Chapters Fourteen-Twenty-One
Things just seem to be getting worse and worse for Ehiru. I feel like he is starting to slip into some dark place and he might not get to come out of it. He is a lesson in why being rigid can be disastrous. All of his beliefs are being challenged on what seems like every front. The most potent was probably when the troupe’s old lady told him that she would rather live out whatever days left she has in pain than submit herself to his “gift” of permitting her peaceful passage into the afterlife. It’s clear that her stance rocks Ehiru’s world and he’s not immediately sure how to react to all of this change around him.
Nijiri is doing the best he can to keep Ehiru sane and as he does so, Jemisin really starts to add a level of depth to his character. He is truly in love with Ehiru and has endured all that he has endured to be at Ehiru’s side. What I love is that in this world no one bats an eye at the idea of a man loving another man. They don’t even have another name for it. It is simply regarded as love and that’s a powerful statement, but you’re not beaten over the head with it. The message simply flows through the story and the casual reader will never really think about it.
Rabbaneh gets him a piece of the action too. I’ll admit that I really thought he was part of the conspiracy at first, but he has proven himself to be loyal to Ehiru for now. Sonta-i is still questionable though. There is a coldness to his character that makes me wonder which way he might sway in all of this. It doesn’t surprise me though that The Superior has been colluding with the Sun Prince. The Sun Prince seems to imply some deeper connection with The Superior and makes mention of something seemingly awful The Superior has done. I look forward to watching this continue to unfold.
The R.R.A.P. Magazine 