In the fourteenth chapter of Melting Stones, it’s the calm before the storm. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Melting Stones.
For real, y’all. A nice thing happened here, and everything was calm for a moment. That means DISASTER IS AWAITING US ALL.
But seriously, I really enjoyed this chapter, and I appreciated an introspective look at Evvy and her magic like this. Oswin was the perfect character to help facilitate this, too, since he’s got both an interesting view of the world and the curiosity that leads him to ask so many questions of Evvy. But before that happens, Evvy explores. And it’s a beautiful passage, one that highlights one of the strengths of Pierce’s writing. It’s challenging to visualize something like the magic that characters in the Emelan universe have, but she’s got a knack for describing these kind of passages. Here, she distills a sense of wonder through Evvy’s narration as the young mage follows the fault under Starns out to the ocean floor. Evvy is seeing many things for the first time, and they shock and entertain her.
Yet this experience helps her learn more about the earth’s construction, and I found it fitting that after she returns to her body, she converses with Oswin about the nature of faults and magma. It’s clear from the scene that the earth swirls with power born from the core of it and that this power is enticing to Evvy. She almost convinced herself to abandon her physical form, which was pretty disturbing to me. LET’S HOPE THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN. Thankfully, she controls the magic that she absorbed, and the subsequent conversation she has with Oswin is a real treat. We already knew what was at work here, but I loved that Oswin recognized that Evvy knew more than him, and he doesn’t have any hang-ups about asking her about the faults. Hell, he’s able to read Evvy like a book just based on the way she talks of rocks:
Oswin shook his head. “I’m surprised you bother with us human beings at all. You must live in a dream world, if every stone and crystal speaks to you like that.”
Well, he’s not that far from the truth, is he? Evvy prefers the certainty and dependability of stone, and I don’t blame her. She’s not saying she doesn’t trust or love anyone, but it’s harder for her to do so given what she’s been through. However, Evvy is a resilient person, and I was drawn to the idea that she changes and adapts just like the earth does below her feet. She’s not as distrusting as she was back when we first met her, and she’s evolving into an incredible young mage. Few things remain static and immobile in the world, and it’s been a treat to get so much of Evvy from these books.
There’s our nice thing before everything goes to hell, by the way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rypkgydHupQ
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
– IÂ will be at numerous conventions in 2016! Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be seasons 1 & 2 of The 100, Death Note, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
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