Squeetus summer book club: Princess Academy, chapter 17

Chapter 17

Though the river is milk

It stops dead in my throat

Like a stone, stone, stone

pg 199, "Surely there was some other place for her": Miri needs something to make her special, something (being a princess perhaps?) that gives her a place, a reason, something to contribute. I think we all do. Even young children. It's interesting in large families to see how children will claim a certain role--the funny one, the smart one, the good one, the baby, etc.--even though those labels can be limiting and sometimes just wrong. I wonder how we can allow ourselves and each other to be someone special, and also to be more than one thing. (more on that in Palace of Stone)

Pg 201, Miri waves: Even though we know a main character pretty well 200 pages in, it's important to keep learning new things. This is a simple act yet I think it's revealing of Miri's character. Would you have guessed she'd wave cheekily at the prince's carriage? Would you have done it?

"The prince had suddenly become a real person with a height and an age and hair color": For so long he was just "the prince." Slowly his character is revealed. At this point, what kind of a person are you expecting he will be?

Britta's sickness, pg 204: When I was in high school, I participated in the Homecoming queen pageant. At my school, each club and organization nominated a girl, and then we did an interview with the judges and then performed a talent at an evening assembly. (I wrote and read a poem--I was very dramatic...) The first night I did well and made the final ten. Then the next day we did it all over again. I got a little sick and nerves brought it on so fast, by the evening I was barely conscious. The interview was a nightmare, I couldn't remember the questions after they'd asked them. I remember lying on the floor backstage when someone told me I was supposed to be on stage. I stumbled on, forgetting all my props. Of course I didn't make the top royalty. Now it seems strange to me that I was a part of the competition at all. But I thought about this experience when I was writing about Britta's illness.

Esa's arm: Whenever I have a newborn (or two) I think often what it would be like to only have use of one arm. It's hard, very limiting. I was writing Princess Academy when I had my first child. Trying to open jars and make meals while holding a newborn was tricky. Those thoughts led to Esa's disability. And not just Esa. In my current novel, my main character was born with one arm. (still rewriting that one but hoping to make Fall '13 release.)

Sorry I'm out of time again! Tomorrow I promise to get to your questions. Feel free to ask more.

Comments

[Claire Gerland]

That's an interesting point about kids trying to claim their own special role. When I was small I was the good one the one no one had to worry about.

[Isobel]

I liked that cheeky wave--I think it's something a lot people wish they could do, but don't, you know?

When you start writing a book, I guess you don't know your character extremely well. In later drafts, when you get really familiar with the character and are editing with that in mind, is there a temptation to put the whole character out there right away?

[Tess]

I know I would make a cheeky wave. I do things like that all the time and my friends are so embarrassed by it. Haha! I really want to hear more about this new book...

[Heather]

I would totally do that cheeky wave. Part of that is because the Prince still seemed like some distant random person. I was not surprised Miri waved like that.

I totally was shocked by Esa not having use of her arm. I had totally forgotten about that. It made me think of how hard it would be to not have an arm. I'm always amazed at people who have lost or were born without a limb and all they are able to accomplish.

[Katie]

Yay! New book!

[Genevieve Ford]

Did you see this list on NPR.org? Goose Girl is on it.
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/157111862/young-adult-fiction-finalists

[Sheri]

Love your comment about page 199. My family wasn't all that large (3 kids) and my younger sister was about 3 years younger. But we still participated in labeling and self-labeling and as I grew older I realized that siblings use it as a way to avoid competition. At least that's my opionion. My sister lived music and I lived books. I was known as the "smart" one and my sister as the "singer". The irony is that my sister loved books also, was just as smart as me and is a far better writer. I love music and am as good or better than my sister at singing. But I left that alone so that she could have a place that belonged completely to her. I'm 30 now and our relationship is a lot more messy and a lot more truthful, but I noticed that the "finding a place" spills over even into our group of friends. "The crafty" girl; the "loudmouth"; the "good hostess"; the "mom" and so on. I think falling into these places seems easier for women than possible competition.

[True Religion outlet]

Support, write your article is good!

[Michaela]

I am so excited for the new book to come out! I was so exctied i even put it on my calendar!! I can't wait to read it and find out what happens!!!

[Michaela]

Shannon, I just wanted to let you know that you are one of my heros! I never really liked writing, until one day when my aunt Marthe gave me your book Princess Academy for my birthday. I read the back and wasn't to excited to read it so I told myself that I would read it when school was over, or I didn't have any other books to read. Sure enough the time came. I picked up the book, and started reading. The first few pages got me excited to read the book. I read it the whole day. When I finally finished, I decided that what I wasnted to do was become a writer and write anamzing book just like you. This past year for school, one of our assignments was to write a childrens book. When the time came to pick who we wanted to dedicate our book to, I gave it lots of thought. Most of my friends said," Well there is one option that I know all of us are going to choose. Our parents! Why else would we choose someone else other then our family?" The next day when we had decided who we were going to dedicate it to, our teacher went around the classroom and asked each and everyone of us who we were dedicating our books to. When my teacher finally got to me she asked me," Michaela, who are you dedicating your book to?" I told her," I would like to dedicate my book to Shannon Hale, whos magnificent books have inspired me to become a writer." When we were all done, I was the only person in my class who had dedicated their book to someone other then their family.
You are such an inspiration to me! Please keep writing wonderful books! I enjoy reading them so much!