Mark Reads ‘Tris’s Book’: Chapter 7

In the seventh chapter of Tris’s Book, Tris, Briar, and Sandry discover just how close they all are with one another while Daja is out in the harbor. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Circle of Magic.

Oh gods, this is so great. The circle of friendship is back! Magical transference! Another mystery! BRIAR BEING AFFECTIONATE. IT’S ALL TOO MUCH.

Circle of Friendship

I’m never letting this go, just accept that. Like I said in the video below, it’s rewarding to see how the Discipline students’ powers are developing. It’s not just that they’re getting stronger, though you can see that in Daja’s actions in the last chapter and in Sandry’s endurance in this one. But in the opening pages of this chapter, all three of the kids who aren’t out in the harbor feel the effects of the “thunder weapon,” and that also means they all get identical scratches on their faces. The implications of this are both awe-inspiring and completely terrifying. What if someone finds out that they’re all physically linked and uses it against them? Thankfully, all the Pierce gives us here is unity.

Through the linked circle of thread (AND FRIENDSHIP, I WON’T SHUT UP ABOUT THIS), these characters are able to literally see through Daja’s eyes. There’s just so much potential here! Not only are they all aware of one another, but they can create complicated combinations of magic through this link. (I also had a moment where this reminded me of the magic within Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Lynburn Legacy trilogy. I can’t help it, I’m still broken because of those books.) I WANT TO SEE SO MUCH MORE OF IT.

The Future

This attack on Winding Circle appears to be over… I think? Pierce is deliberately ambiguous about the end result of Daja and Frostpine’s work, but we do find out that the city is preparing for inland attacks from the pirates. Which makes sense, since it’s going to be virtually impossible for the pirates to get past the chain in the harbor. They’ll head down the coast and go after the inland villages, so the city wants as many of those citizens to come to Winding Circle so they can be protected. We also know that there probably won’t be anyone staying at Discipline, but I do wonder how the presence of a ton of… refugees? I think that’s the correct term to use here. Anyway, how will their lives change? Will the pirates try to break into the city a different way? What is it that they want within Winding Circle?

It’s all a mystery, though, so Lark and Rosethorn have to make sure that the kids focus on the here-and-now. In Sandry’s case, she’s going to be working on actual weaving for the first time! THIS IS VERY EXCITING. I imagine that while day-to-day lessons will still continue to occur, I think that the events of this chapter are going to have long-term implications for the Discipline characters. When Daja returns, Tris has a VERY fascinating experience that will clearly become part of something in the future. Well, let’s not ignore the scene where Tris gets to see in Rosethorn’s bedroom, and Lark says:

“You see?” Lark murmured. “No blood hooks in the ceiling – not even a skull anywhere.”

BLESS HER HEART. (Also, that made me ship Lark/Rosethorn even harder. Goddamn it.)

Anyway, Daja does get a chance to briefly (and tiredly) speak about her experience in the harbor. This is when we first learn of the thunder-weapon, the horrific thing that tore apart so many of the sailors. I hadn’t even realized that something strange had happened! And while this magical weapon is a mystery that definitely needs solving, I was far more drawn to what Tris smelled. My gut is telling me that it has something to do with the initial attack earlier in this book. Is that where Tris smelled that scent first? Unfortunately, it’s been weeks since I read that part of the book, and I can’t recall the exact details. Still, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that all the weirdness – the explosion, the mystery man in the Hub, the destruction of the net – was all in preparation for an attack on Winding Circle.

But why? I DON’T GET IT.

vid

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