Welcome to week four 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! I'm the host this week, so please link up your answers at the bottom of this post.
Also, 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 18-23
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?
I would be on the front lines I think. Blood and I do not get along, so having to tend to the wounded would be sort of a horrific form of entertainment for all those in the medical ward. I can't imagine I'd be of much help to anyone running to hork up everything in my stomach after every new injured patient comes in only to end up in a bed myself because I've passed out in a fit of extreme squeamishness and have broken something on my way to a nice meeting with the floor. Clearly the front lines would not be blood-free, but I think trying not to die would keep me focused enough that the blood wouldn't affect me quite as much.
Both girls get to wear extraordinary gowns to their victory celebration; what would your dream medieval gown look like?
That's me and the husband on our wedding day. I was madly in love with the back of my dress when it was bustled with its tiered effect, so I'm thinking something similar to it would be ideal for a medieval ball. Only not in white. White + Jenny = much Photoshop work needed. Maybe something in a rich green since that's always been a much more flattering color for me than white. Another small change in the above photo to make things medieval ball worthy would be a minor switch of leading men. I love my husband to pieces and consider myself pretty darn lucky, but for the sake of this discussion, let's just plug Lord Greco into that picture shall we? Excellent.
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?
In my head I have this pretty glorious opinion of myself as someone who is like Gabi and is able to endure pain with dignity, but alas, I think reality is far different. Anything medically related I handle pretty poorly, even when I give myself a pep talk about how this time is going to be different and I'm going to maintain my cool like a normal person and will treat myself to 15 books when I'm finished on a self-congratulatory shopping spree for behaving like a mature adult. I have never once bought myself those 15 books. Needles freak me out. Tourniquets nearly make me pass out. Blood pretty much guarantees I'm going to be on the floor within seconds. And pain is just something we don't need to talk about. I'm a wuss. Straight up.
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?
I think when a guy asks the family for permission to court/date/marry the object of his affection it's really sweet. Not so much in the context of the young woman being a piece of property switching hands from father to husband, but I guess in the more modern sense of the custom. I also like how everything was incredibly proper back then and even the smallest gesture such as holding hands held so much significance because touch of any kind before marriage was a rare thing. Just think how much tension there would be if the only exchanges you had with your intended were glances here and there or brief dances with minimal contact; it would be kind of an exquisite torture.
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 think a little of both in this case. I can only imagine how I would feel in either of their shoes – it would be extremely difficult to choose between what you want for yourself so desperately and what you can so clearly see your sister wants with equal fervor. Acting on what I wanted most would make me feel incredibly selfish, but denying myself something like the love Gabi feels for Marcello or the home Lia wishes to return to would be almost unbearable.
Link your discussion Q&A below for your chance to win The River of Time series, signed by the author. Winner will be chosen tomorrow morning. Leaving your link below enters you into the drawing. Also, commenting on any Waterfall Wednesdays post automatically enters you into the Tuscan Earrings Giveaway from Lisa T. Bergren! Good Luck!
