In the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of The Westing Game, I am further teased by the very novel I’m reading. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read The Westing Game.
Chapter Seventeen: Some Solutions / Chapter Eighteen: The Trackers
GAH YOU LIED TO ME.
- “Some” solutions? Some? Why don’t you just say HAHAHAH IT’S WORDPLAY, THERE ARE NO SOLUTIONS HERE, YOU’RE A FOOL.
- Also, THIS IS UNRAVELING SO QUICKLY. These people have become vicious in their suspicion and paranoia, and it’s overwhelming. But why do this? Surely, Sam Westing new these people would turn on one another. He chose them all to live in Sunset Towers for a reason. But why?
- I HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
- The bomb squad must hate everyone in that building. Where’s their point-of-view chapter?
- I actually missed that Jake Wexler was teaching Madame Hoo English. That’s nice of him!
- GRACE ALMOST FIGURED OUT THE “AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL” THING. ALMOST.
- IT’S NOT MR. PLUM. I SWEAR I’M RIGHT.
- Can we also establish that my blog is basically a digital version of Sandy’s notebook except with more tears? Yeah, I’m fine with that.
- Holy shit, James’s first wife died. I didn’t even know he had re-married!
- SARA WESTING. So that’s Mrs. Westing’s first name! But why did Mr. Hoo sue the wife???
- Okay, Theo’s “solution” is hilariously wonderful because it’s literally a solution.
- I’m also going to guess that Theo did not have a dream at the end of chapter 17, and Crow is not who she says she is. She knows way more than she’s letting on. Who the hell is she? And what did she mean by, “…then you must go to your angel, take her away.” Could she mean Angela???
- I don’t think Turtle’s belief that they should play the stock market is correct, but hey! It’s making them back their money, so bravo.
- I am certain that if Ellen Raskin includes one more heartbreaking scene between Turtle and Flora in this book, I will melt into a puddle of emotions. Holy shit, that is my absolute favorite emotional dynamic in this entire novel. It’s fascinating to see how these two have grown closer over the course of this game, especially since Turtle is opening up to Flora in a really intimate way by getting Flora to talk about her daughter.
- HOLY SHIT, SANDY IS KIND OF A HUGE RACIST. That line in his notes about Rosalie is just… what the fuck. Also, did Flora adopt Rosalie? Because that one slur refers to her being of some sort of Asian descent… sometimes. It’s used in different ways in different cultures. And Flora is white, yes? Regardless… WOW. NO. NO.
- OKAY LET’S TALK ABOUT DOUG HOO. I calculated: he ran at least twelve miles following Otis Amber. We know he went to go get letters from Plum, and we know that he went to the hospital to scare someone??? He also went to the stockbroker’s office and the high school. Um… why? What is he doing???
- “A suspicious malady, no apparent Westing connection, somehow Sydelle Pulaski did not seem to fit in.” Well, shit. Maybe she’s the mistake?
- And then this whole book turns into CHAOS. The scene at the hospital is unreal, especially since so many characters weave in and out of the narrative. Turtle warns her sister not to speak to anyone about anything, which I’m guessing is in reference to Turtle knowing that Angela is the bomber. Then Plum shows up to talk to Angela for… I don’t know? I mean, the scene prior to this established that they’re all to go to the Westing House for the next meeting soon, so why is Plum visiting Angela Wexler herself? Then, Grace arrives and ostensibly causes a scene since she believes Plum is the murderer.
- THEN CHRIS THEODORAKIS. WHAT THE FUCK. First of all, Ellen Raskin needs to stop writing sentences like this: “He wasn’t nervous at all with that nice lady. [Flora] smiles that funny smile because she’s sad inside.” WELL WHAT THE HELL, MY HEART WASN’T ALREADY HURT BY THIS BOOK BEFORE.
- I am completely confused by Denton Deere’s appearance here because… why the hell is he taking Chris to a doctor for tests without talking to Theo or George or any of the other Theodorakis? I DON’T LIKE IT. I DON’T LIKE DENTON DEERE, AND HE SCARES ME.
- What in gods’ name is happening in this book?
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
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