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i_read_whatSo last time, Donal finally got to the Crystal Isle and we met Electra. We also found out the incredibly stupid reason he's here: to pick up his fiancee, the Princess Aislinn.
Who is on the Crystal Isle. With her mother. Who tried to murder her father, the King. (Admittedly with some justification).
Brace yourself, this is going to get stupider.
So we left off with a new face: the Princess Aislinn herself:
Donal spun around and saw the young woman gowned in snowy white. A girdle of gold and garnets spilled down the front of her skirts to clash and chime against the hem. Red-gold hair flowed loosely over her shoulders, in glorious disarray. Her lustrous white skin and long gray eyes were her mother’s; her pride was Carillon’s.
“Aislinn!” It was the only word he could muster. For two years he had not seen her, knowing her only through her letters to Carillon. And in those two years she had crossed the threshold between girlhood and womanhood. She was still young—too young, he thought, for marriage—but all her awkward days were over.
Wait a second. Two years? Letters to Carillon?
You have to be fucking kidding me...
Donal thinks she looks "taut and forboding" and her face is set in lines "too harsh for a young woman of sixteen years" and...Jesus Christ:
Carillon should never have sent her…not for so long. Not for two years. The gods know he meant well by it, realizing the girl needed to see her jehana…but he should have had her brought back much sooner, regardless of all those letters begging to remain a little longer. Two years is too long. The gods know what the witch has done to Aislinn’s loyalties.
Why the fuck DID he send her?!
Electra hates Carillon! Electra hates the Cheysuli! Aislinn is the Princess of Homana and engaged to the heir to the throne, who is Cheysuli!
Okay, let's assume Aislinn wanted to meet her mom. Okay, that's when you set up some kind of supervised meeting. A SHORT meeting! You don't send an impressionable fourteen year old to spend TWO YEARS with the villain!
I just can't even get over the stupidity required to make this happen. A few days, fine. Even a week or two, though honestly even that seems pretty stupid to me. But TWO YEARS?!
And oh god, we're kind of back to the Roberson dialogue here, aren't we:
Aislinn’s pride was manifest. “Well? What say you, Donal?” Her tone was a reflection of her mother’s, cool and supremely controlled. “What of me?”
“By the gods, Aislinn!” he said in surprise. “I have no quarrel with you. It is your jehana who lacks manners!”
It was obviously not what she expected him to say. She lost all of her cool demeanor and stared at him in astonishment. “How dare you attack my mother!”
I have a headache. Anyway, it becomes pretty clear what Electra's been doing over the past two years.
“Integrity has nothing to do with it,” Electra said gently. “Ask Aislinn what she thinks of bearing unnatural children.”
Shock riveted him. He stared at the woman in horror. “Unnatural children—”
“Ask Aislinn what she thinks of babies born with fangs and claws and tails, and the beast-mark on their faces,” Electra suggested softly. “Ask Aislinn what she thinks of playing mother—no, jehana—” she twisted the Old Tongue cruelly “—to a thing not wholly human nor wholly animal—but bestial instead.” The perfect mouth smiled. “Ask Aislinn, my lord Prince of Homana, what she thinks about sharing a bed with a man who cannot control his shape—in bed or out of it.”
Look, Donal has a perfectly interesting set up: he's intended to be a king of a realm that only fifteen years before had still been happily taking part in a genocidal purge of his people. He's got an arranged marriage to a girl he barely knows. There's enough tension there without this incredibly contrived scenario that requires every single character to be a complete idiot.
I mean, Donal talks of Electra "hosting" Aislinn. But Electra is a would be regicide! This is supposed to be a PRISON! Why is she "hosting" anyone?
So anyway, this is all incredibly tedious. Electra is gloating about the lies she's drummed into her poor daughter's head. Aislinn is torn between wanting to believe her mother and her childhood friendship with Donal.
There is one thing that's interesting. When Donal reminds her that Electra just wants to bring Carillon down, this happens:
Fingers tangled in the garneted golden chains. “But—it is not the Mujhar she speaks of, Donal…it is you. It is you she warns me against, knowing your animal urges—”
“Animal urges!” He was aghast. “Have you gone mad? You know me, Aislinn—what urges do you speak of?”
Her face had caught fire, as if to match the richness of her hair. “We were children, then…we are adults, now. You are—a man…and she has told me what to expect.” She averted her eyes from his, staring fiercely at the floor. “I have only to look at Finn, if I want to see what you will become.”
“Finn?” He stared. “What has Finn to do with this?”
Aislinn managed to look at him again, though the chiming of her girdle told him how she trembled. “Will you deny that he stole your own mother because he wanted her—as an animal wants another? Will you deny that he stole also the Mujhar’s sister—who later died because of his neglect?” Aislinn sucked in a shaking breath. “I look at Finn, Donal, your own uncle…and I see what you will become.”
...okay, point Aislinn and Electra.
And this is why Shapechangers ruins everything. When I first read this book, I'd only read Song of Homana beforehand. And as we saw in Song of Homana, Finn was a complicated and interesting man, who had a good if awkward dynamic with his half-sister/sister-in-law, and who apparently truly loved Tourmaline and tried to save her. So I was comfortable in the knowledge that Electra was lying.
Thing is, now that I've read Shapechangers, I can't deny that this is the cold, hard truth. And Aislinn is understandably terrified.
Donal is starting to lose me here:
By the gods, Electra has driven her mad. He felt his hands clench into fists, unclenched them with effort, and tried to speak coherently through his astonishment and anger.
“We will—speak of this another time. In some detail. But for now, I must tell you to have your things packed.”
“Have you gone mad?” she demanded. “Do you think I will go with you?”
“I think so,” he said grimly. “It is the Mujhar’s bidding I do, not my own. Aislinn—he bids us end our betrothal. The time has come for us to wed.”
a) Okay, I admit, Donal's handling this probably as well as anyone could. This isn't the place for an argument and someone has to get Aislinn out of there. It's criminal that they sent her to spend two years with a woman who doesn't appear to care at all about her except to manipulate her and cause her pain, but...
b) There's nothing "mad" about Aislinn. She is terrified. And that terror is completely rational. She's a sixteen year old girl who is meeting her twenty-three year old husband-to-be for the first time in years, after being told horrible lies about him.
Anyway, Aislinn doesn't want to go.
Inwardly, he sighed. “Then you defy your jehan, Aislinn. It is Carillon who wants you back in Homana-Mujhar.” Not me, he thought. Oh gods, not me.
“And you do not?” she demanded triumphantly, as if she had won the battle and proved her point.
Donal laughed, but the sound lacked all humor. “No,” he said bluntly. “Why should I?”
Slowly, so slowly, the color flowed out of her face. Her gray eyes were suddenly blackened pits of comprehension. Color rushed back and lit her face. “Do you mean—”
“—do I mean I do not want you?” he interrupted rudely. “Aye, that sums it up. So gainsay your foolishness, Aislinn, and order your belongings packed. Carillon wants you home.”
So we get another piece of Donal's puzzle here. Because there's something going on with him that we don't know yet. But he's got more than one reason to dislike the idea of kingship and Homana-Mujhar. And it's not a reason that makes me like him very much, but we'll get there.
But poor Aislinn. She's sixteen years old. Terrified. And while yes, she's said some terrible things under the influence of her mother, she's also grown up with the knowledge that she would have to marry this man. And now she learns that she's still going to have to marry him but he doesn't even want her.
It does shock Aislinn out of her complacency though. She points out that he has to have her to gain the throne. But, Donal says, he doesn't even want the throne.
“But—it is the throne—” She gestured. “The throne of all Homana…and now Solinde. The Lion Throne.” Her frown deepened. “And yet you tell me you do not want it?”
“I do not,” he said distinctly. “Do you understand, now? We were betrothed because Carillon had no sons, only a daughter—and no cheysula—no proper one—to share his bed and bear him any more children.” His eyes went to Electra, standing stiffly on the dais. “And so, by betrothing his daughter to his cousin’s son, Carillon gets an heir for the throne of Homana.” He spread his hands. “Me.” The hands flopped down. “That is why I am here, no matter what your jehana tells you.”
Aislinn gathered the heavy girdle in both hands, wadding the chain into the soft flesh of her palms. She was pale, so pale; he thought she might cry. But she did not. He saw her reach within herself to regain her composure.
Poor Aislinn.
Donal annoys me by making Electra's anger all about him:
Gods…even now she does not give up. She will hound him to his death— He was brought up short. Which is what she wants. Even now. Even imprisoned on this island, she will do what she can to slay him…even to using her daughter. He felt ill. I cannot deal with this—
Gosh, imagine how Aislinn feels.
Electra just gloats, claiming that she's always going to own a part of Aislinn's soul. Donal realizes that she must have done something to her daughter, even though she's not supposed to be able to work magic with Cheysuli around. And Aislinn was completely unprotected.
Yeah, what's the range on that? Because I feel like it probably wouldn't be that hard for Electra to find some alone time to fuck up her poor daughter. More reason why this is all such a contrived, stupid situation.
But Aislinn isn't mindless here. She's been listening to her mother for two years, and she's listening to her now. And...wow...
Donal looked sharply at Aislinn. He saw how pale she was, how she continued clenching the golden girdle with all its rich cold stones. Her hands were shaking, and yet her voice was quite steady, quite calm.
Who is on the Crystal Isle. With her mother. Who tried to murder her father, the King. (Admittedly with some justification).
Brace yourself, this is going to get stupider.
So we left off with a new face: the Princess Aislinn herself:
Donal spun around and saw the young woman gowned in snowy white. A girdle of gold and garnets spilled down the front of her skirts to clash and chime against the hem. Red-gold hair flowed loosely over her shoulders, in glorious disarray. Her lustrous white skin and long gray eyes were her mother’s; her pride was Carillon’s.
“Aislinn!” It was the only word he could muster. For two years he had not seen her, knowing her only through her letters to Carillon. And in those two years she had crossed the threshold between girlhood and womanhood. She was still young—too young, he thought, for marriage—but all her awkward days were over.
Wait a second. Two years? Letters to Carillon?
You have to be fucking kidding me...
Donal thinks she looks "taut and forboding" and her face is set in lines "too harsh for a young woman of sixteen years" and...Jesus Christ:
Carillon should never have sent her…not for so long. Not for two years. The gods know he meant well by it, realizing the girl needed to see her jehana…but he should have had her brought back much sooner, regardless of all those letters begging to remain a little longer. Two years is too long. The gods know what the witch has done to Aislinn’s loyalties.
Why the fuck DID he send her?!
Electra hates Carillon! Electra hates the Cheysuli! Aislinn is the Princess of Homana and engaged to the heir to the throne, who is Cheysuli!
Okay, let's assume Aislinn wanted to meet her mom. Okay, that's when you set up some kind of supervised meeting. A SHORT meeting! You don't send an impressionable fourteen year old to spend TWO YEARS with the villain!
I just can't even get over the stupidity required to make this happen. A few days, fine. Even a week or two, though honestly even that seems pretty stupid to me. But TWO YEARS?!
And oh god, we're kind of back to the Roberson dialogue here, aren't we:
Aislinn’s pride was manifest. “Well? What say you, Donal?” Her tone was a reflection of her mother’s, cool and supremely controlled. “What of me?”
“By the gods, Aislinn!” he said in surprise. “I have no quarrel with you. It is your jehana who lacks manners!”
It was obviously not what she expected him to say. She lost all of her cool demeanor and stared at him in astonishment. “How dare you attack my mother!”
I have a headache. Anyway, it becomes pretty clear what Electra's been doing over the past two years.
“Integrity has nothing to do with it,” Electra said gently. “Ask Aislinn what she thinks of bearing unnatural children.”
Shock riveted him. He stared at the woman in horror. “Unnatural children—”
“Ask Aislinn what she thinks of babies born with fangs and claws and tails, and the beast-mark on their faces,” Electra suggested softly. “Ask Aislinn what she thinks of playing mother—no, jehana—” she twisted the Old Tongue cruelly “—to a thing not wholly human nor wholly animal—but bestial instead.” The perfect mouth smiled. “Ask Aislinn, my lord Prince of Homana, what she thinks about sharing a bed with a man who cannot control his shape—in bed or out of it.”
Look, Donal has a perfectly interesting set up: he's intended to be a king of a realm that only fifteen years before had still been happily taking part in a genocidal purge of his people. He's got an arranged marriage to a girl he barely knows. There's enough tension there without this incredibly contrived scenario that requires every single character to be a complete idiot.
I mean, Donal talks of Electra "hosting" Aislinn. But Electra is a would be regicide! This is supposed to be a PRISON! Why is she "hosting" anyone?
So anyway, this is all incredibly tedious. Electra is gloating about the lies she's drummed into her poor daughter's head. Aislinn is torn between wanting to believe her mother and her childhood friendship with Donal.
There is one thing that's interesting. When Donal reminds her that Electra just wants to bring Carillon down, this happens:
Fingers tangled in the garneted golden chains. “But—it is not the Mujhar she speaks of, Donal…it is you. It is you she warns me against, knowing your animal urges—”
“Animal urges!” He was aghast. “Have you gone mad? You know me, Aislinn—what urges do you speak of?”
Her face had caught fire, as if to match the richness of her hair. “We were children, then…we are adults, now. You are—a man…and she has told me what to expect.” She averted her eyes from his, staring fiercely at the floor. “I have only to look at Finn, if I want to see what you will become.”
“Finn?” He stared. “What has Finn to do with this?”
Aislinn managed to look at him again, though the chiming of her girdle told him how she trembled. “Will you deny that he stole your own mother because he wanted her—as an animal wants another? Will you deny that he stole also the Mujhar’s sister—who later died because of his neglect?” Aislinn sucked in a shaking breath. “I look at Finn, Donal, your own uncle…and I see what you will become.”
...okay, point Aislinn and Electra.
And this is why Shapechangers ruins everything. When I first read this book, I'd only read Song of Homana beforehand. And as we saw in Song of Homana, Finn was a complicated and interesting man, who had a good if awkward dynamic with his half-sister/sister-in-law, and who apparently truly loved Tourmaline and tried to save her. So I was comfortable in the knowledge that Electra was lying.
Thing is, now that I've read Shapechangers, I can't deny that this is the cold, hard truth. And Aislinn is understandably terrified.
Donal is starting to lose me here:
By the gods, Electra has driven her mad. He felt his hands clench into fists, unclenched them with effort, and tried to speak coherently through his astonishment and anger.
“We will—speak of this another time. In some detail. But for now, I must tell you to have your things packed.”
“Have you gone mad?” she demanded. “Do you think I will go with you?”
“I think so,” he said grimly. “It is the Mujhar’s bidding I do, not my own. Aislinn—he bids us end our betrothal. The time has come for us to wed.”
a) Okay, I admit, Donal's handling this probably as well as anyone could. This isn't the place for an argument and someone has to get Aislinn out of there. It's criminal that they sent her to spend two years with a woman who doesn't appear to care at all about her except to manipulate her and cause her pain, but...
b) There's nothing "mad" about Aislinn. She is terrified. And that terror is completely rational. She's a sixteen year old girl who is meeting her twenty-three year old husband-to-be for the first time in years, after being told horrible lies about him.
Anyway, Aislinn doesn't want to go.
Inwardly, he sighed. “Then you defy your jehan, Aislinn. It is Carillon who wants you back in Homana-Mujhar.” Not me, he thought. Oh gods, not me.
“And you do not?” she demanded triumphantly, as if she had won the battle and proved her point.
Donal laughed, but the sound lacked all humor. “No,” he said bluntly. “Why should I?”
Slowly, so slowly, the color flowed out of her face. Her gray eyes were suddenly blackened pits of comprehension. Color rushed back and lit her face. “Do you mean—”
“—do I mean I do not want you?” he interrupted rudely. “Aye, that sums it up. So gainsay your foolishness, Aislinn, and order your belongings packed. Carillon wants you home.”
So we get another piece of Donal's puzzle here. Because there's something going on with him that we don't know yet. But he's got more than one reason to dislike the idea of kingship and Homana-Mujhar. And it's not a reason that makes me like him very much, but we'll get there.
But poor Aislinn. She's sixteen years old. Terrified. And while yes, she's said some terrible things under the influence of her mother, she's also grown up with the knowledge that she would have to marry this man. And now she learns that she's still going to have to marry him but he doesn't even want her.
It does shock Aislinn out of her complacency though. She points out that he has to have her to gain the throne. But, Donal says, he doesn't even want the throne.
“But—it is the throne—” She gestured. “The throne of all Homana…and now Solinde. The Lion Throne.” Her frown deepened. “And yet you tell me you do not want it?”
“I do not,” he said distinctly. “Do you understand, now? We were betrothed because Carillon had no sons, only a daughter—and no cheysula—no proper one—to share his bed and bear him any more children.” His eyes went to Electra, standing stiffly on the dais. “And so, by betrothing his daughter to his cousin’s son, Carillon gets an heir for the throne of Homana.” He spread his hands. “Me.” The hands flopped down. “That is why I am here, no matter what your jehana tells you.”
Aislinn gathered the heavy girdle in both hands, wadding the chain into the soft flesh of her palms. She was pale, so pale; he thought she might cry. But she did not. He saw her reach within herself to regain her composure.
Poor Aislinn.
Donal annoys me by making Electra's anger all about him:
Gods…even now she does not give up. She will hound him to his death— He was brought up short. Which is what she wants. Even now. Even imprisoned on this island, she will do what she can to slay him…even to using her daughter. He felt ill. I cannot deal with this—
Gosh, imagine how Aislinn feels.
Electra just gloats, claiming that she's always going to own a part of Aislinn's soul. Donal realizes that she must have done something to her daughter, even though she's not supposed to be able to work magic with Cheysuli around. And Aislinn was completely unprotected.
Yeah, what's the range on that? Because I feel like it probably wouldn't be that hard for Electra to find some alone time to fuck up her poor daughter. More reason why this is all such a contrived, stupid situation.
But Aislinn isn't mindless here. She's been listening to her mother for two years, and she's listening to her now. And...wow...
Donal looked sharply at Aislinn. He saw how pale she was, how she continued clenching the golden girdle with all its rich cold stones. Her hands were shaking, and yet her voice was quite steady, quite calm.
As if she has made a discovery, and is strengthened because of it.
Okay, that was magnificent. Slightly incorrect about the Carillon-Electra-Tynstar situation, but still magnificent. And Electra reacts:
Donal gives Aislinn some encouragement, sends her off to pack her things and to look forward to seeing the father who truly loves her. And was also stupid enough to send her here to begin with. Aislinn runs off.
Donal thanks Electra for letting Aislinn see her for what she is. Electra is undaunted though, making cryptic taunts about how apparently, according to the law, "No marriage is binding if it is not consummated."
Okay, I'm not entirely sure what this is actually supposed to accomplish. Say Electra is somehow successful at preventing the marriage. Donal's claim to the throne doesn't come from his marriage to Aislinn, it comes from Alix, who is the granddaughter of Shaine and first cousin/sole surviving relative of Carillon. (It's possible his mother is still alive, but she's not in the royal line.)
Donal is the sole male descendant of the royal family in his generation. The only people with a better bloodline claim are Aislinn (Carillon's daughter), Meghan (Carillon's niece) and Alix (Carillon's cousin), and they're all women. Homana doesn't crown women.
So say Electra succeeds. The marriage doesn't happen. Donal still rules Homana. Aislinn would suffer, seeing as how she would probably not be allowed to marry and produce a rival claimant, but Donal would still have his right to rule.
This is all pointless, and relies on characters being unbelievably stupid. I'm not a fan.
The Chapter ends with this stupidly empty threat. Thank god.
“Is that why you wanted me?” Aislinn did not move. “For the Ihlini?” She ignored Electra’s abortive attempt at speech. “And are you so certain your perverted magic has worked on me?”
Donal stared at Aislinn. So did Electra. The silence was unbroken in the hall.
Garnets rattled as Aislinn clutched the girdle. “I have listened to Donal just now. I have listened to you as well, hearing you mouth all the things you have told me these past two years. And—I know you better than ever before: I know you.”
“Aislinn—” Electra began.
“Listen to me!” Aislinn’s shout reverberated. “I will hear no more lies about my father—no more lies. Oh, aye…I know what you sought to do—I know why you sought to do it! Make the daughter into a weapon against the father.” Aislinn’s voice shook. “He told me—he told me: once he truly loved you. But you gave yourself to Tynstar. You wasted yourself on an Ihlini sorcerer! And now you think to twist me in spirit as Tynstar has twisted my father in body?” Hysterically, she laughed, and the sound filled up the hall. “I do know Donal—and he is not what you say he is!”
Okay, that was magnificent. Slightly incorrect about the Carillon-Electra-Tynstar situation, but still magnificent. And Electra reacts:
Electra’s face was bone-white. Suddenly, even through the magnificence of her beauty, she was old.
But still she summoned a smile. “Then I will tell you the truth in one thing, Aislinn—heed me well, I do not lie. What is mine is also Tynstar’s, and I have made you mine.” One hand stabbed upward to cut off Aislinn’s angry words. “Wait you, girl, and you will see. Do not seek to denigrate my power when you have hardly known it.” This time, it was Electra who laughed. “Run along, then, and pack your things. Perhaps it is time I sent you home to the cripple who sired a useless daughter when all he wanted was a son.”
Donal gives Aislinn some encouragement, sends her off to pack her things and to look forward to seeing the father who truly loves her. And was also stupid enough to send her here to begin with. Aislinn runs off.
Donal thanks Electra for letting Aislinn see her for what she is. Electra is undaunted though, making cryptic taunts about how apparently, according to the law, "No marriage is binding if it is not consummated."
Okay, I'm not entirely sure what this is actually supposed to accomplish. Say Electra is somehow successful at preventing the marriage. Donal's claim to the throne doesn't come from his marriage to Aislinn, it comes from Alix, who is the granddaughter of Shaine and first cousin/sole surviving relative of Carillon. (It's possible his mother is still alive, but she's not in the royal line.)
Donal is the sole male descendant of the royal family in his generation. The only people with a better bloodline claim are Aislinn (Carillon's daughter), Meghan (Carillon's niece) and Alix (Carillon's cousin), and they're all women. Homana doesn't crown women.
So say Electra succeeds. The marriage doesn't happen. Donal still rules Homana. Aislinn would suffer, seeing as how she would probably not be allowed to marry and produce a rival claimant, but Donal would still have his right to rule.
This is all pointless, and relies on characters being unbelievably stupid. I'm not a fan.
The Chapter ends with this stupidly empty threat. Thank god.
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Date: 2021-06-10 01:55 am (UTC)Poor Aislinn
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Date: 2021-06-10 02:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-09-04 11:18 am (UTC)