What's the Twist in the King of Attolia?

[etv13.livejournal.com]

I've been reading reviews of <i>A Conspiracy of Kings</i> and they reminded me of a question I've been wondering about for some time:  just what is the twist in <i>The King of Attolia</i>?

Should I put in a spoiler warning for the comments?  Consider yourselves warned.

Comments

Re: wow - thanks for the insights

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I think you're right that Gen quite often doesn't see others' POV, and their motivations, clearly. AT the end of Thief, he remarks that his aunts and uncles commented about how surprisingly like his father he is--and some comment about their remarks not seeming completely insincere? And, Eddis tells him in QoA that he was the Boy Wonder, and his cousins really did care about him. He really does seem blind to the fact that many others think he is made of Awesome.

Re: wow - thanks for the insights

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

Exactly, there's that whole thing in CoK about "People don't give *me* their hearts, Sophos" and Sophos thinks, "What? I'd give him my heart on a toothpick!" (Favorite line #7, btw.) Gen seems to be unable to believe anyone else could actually like him after getting to know him, with a few exceptions that he still constantly doubts (e.g. Sophos). I wonder if he would be an even more effective ruler if he saw these things, or if part of what makes him good is that he's so unwilling to see them that he never becomes arrogant.

Re: wow - thanks for the insights

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Yes! Funny how he manages to be annoyingly self-centered with his complaining and showing off, but never arrogant. You'd expect him to be a selfish person, but he's anything but.

It actually makes a lot of sense he's insecure, seeing as he's always hiding behind one mask or another.

Re: wow - thanks for the insights

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yes. As if he's afraid that if people saw the "real" Gen, they wouldn't like what they saw.