Squeetus summer book club: Princess Academy, chapter 13

Chapter 13

Katar: She's a prickly one. What is your opinion of Katar at this point? There's always so much more going on with minor characters than I can tell. The narrator only knows as much as Miri does. Unless Katar opens up to Miri, she can seem flat.

The rules of diplomacy: 1. State the problem, 2. Admit your own error, 3. State the error of the other party, 4. Propose specific compromises, 5. Invite mutual acceptance, 6. Illustrate the negative outcome of refusal and the positive of acceptance, 7. Assert a deadline for acceptance

pg. 156: Do you think Olana really was impressed and pleased with the girls? Or was she bested and pretended to be pleased to maintain her pride?

Peder's hawk: It's a 3 hour walk to the academy and a 3 hour walk back again through the night, arriving in the morning with quarry work is waiting for him. It's about the most romantic thing ever. It's funny--I know that I made it up, but I don't feel that way. I feel like it was something that Peder did and I observed it. Is being a novelist a form of mental illness?

Chris asks, "After "honing your inner reader" with works by other authors, do you every consciously emulate or avoid elements of their style? If so, do you find either approach (emulation or avoidance) to ultimately help or hinder your writing?" That's hard for me to answer. The honing process never ends. Writers keep reading--observing, taking note, absorbing. Sometimes I do consciously emulate or avoid elements I note in other books, though at the moment I can't think of a single example! The problem with reading as a writer is it's hard to turn off my brain and get lost in the story--I'm always noticing the writing, analyzing, editing. But it's a critical skill for being a writer.

Heather asks, "Where did you come up with the name Asland for part of the kingdom? That question actually comes from my mom because it kind of bothered her because it sounds so much like Aslan (she's a big Narnia fan)." I took Scandinavian names as the root (Dan and As) and added +land to them, reminiscent of Finland. The similiarity to Aslan was a bonus for me, as I too am a Narnia fan!

Ashley R asks: "My little brother (12) read The Goose Girl, and he loved...How many boys have you heard of who have read The Goose Girl and liked it? :)" Lots, actually! My experience is boys over the age of 9 rarely pick up books that seem "girly" on their own. But many older sisters and mothers let me know that their boys enjoy my books (and other "girly" books) on the sly. A shame there is any shame.

Two and a half more weeks of this. Are you guys still game?

I love this poll on my publisher-run Facebook fan page: What did you/do you think will happen at the end of the book?

Comments

[Q]

Re: the poll question

I don't actually remember what I thought would happen. I remember being confused, torn between prince and mountain, as Miri was. Perhaps my favorite thing about both of the Princess Academy books is that they involve real dilemmas. The dilemmas aren't forced, and they don't have obvious answers until the very end. So many books fail to have difficult central questions with nonobvious answers, and I am so impressed by how well the PAs succeed in this respect.

[Account Deleted]

Just commenting about the Peder bit, because I loved it. I loved each and every one of his and Miri's interactions, and the hawk one was just precious. I think characters do end up having a semblance of a life of their own, though it comes from the writer's head. It's curious!

[Katie]

I loved what you said about how you felt while reading the situation with Peder. I had actually been wondering if you find yourself involved in the story, as if it were real (like readers do) since you had written it. I'm happy to hear that you do. :)

[Alysa]

Hey Shannon! Just jumping in now that I'm back from vacation. I'm definitely game for more of this! :D

I'm wondering: do you keep a journal? Obviously you write your character's stories (especially journal-ish with Book of a Thousand Days) so I wanted to know if you write your own, or your kids'.

[Dr. Sallie N. Cheinsteen]

I love checking your website each day for new info on Princess Academy - I'm definitely game for more. Can you tell us the exact date that Palace of Stone is coming out? As for what I thought would happen at the end, I wasn't sure. It kept me reading until three in the morning to find out. That sure is a sign of a good book. :)

[Perri]

If you had the choice of marrying the prince or staying on the mountain, which one would you choose? Just curious, because Miri wrestled with that the whole book and it seems like a very tough choice to me.

[Alison]

If writing is a mental illness, I've got it too, so no worries there! I really love all these posts, it's been a while since I've read Princess Academy (can I just say, I adore the song before chapter 11...I love the image it creates). I am SO EXCITED for Palace of Stone, you have no idea. So many books in series I like are coming out in the near future, it's killing me to wait! And I understand about characters seeming to do things on their own too. Sometimes, it just pops in your head and you know it's right for that character :)

[Rin Isilee]

I adored the scene when Peder left the hawk! As for the question of writing novels being a form of mental illness...I read this quote somewhere that said "Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." I don't remember who said it, though, but being a writer myself, I find it amusing.

[Averie]

I loved this entire chapter, especially the diplomacy scene!! It just made me so proud of the girls, that they were so organized and mature, and made a change for the better. I think Olana was both genuinely surprised that the girls trapped her so easily, and slightly pleased, but I also think that she knew she had lost and needed to keep a little pride! And I always loved how Peder knew Miri so well as to predict that she would be at the window, and the first to see the hawk! :)

[H.P.]

If being a novelist is an illness, it's an illness that makes you a genius.

[H.P.]

Are you going to write a sequel to Palace of Stone?

[Heather]

I don't like Katar at this point at all. She just annoys me.

I love the rules of Diplomacy. I think we could all learn a bit from those. I love seeing how the girls take what they are learning and apply it. Education is a wonderful thing.

I think Olana was both impressed and pleased with the girls AND bested. I think she acted more pleased than she really was in order to save face, but at the same time I think she was impressed and probably proud of herself for teaching the girls. Any teacher would have to be happy to see that their work at teaching has paid off. I think she was probably at least a little irritated that they used what they had learned on her.

Peder and the hawk is so lovely. My daughter often comments on how characters in her writing "want" to do things or do things that surprise her or she didn't expect. She, too feels like some things she makes up weren't made up by her, but instead simply done by the character. I've thought she was a little strange to say stuff like that, but I guess not. Or else you are both strange. At least she has good company ;-P

I took the poll. I chose that she'd be chosen by the prince and reject it. I was kind of thinking that at this point the first time I read it.

I'm so happy you are doing this. PA is such a lovely story and these insights and discussion is really fun. I am for sure still game for the next 2 1/2 weeks!

[Rebekah]

I love every scene with Peder and Miri! Also when I first read PA I remember having conflicting feelings about whether Miri would want the prince or want the mountain more. The main issue was "of course she'll go for Peder, not the prince" against "but she's the main character, she has to get the prince" but I loved the ending like anything. Miri made the right choice. The other thing is I'd like to know when Palace of Stone will be available here in New Zealand?

[Rebekah]

And yes, I'm loving these posts! I've never commented before but I can't wait for more juicy facts on PA. And I hope The Goose Girl will be the next book you blog through! Tis my favorite book for many, many different reasons. :)