Gen the Manipulator

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

In a moment of weakness *, I pulled out my copy of KoA and was reading the part where Costis and Teleus come storming into the garden as the assassins attack Eugenides.  I read through to the end of chapter 8, where Gen finally allows Petrus the Timid to get on with his stitches.  And something occured to me.

Ok, actually I was driving to work the next day when the (very small and probably energy-saving; you know, the kind that you can hardly even read by) light bulb came on over my head.

• Gen is a master manipulator.  He's usually several steps ahead of everyone and, although he can be extremely impulsive, seldom does anything without a Really Good Reason.  Sometimes the reason is just to annoy, but often it's to keep himself out of trouble.


• Just after he's injured, he says he's going back to the palace to make his "groveling apologies to the queen."  He must have promised her he'd be super-careful and, in his attempt to find some peace and quiet, he didn't have the gardens searched.  Anyway, he sounds as if he's worried that she's going to be angry.  Maybe even Attolia Angry.


• We all know how Gen often reacts, physically, to Irene's presence.  She touches his cheek, he flinches. She cups his chin, he gulps. When Gen is back in the palace and Irene rushes in, he doesn't even look up. But he must have heard her coming. She touches him and he leaps back like a startled deer.


• She feels guilty, per usual.


• He kisses her and she doesn't seem angry, only concerned and upset.

Do you think, just maybe, he exaggerated his surprise at her touch, just to get a little sympathy and divert her anger?  Or is that beyond even the sneakiness of Gen?  After all, he did have a lot on his mind, poor guy.




*I've been trying really, really hard NOT to reread the books.  "Self," I've said to myself, "you have to stop reading them for awhile or you'll have them all memorized and they won't be fun and you'll wear them out and won't want to read them anymore.  So just stop."  But I don't always listen to myself.  Does this happen to you?  Have you ever worn out a book you loved? 

Comments

[silverflight8.livejournal.com]

I have read that one scene (and indeed KoA, but really that one scene) so many times it's frankly embarrassing.

Anyway. I think he was legitimately startled--he was looking down and there were a lot of people around. I think he flinched because he was still in the mindset of people attempting to kill him/being in pain.

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Chex, you wrote: "But he must have heard her coming." I dunno about that. If I were basically holding my innards in with my one remaining hand, losing vast amounts of blood, and constructing that elaborate pastry of curses I think I might not hear an undoubtedly elegant and graceful queen descending the staircase...

And, yes, I keep having to fight myself not to re-read favorite books too often; not just these. I so wish I could do little temporary partial memory wipes so I could re-read books for the first time...

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

Mmm, I don't know. He had just been stabbed in his own garden. But I suppose I'm a bit biased in favor of this being one of the few times we see both Gen and Irene without masks, when they're just themselves.

[silverflight8.livejournal.com]

I agree entirely regarding masks off.

[(Anonymous)]

Yup, I agree!! Couldn't say it any better myself!

~ Leng who is too lazy to sing in

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I like this! Much better than the idea of Gen being "on" all of the time (thinking, analyzing, manipulating). Certainly, there were times that he was just feeling and reacting, and this was probably one of them.

[badtzphoto.livejournal.com]

"Have you ever worn out a book you loved? "
Yes, in physical sense, but not in reading (yet! fingers crossed) I have dog-eared paperback copy of Howl's moving castle that I bring with me every time I travel by air for comfort read.

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

I think he was truly surprised and his move to kiss her was a way of calming them both and getting them past the awkwardness. His way of reminding them both of how far they've come and where they are now.

And yes to what Maureen said above about the masks being off. It's a rare moment.

Also, I worry about wearing them out too. I only allow myself to reread the whole series fully once a year, but there are times when I pick up QoA and KoA and read my favorite parts because I just can't help it.

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

Sorry! Obviously I meant that to go on the main thread. It's been a long week.

[filkferengi]

You're not alone, Chex! papersky, Hugo-winning Jo Walton, who says that reading isn't complete until you've re-read, has exactly the same problem. She regularly laments that she's read some of her favorites so many times, she's practically memorized and can't really read them anymore. She has to carefully space out some rereads.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Your description of their physical relationship reminded me of just how truly strange their relationship is. They are a weird couple. If I met them outside of this book, I would think them messed up. But since they are safe in book world, I can love them and their relationship!

I've worn out Harry Potter and Ella Enchanted, unfortunately...but that doesn't stop me from reading them AGAIN

For rereading Queen's Thief, it's a different problem. I'm afraid of wearing them out, of course, but mostly it's like I don't have enough energy to deal with the all-consuming obsession and emotional wreck that will eventually result from rereading the books...I'm too tired...too much to do......

A very sad sentiment

[(Anonymous)]

I bought paperback copies of the books so that my hardcover one wouldn't wear out. Even so, the rereading pre-paperback-being-issued leaves them a little worse for wear. I am on my second hardbound copy of KoA because the back broke. I was peeved and was going to write and complain to the publisher, but managed to loose it somewhere and didn't think I could legitimately complain if I didn't still own that copy. n And you can tell that I start reading QoA after the first bit, because the edges of the pages on the rest of the book are darker. I guess this is a salutatory lesson that I should be washing my hands more often, but really, if you read the newspaper that newspaper ink manages to get on things other than the newspaper and I never think to get up and wash my hands in the middle of a reading session.

Sclerotia