Hounded Re-Read, Week 2

My into post is here, and my first week post is here.  Click back to those if you're wondering what's going on.  OnABookBender is hosting this week's discussion at this post.  Enjoy!!

-----

1. In Chapter 6, Atticus goes hunting with Oberon and Flidais. What was supposed to be a fun hunting trip turned rather disastrous. Were you expecting something like this to happen or did it catch you by surprise? Have you ever had something that should have been fun turn disastrous or nearly disastrous?

About halfway through Atticus' initial encounter, I realized that anytime he's interacting with a deity, things have are pretty likely to go poorly for him.  As for me, I had an issue with a ski boat when I was a kid.  We had been tubing all day, and as we were bringing the boat into the dock for the last time, something weird happened with the engine/steering.  The boat got stuck going in tight circles right next to the shore.  Unfortunately, this put us withing earshot of all of our parents.  One of them was apparently yelling "Don't jump!!", but my oldest cousin didn't catch the "Don't" portion, so the next thing I know she shoved my other two cousins out of the boat, and then yanked me into the water.  So I'm a bit freaked out, but swimming towards shore and wondering why I was in the water.  When we got to the beach, all the adults were freaking out and crying and yelling and hugging.  Once they calmed down, they told us that the propeller had gotten within about a yard of our feet as the boat had circled back around and we were swimming.  Could have been really bad, but instead it's a decent story.

---

2. We are only briefly introduced to the witches (or, a witch) in chapter 7. What are your first impressions? How much would you trust the witches? Why?

Witches should very, very rarely be trusted.  I mean, who wants to have to keep track of all of their hairs and bodily fluids all the time?

---

3. Oberon says, “With dogs you just go up and smell their asses and you know where you stand. It’s so much easier. Why can’t humans do that?” Do you ever wish there was an easier way to find out where you stand with someone (besides Oberon’s suggestion, of course)? In what cases would it be easier or better to hide your true feelings?

That's a tough question.  On the one hand, there would be a lot less confusion in the world, but on the other hand I'm not sure we would have very many good relationships outside of our families in that world.  I think what everyone really wants is to have that ability themselves, but keep it to themselves.  Once everyone has it, it probably starts to get pretty messy.

---

4. Chapter 9 makes Atticus’ life much more difficult: the witches are in some way working with Aeghus Og, Bres comes after Atticus, and more trouble appears at the end of the chapter. Have you made sense of what has happened thus far? Any predictions for what might happen?

I can't really answer this question, because a.) I'm doing a re-read, so I know what's going to happen, and b.) I have absolutely no recollection what I was thinking at this point in the story last summer. :)

---

5. Atticus has had plenty of time to cultivate attitudes and ethics that would allow him to live a very long time. What do you think it is about Atticus that has allowed him to live for as long as he has?

Atticus isn't just a guy who's lived for a long time, he's a guy who's lived for a long time and has deities with grudges against him.  I'd say the biggest lesson he's learned is not to flaunt his immortality.  You move to a town, establish yourself as a kid in his late teens, and then stick around for three decades.  Don't make a fuss, don't draw attention to the fact that you don't seem to age.  Once you realize that there's no way a 60yo could still look like an Abercrombie model, sell everything, convert it to cash, and move on.