Gorgeous photo by @klaudia.k_bookish!
Happy Tuesday, fairies!
Welcome to day two of our readalong of The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart! Yesterday left us with quite the handful of questions about where our characters are heading, so let’s dive back in and see what they’re up to now!
Today we’ll be covering section two of our readalong, chapters 12 – 23…Let’s do this!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart from chapter 12 to the end of Chapter 23. Please only read on if you have finished reading this section!
–!SPOILERS!–
It doesn’t take too long for Hakara to land herself in trouble again, as she’s swiftly taken by the Unanointed and blackmailed into working with them. Their aim is to steal god gems and use the aether within them to restore their own land, creating a loophole between the current inhospitable land and the restoration.
Meanwhile, we learn more about Sheuan and her family’s fall from grace as she sneaks her way into an event – and rapidly gets a reality check from the Sovereign once caught. I don’t know about you, but I almost held my breath hoping she’d somehow get away with it! But alas, her sneaking skills leave something to be desired.
Much like Hakara, Sheuan finds herself blackmailed into a journey she didn’t ask for, being offered the trade minister position to find out why the restored realms stopped their trade. She can claim sanctuary for 30 days to grant safety on her journey – but the countdown is looming! Will she manage it in time?
Snapping back to Hakara’s journey, she’s learning more about the gems, each of them granting a different ability through the aether and explaining what happened to her arms in the sinkhole. This is a world where everyone is after any advantage, and so it’s not long before we see her bonded to Utricht. Can you imagine it, having your abilities heightened when bonded like that? It must be such a bizarre experience! But it’s one Hakara takes in her stride, winning Thassir over and helping heist a corestone in the process.
Rasha, on the other hand, is wavering in her godkiller trials after being confronted with a (just about) living God, not knowing whether to help or finish the job. It’s a grim scene, and we see just how terrifying Kluehnn can be as he literally devours the other Gods. I’m starting to wonder if Rasha has gotten herself in too deep? Though she seems to be holding her own!
To end the section we have Mull testing his filters against the second aerocline, and the God Nioanen preparing to face war. It’s an ominous place to leave them, and danger looms in the distance…
We’re definitely gearing up to something big, but what could that be? What will happen when everyone reaches the end of their journeys?
Thassir seems reluctant to help if not for the cats – why?
Do you think we’ll see the reunion of Hakara and Rasha?
Let me know down below, and I’ll meet you back here tomorrow for round 3!
Love,
Ashleigh
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That was an explosion of characters and plotlines, but I start to understand the world and how it works. At the beginning I only wanted to know about Hakara and Rasha but Sheun and Mull won me over too.
I still need to place Nionaen, which I don’t know where it lands.
I’m dreading a confrontation or at least an opposite site for the sisters as they are fighting for different goals, though their ultimate goal is always reuniting. Rasha is harsher than I thought, she holds herself up a lot better than expected being she has been taken care of all her life.
It’s already proving to be quite the tricky situation eh? It’s hard to know how they can all align, but I suppose that’s part of the intrigue!
“Oh, to be one of Thassir’s cats.” Same, Hakara, same. I’m very intrigued by Thassir’s backstory and have no idea why he was so reluctant to help.
I agree that Rasha is much tougher than she gives herself credit for. That scene with Kluehnn eating the other gods was petrifying! And when he made her forget… wow. I’m lowkey getting Marvel vibes with the corestones being Infinity Stones and Kluehnn being Thanos 😂
The tension is really ramping up – I’m scared that we’re headed for a big destructive showdown between everyone. I’m also dreading the Rasha and Hakara reunion, knowing they’ll be on opposite sides. Can’t wait to read more!
There are some characters getting more and more interesting! I’m very excited about Sheuan, she sounds like a very cool person and has become one of my favourite.
And Thassir, him I like. And his cats! How adorable.
I kind of feel bad for the old gods and wish they weren’t all killed. I kind of hope Nioanen is alive there somewhere! They feel like the good guys. The young god said they were helping the people left alone by Kluehnn.
Also I was wishing that Hakara had found Sheuan and they went together over, I think they would be a good pair!