Troy
Adele Geras
Historic Fiction
222/358
Summary
Andromache is devastated. She can't eat or sleep, and she spends all her time in the large bed that is now empty without Lord hector at her side. She is growing incredibly thin, and won't do anything, include care for her son Asthynax, who she says reminds her of his father Xanthe is left to care for little Asthynax in Andromache's place; to feed him, to play with him, and to answer all of his questions, like where his father is or where is his mother or will she read him a bed time story. Xanthe finally goes up to Andromache and confronts her about this state she is in. She reminds the lady of her duty to raise and protect her son. Andromache hears her out, and comes back to her son.
Polyxena has a conversation with Iason, in which Iason tells her once again of his feelings for Xanthe, and tells Polyxena to tell Xanthe of them; to tell her that when this war is over that he will want to marry her, during which Polyxena keeps her mouth closed despite of the feelings she has for Iason. Later on, Xanthe manages to convince Polyxena to take her to Alastor's house. Polyxena does not tell her of Iason's message, making up excuses for herself not to. They go to the house, only to find that Alastor is not there. He has gone down to the wall to watch the fighting.
Polyxena and Xanthe slowly make their way down there after a visit with Alastor's terrible mother, and soon find a shocking news; Paris has killed Achilles by shooting him with a poisoned arrow into the only spot where he is vulnerable- his heel. Polyxena runs off to tell the Singer, and Xanthe makes her way to bring the news to Xanthe. On the way, she hears from a man with a grudge against her chatting that, even though Alastor has an arranged marriage, he is besotted with a woman. Xanthe then runs into Alastor, who tells her that he is in love, confirming Xanthe's fears.
The people of Troy then speak of a man who the Greeks have brought back from an island where they left him after he was wounded who, it is said, has the bow and arrow of Herakles, the only thing that can kill Paris.
Response
I'm eager to see what happens next, and the suspense is building. However, I feel like this part happened way too fast. I believe that not enough emphasis was put on Paris killing Achilles, because, even though it is not really the main focus of the story, that being the drama between Alastor, Marpessa and Xanthe, it shouldn't have happened so fast and it seemed like the author was chalking it down as an insignificant event. Even so, I want to see what will happen with Xanthe and Marpessa, and how Xanthe will find out about Marpessa and Alastor.
Passage
"'It doesn't matter. Do you love her?'
'You girls- you're forever going on and on about love. What does it mean? I know how she makes me feel in every part of my body. Isn't that enough?'"
I like this passage because it shows how little Alastor understands or even cares about the true feelings of what he's dealing with. He just views it as a desire, as a want, while Marpessa and Xanthe view it as the actual emotion of love.
Adele Geras
Historic Fiction
222/358
Summary
Andromache is devastated. She can't eat or sleep, and she spends all her time in the large bed that is now empty without Lord hector at her side. She is growing incredibly thin, and won't do anything, include care for her son Asthynax, who she says reminds her of his father Xanthe is left to care for little Asthynax in Andromache's place; to feed him, to play with him, and to answer all of his questions, like where his father is or where is his mother or will she read him a bed time story. Xanthe finally goes up to Andromache and confronts her about this state she is in. She reminds the lady of her duty to raise and protect her son. Andromache hears her out, and comes back to her son.
Polyxena has a conversation with Iason, in which Iason tells her once again of his feelings for Xanthe, and tells Polyxena to tell Xanthe of them; to tell her that when this war is over that he will want to marry her, during which Polyxena keeps her mouth closed despite of the feelings she has for Iason. Later on, Xanthe manages to convince Polyxena to take her to Alastor's house. Polyxena does not tell her of Iason's message, making up excuses for herself not to. They go to the house, only to find that Alastor is not there. He has gone down to the wall to watch the fighting.
Polyxena and Xanthe slowly make their way down there after a visit with Alastor's terrible mother, and soon find a shocking news; Paris has killed Achilles by shooting him with a poisoned arrow into the only spot where he is vulnerable- his heel. Polyxena runs off to tell the Singer, and Xanthe makes her way to bring the news to Xanthe. On the way, she hears from a man with a grudge against her chatting that, even though Alastor has an arranged marriage, he is besotted with a woman. Xanthe then runs into Alastor, who tells her that he is in love, confirming Xanthe's fears.
The people of Troy then speak of a man who the Greeks have brought back from an island where they left him after he was wounded who, it is said, has the bow and arrow of Herakles, the only thing that can kill Paris.
Response
I'm eager to see what happens next, and the suspense is building. However, I feel like this part happened way too fast. I believe that not enough emphasis was put on Paris killing Achilles, because, even though it is not really the main focus of the story, that being the drama between Alastor, Marpessa and Xanthe, it shouldn't have happened so fast and it seemed like the author was chalking it down as an insignificant event. Even so, I want to see what will happen with Xanthe and Marpessa, and how Xanthe will find out about Marpessa and Alastor.
Passage
"'It doesn't matter. Do you love her?'
'You girls- you're forever going on and on about love. What does it mean? I know how she makes me feel in every part of my body. Isn't that enough?'"
I like this passage because it shows how little Alastor understands or even cares about the true feelings of what he's dealing with. He just views it as a desire, as a want, while Marpessa and Xanthe view it as the actual emotion of love.
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