In the twenty-fourth chapter of Untold, the group starts to cope with the reality of the rapidly approaching battle. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Untold.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Farewell Fear
Whoa, the title of this chapter wasn’t a cruel trick to make me feel sad!
- You know, I should have realized that no one would ever come to help a town of sorcerers work out their problems. In fact, that’s something that’s been made blazingly obvious by Brennan throughout this series. Matters of sorcerers stay between sorcerers. LILLIAN HAS TOLD ME THIS A MILLION TIMES. So why would sorcerers from another town ever come to Sorry-in-the-Vale to choose sides in a fight they have no business being in?
- This is precisely why it’s so incredible that Henry Thornton is here. What stake does he have in this battle, everyone?
- HE WANTS TO PROVE THERE IS MORE TO SORCERY THAN BLOOD.
- HE IS HERE FOR PURELY PHILOSOPHICAL REASONS
- Well, no, that’s not quite right. He’s also there because Kami asked.
- Henry Thornton appreciation blog, y’all.
- How about Ash and Rusty and Jared being backup for Henry?
- BLESS. BLESS THESE PEOPLE.
- And then Lillian decides to reveal that she has a contingency plan in place: the Lynburn boys aren’t to be in town so that there’s still a Lynburn to inherit Aurimere in case she dies. Way to be the most grim, Lillian, and for driving that dagger deeper in my heart. I’m just starting to truly understand you, and this is what you give me?
- She tells Ash not to call her Mom after she says this. She’s already trying to break the connection between them. Goddamn, this is BRUTAL. But I also saw this as the most supreme form of dedication. She will die before she hands over Aurimere to Rob.
- Jared sitting down in front of Kami to demonstrate to Lillian that he supports her and is with her = <3 <3 <3 <3
- So, about my wildebeest comment. I’ve told this story a few times, but in case you missed it, I had a very strange reaction to The Lion King when I first saw it. For months after watching it, I was convinced my father would go to work and get trampled to death by a herd of wildebeest because I thought that was a thing. I was a normal child, clearly.
- “For a moment she thought he was warning her about Jared, but then she realized that this could be one of the last times they saw each other.” YOU TAKE THAT FUCKING SENTENCE BACK, SARAH REES BRENNAN. TAKE IT BACK.
- But seriously, this whole chapter teeters between hope and grim dread, and it just makes me scared for how this book is going to end. Henry’s presence is comforting, but then Brennan points out that “Henry might have come here to die.” With such a poor turnout on their side, these people have a hell of a battle facing. At the same time, the scene that follows this with Holly and Angela gives me hope that maybe Kami and her friends will be surprised by the turnout the next day. Of course, it’s hard to know where Mrs. Thompson and Ms. Dollard will end up during the big battle, but I like the idea that Holly is earning her aunt’s respect. That’s good, right? So… maybe? Yes? Sort of?
- Truthfully, though, most of the reason I love Holly’s part of this chapter is due to the EXPLOSION OF FEELINGS she has for Angela. Like the moment where she realizes that Angela is the first person she’s ever been scared for. Or wanting Angela to talk of her with pride.
- JUST ELOPE AND GO ON AN ENDLESS VACATION FOREVER, YOU TWO. YOU ARE SO PERFECT FOR ONE ANOTHER.
- I really thought that by now, we’d know why Matthew Cooper was important to the story. There are just five more chapters left, and as far as I can tell, there really aren’t going to be any eleventh-hour discoveries. DAMN IT, I AM FURTHER UNPREPARED.
- My favorite imagery in the chapter: that of the light within Aurimere contrasted with the “opaque blackness” outside, as if the true “light” of the world now resides in that house. EXCELLENT USE OF LIGHT AND DARK.
- I’m glad I picked up on the importance of physicality between Kami and Jared, as Brennan pretty much confirms my thoughts here. So much of what happens in the final scene of this chapter involves Kami’s realization that she is no longer afraid of loving Jared. There’s a lot of language that talks of Jared as if he is an illusion or of a dream, and how he’s “come to life” for Kami. And that feels like an acknowledgment of his physical form, not just the emotional connection these two have. It’s also not lost on me that Kami’s declaration here – that she will not let Jared die – is of a woman staking a claim on a man, a neat reversal of the expected gender roles in a romantic relationship. Kami is swearing to protect Jared, not the other way around. THAT’S SO COOL, Y’ALL. Even the final kiss is about Kami expressing her love for Jared in a physical way. She’s the aggressor here, she’s the one who runs into him so hard that he almost pitches backward, and she is the one swearing to protect the man in distress. YES, REVERSAL OF ROLES, WAY AWESOME.
- Oh god, I’m so close to the end of this book. h e l p.
Please note that the original text and the first video contain use of the word “mad.”
Part 1
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