Eden's staring at Logan's hut now. Maybe it's just because I don't like Eden, but is anyone else creeped out over her weird interest in Bramford's son or is it just me? Given that her feelings toward Bramford seem to change on a dime, I'm worried about how she'll treat the kid if/when they eventually do meet. Who's to say she won't lash out at the kid if he does something she doesn't like? Seeing as she automatically assumes Bramford's a selfish beast every time he does something she doesn't like, I think it's a valid concern.
We get a random interlude when a bird (insert Latin name here) flies onto her windowsill, and she thinks about how the "slash of red" over its eyes reminds her of a "playful bandit." I mention this only because it comes up later in the chapter... yes, really.
Eden's foot touches something "hard and gooey" on the floor. Um... generally stepping in something gooey on the floor doesn't bode well, especially when animals are free to run in and out of the hut...
Didn't think I'd be using this meme again...
Turns out it's not a "present" from the local wildlife, but a fresh painting on a piece of wood. And despite the fact that Eden just stepped on it, it's not smudged at all. Foyt, this isn't something you have to research, this is Logic 101. Wet paint smears when you step on it. This book obviously never saw an editor before hitting the shelves.
The hair on the back of her neck prickled as she reached for it. At first Eden thought it was another portrait of Rebecca. Then she noted the slightly fuller mouth, the more elfin-shaped face. Could it be? There was no mistake.
Imagine, a portrait of Eden Newman. -- p. 247
Or, given that this is a seven-year-old boy painting this picture, any differences in the features can be attributed to the fact that a kid painted the portrait. I understand kids can be gifted artistically, but I think it's extremely unlikely that a seven-year-old can paint THAT well.
Eden wonders if Logan left the painting in exchange for the paintbrush, but then decides that because it's a portrait of her that it must be a personal gift, not a trade. You know what they say about assumptions, Eden... when you "assume" you "make an ass out of you and me."
We also get a random bit of worldbuilding here -- namely that gifts are rare down in the Combs, and birthdays are almost never celebrated. Instead a girl gets gifts when she has her first menstrual cycle, because it means she's not "toxic" and can perpetuate the species. There's some pretty nasty implications in implying a girl is only valuable if she's fertile... did Foyt get tired of being racist and decide to go for sexism as a change of pace?
Eden wistfully recalled the gifts she'd received on her special day. From father, a detailed analysis of her genetic predispositions with special emphasis on her advanced intellect. Mother had given her an old, graying book of Aunt Emily's poems. And though she appreciated these things, the obvious message layered into them never escaped her: you must improve yourself, Eden. -- p. 248
You. Ungrateful. Little. Twerp. Your parents got you gifts -- maybe a little weird of gifts, but gifts with a lot of thought behind them. And you have no way of knowing that the intended message behind those gifts was "you have to improve yourself." Maybe your father was celebrating how bright and intelligent (*coughcoughcough*) his daughter was. Maybe your mother wanted to share a favorite poet with you. Assuming they got you these gifts only to harp on your flaws isn't just ungrateful, it's stupid.
How astonishing that this young boy who didn't know her had presented a gift without judgment or comment. In fact, unlike the images of Rebecca, which had a serious, almost stern, quality, Eden thought her portrait was light and whimsical. As if Logan alone could see the New Eden emerging, something she barely understood. -- p. 248
...since when has Eden been light and whimsical, even in her supposed "New Eden" incarnation? And again, this kid is seven. He should be painting stick figures, not intricate portraits where you can make out "stern" or "whimsical" properties. Also, "images?" I thought we only saw the one painting of Rebecca...
Eden wonders how many mornings Logan studied her to paint this, which makes her want to hug "the sweet boy." I'd be more creeped out than heart-warmed by being watched while I sleep, even if it's from a kid. She takes down Rebecca's painting and replaces it with her own, then wonders how she can continue this "dialogue of objects with Logan" when she doesn't have much -- just the backpack and the dress from the Moon Dance.
Maria's daughters come back and offer Eden a bowl of chicha and a "fresh white orchid." I repeat that chicha is a beverage, not a breakfast food, and if Eden's living only on this and the occasional handful of nuts and berries from Bramford she should be starving by now. But then, she's somehow not dead of scurvy after living on fat, protein, and carbohydrate pills and not a multivitamin in sight, so maybe Foyt just fails in biology along with everything else.
The girls are throwing "harsh words" back and forth, and Eden realizes they're fighting over who has the privilege of serving her. Um... wow. Making the Native American characters servants to the precious white girl. That's perfectly normal and not loaded with unfortunate implications at all...
The girls start to fight over Eden's dress, the "stiff techno fabric" folding into odd shapes as they tussle over it. I'm still not sure what "techno fabric" is -- Foyt somehow failed to explain what that is. Is it fabric embedded with technology? Fabric made for techno music fans? Explain, book, explain!
Maria walks in and hands Eden a leaf, saying something in Spanish. I had to hit Google to translate it -- am I the only one that finds untranslated foreign languages in a novel obnoxious? Maybe I'm a heathen for not being bilingual, but still...
Anyhow, the phrase translates to "it's stronger for your father." I don't know either.
Eden figures out from this that the leaf is medicine, and asks where to find it. It's apparently someplace called "Heaven's Gate." So either a box-office bomb of a Western movie or a suicidal UFO cult?
Maria says it's dangerous but insists Eden and Bramford go. Hey, Maria wants our protagonist dead, she can't be all bad!
If only Eden could reassure her that help was on the way. But she couldn't risk world leaking to Bramford. He might steal away Eden's father and Logan too. -- p. 250
Still betting that the FFP or some other not-so-friendly force answers Eden's distress call...
Maria states through broken Spanish and hand gestures that the root of the plant Eden holds will be more powerful than the leaf, and Eden thinks that she never knew different parts of the plant contained different remedies -- apparently she never questioned where medicine came from back home. You're supposedly so smart, girl, and never thought about that? Did your education on plants and animals consist solely of memorizing their Latin names?
Maria insists that Eden go with Bramford on this dangerous mission to get the plant, further proving my theory that she wants to be rid of the clueless spoiled brat. Eden promises to go but figures that Shen will be here any minute and she won't have to go anyhow. She also figures that Bramford's been gone two days and is probably dead by now. Good to know you care so much about him, girl.
The girls are still fighting over the dress, so Eden offers to divide it up between them. She does this by cutting the dress up and playing arts and crafts with it.
Inspired by the bandit-like tanager [the bird from earlier], she decided to fashion a mask for each girl.
At last, Eden saw how to catalog the chaos and at the same time, enhance it with reverie. -- p. 251
Foyt, put down the thesaurus before you hurt yourself...
Somehow, despite never having done much with her hands and having only a bamboo knife (no needle and thread, glue, or other adhesive material), Eden's able to make each girl a mask from the fabric -- a cockatoo and a monkey (and yes, we get the Latin names for umbrella cockatoo and squirrel monkey). People who think that being able to craft something with your hands is pretty much MAGIC have never tried sewing or crafting themselves...
...since when has Eden been light and whimsical, even in her supposed "New Eden" incarnation? And again, this kid is seven. He should be painting stick figures, not intricate portraits where you can make out "stern" or "whimsical" properties. Also, "images?" I thought we only saw the one painting of Rebecca...
Eden wonders how many mornings Logan studied her to paint this, which makes her want to hug "the sweet boy." I'd be more creeped out than heart-warmed by being watched while I sleep, even if it's from a kid. She takes down Rebecca's painting and replaces it with her own, then wonders how she can continue this "dialogue of objects with Logan" when she doesn't have much -- just the backpack and the dress from the Moon Dance.
Maria's daughters come back and offer Eden a bowl of chicha and a "fresh white orchid." I repeat that chicha is a beverage, not a breakfast food, and if Eden's living only on this and the occasional handful of nuts and berries from Bramford she should be starving by now. But then, she's somehow not dead of scurvy after living on fat, protein, and carbohydrate pills and not a multivitamin in sight, so maybe Foyt just fails in biology along with everything else.
The girls are throwing "harsh words" back and forth, and Eden realizes they're fighting over who has the privilege of serving her. Um... wow. Making the Native American characters servants to the precious white girl. That's perfectly normal and not loaded with unfortunate implications at all...
The girls start to fight over Eden's dress, the "stiff techno fabric" folding into odd shapes as they tussle over it. I'm still not sure what "techno fabric" is -- Foyt somehow failed to explain what that is. Is it fabric embedded with technology? Fabric made for techno music fans? Explain, book, explain!
Maria walks in and hands Eden a leaf, saying something in Spanish. I had to hit Google to translate it -- am I the only one that finds untranslated foreign languages in a novel obnoxious? Maybe I'm a heathen for not being bilingual, but still...
Anyhow, the phrase translates to "it's stronger for your father." I don't know either.
Eden figures out from this that the leaf is medicine, and asks where to find it. It's apparently someplace called "Heaven's Gate." So either a box-office bomb of a Western movie or a suicidal UFO cult?
Maria says it's dangerous but insists Eden and Bramford go. Hey, Maria wants our protagonist dead, she can't be all bad!
If only Eden could reassure her that help was on the way. But she couldn't risk world leaking to Bramford. He might steal away Eden's father and Logan too. -- p. 250
Still betting that the FFP or some other not-so-friendly force answers Eden's distress call...
Maria states through broken Spanish and hand gestures that the root of the plant Eden holds will be more powerful than the leaf, and Eden thinks that she never knew different parts of the plant contained different remedies -- apparently she never questioned where medicine came from back home. You're supposedly so smart, girl, and never thought about that? Did your education on plants and animals consist solely of memorizing their Latin names?
Maria insists that Eden go with Bramford on this dangerous mission to get the plant, further proving my theory that she wants to be rid of the clueless spoiled brat. Eden promises to go but figures that Shen will be here any minute and she won't have to go anyhow. She also figures that Bramford's been gone two days and is probably dead by now. Good to know you care so much about him, girl.
The girls are still fighting over the dress, so Eden offers to divide it up between them. She does this by cutting the dress up and playing arts and crafts with it.
Inspired by the bandit-like tanager [the bird from earlier], she decided to fashion a mask for each girl.
At last, Eden saw how to catalog the chaos and at the same time, enhance it with reverie. -- p. 251
Foyt, put down the thesaurus before you hurt yourself...
Somehow, despite never having done much with her hands and having only a bamboo knife (no needle and thread, glue, or other adhesive material), Eden's able to make each girl a mask from the fabric -- a cockatoo and a monkey (and yes, we get the Latin names for umbrella cockatoo and squirrel monkey). People who think that being able to craft something with your hands is pretty much MAGIC have never tried sewing or crafting themselves...
While she's at it, Eden whips up a third mask, a bat for Logan. Maria and the girls recognize the name "Logan" and are immediately uneasy, which Eden attributes to some "superstitious Huaroani belief, perhaps because of his mixed race." Or maybe they just don't want you antagonizing Bramford or harassing the poor boy anymore? Ever think of that?
The girls and Maria leave, and Eden ties the bat mask to the window to tempt Logan again. Eden, this behavior is really creepy, not adorable. Stop it.
Just then, a host of orange-billed sparrows burst through the compound. A barred hawk, Leucopternis princeps, chased after them, its white bar flashing like a racing stripe. The hungry predator nipped the tail feathers of the smallest straggler. Eden gasped as the baby bird tumbled downward into the hawk's beak. -- p. 253
Um... that is NOT how hawks hunt? Hawks typically hunt for ground-dwelling animals such as mice, rabbits, snakes, and squirrels -- it's falcons who primarily hunts birds. And birds of prey of all kinds use their FEET to catch prey, not their beaks. Foyt obviously did very little research on her animals except to look up their Latin names and habitat.
Evolution, she mused. Only the fittest survived. Eden would have to be fit, possibly even fitter than Bramford, if she wanted to save Logan. -- p. 253
As far as I can see, Logan doesn't need saving -- except maybe from you, Eden.
Eden has managed to be infuriating, annoying, stupid, and gross in this story... but I wasn't expecting her to take a turn for the creepy. And worse, I'm certain the book is going to portray her as being completely RIGHT in "rescuing" this poor kid. *sigh*
Eight chapters to go... stay strong. We're almost there...
I wish you the best of luck. I know you can get through this book....
ReplyDeleteThank you. :)
DeleteDoes... does the book ever specify what Eden thinks she's "saving" Logan from? From Bramford? I just... I don't understand.
ReplyDeleteThe ideal ending is Eden concocting some crazy plan only to find out that Logan isn't even here and she's been entirely off-base with her wild assumptions.
From what I can gather, she just wants to save Logan from his evil, evil father. I'm still blown away that this late in the book Eden STILL thinks Bramford's the enemy.
DeleteThat would be ideal, but sadly the next chapter proves that wrong... as well as throws in another twist that I can't decide whether it's stupid or good but poorly executed...