QoA Question

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

(I apologize in advance if this has been previously discussed)

Hey everyone, I'm rereading the series and, naturally, I stumble across parts I don't quite understand. Today the confusing part is in Queen of Attolia, page 21 (The greenwillow paperback, with Attolia in her green dress holding the hook):

"She had to consider that Eugenides, though he caused he no harm beyond stealing something she hadn't known she possessed, could become the measurable danger to her that he was to Sounis."

The part that interests me is the "stealing something she hadn't known she possessed." To what exactly is she referring? What object did he take that she didn't know about? I immediately think of her heart, but this line comes before the hand-chopping incident, and I always thought she fell in love with Eugenides after that. What did you guys make of it?

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

At first, the romantic in me thought it was her heart, too, but then (upon rerereading the book) I came upon the idea that she probably is referring to Hamiathes' gift.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

And the light bulb finally brightens. That makes so much more sense, thank you!

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

Wasn't Hamiathes' Gift stolen in Attolia (where they were later captured)?

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

Ah, and I see Anon above already mentioned that :D

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Haha yes, I knew there was an obvious answer to my question! I'm a little embarrassed now...but oh well, I never denied being slow on the uptake.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I believe that the double-meaning was intended. This is Megan we're talking about.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Of course. Certainly one of the many lines that makes the re-reading experience richer than the first time around.

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

And if it wasn't intended, it's still a happy accident. Sometimes writing has a magic of its own.

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

I think the double meaning is definitely there. She may not be in love with Gen during TT, but she's trying to steal him from Eddis, so she's clearly not indifferent.

[frosted-feather.livejournal.com]

Yes, to jump onto your comment, she's clearly not indifferent according to the short story in the ACOK paperback (I'm trying to find any opportunity to bring up discussion of it). Even right after TT, when Hamiathe's gift is being destroyed by being thrown into the volcano, she seems hungry for some of the loyalty that Eddis clearly has from Gen.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Wait, wait, wait...there's a short story in the back of ACOK?!?!?!?! Since when?! Is this how publishers reward readers who spend a fortune on precious hardcovers? By putting gold nuggets in the PAPERBACKS? What is it about?

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

You can read it here at the Harper Collins website (http://browseinside.harpercollinschildrens.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061870958). Click on table of contents, then bonus and scroll down. It's called "Destruction."

[shelver506.livejournal.com]

Oh my word. I had no idea such a thing existed. I just read it and LOVED it. It adds even more subtext to their relationship.

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

I know. ♥ I'm glad you were able to find it.

And thanks mods for making my comment not-spam!

[filkferengi]

Is there a better link to that? I keep getting error messages.

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

It's working fine for me. That is a direct link to Harper Collins so I don't know what the problem would be. Hmmmm...but then I've never claimed to understand the Internet. You could try doing a search for A Conspiracy of Kings Paperback Harper Collins. That's how I found it originally.

[filkferengi]

That worked; thanks!

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

Well, I tried to just leave a link to where you can read it at the Harper Collins website but lj has marked it as spam???

Mods can you help with that?

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I got it through my email. =) Thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

Vhat????!!! A short story??? And here I was, so proud of myself for finally buying a hardcover....
Please, how can I find this???
Thank you !

[live-momma.livejournal.com]

Is there a title? I tried to Google it, but it's not coming up. I own the hardcover, too!

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

Go to The Conspiracy of Kings page at the Harper Collins site. Click on Table of Contents in the upper right corner and then on Bonus Page. Scroll down. The name of the story is "Destruction".

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

Never mind! I see you found it and managed to get it posted too. Thanks!

[live-momma.livejournal.com]

Google was taking me to the hardcover version on the HC site, so the Look Inside thing didn't have the bonus materials. I did mange to find a past LJ post about it that did have the link, eventually.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Okay, I just finished reading it. I'm not sure how it reveals anything more about Attolia and Eugenides than we already know, but on a completely different note--I love seeing Eddis get some showtime! Eugenides, Attolia, and Sophos each got their books (well, I suppose Attolia had to share), and poor Eddis is left with only a few bits here and there. Do you guys think she'll get a book of her own eventually?

[hazelwillow.livejournal.com]

Have you read the short story about her as a kid? :)

[(Anonymous)]

In the back of King of Attolia? Yes, of course, a few years ago when I first read the books--I do have the KoA paperback! Sorry, I should clarify--when I say Eddis only gets little bits and pieces here and there, I was referring to the full novels, not the short stories. In the full books, Gen, Attolia, and Sounis get substantial amounts of time in their POV, and Eddis very little. We only see her POV when the narrator is third person omniscient and spends a sentence or two saying what she thinks--but those moments are rare and small. Even with the inclusion of the short stories, she's always been a little bit mysterious, which is ironic, as the reader virtually gets to "be" Eddis in Conspiracy of Kings (we are the ones Sophos is telling the story to, and he is telling the story to Eddis).

I guess my points are: 1) Gen, Attolia, and Sophos got books, Eddis gets short stories; and 2)Because we've seen a lot less of Eddis' mind compared to the other characters, she's much more mysterious.

Although now that I've written all that, I realize that Eddis is pretty much a fully formed adult, which might make a difficult main character for a young adult novel (although MWT did pull it off with Attolia magnificently)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ah, layers. And layers on top of layers.

Sort of like a big ol' baklava of a book.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Or a croissant. Lots of butter.

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

mmm, baklava!

[(Anonymous)]

HER HEART HER HEART HER HEART!!!!!! She loved him when he was first seen in her court!!!!! HE HAS STOLEN HER HEARTTTT!!!! That's why he was so much of a threat!!!!!!!