Mark Reads ‘Lioness Rampant’: Chapter 4 |

In the fourth chapter of Lioness Rampant, Alanna finally faces the Roof of the World. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Lioness Rampant.

Chapter Four: The Roof of the World

OH MY GOD WHAT HAS THIS BOOK BECOME

Okay, this chapter took four videos worth of time to read, and as it stands, it’s the longest chapter in Song of the Lioness quartet. It’s fitting because this is such an important journey for Alanna, and it’s about literally climbing a mountain.
ALSO IT’S SO NERVE-WRACKING. Like, what’s at the top of the mountain? Then I’m left wondering what Alanna is going to do afterwards. AND THEN THAT ENDING. MY GOD.
Yet even amidst one of the most important journeys of Alanna’s life, Tamora Pierce still gives us a great deal of character growth from everyone who came along for the ride. I love that.
I mean, this chapter features the hopeful growth of Thayet, who has lost any chance at being a queen, whose family has had to disown her due to political reasons, who has been dealt a challenging and traumatic card in life specifically because of the gender roles of her culture, and who then looks upon Tortall with joy and hope because she can become whatever sort of person she wants to be.
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
Oh god, then there’s Coram’s reveal that he hasn’t been joining with the Voice because it’s lonely. And then Coram’s scene where he makes Alanna blow her nose and I’m reduced to emotional rubble.
I’m also immensely thankful that Tamora Pierce tackles the issues of feminine clothing in the way she does here. Liam’s response to Alanna wearing a dress is infuriating, especially since she is obviously not wearing a dress into battle. God, he makes so many low blows, doesn’t he? What’s with this dude?
Bless you, Thayet, for being able to so coherently explain exactly why Liam is the way he is: “Our Dragon is the kind of man who likes to be in control of everything, particularly himself.”
While this will explain his fury over Alanna’s use of magic on him while she set out to obtain the Jewel, it’s also important to note that Liam’s fears are related to control. His interactions with Alanna are all tied back to this as well. He can’t control how Alanna dresses, what she chooses, how she behaves, and it’s clear now that it irritates him just as much as it intrigues him. He’s a walking contradiction, and he can’t deal with it, so he takes it out on Alanna by making inappropriate and sexist comments to her.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT BURI’S AND CORAM’S FUTURES ARE OH MY GOD.
“I’d never attempt it, and I forbid you to!” Well, that’s how you get Alanna to do the opposite of what you want. Liam, you should know this by now!
That being said, I do think it’s important to acknowledge that Alanna casts magic on Liam without his consent. The text does bring this up, and I’m satisfied that Alanna does apologize for it, too.
I like how in the second video for this chapter, I correctly predicted that Alanna’s dreams were actual visions of what happened. I also want to scream. OH GOD WHY THOM WHY.
So, let’s talk about Alanna’s ascent to the Jewel. It’s lengthy, drawn out to create tension, and it’s also fucking weird. Yes, I love weirdness. You can sense Alanna’s fear, her confusion, and it seemed fitting that I felt cold in my room while reading the scene. Pierce is smart to take this scene so slowly and seriously. This is just damn good storytelling.
Chitral is so odd and is largely unexplained by the text, and I’m perfectly fine with that. He’s some old god/immortal being who made the Dominion Jewel because he was bored. OH GOD. I love it!
What’s important about Alanna’s fight with Chitral is that she comes to the conclusion that her fight with him is largely nonsensical. She’s not earning any jewel â€“ she’s essentially stealing it. And why? What will it bring her? Glory? And then what? What does Alanna do after that? Is her destiny fulfilled? Does she live a life of boredom and mediocrity after this?
Hahaha, WHAT IS AN ELEMENTAL.
So Alanna can now tell when a storm is coming. Is this book slowly turning into some weird Captain Planet fanfiction?
Can we also acknowledge that after nearly dying, after going on the most harrowing and painful journey of her life, Alanna is ready to give the Dominion Jewel to Thayet within ten minutes of waking up? Bless her heart.
“But you and I come from overbred families, good as ornaments and nothing more. And you are far from useless.” I CAN’T DEAL WITH THE EMOTIONS THIS BOOK IS GIVING ME.
So, Liam and Alanna’s romance is officially over. It was nice while it lasted, but the two are too different and too similar for one another. It’ll never work. At least they’ve agreed to remain friends!
Ha, Alanna is a ~celebrity.~ Remember when she and Jonathan cleared out the Black City at the end of the first book? I honestly thought that would be the moment she’d be revered for. I WAS SO INNOCENT BACK THEN.
RAOUL RAOUL RAOUL OH MY GOD, I MISSED YOU, YOU’RE HUGE, I WANT A HUG FROM RAOUL 🙁 🙁
Wait what.
The King and Queen are dead?!?!? Alanna’s dream is fact?????
“You don’t know, do you?” SHUT UP. WHATEVER YOU SAY NEXT IS GOING TO BE HORRIBLE.
OH GOD, ALANNA WASN’T IMAGINING IT. ROGER IS BACK. THOM, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE????