CtD, ch18-20
Time for another cvgr speed commentary, body swap edition. The body swap is definitely my favourite part of this book and possibly one of my all time favourite sequences in the entire series. I’d pay big money for Pritkin’s POV while he was in Cassie’s body (if only Karen was on Patreon or something …) because this whole thing is just so funny, so messed up and touching and weirdly sexy at times. Pretty much typical Cassie Palmer right?
– chapter eighteen – Cassie’s initial reaction to Pritkin in her body is pretty hysterical. “I sounded like a very pissed off little girl.” Pritkin’s reaction to being in the wrong body is probably close to what mine would be like – shocked, appalled etc. His accent staying more or less the same makes sense I guess? Accents aren’t necessarily ingrained at a muscle memory level, we can change them very easily. Him keeping any metaphysical abilities he has, like good shields etc also makes sense because we know they’re a mental manipulation of the body’s magic.
– chapter nineteen – much and all as I love that Pritkin kicks ass even when in Cassie’s body – why is it so hot when he shoots people?? I definitely have issues – I would question the fact that his hand-eye coordination seems to have transferred along with his spirit. Cassie’s aim is far to bad to take that many people out with that kind of precision, right? I guess they were in close enough quarters that it didn’t matter. Anyway, I like our introduction to Jonas Marsden. It’s appropriately off key. I also like the way KC prepares the way for important introductions like this long before they ever happen – in Jonas’ case, we’ve already heard about him back in CbS. This is why I never trust what seems like random rambling, or irrelevant details in these books because they always, always come back in some way. This chapter also features the usual top Casskin banter – their arguments about the coffee and the training sessions are so fricking married, like for real, get a room.
– chapter twenty – more Casskin marriedness, their every interaction kills me. Cassie rubbing Pritkin’s back while he gets sick is just so weirdly cute? I mean I know it’s a pretty gross situation, but that’s what makes it so couple-y, that rather than being grossed out at all by Pritkin throwing up, Cassie’s instinct is to take care of him. Everything they do HURTS ME. ALSO ALSO I am not the only one who thinks they’re acting like a couple because Jonas very obviously thinks they’re together, see how surprised he is when Cassie doesn’t want to share a bed with Pritkin. More reasons to love the body swap – the classic line, “No Miss Palmer, what is bizarre is that I currently have a vagina.” I’ve been laughing at that comment since 2009. But great and all as that moment is, nothing but NOTHING will ever top Cassie waking up in Pritkin’s body with a hard on. Her panic at the whole situation is so completely believable and entirely hilarious, but at that the same time, it’s a weirdly erotic scene. She’s just so aware of his body, it brings out her latent attraction to him: “He’d be strong” is so hot I might evaporate. Also, we should start doing a group read drinking game – take a sip every time Cassie describes Pritkin’s hands, take a shot every time she talks about how green his eyes are and finish your drink if she mentions his hair being soft and/or terrible. Or maybe we should not play that game, because it sounds like a quick route to alcohol poisoning. For real though, Cassie has SUCH a crush, it’s killing me. And to top it all off, Pritkin knows exactly what she’s suffering and he thinks it’s hilarious. What a little bastard, I love him.
Ok, SO I know you are in love with Pritkin. I get that. I’m all for anyone who connects with the story in any way. But I have a little bit of a different read on all this. SO rather than assume that everyone knows whats going on in my head, I’m gonna spell it out.
Cassie is a young woman. And despite the fact that she is pretty kick ass even from the beginning she hasn’t had a lot of experience with men. Remember, that her very first sexual experience is IN Louis-Caesar. and he was already, um, well very engaged in the sex act. The geis has made sure that she’s married and has to have a three way with two people- I just said that sentence three times and it still doesn’t sound right, before she has had a chance to find her sexual feet.
And Cassie didn’t start off in the “easy” dating pool-oh no she had to go for the biggest, baddest, most combustible men- First there’s Tomas, although he is pretty tame by comparison to the later love interests, he is a first level vamp, who was strong enough to play human for Cassie for 6 months and challenge the CONSUL of THE LATIN AMERICAN SENATE. And he is her first sexual partner, although its rushed and co-opted by Apollo. Then, there’s Mircea Basarab who has been the right arm of the Consul for a very long time-and it goes back to when he was a Prince in Romania. And if you read Masks, he trained to become a great lover of vampires.
And, John Pritkin is half incubus too. And he has had lots of experience before Rossier got his hands on her. SO for Cassie, this body swap is in many ways a revelation. It’s the first time that she has a sexual experience that is free of the heavyweights that are in her bed. She doesn’t even get to masturbate without participation with Mircea via his mind skills. And suddenly, shes in a male body. And she gets to explore it, without anyone else rushing her,
But even that gets ruined by Pritkin’s knowing smile and interruption. SO I look at it as more about Cassie. And damn does she deserve the time to learn about pleasure- although from inside one of the men is a little bit weird but hey it’s a pythia thing! And what I loved most about the whole body swap was the whole thing AFTER they got back to Dante’s. When Mircea kisses Cassie in Pritkin’s body….and the whole battle confusion and the run through the wild west and the way the body swap fucks Saunders up…
So that’s my two cents. Sorry if you don’t like it. Tell me where I’m wrong, ok?
[Top]Don’t mistreat your animals
I’m all for cute pictures of pets. I like them, they make me smile most of the time BUT miserable animals in people clothes or wrapped like a buritto in a blanket…That’s not ok. It stresses the poor animal out. For some animals, mostly toy breeds, they are accustomed to it but others…just love your pets. I don’t need to see them in clothes
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Delphic remnants.
The Oracle of Delphi was active for almost 2000 years, its Sanctuary was one of the richest of the ancient world, a small state of intricate structures and innumerable art treasures (coming from every corner of the ancient greek world) that were mostly looted during Roman and Christian times. Home of the worship of the Sun God Apollo and his mantic properties, Delphi was initially a place dedicated to Mother Earth Gaia and her holy female snake. Apollo claimed the Oracle by killing the sacred Pytho(n), a sacrilege…so he got exiled for seven years as punishment for his crime before he could come back as the ruler of Delphi, this was the only way he could become purified again after his terrible act. Even gods need purification and repentance from time to time as it seems. Herakles later on unsuccessfully demanded the Oracle for himself by trying to steal the Delphic tripod from Apollo, Herakles was a prevalent figure of ancient greek religion and not just the big muscular guy our modern times and popular culture believe. Time distorts so many things after all…The order of the photos follows the actual path of the archaelogical site. Mount Parnassus, a symbol and an actuality, is breathtaking as well as the view from the Stadium.
Photos: Vera Bousiou
Thought this might resonate with Karen Chance fans!
[Top]Having trouble sleeping?
I suffer from insomnia. I have since Jerome died. I just can’t sleep well without him. But, that means I’ve tried a little of absolutely EVERY thing. Drugs, both over the counter and prescription, Various hypnosis, yoga breathing techniques. Tiring myself out until I can’t see straight. Drinking tea. Anyways, the point is that for the first time in a very long time I found something that works. I fall asleep in the first 15 minutes, and I wake up about 8 hours later with energy to spare. This has done more for me in the past few nights than I can say. so try it! https://youtu.be/kS-p2NOrEmI
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“See…we’ve all been wounded.” Goddess, what an understatement. “We’ve all been violated. Me, Adrian, Cory, Renny—hell, even Nicky, and now you. It’s what happens when you’re given great gifts—wonderful, amazing, beautiful gifts. Great buggering git asshole fuckheads always want to steal those gifts for themselves. Being wounded means you held on, that’s all. Being wounded means you can heal. If we live long enough with these gifts, and we’re not wounded, it means we’re probably like Mist and Morana and Sezan and Goshawk and hell, even Titania and Oberon, although I didn’t know either of them more than to give them the best fuck available at court, right? If we’re not capable of being hurt, then we’re not good enough people to deserve the Goddess’s gifts in the first place. If you don’t know that you have something to lose, then maybe you deserve to lose it, and Blessed Father, Holy Mother, Beloved Son, all of us know what we have to lose, because we’ve all lost it at one time or another and none of us wants to feel that pain again…” And then he couldn’t speak anymore, because Bracken, who didn’t want to be touched, had pulled Green into his arms, and every vow Green had made not to weep anymore for his lost freedom and violated faith fell at his feet with his brother’s tears. Both of them held there, still, clenched together so tightly their muscles ached. And they held, and held, and held, until they could breathe freely and look clearly and know that neither of them would be weeping soon again. With an unspoken word, they both pulled back and resumed their human male posture on the couch, the screen.
Experiencing a dilemma
I’ve never faced before. Frankly I’m tired of love triangles. Mostly because there’s an obvious choice of who the main character’s gonna choose; mostly the reason there’s even a hint of competition is because the girl doesn’t want to hurt the non-chosen guy:
Jace or Simon—duh, Jace wins
Edward or Jacob–duh, Edward wins
Dimitri or Adrian–duh, Dimitri wins
Adam or Samuel–duh, Adam wins
Peeta or Gale–duh, Peeta wins
Barrons or V’laine–duh, Barrons wins
Bones or Tate–duh, Bones wins
Vlad or Maximus–duh, Vlad wins
And countless other I can’t even remember right now. Granted The Infernal Devices took a novel approach and has the main character get to be with both the men she loved (even though it was obvious she really really loved Will–and if forced to choose I think she would have chosen him in the end, but she got both)
My problem is: the Cassandra Palmer series.
One the one hand there’s Mircea who I admitted wasn’t in love with to begin with, but now…after everything I’ve read (including the Dorina Basarab series) I like him. I want him to be happy. I want him to be Cassie because he wants to be with her and she wants to be with him. I like him. Although I’m not too happy about where we were left with him in Tempt the Stars. I hope he’s not going to just abandon her. That doesn’t seem like the kind of man he is.
On the other hand, there’s Pritkin who I’ve kinda adored since book two, Claimed by Shadows. And my adoration for him has only gotten worse as the series has progressed. I absolutely love him. And I do think he’s gonna be the endgame. But I’m not sure.
And I’m torn.
Therein lies the problem.
I’ve never liked both of the guys for a single girl in a series. I may like a guy like say for instance Simon, but I never liked him for Clary. For Izzy, he’ll yeah, but never for Clary.
I want both Mircea and Pritkin for Cassie and I don’t know what to think.
Aaaggghh.
SO, I keep rereading this post. And I get the overall point, even those of us that “like” both the men in Cassie’s life equally have favorites. Sometimes, those favorites change from scene to scene but we have favorites. So, who do we root for? How do we want it to end…Well, I’m just gonna root for Cassie and however messily it ends up, as long as she’s happy I’ll be good…
But for the list at the beginning, I gotta say something. I am very happy for this writer that all choices seem crystal clear. For the rest of us, sometimes we don’t know who we are going to pick until after it has happened. Or, if you are me, it sometimes was one person on one read but the next time its someone else…
So, maybe, its mutable. Maybe, for some like Cat and Bones I didn’t even remember there was someone else. But for each one of those, I have an Anita Blake, or a Merry or a Corinne Carol-Anne Kirkpatrick. And there are messy crazy solutions.
And I don’t see Cassie going the way of the many loved. At least I don’t think so. But I’ll just keep reminding myself that I’m rooting for Cassie…and being mutable
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