1: A great beginning?

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith begins with Countess Meliara and her brother Branaric mourning their father's death. It seems that this book never really had an exposition, chapter, or even a paragraph describing the setting. The reader is thrown straight into a war. I started reading this and was confused and bored right away. I cannot read about war strategies, my mind just wanders so the beginning of Crown Duel was difficult to get through. But the information Sherwood Smith was giving seemed important for the rest of the book, so I did not let myself get discouraged. I found out, however, that Crown Duel is not just a story about war strategies: it is one of suspense and action. By page 43, Mel falls into a trap, a literal trap that badly injures her leg. She is captured by the Court Shmuck a Marquis, Varandic Shevraeth. I did not understand or even like the beginning of this book! But now that Mel has been captured, it all of a sudden has wonderful suspense and action. Sherwood Smith ends almost every chapter with a sentence such as, "And then I was captured." Or, "And then everything went black." Wonderful supsense. The action is plentiful as well. Mel can fight with and without a sword, on horseback and off. Even the snobby Marquis can fight. He does, in fact save Mel's life more than once. And I think it is because he fancies her. And despite her intense hatred toward him, she, as well, fancies him. Ah, so much to talk about!

Introduction to Outside Reading

“A fast-moving tale of adventure, intrigue, and honor, with Mel a likable heroine and a lively narrator,” Booklist described. The Horn Book also commented, “A delightful read.” Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith is a story of war, deceit and intrigue. The reviews and the synopsis on the back cover draw me to this book. “A realm in trouble, a spirited female hero with magic to surround her, mystery, romance, an enigmatic marquis, court etiquette and secret messages- this is the stuff of dreams!” Tamora Pierce wrote.

Blog #2: A Culture Different From Your Own

"Shortly before parliamentary elections in December, foremen fanned out across the sprawling GAZ vehicle factory here, pulling aside assembly-line workers and giving them an order: vote for President Vladimir V. Putin’s party or else," Clifford J . Levy wrote. I can not believe people still do that. Ordering people to vote for a certain party just shows how insecure the people of the party really are. But, I supposed, where ever you go bribery and threats will follow. This article goes on about how Vladimir Putin is turning into a dictator, ruling with an autocracy. That is how Hitler got elected to office; by democratic vote. So, what if Vladimir is the next Hitler? Hopefully he won't put people in concentration camps or anything extreme like that, but people did not really expect that from Hitler, either. What if Obama turns into a Hitler character? Gaining millions of supporters and love; he could turn on us at any second... But he won't. I think Vladimir Putin is just a stickler and will only have things his way and people like that scare the rest of us. But, maybe we, the people, the supporters and voters, maybe we need to just have a little faith in our leaders. Putin may look rough and stern on the outside, but he did get elected by the people so the people should trust in the decisions they have made; not go back on their word.

Levy, Clifford J. "Putin’s Iron Grip on Russia Suffocates Opponents." New York Times. Feb 24, 2008. March 4, 2008.

Blog #1: Natural Disaster

An earthquake in China a little over a year ago left 80,000 people dead or missing. A
four-year-old reservoir, the Zipingpu Reservoir, built close to the fault line at the center of the earthquake is speculated to have been the trigger. With that piece of information alone, one can only suspect how the Chinese government is faring. We all understand that dams and reservoirs are funded and owned by the government, so saying government property has caused one of the most terrible natural disasters in Chinese history can be a huge blow and set back. But aren't natural disasters, well, natural? Natural meaning not being caused or triggered by human behaviour? A natural disaster is related to land and wind and air. But then again, that is the question; did the government cause this earthquake? Or was it destined to happen? Based on the information given in the article, I find it hard to believe a reservoir could cause seismic waves in the earth's crust. Honestly, if the Earth wants to have an earthquake, the earth wants to have an earthquake. It's not one of those things that can be created by water pressure in a corrupt country. And, really, the government wanted to help it's country by creating a dam, not to trigger a terrible "natural disaster".


Lafraniere, Sharon. "In China Quake, a Man-Made or Natural Disaster?" International Herald Tribune. Feb 6 2009. Feb 16 2009. < http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/06/asia/06quake.php>

Smooth Out That Worry Brow

"Ileana doesn't direct the course of affairs; that's not our way. She believes in letting folk make their own errors. If that results in disaster, so be it" (Knopp 112)
Jena and her four sisters find a secret portal in their castle and find that it leads them do the Wildwood. Long ago, back when only Tati and Jena were alive, they found this other world and have been going there every full moon since. This world is a magical one, filled with dancing, dwarfs, faeries, witches and vampires. It is a huge risk traveling there every full moon, but the girls insist on it. Tati, the eldest sister, falls in lust with one of the Night People, a vampire. Jena shows great concern and asks the Ileana, the queen of faeries, when the Night People are leaving (the Night People are nomads).
Ileana's response is unusual; if someone you love is in great danger, you help to rescue them. But not her. Ileana wants everyone to understand that the chips will fall where they may and that no one should disrupt that process. Jena, being the outspoken-I'm-always-right kind of girl, keeps trying to convince Ileana of the danger Tati is in. But Ileana is also very stubborn and will only see her way.

Lady-Like

"This isn't fair!" I snapped, realizing with horror that from Cezar's point of view, his action was perfectly logical. "You cannot just take over our funds and expect to decide what we can and can't spend money on. I'm a grown woman, I can deal with this!" ( Knopp 97).
When Jena's father leaves to peruse his business needs, she is left to deal with the accounting on the house and the servants. Jena finds this task quite easy for she has helped her father with it for years. Unfortunately, her father's extended absence worries her cousin, Cezar, who's father has just died and is managing his own estate. Jena is a very outspoken girl; she wants things done her way or the highway, not a very lady-like virtue in this time period. Cezar finds it embarrassing when she picks fights with him when they're around other people (but secretly he's in love with her. I can tell). Cezar also thinks it not lady-like for a young woman to be so involved with the funds of estate so he intervenes. He takes it upon himself to look over Jena and her four sisters, not as a man managing their estate, but as a father. And that aggrivates Jena more than anything.

Rapunzel

I know I switch books a lot, but I found this really great volume of the Grimm Brother's Complete Fairy Tales. I read recently "Rapunzel" and it's different then what I was told when I was a little girl. This version involves the prince making love to Rapunzel and Rapunzel by accident tells the witch about the Prince. The witch then cuts off her hair and sends her off to a wood no one knows of. The prince comes one night but the witch is in the tower, not fair Rapunzel, and in his agony, jumps from the tower landing on rose bushes which scratch out his eyes. He then wanders the wood aimlessly for Rapunzel until many years later he hears the beautiful voice he knows oh too well. Rapunzel cries out with joy, her tears falling on his eyes, making him see again. He sees she has twin children and rejoices with his family. They live happily ever after.
Of course the version I was told didn't include the eyes being scratched out or the prince making love to her. This is written by the Grimm Brothers, however, so it is understood.

Challenge

With the passing of a most competitive king, Stronghold is now wondering who is to inherit the land so many witches and faeries inhabit. Only three of king's sons are alive (four dead) Primus, Tertius and Septimus. Of course the king killed all his brothers for his place and is disappointed with his sons' inability to finish each other off; that is until only one brother remains. The king then devises a challenge; he throws the Stonghold Topaz into the air and all the sons watch with amazement as it floats upwards into the sky. "To him who retrieves the stone, which is the Power of Stormhold, I leave my blessing, and the Mastership of Stormhold and all it's dominions" (Gaiman and Vess 59). And then a star falls and the old king whispers, "There," and dies. So, the old king left this great challenge to his sons; some not so bright, to find this Topaz that floated up in the sky.
But, what if the star falling has something to do with the Topaz? What if they are related in some way? None of the sons have any idea what do to so a great challenge this is.

Fantasy.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess': "One star fell" (Gaiman and Vess' 59). The movie Stardust is a wonderful tale of romance, war and fantasy. The novel is much different than the movie and a million times better.
In our case, a star is just a captured meteorite that, for some obscure reason, shines at night. In this novel, however, a star is not a meteorite but a person; a beautiful woman that shines and radiates beauty with from every inch of her body. But, it is also told that if one posesses the heart of a star, one is granted immortality. Strong princes and terrifying witches seek the star, hoping to capture her heart and gain immortality. (Capture her heart is meant quite literally. To cut out her heart and eat it.)