Laurus Nobilis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
laurus_nobilis) wrote2011-05-30 10:33 pm
laurus_nobilis) wrote2011-05-30 10:33 pm
Finished Proven Guilty
Since I waited until the end of the book to make a post, I'll probably forget about tons of interesting things to say, so just remind me in the comments. :P On the plus side: this is going to be mostly coherent! Yay!
I was going to start this with "it feels like I've been rambling about redemption stories for years", but then I stopped to think about it, remembered that the fandoms that made me start with the rambling were FMA and Avatar, and realized it has literally been years. Huh. Seriously, I've been ranting about Learning To Be A Better Person since 2007 or so? How do you people put up with me? XD
Anyway. In retrospect, I should have seen the theme of this particular book coming when it started with killing that kid AND with reminding us of the whole deal with Ebenezar. But I'm awesome and I miss tiny details like that. Then I got distracted with the Phages and didn't connect the dots until it all hit me like a ton of bricks, heh. But! It was a good call not to ramble about Harry and Lashiel until I finished!
I just... oh, this book. We have the Denarian thing, and I'll get to that in a minute. We have, of course Molly - and we also have the general question of all those other young warlocks who might have had a chance. We have a bit of closure on Ebenezar. And this is part of the reason why I enjoy this series so much, you know. Because in spite of everything, in spite of things getting darker and more dangerous and really horrible stuff happening, people make the choice to be better. To try, at least. As best they can.
TDF hits a great balance between idealism and realism, at least for my personal taste. We see people making an effort to be better. We see other people around them giving them the chance to try. We see that not giving people a chance is a Bad Idea. But on the other hand? Nothing is immediately perfect and shiny because, oh, they're not terribly evil! And I like that, through explaining things to Molly, the narrative makes that very very clear. Intention makes a world of difference to the one who did it, because it's not the same to be a horrible monster than to make an honest mistake - but to the affected? Consequences are consequences. No matter what the intention was.
And you can't fix that, and chances are you can't make up for that either, but that doesn't mean you get a free pass to keep screwing up because oh well, you're tainted already! No, you have to suck it up and at least make the effort to do some good.
I'm rambling. I know. I don't care. :P
Specifically about Lashiel: I am so, so glad that Harry finally trusted Michael about it. I'm glad that Michael knew. I'm glad that he had the reaction I expected him to have, heh. I really hope giving up magic isn't the only way to get rid of it, but I'm glad that Michael himself acknowledged that there might be other ways he doesn't know of.
I was sort of spoiled about Harry taking Molly as an apprentice, but I had no idea of the context, and it left me with a big dorky smile on my face because it is a great chance for both of them. In the end, I finished the book a lot less nervous about Harry's potential trip to the Dark Side than I started it.
I know, I know, anything can still happen, don't spoil me blah blah blah. But you know what? I will say what I had in mind when I decided to wait and see what happened before posting: judging from what I've seen so far of the series and it's general outlook... I'm not sure I would mind. Because I'm pretty sure that if Harry does go to the Dark Side, it'd be as part of an arc to come back better.And I want to make a Darth Vader joke, OMG you guys he's contagious.
So yeah. I'll wait and see, but I firmly believe that while Butcher might break my heart, he'll do it in a well thought-out way that makes sense for the characters. Yay?
Anyway! Other stuff!
I already loved Charity, but now? OVER 9000. That woman. I just. I have no words.
Murphy was amazing in this book, so of course she had to end up with all that trouble at work. Of course. Aaaargh, she deserves better!
Thomas... left me with more questions than answers, this time. HMMMMM. I really have no idea what's going on with him.
Michael followed up "OH BY THE WAY THIS MIGHT BE EXCALIBUR" with "OH BY THE WAY I MIGHT GET KILLED SOONISH". Whyyyyyy. How do you leave that just hanging, Butcher, WHYYY.
The whole mess with Winter is starting to seriously creep me out.
And... I have no more brain right now. Go wild in the comments!
I was going to start this with "it feels like I've been rambling about redemption stories for years", but then I stopped to think about it, remembered that the fandoms that made me start with the rambling were FMA and Avatar, and realized it has literally been years. Huh. Seriously, I've been ranting about Learning To Be A Better Person since 2007 or so? How do you people put up with me? XD
Anyway. In retrospect, I should have seen the theme of this particular book coming when it started with killing that kid AND with reminding us of the whole deal with Ebenezar. But I'm awesome and I miss tiny details like that. Then I got distracted with the Phages and didn't connect the dots until it all hit me like a ton of bricks, heh. But! It was a good call not to ramble about Harry and Lashiel until I finished!
I just... oh, this book. We have the Denarian thing, and I'll get to that in a minute. We have, of course Molly - and we also have the general question of all those other young warlocks who might have had a chance. We have a bit of closure on Ebenezar. And this is part of the reason why I enjoy this series so much, you know. Because in spite of everything, in spite of things getting darker and more dangerous and really horrible stuff happening, people make the choice to be better. To try, at least. As best they can.
TDF hits a great balance between idealism and realism, at least for my personal taste. We see people making an effort to be better. We see other people around them giving them the chance to try. We see that not giving people a chance is a Bad Idea. But on the other hand? Nothing is immediately perfect and shiny because, oh, they're not terribly evil! And I like that, through explaining things to Molly, the narrative makes that very very clear. Intention makes a world of difference to the one who did it, because it's not the same to be a horrible monster than to make an honest mistake - but to the affected? Consequences are consequences. No matter what the intention was.
And you can't fix that, and chances are you can't make up for that either, but that doesn't mean you get a free pass to keep screwing up because oh well, you're tainted already! No, you have to suck it up and at least make the effort to do some good.
I'm rambling. I know. I don't care. :P
Specifically about Lashiel: I am so, so glad that Harry finally trusted Michael about it. I'm glad that Michael knew. I'm glad that he had the reaction I expected him to have, heh. I really hope giving up magic isn't the only way to get rid of it, but I'm glad that Michael himself acknowledged that there might be other ways he doesn't know of.
I was sort of spoiled about Harry taking Molly as an apprentice, but I had no idea of the context, and it left me with a big dorky smile on my face because it is a great chance for both of them. In the end, I finished the book a lot less nervous about Harry's potential trip to the Dark Side than I started it.
I know, I know, anything can still happen, don't spoil me blah blah blah. But you know what? I will say what I had in mind when I decided to wait and see what happened before posting: judging from what I've seen so far of the series and it's general outlook... I'm not sure I would mind. Because I'm pretty sure that if Harry does go to the Dark Side, it'd be as part of an arc to come back better.
So yeah. I'll wait and see, but I firmly believe that while Butcher might break my heart, he'll do it in a well thought-out way that makes sense for the characters. Yay?
Anyway! Other stuff!
I already loved Charity, but now? OVER 9000. That woman. I just. I have no words.
Murphy was amazing in this book, so of course she had to end up with all that trouble at work. Of course. Aaaargh, she deserves better!
Thomas... left me with more questions than answers, this time. HMMMMM. I really have no idea what's going on with him.
Michael followed up "OH BY THE WAY THIS MIGHT BE EXCALIBUR" with "OH BY THE WAY I MIGHT GET KILLED SOONISH". Whyyyyyy. How do you leave that just hanging, Butcher, WHYYY.
The whole mess with Winter is starting to seriously creep me out.
And... I have no more brain right now. Go wild in the comments!