This section marks the return to first-person narrative, like Gen’s in The Thief. I enjoyed it, particularly because I admire the way MWT has made it sound not at all like Gen. Also, after two books without Sophos, it was so nice to have LOTS of him!
In story structure terms, this section is a bit of background and the Inciting Incident, as we meet Sophos’ family who were so briefly described in The Thief, and then “Like a fool, I got what I wished for...”
One thing which I noticed was that although, like his size, Sophos doesn’t realise it or use it yet, he is quite an astute judge of people. His sisters, Terve, Malatesta … all are described with very defining actions, like Hyacinth always arriving in time for food.
A theme which runs through the whole of ACoK is Sophos making plans. When the attack on the villa comes, we have the first of these – which, of course, starts off quite well but then runs into a table... [Note: the way to fight off a table is to bend just as it reaches you, so the table and its wielder go over the top. I learned this from an old Robin Hood book when I was about six :D]
Should Sophos have guessed that all might not work out, given the fuss his mother’s two maids were making about the first part of the escape?
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Life -- and death -- at the villa
Date: 4/23/17 12:36 am (UTC)In story structure terms, this section is a bit of background and the Inciting Incident, as we meet Sophos’ family who were so briefly described in The Thief, and then “Like a fool, I got what I wished for...”
One thing which I noticed was that although, like his size, Sophos doesn’t realise it or use it yet, he is quite an astute judge of people. His sisters, Terve, Malatesta … all are described with very defining actions, like Hyacinth always arriving in time for food.
A theme which runs through the whole of ACoK is Sophos making plans. When the attack on the villa comes, we have the first of these – which, of course, starts off quite well but then runs into a table... [Note: the way to fight off a table is to bend just as it reaches you, so the table and its wielder go over the top. I learned this from an old Robin Hood book when I was about six :D]
Should Sophos have guessed that all might not work out, given the fuss his mother’s two maids were making about the first part of the escape?