Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Waterfall Wednesdays: Chapters 12-17


Welcome to week three the Waterfall Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Edgy Inspirational Romance, Irresistible Reads, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of Lisa T. Bergren's time-travel young adult novel Waterfall (LOVED!). Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers!

Serena and Joy are the hosts this week, so be sure and pop over to Edgy Inspirational Romance to link up your posts and, in doing so, get entered in a giveaway to win signed copies of the entire series. I have the pleasure of hosting next week, so you'll find the next 5 discussion questions at the bottom of this post.

Also, before you go, if you haven't had a chance to hop over to Small Review, be sure and stop by as she's having a River of Time Series extravaganza with all sorts of fun giveaways running through September 30th.

CHAPTERS 12-17

In Siena, on her way to the ball at Palazzo Publico, Gabi likened her experience to being on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the goal being "to see and be seen." If you were a peasant, watching from the crowd, what would you be thinking as this procession passed by?

I think if I saw the likes of Marcello and Luca walk by I’d probably curse my birth status repeatedly and long to dive through the throngs of people in order to dramatically throw myself on one of them only to have them realize as soon as they saw me that they were, in fact, madly in love with me and couldn’t bear to spend another minute out of my presence. Upon further reflection, it's entirely possible I misinterpreted this question to be “what is your Marcello and Luca medieval fantasy from the viewpoint of you as a peasant?” Now you are all in the know. About my YA Marcello/Luca fantasy anyway, the adult romance version I’ll keep to myself other than to say that it also involves Lord Greco. Wait. I seem to have veered drastically off course here…

Though quite nervous about dancing at the ball, Gabi discovers a strange feeling of connection to the time, the people, and the society through the unified beauty of the dance. Have you ever been in a position where you felt out of your element, but, in one, pinpointed moment, became a part of or connected to something bigger than your fear?

Wow. This is a very thoughtful and deep question and my typical flippant response doesn’t seem fitting, so I honestly don’t have a good answer to the above. Deep is sometimes lost on me and I fail completely at this question.

The kiss. Oh, the kiss. When Marcello finally kisses Gabi, he believes the experience to be proof that they are meant to be together. What did you think about his assumption? Were you surprised at Gabi's reaction to it? Have you ever experienced a kiss that seemed to be prophetic in a similar (or opposite!) way?

*dreamy sigh* Oh Marcello, you big romantic you! I think his reaction is sweet and adorable and the drama of it seems to suit the time period in which he lives. Life is hard and short, so I think making a prophetic statement about being “meant” for each other after only a brief kiss is fitting for them. I remember getting butterflies (for lack of a better term) when I first kissed my husband, but I wouldn’t say I knew at that very moment that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, that came from all the times he made me laugh and all the small gestures over the years we were dating.

Many go through their teen years with a subdued sense of immortality. Do you think Gabi has a sense of this teen feeling? And did you think Gabi's converse observation, "Sometimes death came hunting and there was no way to cut it off at the pass." was informed more by the experience of losing her father, her self-admitted closet hypochondria, or the forced maturation of being transported to a different time? How does this observation show Gabi's growth as a character?

Jeez. These are some intense questions this week! I believe Gabi’s sense of her own mortality is probably a combination of all the factors listed above, though especially the death of her father. Given that his death was so sudden and unexpected, I think it inevitably brought the brevity of life in general into sharp focus for her, and that personal knowledge is only compounded when she gets to a time where medicine is scarce, war is not, and justice is often delivered in the form of public torture.

In the span of a few moments, Gabi goes from sword-wielding teen beauty to man-killing warrior. Did you think her realization of the finality of death -- and her justification for its necessity -- was realistic? And, in her slippers, could you have done the same?

I honestly don’t know that I could come to terms with the brutality of the time as quickly as Gabi does. Her adjustment period is impressive and admirable, but I think for her it’s a case of necessity in addition to her inherent strength that allows her to transition as well as she does. She either makes the adjustment and accepts death as a means of survival or she succumbs and wallows in the cruelty of that which she cannot change, and I think Gabi, being Gabi, quickly chooses to control the things she can as best she can.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTERS 18-23

1. Gabi and Lia both face several life and death situations in these chapters, having to pick up weapons in defense of those they love and experiencing first hand the brutality of close combat. If you had the choice between picking up a weapon and standing on the front lines or staying behind to tend to the wounded as necessary, which would you choose?

2. Both girls get to wear extraordinary gowns to their victory celebration; what would your dream medieval gown look like?


3. Gabi has crude stitches put in and must endure both their removal as well as the cauterization of the wound. How is your threshold for pain? Do you think you would have simply gritted your teeth as Gabi does?


4. Marcello wants to properly court Gabi after they express mutual feelings of affection, wanting to speak with her mother about his intentions. What do you think is the most romantic aspect of medieval courtship?


5. Gabi and Lia find themselves with conflicting desires toward the end with Lia wanting to return home and Gabi hoping to stay. Do you think that Gabi is being unfair to Lia for wanting to stay, or is Lia being unfair to Gabi for demanding they go? A little of both?


I look forward to having everyone here next week!

35 comments:

  1. I would really like your post ,it would really explain each and every point clearly well thanks for sharing.domain registration india

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  2. Amazing answers Jenny. The first one made me laugh. I think we are all fantastise about Lord Greco, Marcello and Luca.

    Next week's questions look fantastic :)

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  3. I love your answer to the final question.

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  4. Nic - Thanks! I just got, um, sidetracked with thoughts of the boys:)

    Juju - Thank you!

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  5. Very interesting and thoughtful answers. I agree that these questions required a lot more deep thinking and, to be honest, I also found number 2 a little hard to answer but I think you've done justice to them. I like your Marcello and Luca YA fantasy, but I'm wondering about the adult one with Greco in it...Lol!

    Great answers! Looking forward to next week:)

    Sarah

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  6. heh, Love your answer to number 1! ;o)

    Oooh, good questions...Yay for the fun!

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  7. I think I would have preferred the question to be "What's your Marcello/Luca/Lord Greco fantasy?" Although, my answer prolly wouldn't have been YA approved and maybe inappropriate for some readers. Thanks a lot Jenny, that's all I'm focusing on now *pauses to ponder* Togas all around!!

    As for the kiss, *melts* I loved that kiss between Marcello and Gabi. I don't realistically to prophetic, but agree that it was fitting for that time period. I don't think the boys went out kissing a lot of girls to find the right one. I mean, Gabi's ankles were taboo...heavy petting? Probably frowned upon. :D (hence my fantasy faults);D

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  8. LOL you crack me up with your "historic" fantasy! Nothing wrong with, nothing wrong with it at all. Cause well, it is the only time that I would buy men in that dress code and be able to fantasize about. See I tangent with the best of them LOL

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  9. Sarah - Yes, the questions were crazy deep this week and took me a while to formulate a response. I'm apparently shallow since I struggled to answer:)

    Rebecca - Thank you, I quite enjoyed my misinterpretation of the question:)

    Jen - Hahaha, yes, I think heavy petting in medieval times is frowned upon unless you are in the employ of the oldest profession in the world. And togas = WIN.

    Felicia - Yay tangents! I meant to write an adequate answer for number one, but Lord Greco and Marcello and Luca wanted everyone to know that we have a thing and that they fantasize about me as much as I do them ;-)

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  10. Great answers, Jenny. And I for one LOVE it when you veer off course!

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  11. Fun answers! I too struggled with having to think too deep about my answers! I'm not usually so introspective. You did well!

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  12. oh lol- we had the same reaction to the questions...some of them were hard...but Im pretty pumped that we had the same thoughts on number one- I think we would fair well in a mosh-pit...

    Gabi and Lia who???.....Marcello and Luca would be like sorry girls Jen and Tina stole our hearts... :D

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  13. Alyssa - Thank you, I veer off course often so I'm glad to know it's appreciated:)

    Julie - Me either. I'm a superficial kind of girl apparently:)

    Tina - Right? The boys wouldn't even know what hit them when we made ourselves known. Insta-love here we come!

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  14. Love, love, love your answer to number one. This is not the answer I gave...but I will totally join you in jumping the boys

    P.S. Luca is mine...I've always preferred the quirky guy to the leading man

    P.P.S. I need to meet Lord Greco...everyone is abuzz with him. When does he come into the series?

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  15. Can I get in on that YA Marcello/Luca fantasy? I'm all for shamelessly throwing my peasant self at them in the hopes that they recognize true love when it flails in their face. :)

    I love question 5 for next week. Really looking forward to seeing the answers for that one!

    Thank you for linking to my giveaway! :D

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  16. LOL Jenny. The questions were intense this week, eh?! I have a hard time getting Shakespearean deep too.

    But yes, it's all about those little gestures, huh. I'm so glad you found someone who makes you laugh. That is so important. :)

    Gah! Now I'm getting (semi) deep! LOL

    Let's go back to fantasies that regardless of our birth status, beautiful princes whisk us away to a HEA! :)

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  17. LibrarianReads - Thank you! I'm thinking if we all jump on them they'd have to notice us right? Right.

    Small - You absolutely can! The more the merrier. I mean, I'm sizzling and all but I'm not sure I can entertain both of them forever, reinforcements are necessary ;-)

    Missie - They were! I was like whoa, my snark feels out of place here:) The husband definitely makes me laugh, he's absurd and I question on a daily basis what possessed me to marry him ;-) And I'm all for the medieval fantasies, the husband can deal:)

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  18. Lord Greco shows up later on in the books, yes? can't wait to meet him!

    The questions were so well thought out I couldn't do them last night when I was dead tired. Usually I have stuff scheduled in advance...but not this time!

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  19. "...all the small gestures..." SO important. nd you nailed #5!

    ♥ Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

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  20. I love your Marcello /Luca fantasy. Do you mind if I horn in on throwing myself at their feet? I'll settle for either one.

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  21. Jacinda - YES! He appears (in all his mysterious glory) in book 2 but I fell in love in book 3. *dies just thinking about him*

    Melissa - I think so! It's the little things that make the relationship interesting:)

    Amy - All are welcome in the fantasy, I'm sure Luca and Marcello won't mind a bit:)

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  22. I find it hard to believe anyone who has read this book or this series doesn't have some kind of fantasy (g-rated or x-rated)about Marcello and Luca. I can't wait to meet Lord Greco...he sounds like a perfect edition to my fantasy!

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  23. You are all killing me! I need to read this soon! SOON!!!!

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  24. LOL! I would also enjoy that peasant fantasy!

    You make a good point about life being short for Medieval folks. It did seem more natural for Marcello to make such a grand statement.

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  25. I'm still mad that I didn't read this with everybody! :(

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  26. You know what I love? I think that Marcello and Luca are the kind of men that if a peasant woman threw herself at their feet, they would help her up, dust her off and look at her, really look at her, and if there was a connection, there'd be a chance at a heart-connection, regardless of their position. Because uh, yeah, they're HEROES. Love them. And totally Team Marcello/Luca/Greco.

    Love, Conflicted Creator

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  27. Ah Jenny-
    I can always count on you for making me laugh out loud! I had to read the answer to number one to my husband. We've really got to make sure Lord Greco's book gets published! Just for you!

    Great answers and yes, these were tough questions this time! Thanks for posting next week's questions already!!

    Heather

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  28. Lisa - Lord Greco is the perfect addition, just wait for it:)

    Melissa - YOU DO! So good:)

    Aylee - Thank you. I think it's pretty all around enjoyable:)

    Ashley - Tsk Tsk. You can still read it on your own and email me and I will squee and swoon right along with you:)

    Lisa - YES! I love that about them as well. Can I be Team All Three too? That works best for me really:)

    Heather - PLEASE LET IT GET PUBLISHED! Greco needs me. Wait. Other way around:)

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  29. Jenny, we could totally hang out in the crowd and hate on the rich Italians in their fancy costumes but really be crushing on the cute guys. It'll be awesome! And now I'm really, seriously dying to meet Lord Greco. Dreamy sigh.

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  30. OMSTARS- I love the term Team all Three...:D

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  31. The questions ask tell show much about the story. I really love how in depth you get in with the story.

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  32. I totally love your answer to number one. I would totally be cursing my birth right too. I would hope that I would be born so beautiful that either one couldn't keep their eyes off of me and would fall madly in love with me so I could choose. One can only dream. Sorry my answer is so late I didn't get a chance to get on the computer to long yesterday.

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  33. Still snorting over your answer to #1! Stop it! You're making my fat jiggle when I giggle! (jk -- well, not about the giggle jiggling, I meant kidding about the "stop it" part)

    Great questions for next week! Looking forward to it!
    ~Serena

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  34. Lol, I love your answer to the first question. Jenny, you do realize Lord Greco is mine though right?

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  35. OMG... I can't believe that I have yet to read these books... Waterfall is calling to me from my Kindle!

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