Teres

- We open on Faraday softly asking who the newcomers are, and Yr shushing her while she and Jack get up. I guess that it may be fair, but it just sounds to me like Yr does not want Faraday to know who they are yet.

But of course. Why explain anything when you can keep characters (and the readers) in the dark until the last possible moment? Assuming you ever explain it at all.

- His face is “broad, open and peculiarly formed with a wide, almost lumpy, forehead above a long aquiline nose, high cheekbones and a thin mobile mouth”.

The hell is a 'mobile mouth'? I would have said 'an expressive mouth', because the word mobile just makes me think it moves around all over his face, like some kind of living Picasso painting.

- His eyes apparently demand the most attention, as they are so dark they are “almost black”.

I guess Faraday has never seen brown eyes before. They almost always look black unless you see them up close, or in direct sunlight.

- They both place the heels of their hands on their foreheads (though we are told Jack can only use one hand, since he is holding the staff with the other).

I know that stories that take place in different worlds often have their own unique ways of saluting, but this just sounds like it would look really stupid.

- Jack immediately tells her telepathically that all three races once lived together, and they “still speak the same language”.

And of course, he couldn't have explained any of this before, because...reasons. I know that dramatic reveals at the last moment are a popular literary device, but Douglass does not do it well.

- Faraday hesitates for a bit longer, Yr shoots her a “sharp glance”, and Faraday realises she is being rude.

They totally did that on purpose to make Faraday embarrass herself. You can't convince me otherwise.

- The child (who is called “girl-child” for some reason), clings to his legs, so he picks her up again.

I want to say this is cute, but I don't trust it. Douglass is going to find a way to ruin it somehow, I'm almost positive.

- He asks if Raum will test her, and if he does not think Faraday is worthy, they will leave.

Suuuure you will, Jackass. Because you've been so trustworthy up until now. You couldn't be trusted to keep an artificial plant alive! This is a blatant lie, and we all know it.

- Great, now it is Faraday’s turn to be bespelled outside of her will again.

...I'm starting to think that Douglass has some kind of non-con kink. This happens way too often for it to just be a coincidence. Not only is it a cheap plot device, it also makes me believe that Douglass gets off on it.

- She then says “Naughty trees”, and we get an explanation that that was just what Jack said on the Silent Woman Night, and she does not know that.

Right, because when I'm having a terrifying nightmare, 'naughty' is the first descriptor that comes to mind. You just killed the tension there, Douglass. Way to go.

- Well, Faraday slaps the tree in “her all-consuming rage”,

*bursts out laughing* So all Faraday can to in her 'all-consuming rage' is slap a tree? She doesn't scream, or find things to break, or any normal methods of venting? Nope, she has to... *cackles* ...slap a tree!

- In other words, Raum was willing to kill Faraday, for… being asked to test her? and Jack and Yr were willing to possibly let her die for the sake of a test that is not even necessary!

This actually doesn't bother me. As it was stated previously, this is supposed to be a strictly Avarii ritual, so bringing an outsider in is a huge deal. They probably wouldn't agree to it unless she proved herself in some way. Plus, if she really was the one spoken of in the prophecy, she would be perfectly safe during the test.

- This would still mean that all these people are not dying futilely!

These people are idiots. You're sending your children to certain death for no reason at all, when you could simply wait a few years until they actually have the chance to understand what you're asking them to do. Do they secretly want their race to go extinct? Because that's where they're heading.

- Raum gives an “introspective[]” smile, and says that Faraday stood even as he neared her, and let the trees “sing the danger away”. None of their children has ever done that,

Hmm, I wonder why... Oh, maybe because THEY'RE CHILDREN! Of course they're not going to think of doing this! You are murdering thousands of children because you're too stupid to realize that maybe it would be a better idea to wait until they're older!

- Jack “smiles at [Raum] in apology” and says they have not had the time or opportunity to tell her anything, and they have only just found her.

BULLSHIT! You've had every opportunity to explain any number of things, and you haven't. You've refused to, even when she tries to ask questions! ...I'm about to go on a cactus-swinging rampage again. This is seriously pissing me off.

- That would have saved them a huge amount of trouble and would be more effective than what there is now.

Given all of the absolutely stupid and/or nonsensical decisions in this book, I'm starting to think that every single person in this world has an IQ of one digit or less.

- Raum continued. “The Avar are a peaceful people, Faraday.

Right. Which is why so many of your children are dead. You might not have killed them with your own hands, but their deaths are still your responsibility. Don't act like you're completely guiltless while telling Faraday how horrible her race is.

- Finally, I like to see that he acknowledges he was just venting to Faraday just now… though that does not lessen my impression that he was a mouthpiece for Douglass.

Is it really just venting if the whole thing serves as a massive guilt-trip for someone who hasn't done anything except be born into a race that he hates? I can understand his frustration and anger, but this is out of line and misplaced. Is this just another chance for Douglass to use Faraday as a whipping girl?

- Their “most sacred rituals” are designed to help the seasons turn and let the land and forest regenerate. (That is what I referred to earlier.) Some among them can become Banes, and their duty is to care for the forest with great dedication, and to conduct the rites.

Wait, wait, wait, hold on. Regenerating forests I buy, since magic could speed the growth of trees, help keep them healthy, etc. But changing the seasons? Do they honestly have that much power, or are they just being metaphorical?

- “Faraday, life is sometimes cruel. We grieve for those children who are lost, for every one of them is precious to us. But without Banes to conduct the rites, the rites would lapse, and then the seasons would falter and the land would die.”

First of all, that isn't 'life being cruel'. That's you being cruel. You are the one putting them through those tests, and it's you who chooses to do it at such a young age. If they're so worried about not having any Banes, then stop killing candidates. Wouldn't it be better to have dozens that begin training a few years later rather than just one or two that survive? Not only are you restricting the number of Banes, you're also decimating your own race! (And yeah, I saw the 'their talent will not grow right' line, but that still doesn't excuse any of this.)

- I think I would find it easier to take this seriously if Raum was not so needlessly apocalyptic.

I would find it easier if they weren't essentially hamstringing themselves by killing their children. I will not let this go. If their race eventually dies, it'll almost certainly be on them.

- Faraday tries to talk again, but Jack silences her “with a hard look”.

FUCK. YOU.

What was the point of this outside of more ~mystery~?

Foreshadowing, maybe? I'm guessing those bumps could potentially be...antlers? I haven't forgotten that creepy-ass deer man wendigo wannabe.

What Raum says makes Faraday wonder if she might have multiple roles to play in Gorkenfort.

Picklefort returns! Yay!