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Keep Alive the Memory  by Celeritas 5 Review(s)
Kara's AuntyReviewed Chapter: 12 on 1/4/2009
Hello Celeritas,

nice to see Kira recovering. Daffodil's an empty-headed bit of fluff, though! She was weak, and in her weakness she betrayed her friend - but Kira has a big heart, I suppose, and that's why she offers her forgiveness.

What are the dreams symbolic of though, I wonder. And Daffodil appeared to be surprised that the pages of the book were ruined...

M ;)

Author Reply: Daffodil was even fluffier the first drafts of the story. Now I prefer to think that she's just hoping Kira will go back to pre-book Kira and deluding herself with a bit of wishful thinking.

Generally speaking the dreams are a heightened form of whatever is going on in Kira's mind. They'll continue and progress throughout the tale so that you can keep track of them and read into them whatever you want.

I don't think Daffodil had really thought about what would happen to the book, not really thought about it that is. So she's more surprised that something like that has changed so drastically even though she wasn't there. I imagine after she got help and saw Kira almost drowned they hustled her off the scene so she wouldn't be any more traumatized.

VirtuellaReviewed Chapter: 12 on 12/17/2008
Hmmm, somehow I don't think lace-making will really be the solution. ;-) But it will be a good distraction for a while.

It was a nice touch that the aunt says "It’s not the end of the Shire" rather than "the end of the world" - showing yet again how narrow-minded most of these hobbits are.

Author Reply: Nope, you can't get over the loss of the Book with distractions alone, but it's a nice thought.

Excellent; I love hobbit idiom!

Agape4GondorReviewed Chapter: 12 on 12/16/2008
Yikes!

I really, really could not forgive Daf so easily - I really couldn't - this little one is a much better person than I....

Though perhaps she does not REALLY understand what was lost........

Author Reply: Well, if it helps you feel better, Kira hasn't forgiven Daffodil quite to the extent that she says she has... it's a case of "fake it till you make it" and whether it works or not will become evident next chapter.

I think Kira understands what was lost as much as anyone who's 16 and only just come into education can. And if she understood any more it'd hurt so much harder that I really couldn't wish that on her.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 12 on 12/8/2008
Poor Kira!

Oh dear, I think I start off every review that way! But heaven preserve us from well-meaning relatives who don't understand. Her aunt and her mother love her and wish her well, but their idea of what's good for her is not necessarily what's *good* for her.

Haven't we all had to put up with that from time to time?

But I'm beginning to think there is more significance to her dreams than just her experiences with the Red Book.

Author Reply: Well, I fate hasn't been very nice to her, honestly. And yes, well-meaning relatives can be very, very difficult at times. Hopefully things will get easier again if she can get through the winter in one piece.

The dreams are a fascinating subject, especially taken in conjunction with what normally passes for out-of-the-ordinary dreams, visions, etc., in Tolkien. If Kira hadn't gone through the madness of losing the book, she probably wouldn't have gotten them. But what exactly she dreams of, now and in the future, I can't say at the moment...

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 12 on 12/8/2008
The doctor is right, of course--she needs to read now that she's learned. And Frodo needs to be remembered within the Shire. And she needs not to give into the darkness, but to bring more light to the Shire through her own writing.

Glad she's learning a new craft.

Author Reply: Of course he's right, but Kira's feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

The problem with remembering and not giving into the darkness is that to Kira right now they're mutually exclusive, because she hasn't yet realized that it's possible to remember and move on. And the will not to forget is stronger in her right now, especially with the book's loss, than the will to continually fight. She's in for a rough ride, I'm afraid.

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