Books With Boo Podcast

Tower of Dawn Part 1 | Episode 28

JD

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0:00 | 58:32

WARNING: THIS PODCAST HAS SPOILERS

Join us for our version of book club as we dive into different books and tasty libations every Thursday!

This week we dive into Part 1 of Tower of Dawn by SJM with a special guest boo, Heather!

Tower of Dawn is the sixth book in Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series, focusing on Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq's journey to the Southern Continent to seek healing for Chaol and forge an alliance against the looming war, while introducing healer Yrene Towers and exploring new world-building in the city of Antica.

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SPEAKER_02

What's up, everybody? Hey Dee Dee. I'm here back again, but only for a couple seconds. So uh they're doing another which one is this?

SPEAKER_03

Tower of Dawn.

SPEAKER_02

Tower of Dawn. So I won't be here, thankfully. Uh but I will introduce the beer real quick if that's cool.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

So today we're gonna be drinking a Kolsch from Notch Brewing. Um, it's a clone style Golden L, 4.5%. And it was brewed and canned in Burlington, Vermont, in Salem, Massachusetts. Ooh. So that's kind of exciting.

SPEAKER_01

That was very exciting. We may have to get some for October.

SPEAKER_02

I know.

SPEAKER_01

Spooky vibes.

SPEAKER_03

That would be fun. Yes, please. Here. While he's pouring it, I will say this is Tower of Dawn part one. So only Tower of Dawn part one. And yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And Boo didn't have a word.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, Boo doesn't have a word. I gave her one. Patience.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I forgot a word, and uh, we'll just go with Heather's. She'll tell you why.

SPEAKER_01

We have to taste the beer first. Oh, thanks, Boo.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Cheers.

SPEAKER_02

Smells nice. Looks nice. Good clarity.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, it tastes good.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's nice and light.

SPEAKER_01

It's very light.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, very good.

SPEAKER_01

Not hoppy, not too hoppy.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. I got a little bit, but it's the normal bit. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um okay. Well, I did my part. You guys, you guys have fun. Thanks.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, tell us why you said patience.

SPEAKER_01

Well, this full disclosure, this is my least favorite book in this series because of how we finished Empire of Storms. And like it's a cliffhanger. You're like, okay, next book. We're gonna pick it up, and it's gonna be we're like, we're gonna go find Aylen and we're gonna kick butt and we're gonna win. Hopefully, fingers crossed, like, what's gonna happen? And it's like, K all. And it's like, what?

SPEAKER_03

That's how I felt. Like, because I read these as it came out, and I told you that earlier, but I read them as they came out, and um, I was so upset I had to wait basically two and a half years for the instead of just like one. Um, but now that it's been years and I can look at it with a different perspective of like I know what happens throughout the whole series. Um I can give it a little grace, even though it's still not my favorite. Yes. Yeah, we'll we can get into that later.

SPEAKER_01

But I'll give it a little grace, having read all of it. Yes, not to give like spoilers or anything, I can give it a little grace. Um, I was talking to my friend V. Um, she said I can use initial, but not name. Um, and we were talking about it because it's her least favorite book too. And she's like, I tell people to skip to the end. Oh, really? She's like, yeah, like I tell people the same thing. Like, this is one of the books you either audiobook or I will actually give spoilers for and be like, you at least have to read these chapters. Because I'm like, I'm not gonna give everything away, but I'll give you like plot points until you need to pick up in this specific part in part two.

SPEAKER_03

See, that kind of like I get it, but that kind of breaks my heart.

SPEAKER_01

I don't normally do that either.

SPEAKER_03

I know you never do that. Um, because like he he's not my favorite, and I was the devil devil's advocate for him when JD was doing these books with me. Yes. Um, but I will say that his growth, Kale's gross, gross growth, salad boy's growth is very, it's very good to see and how hard he is on himself. Like in chapter one, it he literally sees himself as the lord of nothing, the lord of lies, the low lord of oath breakers. Like he really hates himself in this.

SPEAKER_01

He does. And like, not having been here for the previous books, like he was very punchable, yes, very punchable. And even how we left him before we got to this book and everything. He was like, I pitied him, don't get me wrong. Like, he had this injury, and he does say, I don't remember which chapter I do have it written down of how he tells Irene he ran. Like he says he was a coward and like he's feeling that. And this this it's a pity party for part one. Yes, it is of him until a certain point, but it's just a pity party.

SPEAKER_03

I think it gets it gets start to get good when Irene is chased slash stalked the second time. Yes, sorry. So he still bothers the old lady. And she kind of snips at him sometimes. But sorry, where was I?

SPEAKER_01

Um how punchable it I said it was a pity party for him, yes.

SPEAKER_03

Um the devil advocate part, what I had told JD, um, I'm probably gonna get it wrong how I said it, but out of all the characters, he is the most human, literally and figuratively. Quite literally, yes. So him being faced with all these magical things, um, the fee, magic, being scared for people like him. Um I can see in a way how his thought process was going when he was very punchable, because I agree, he was very punchable. He was very punchable. But um, as the devil's advocate for that, he did apologize to Aileen after she fought Manon. Yes. And he realized I've been an ass, basically. Yeah. Um, and then you see it more in this, and how he sees something and he's like, oh, Ailen would have gotten a kick out of this, or Dorian would have loved this party. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

I love the little like, oh, like Aitn would love this, Dorian would have loved this party, or like Aitlin would have like conquered all this real quick, or like it would have loved this and everything. Yeah. I love the little like comparisons in that sense that we see in part one. I will say before we move on, I love the descriptions throughout this part one because it's a completely different continent and everything. And even in chapter one, how he's describing the wheels squeaking on the floor of his chair. I will say I was a little petty because when I first read this, like I was still like, KO's punchable, and I'm mad that we're have a book of all the characters to get a standalone book. It's him. Um, mind you, this was when I first read it, not having big picture. I was like, I one of the first things I thought of was the Taylor Swift lyric where she says, like, no, go stand in the corner, think about what you've done. It's like, okay, now go stand there. Sit there.

SPEAKER_03

That's kind of what is happening, other than he has to bring an army back with him.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's like it's like, oh, go fix yourself. Go fix yourself and think about what you've done.

SPEAKER_03

It's funny that you said that because I said my first thing I wanted to talk about was that the world building of the southern southern continent is so beautiful. And heck, just in chapter nine, when Ureen's in the womb for the first time, which are the hot springs beneath the torre.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Her describing the water, hitting the bells, hitting making the dinging sound while you're in the water, you're not supposed to talk in there. Oh it just sounded so beautiful and relaxing.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, even the colors that they're using to describe everything, like in chapter one when they're describing the palace as there being the murals, the murals and everything. And he even said, um, what could have been if it hadn't been ruled, Ardalin, haven't been ruled by a demon king hell bent on turning this world into a feast for his hordes. Yeah. Yeah, because it could have been beautiful, it could have been beautiful because it was like so it's it's a culture shock for him. Oh, yeah. Not for Nesrin as much, because obviously this is her home. Yeah, but very much for Kaol.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah. And it it's it's really cool to see.

SPEAKER_01

Did you get your ear? I'm I was petting her like this, and she got her ear. Do you have a shore?

SPEAKER_03

She's been itching where she has a bug bite. And she has a little scab there right now. So if she hits it wrong, she will yelp.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

She'll scratch at it and then be curly. So pathetic.

SPEAKER_00

So pathetic.

SPEAKER_03

Um but um, yeah, the womb just beautiful to me. And Nessaran, when she first her one of her first chapters, she was like, There are two parts of me, the captain of the guard and someone that's coming home. And then her ride with Sartak, she is just in the air for the first time, and she's like, This is breath. Or and then she's like, I can't understand why my father left this. Yeah. And then her describing that layout of her aunt and uncle's house. It's like, I'm gonna live there.

SPEAKER_01

Well, in the way I looked at it, this is her terracin. Yeah. This is this is what it is for her. Um, I do want to call out before we really go into that, because in chapter two, when they uh first are introduced to how do you pronounce it? The Emperor. Uh, the Coggin.

SPEAKER_03

Coggin. Okay. I'm probably saying it wrong, but we still put respect on the name. Yeah, all the names.

SPEAKER_01

All the names, because there were a lot of characters and a lot of different words introduced in this book.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, like I heard I've heard like someone listening to the audiobook and they say caution, but I'm like, Cash in.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and I'm like, yeah, so it's not a U T I O N there. Um Aylen having a plan to bring gold and jewels to him.

SPEAKER_03

It's so funny. She's like, here, take my two trunks and then divide it into four smaller trunks so it looks like you're getting more, and then give it to him. I don't want this anyway. It's from when I was an assassin. Yep. And then it's funny because the Coggin, he was like, I don't need that money. And then he drops the bomb, like, because you might need it because Ardalen fell or yeah, Rifthold fell. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, which was very shitty of him to drop that knowledge the way he did it.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but he's also basically saying, I'm in charge here, and um, I know more than you because you've been at sea, and I don't need you, you need me.

SPEAKER_01

Which is true.

SPEAKER_03

We we very much need him and his armies, but like also he's in mourning for his youngest daughter.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but I would think mourning would be have him a little bit more empathetic of like they are possibly in mourning too because they left loved ones behind and don't know.

SPEAKER_03

Oh yeah, and then Nessrin after that, she's just like she's in shock. Yeah, she won't wear the guard uniform after that either. She's like, no, I'm I I can't, I'm worried about my family.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and there is no guard. No, no, it all fell, it all fell.

SPEAKER_03

Gosh, at least Dorian got out, and at least they heard that, and then she later heard from her aunt and uncle that her family got out, yes.

SPEAKER_01

And Sartalk is very much like, I will tell my spies to I know, and I was like, he might be my favorite character in this book, Sartuk. Him and Ureen are tied from you. Yeah, I could see that.

SPEAKER_03

I like how she just like when she first met Kale, she was just all like she was sassy, she was very sassy, and then when she left, it had just had been no answers to what she was asking him. But I like how I do like how Kale caught in that moment that um she's from Finharo. Something happened to her. Yeah. That's why accent. Yeah, he caught it by her accent. And like he knew right away something happened to her, and that's why she was so closed off because they were both from Arderland.

SPEAKER_00

Yep. Yeah. What else you got?

SPEAKER_03

Um so I don't have a lot for this book, so we'll just get into it. Because this is just part one. Um but Kale's transformation um from detesting the sound of the wheels in chapter one to the saddle, he told Ureen, he said, Please do not give me this hope and let it crumble. Yeah. So that really shows how much he was like mentally suffering about his body being useless because he used to love to ride. Yeah. And then it went on to, and that was chapter 11, and then chapter 14. He it was mortifying for him to accept saddle help. Chapter 15. Ureen feels his anger after the lesson with the acolytes and um he basically said, I was handled. I I was just a prop. Yeah, basically, I'm more than a prop. And um she has so many bug butts. I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_01

No, you're fine.

SPEAKER_03

And then in chapter 16, his toes move, and then chapter 19. Um Kale hadn't told Nestarin about her to his toes.

SPEAKER_01

Well, we should get but into that after this, but Oh yes, I have thoughts about that whole relationship. I have notes and thoughts.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and then uh chapter 23. That is basically when um she's healing him, and this was after he she asked about the scar on his head and that he got that from his dad, and when she's healing him, um, his bad memories are ripped away by a happy memory of her past, which was her mother and her in the garden. Right. And she opens or he opens his eyes to fuel his entire foot and um she had seen basically pieces of his memories and he had seen hers. So they're both kind of healing each other as she's healing him. Yes. Because after she had that memory of her mom in her garden, she said, I forgot the sound of her voice. Yes. I started forgetting what she looked like. Uh-huh. So, in a way, they're both healing very, very similarly. And then um he sees Sheen's hand in chapter 26.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, I have that written down as well.

SPEAKER_03

It take and Sheen had said it had taken him long to get there, but he didn't get there alone. And then after Ureen's last attack, she tells Cashin that she feels safe here, aka with Kale. And then the next morning he goes to the palace captain to be trained with his men, and then he continues to go back day after day.

SPEAKER_01

Day after day. And that's how that part one ends. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But throughout his whole healing process in part one, you see him closed off, and then as she opens up to him, he opens up, even though half of it's from the healing. Yes. And then after that, he sees Sheen, and then Ureen's attacked again. Again. And I think seeing Sheen and himself and his situation, like he's he's still a guard. Yeah. He's doing fine. And then with Ureen having that faith in him, that's what when he was like, I can turn this around, it'll be okay.

SPEAKER_01

It'll be okay. Yeah. Well, and I think we talked about this in Empire of Storms. One of the big themes of this whole entire series is hope. Yeah. And he was very stubborn. Part of why he's punchable because he was so not focused on hope in the previous books. And now that he needs hope, he's getting little by little. And even the healer on high, she was like, Youren, this is this is a test for you as well. Yeah. Because she has emotional damage, just like Kao has emotional damage, that they both need to heal in order to grow and physically heal in that sense. So even in chapter nine, uh, Ureen hears you must enter where you fear to tread. And it's like this is somewhere that she fears. But even after that second attack, when she tells uh Kashim that she's safer with uh she feels safe. She feels safe. The fact that she's safe with a man from the country that she hates is massive in the sense of both of them healing and trusting each other. And I think in that scene when the thing is pounding on the door, calling her name, and they look at each other, and he's like, We're doing this together.

SPEAKER_03

That was what I was gonna say next. It's the together he looked her and he he put down his sword. Yeah. And he was like, Together. And she was like, I've not felt I've only felt alone, and right now I feel like I could do this because we're together. Yes. And it it really did, that moment really did mean a lot to her. Even though she was terrified.

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely, but he was also doing what her mother did for her. Yep, that too. He was willing to do that. He wasn't actually, yeah. He was willing to sacrifice himself like her mother did for her to escape. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Even though he knew if that thing, the valve, got in there, he knew he was gonna die. Oh, absolutely. But he had no problem if he died. He just wanted her to get out.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03

So a little bit of points for Kale there.

SPEAKER_01

Sniff. He's less punchable after that.

SPEAKER_03

But can we see how creepy that description was of the valve like at the door?

SPEAKER_01

Did you notice how it changed? What do you mean? So in the library, it was a stalking gate. It was clicking. There was a clicking sound to it. And then in the palace, it had a stalking gate footsteps to it. So it almost makes me wonder how what it transformed or host it changed to, potentially.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Well, maybe it was something else before what we know happens in part two. Potentially. If you haven't read that, you will read this. Maybe it's that.

SPEAKER_01

Potentially. Yeah. But it was just I when I was reading it, I was like, wait, it was clicking before. Unless it was like doing something, silence in their steps somehow and like tapping slash clicking something as it was stalking her.

SPEAKER_03

That could be it because she thought it was the bastards. Yes. Like, and possibly them going after a mouse.

SPEAKER_01

But the clicking, and then it became footsteps. And it was very interesting how um she also heard a voice, and how many of our other characters heard a voice.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. And she was like, she was like for a second, like what? What? Yeah. But then she heard it was I think Silba's voice, and then she heard her mother's voice.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, because she was like, Who's talking to me? And then her mom was like, run.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I know that part, but the creep that whole scene though, it's just creepy how it breaks down the door, and then all you hear is a man-woman voice. Like a non is a non-gender voice, yeah. And it's like, you're read. Yeah. And it's ugh.

SPEAKER_01

I almost pictured like a broken serie where it's like just saying that over and over again.

SPEAKER_03

It's like a monster movie.

SPEAKER_01

It is a monster movie. I mean, they are monsters, but the fact of how Nessarin has been hunting and hunting and hunting, and she hasn't found. First of all, she knows what she's supposed to be hunting for. Oh, yeah. She knows the places to look, put of because of everything that happened. She hasn't found even a little piece of dust of flag and everything like that.

SPEAKER_03

It makes you wonder what's different about this valve.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. That went from the tour to the palace. What happened?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but I know we find out on part two.

SPEAKER_01

We can't discuss that yet.

SPEAKER_03

I know, but it's it's cool how like it's not cool because what's happened to the character sucks, but like just seeing the difference between how assured Nessarin was hunting dog in Rifthold, to this where she's like, I can't find anything. Which is like and out of all the people, I'd want her behind me looking for this. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01

Like if it's not Ailen, it's her. I know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Nestorin's pretty cool, cool. Other than Lysandra, she's cool too.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_03

Um speaking of Nessaran, one thing I really liked is when her and Sartak were alone, they would talk about stories and living legends. And in chapter 25, they're on the way to his hearth mother's home, and uh he asks her about the tales of herself, and she says, No one has any stories about me. And then he says, Not even the story about the arrow that cut that saved a shapeshifter's life, the impossible shot fired from a rooftop. Like, heck yeah. And then she's basically called Neith's arrow. Yes, and that's a goddess of archery and the hunt.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Like, heck yeah, go, Nesrin. I was so excited about that because I think one of the things that we also need to discuss is um kind of what you mentioned earlier. Nesrin is also really the only other human in this group. So she, like Sartak said, is surrounded by living legends. And then she's like, I'm just a human. I'm not gonna have stories about me.

SPEAKER_03

Well, it's funny too, because well, it's not funny, but like how she grew up, she was teased, she was always put down, and then she had to work so hard to become a guard, and then all of a sudden, she's a living legend herself from one shot. Yeah, but she is a badass.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean, like, yes, very much a badass. She's one of my favorite characters.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. She, I mean, all these women in this such badasses, yeah, yes. But Nestoran, she's so underrated, and it's so cool to see her be propelled among those legends. Yes. Because she is that great, but she doesn't see it.

SPEAKER_01

No. But the fact that a prince knows the story, knows the story, and like, wait a second, I have a story, and I'm compared to a goddess of archery. Let's talk about that for a second.

SPEAKER_03

It's well, I just like as the story goes on, you see her more and more like being able to do stuff like that too.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and I wrote it down um in chapter 24. Okay. And this kind of alludes to what I want to talk about eventually of Nessaron and Kale's relationship. Um, her choosing herself, having her adventure in her homeland, yeah, channeling her inner ailen and Manon is how I took that. Because she's like, No, I've been a captain of the guard, I've been bullied, I've done this and I've fought, and I've fought, and I fought. And here's this fork in the road where I actually have a choice, not what's required of me to be able to get to this status or get to this, but I have a choice to have an adventure before I have to really shit hits the fan and really have to fight. I'm gonna choose the adventure.

SPEAKER_03

And I like how she what was it? Like, I hold you to no promises. Yes. That was the note, because she knew that Kale felt guilty about the party the night before. So he wanted to talk to her in the bed because he is a man of honor and he's gonna hold man of honor and he's gonna hold be there for Nestorin.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Even though do we want to talk about that? Fallen, sure, even though he's fallen for urine.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I wanted to smack the both of them in the back of the head because it was just seriously a lack of a communic like a lack of a conversation throughout 24 chapters.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Like, hey, I'm not feeling this anymore. Let's just be friends. It's not that hard. It could have the note could have been written like when they were on the freaking boot before chapter one. No, but it does add a level of tension and it shows what type of character Ureen is, where she's like, Oh, very like, oh crap. Like I'm Yeah, she you are with Nessarin.

SPEAKER_01

I'm not going to and interfere with that and everything, which is yes, it alludes to her character, but I'd like I felt bad for Nessarin because even at the beginning of chapter 24, after like Nessar and spent the night in KL's bed, they just literally fell asleep. Obviously, Irene saw that, didn't know what to make of it, blah, blah, blah. Because KL, of course, sleeps naked, and all she saw was shirtless man, low riding sheet, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. Um, but she starts it off with she knows she's a replacement for not one woman, but two, and now potentially a three third third. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Because it was what was her name in Thrown Glass, the ex that slept with Roland. And then Aylin.

SPEAKER_01

And now, yeah. Yeah. I wanted to just smack. Yeah. Because it's like, no woman should ever feel that way, eh?

SPEAKER_03

Oh no. But she is being shown she is a legend by Sartec.

SPEAKER_01

And then later boom chicka wow. Yeah. Boom chick-a-wow.

SPEAKER_03

And she's being put like in a higher regard because he's like, I'll look, I'll tell my people to look out for your family.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I'll, hey, you have a story about you too. Hey, um, oh gosh, I can't even think right now. But the way he talks to her is just like you're capable. Yeah. Like he sees her as capable, but her own person too. Yes. So yeah, Star Tech. We I like him.

SPEAKER_01

Well, even he even said in chapter 24 when he was like, Oh, I didn't think you'd be up here before I left. Because I would have spent all day in bed with you, basically, is what he said.

SPEAKER_03

And I was like, hello. Hello. Well, it's funny. Stop trying to play footsie with me. I'll play footsie with you, boo.

SPEAKER_00

Joking.

SPEAKER_03

Um, but I really like seeing their story progress in part two. Um, so maybe part two spoilers for us.

SPEAKER_01

Well, they could just be friends, they could just be friends, but no, it was just very frustrating to see the Kaol and Nestrin tiptoeing around, just break up already, breaking up. And like, even they hadn't done anything on the ship. Like they mentioned a couple of times, like Nesrin tried to kiss him or something, and he turned her away.

SPEAKER_03

Well, because he was feeling inadequate as a man because he was in the chair. I get that.

SPEAKER_01

I get that.

SPEAKER_03

But when he kissed her in the room, he said he felt nothing.

SPEAKER_01

And how many times? Yeah, I think he said that two or three times.

SPEAKER_00

And it's like, if you feel nothing, yeah, he didn't even tell her his toes were moving.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. And he knows that would have made her day because she was so worried about him. And like, hello, hope is a big thing. Yeah. Give her a little bit of hope. She's already dealing with the stress about her family.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. And like there needs to be hope in the sense of we don't know if these armies are gonna ally with us. Yeah. If the second part of our mission is that you're healed so you can fight, hello, we need to have this little bit of hope.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Oh no. It's he tries, but he's he's he's a stupid man. He's a very stupid man. Let's put it that way. Like it's the you just want to shake him.

SPEAKER_00

You just want to slap him across the head.

SPEAKER_03

Come on, open your eyes. Come on. Oh man.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

We talked about that. So, one thing in chapter 16, Kale's getting healed, and he's thinking about Irene or Urine and um then how the healers had been some of the king's first victims. Yes. Even after the initial purge. So that's a great foreshadowing thing.

SPEAKER_01

Just a little bit. Just a little bit. Can't we can't say anything on that because I would give away so much.

SPEAKER_03

What about chapter 21? Skullsbait info to Hassar.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Hassar needs to be her own little topic, but I do think that KL, they weren't Ailen, also doesn't share her planes with anybody, but also how would he the heck he would know? I know. But we already read everything that happened in Skull's Bay.

SPEAKER_03

So it was a very good guess. Yeah. I mean, if you were thinking normally, yeah, it's a great guess. But then how I like how Ureen was telling him in code that, hey, Hassara wants me to spy for her. Yes. And blah, blah, blah. Can you give me a location for your other friend? And then he's like, she'll never go to Skull's Bay. Skull's Bay. And then it's just so funny to me that she goes to Skull's Bay.

SPEAKER_01

I forget what uh we're gonna have to, I'm gonna have to make a note to revisit this when we talk about part two of how it lines up, if it's mentioned in part two, like of if how Hassar looks up Skull's Bay, of like if she gets information, how it lines up of how it happened in Empire of Storms.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, it it shows up in part two.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I was like, I forget how though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're not gonna talk about that until part two, but um the fact that Ureen is also like, I like my friend Hassar, but she's asking me to spy on you is also the level of trust in KL even before the attack and everything.

SPEAKER_03

There was one part where she was like, she decided to trust him. I forgot what chapter it was, but she literally said she decided to trust him. Um I don't know when, but at some point. It was after the fight or the class with the acolytes, I think. Oh yes, yes, yes. Sometime after then.

SPEAKER_01

But I know which one you're talking about. It's um I think it's chapter 16, chapter 17. Probably. Around there.

SPEAKER_03

Probably. But so she does say she decides to trust him. But she also like knows how Hussar is. Yes. Like sh they she was the first woman or the first person, just person, to make her laugh when she arrived to the southern continent. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Like But Hussar is definitely a shit stir for sure.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, she's definitely her own person and she's used to getting what she wants.

SPEAKER_01

She's a princess. What else did you expect?

SPEAKER_03

But um I do Do you want to say anything else about her?

SPEAKER_01

She irked me because it was just like irked me a couple times in the chapter because she's like, You're my friend, but also if you don't do this, I may stop you from leaving. Yeah, I may do this to you. And I'm like, that's not a friendship.

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_01

And I just want to be like, decide, are you gonna be a princess or are you gonna be her friend? Are you gonna be a princess or are you gonna be her friend?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's it's tough because it's like she knows she can go either way. Yes. And she uses whatever side to her advantage because she knows she can.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and there's even one point where Ureen went to her rooms. Um, it was after the fight, and I put that in quotation marks, but it's after Nessarin leaves and Kayle receives the note, and like Ureen's pushing, like, what's wrong? What's wrong?

SPEAKER_05

He's like, get out, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And uh Ureen goes to Hassar's room, and Hassar's like, oh, Nessarin left, and blah blah blah. And Ureen's like, um, you can see how Hassar's like, let's hang out, basically. And Irene's like, nope, don't want to be here, and like leaves. And it's like you can see the the walls, the boundaries. Boundaries is a better word. Yeah. The boundaries with some of the actions that are beating as she did with Kasheen. Well, Casheen's a whole different thing.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but we don't really get that story till part two. But yes, she has boundaries up, she won't interact with him because something he likes her too much.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and I would agree that I if I were to marry a prince with the potential of my offspring then being beheaded and killed.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, it's not happening. Not happening.

SPEAKER_01

If I had two choices and that was one of them, I'm going with choice B. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But I do like how Cashin went to Kale to sh uh get him to share any outsider views he may have. I did like that. Um, because he doesn't think Tumulin's death was an accident or self-inflicted. He thought that someone did it to her.

SPEAKER_01

Agreed. When I first read it, I before reading part two, obviously not knowing everything that happens in part two, I was like, is this grief potentially clouding? Like, are you not accepting, you know? But it is good to have an outsider perspective, especially everything that's going on. Yeah. And being in a whole different world, not knowing what to look for.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah. Well, also the fact that just being in a whole different world. Um friend Kale and Nesran both saying we shouldn't have come here after hearing about Rifthold to Ureen finding the Song of Beginnings, the Lway book, with the illustrations of the King three Val Kings and an infested man, and then the word marks and scroll, and Kale's like, I know what these are. Yeah. So it's like, yeah, you should have gone there. So maybe that's why they're this book was made.

SPEAKER_01

Potentially. And like when I first read that, I was like, I know what those are. When she was like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

I was like, I know. Well, it's funny, even their head librarian didn't know what it was, and she knows a lot. I I kind of like the head librarian because she's like, Don't mess these up.

SPEAKER_01

Don't mess these up. As she as they shove them in a boot. Yeah. Oh.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. One thing. Yeah. Whenever Urina is feeling a certain way, or her emotions are high, she sticks her hand in her pocket to hold the note. Aileen's note. The world needs more healers.

SPEAKER_00

We don't know it's Aileen's note yet. Uh-huh. She's mentioned it. Right? Not until part two. Not until part two. I thought. I thought she mentioned it.

SPEAKER_03

I could have sworn. No, it's not until part two. Hold on. Hold on. Are you just gonna look it up? Yeah. Are you looking it up?

SPEAKER_01

I could have sworn she mentioned it in part one. It's a note from a like person, but she doesn't drop the name.

SPEAKER_03

No, but we know from Assassin's Blade.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, okay, okay, okay. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I was like, I was going off of part two, not Assassin's Blade.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, reading Assassin's Blade. Okay. We know that Selena, spoilers, Selena wrote the note, which is Ailen. And then Ailen had basically given her the note because she was in Assassin's Blade as Selena. Yes. Okay. I was going. In chapter four of Tower of Dawn, Ureen mentions the note that the stranger gave her. Yes. And then in part two, spoiler. Which we will later talk about. That's when she finds out it's Ailen because Kale recognizes the handwriting.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so I wasn't going off of Assassin's Blade. I was going off of part two of Tower of Dawn. Okay, so sorry. Yes, in chapter four. I was like, no, we don't know this yet.

SPEAKER_03

Oh see, right here. Page 52.

SPEAKER_05

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Urene had never learned where the young woman had come from. Who had bestowed the beating that had left lingering bruises on her pretty face, but she had spoken of Ardilin as Ureen did, as all the children who had lost everything to Ardoline did. Those children with their kingdoms left in ash and blood and ruin. Urine ran a thumb over the note, the words inked there. For wherever you need to go, and then some. The world needs more healers.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. Which we found out in Assassin's Blade.

SPEAKER_03

To be fair, this is not your favorite book. So membering stuff as much as you do the other stuff probably doesn't work.

SPEAKER_01

I was like, no, it just works. It happens in chapter part two. It does. Sorry for that 10-minute squirrel. Pausing and looking up in, anyways. Yeah. I love that. At least you're having me question myself. I was like, no. We only know that in chapter or part two. Part two. I wasn't thinking assassin's plane at all.

SPEAKER_03

Because I was like, well, my wording probably didn't help, however, I said it.

SPEAKER_01

Well, you were like, aliens, no. And I was like, yeah, it's aliens no, but we don't find out. Yeah. See, that's why I said aliens no.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you said it in a good way. I just wasn't thinking assassin's blade.

SPEAKER_03

So I did not say it in a good way.

SPEAKER_01

I well, you could have added an Assassin's Blade, and I would have been like, yes. Yes. See? Um, listen, you you know how I devour books. My friends who are listening know Same how I devour books. It took me a week to get through 28 chapters.

unknown

Girl.

SPEAKER_00

I wish I had a week.

SPEAKER_01

JD and I were reading a different book last week. I know. But like for how much I read and it took me a week to get through 28 chapters. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Well, last night I was falling asleep on the couch and I had two chapters left.

SPEAKER_01

Oh.

SPEAKER_03

And I was like, fuck. Screw it. I'll just read it during lunch.

SPEAKER_01

I looked at Joe and I was like, I really need you to entertain Hondo because I have three chapters left.

SPEAKER_03

But literally, my notes, I have the red. That's all my notes for this. And then last time my notes were so beautiful. And no, hold on. Last time my notes were these.

SPEAKER_00

So done, done, done. Beautiful. Way more. We will strive to do better in part two.

SPEAKER_03

Part two, a lot more happens.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah, we've got a lot.

SPEAKER_03

Well, do you want to say anything else?

SPEAKER_01

Yes. Okay. I've got some things to call out.

SPEAKER_03

Call it out.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, hold on. Considering this is my least favorite, I've got some things to call out. Um okay. Do do do do do. So Ureen is one of my favorite um characters. And we talked about in Empire of Storms that there are a lot of parallel stories that are happening in these books. Yes. So it's very interesting that 10 years ago, Ureen's mother died while she fled, and who else's mother died while Elede and Lady Marion.

SPEAKER_03

Well, Ailen, but Ailen and Lady Marion.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. So it almost makes me wonder, and this is what I thought of rereading. Um I almost wonder if a lead could have been like Ureen if she didn't fall into her uncle's clutches, if like not necessarily a healer, but like guided a little bit better and had more of a stronger.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you can look at it that way. But also if you think about who was saved, it was Aileen who was saved, and it was Ureen who was saved. Yes. And later in Kingdom of Ash, that's very big. We see why they were both saved.

SPEAKER_01

But very big.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, if we see a lead growing. So imagine if she had 10 years to grow like that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. It could she could have been a completely different person.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, but I like who she grows into eventually.

SPEAKER_01

I do too.

SPEAKER_03

It's gentle but strong.

SPEAKER_01

It is very gentle but strong. But I I called that out. I was like, oh, another mother died, so another daughter could flee. Um very it's very sad. Uh the pissing contest that happened with Kashim and Kale. I don't know how Kaol, um, in chapter seven over Ure.

SPEAKER_03

Um it's the it's the at the dinner. Territory claimed. It's the territory claimed. And that's when Kale was like, I want nothing to do with her other than to heal me.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. And it's not even at the like when the the dinner without the parents and everything. And it's like, causine was being that guy when he was like, you all know that guy I'm talking about of like, oh, I'm gonna talk about this extra loud to try to get your attention. And like the girl's just completely ignoring, and like he's like, Oh, I'm gonna talk about this because I know it interests you extra loud, and it's just like, dude. Get the picture.

SPEAKER_03

It's good because he seems like a good guy, other than some toxic traits.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. There are some toxic traits in there. And I'm like, I get it, you're a prince, but also. Calm down. Calm down. Um I do want to say, I think part of Kaol's and Ureen's emotional healing started actually in chapter eight.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And I I say that because uh I believe it's Kaol that said, there are choices in my past that I have come to regret, but I can only move on and attempt to fix them. Fight to make sure that they do not happen again. And Ureen reassures him that she can he can do that from the chair.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. It's like you're still you.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

You're just not as mobile.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. Um, and then in an instance, she took a defensive stance.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And I was like, does that remind you of someone?

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and she even continues to say, she says, it is the right thing to do with all I have been granted, uh, all the kindness thrown my way.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Uh doesn't get charged, she doesn't charge for service.

SPEAKER_01

She doesn't charge for services, even like the classes that she teaches, the self-defense classes.

SPEAKER_03

None of them charge. It's like, why charge for something that was given to me for free when I can return the favor?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly. And it makes sense.

SPEAKER_03

I mean it was beautiful how that was written.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it was very beautiful. Of just like, this was a gift given to me, and my gift heals. So why would I charge to heal? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

And then her going into the slums after their fight.

SPEAKER_01

Fight. And she's like, no, I need to heal. I need to heal. Like she needed that. Like it was like a release. It it was almost like she has this power, almost like Ailen siphons off her power of like needing to get rid of some. Almost like that is what I in a way. Yeah. Um, I do want to go back and talk about that one quote I said from chapter nine. You must enter where you fear to tread.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

It was said to Urine.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

But I think all of our characters are facing that.

SPEAKER_03

They are. And some are more vocal about it.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Than others, like Aiden. Yes. Um Manon with a cro- Yeah, Manon uh with a crock ends, and then Aileen with Maeve, and then Erewan eventually. Um Rowan with himself.

SPEAKER_01

Rowan with himself, and then without Ailen. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

It's it's it's a lot.

SPEAKER_01

Everyone is. But like the fact that it took my least favorite book to sum up like what everyone is doing at the conclusion of Empire of Storms. Yeah. That's what each character is doing.

SPEAKER_03

That's why I think this is an important book to read, even if it ends up not being your favorite.

SPEAKER_01

I do wish they were just like, and I said this to her before we started, either like chapters. Make Empire of Storms longer and interweave chapters.

SPEAKER_03

Like, look at the size.

SPEAKER_01

Well, yeah, like just look at that, please.

SPEAKER_03

Like this it's my favorite book. That could have been the same size.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Or only uh do something like J.K. Rowling did with uh Deathly Hollows of like part one, part two. Like I would have been okay with that of like it's too long.

SPEAKER_03

Well, that was just for the movie though, right?

SPEAKER_01

Uh yeah. That I think that was yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But like something Yeah, do a part one, part two.

SPEAKER_01

Where like, yeah, it would have been a different book, but it would have still would have been interwoven of what's happening in Empire of Storms.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I think everyone, I think it makes it more impactful though, if you read it book by book and you just want to know what happens to Aileen, you know?

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Even though it sucks.

SPEAKER_01

I know because it's just like well, you read it as like you said, as it came out, and you were like, what is going on with Aylen? I need to know.

SPEAKER_03

It was a bit of a disappointment when it first came out because I wanted to know. And I had already waited for it to be written and published, and then I had to wait for another book to be written and published. Yeah. But my sister-in-law, when she first read these, I told her the internet said to tandem read them. Yeah. Because I'm sure it would lessen that impact. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And I did not tandem read them the first time.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. I read them just through. And so she did that. And then she told me I kind of am not happy I tandem read because I kind of wanted that emotional impact.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

And I'm like, I get that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I get that. I didn't tandem read the first time I read it because I was like, I want to read it how it came out. And then I went back and I tandem read it.

SPEAKER_03

See, I think that's smart. Like, when you first start a series, do it how it's published. Yes. And then as soon as you do that, if you ever reread it, do it however you want.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. So well, and I'm the way I can comprehend some of my books, like I and some people are gonna be like, you can't do that. Send me a book I've read and I can I can pick up a book that I've read repeatedly and pick up at a chapter, like in the middle of the book, or I can go and like remember a scene and search on my Kindle app and be like, I like this scene. I just want to specifically read this scene and everything, and like remember what had happened before, and maybe read a couple pages ahead and be like, oh yeah, this is what was leading up to it, and da da da dum.

SPEAKER_03

So that's cool though, that you could do that. Like it's my comprehensive skills. I feel like a lot of like I I could do that, but in my mind, I have to start from the beginning again and again and again.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know why I just have to if I'm completely rereading, yes. But like for some of my comfort books where I'm like, I'm feeling this. I need to watch your favorite movie or show. I sometimes fast forward to certain scenes in my comfort stuff because why? Because I need that, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's perfect, exactly.

SPEAKER_03

It's like watching that like Harry Potter series every year. It's on the TV. Sometimes I'm like, oh, I don't need to watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Stone. I'm going straight to the Deathly Hollows or something because or the one where they do the game.

SPEAKER_01

Number four.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, thank you. Goblet of Fire. Thank you. Like I know what happens in the previous ones, so I I see how that works for you too.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, because it's just like I need that comfort. Yeah, I do for all the movies. I will say just a little squirrel moment and we'll go back to uh Tower of Dawn for Christmas time. I do cue up all the different Christmas scenes in Harry Potter given. Like I love all the Christmas scenes.

SPEAKER_03

I know the Christmas sweater shoes and scenes are so cute.

SPEAKER_01

They are, they are. And who doesn't love Christmas? Well, yeah, some people don't, I know. Um chapter 11. One of the other things that we've talked about is um how there are some similarities, and like uh there are things that are described in similarity in characters. So in chapter 11, Kao is describing Irene, okay, a woman made of steel and crackling embers. Heat indeed flared beneath her palm as she slid it up the column of his spine.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, when I read that, I was immediately thinking, Ailen, Ailen.

SPEAKER_01

I was thinking that too. And then in chapter 19, I was like, how interesting that she needs a restorative sleep. Ailen, Ailen, Ailen. When uh when her powers need to be replenished. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So And that goes back to both of them being saved by a mother figure.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. And I know that's different power, like it's different type of magic and different and everything, but it's they're both super strong. They're both super strong. It's just very interesting how even though it's viewed as a different magic, it is still the same in the sense of being described that way and a form of light because fire and this golden light. And they they need a nap.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, they need a nap. Well, also the fact that uh in a way they're both heirs. Yes. Because she's the heir apparent to her visa, um, even though she pleans to leave.

SPEAKER_01

A lot of these chapters were very much the day in, day out of urine healing and urine healing kale. She did push him in the sense of she called him out of like, nope, we're doing this. You're not gonna go in your head. This is you're not gonna be stubborn and everything like that. He did have a lot of his pity parties by himself, which I liked because even though he was slowly getting rid of throwing himself pity parties, it was just very frustrating to see because it was like you kind of brought this on yourself, and you have to do this emotional healing and get out of your own head. And that's when Sheen was like, when he saw his metal handout, was like, thank you.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I know. About time you showed up, Sheen.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, thank you. Um, I want to talk about the tour real quick. Okay, because in chapter 25, and we've talked about the mass verse, how it interweaves. Yeah. I don't think we've read anything that could allude to where the tour came from in other Massverse books, but it was a gift from an ancient queen to the healer who saved her child's life. Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. I wanted to make sure that was called out because I was like, don't forget about that part two. Yeah. Want to call that out because Mass Verse, you know, interweaving and everything. Um, and I think in chapter 28, we both said it was the end of part one. Chapter 28 is the end of part one, and we both said that that's when KL was like, okay, I have my ish together as much as it's gonna be together for the moment, and I'm gonna, I'm going to get my life together. I'm going to fight this emotionally and physically. And I liked how he admitted I was given enough and I squandered it.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. See, this is where I feel like the book picks up because he actually admits more to himself.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

This is who I am as a person.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

This is who I want to be.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, because I think, especially with all that was described and all the flashbacks and all that Eurina seeing, like as she fights it, of like his guards on the gate, of like how he sees Ailen, how he sees Dorian, how he sees the head rolling and everything. Like he saw what he was given and how it was taken. And he squandered it. He took it for granted in that way. And he's like, I'm not gonna let it happen again. And that's after where he went to the guy, and it was very Ailen-esque of how I'm gonna train with you. I'm gonna train with you because, like, we all know Ailen trained in all different areas, but it was very Ailen-esque of he's like, I know this way, but I need to know your way. And they were like, We're doing this in the chair, we're doing outside the chair, like we're figuring this out, we're adapting to where you are now.

SPEAKER_03

And I like that that support that they gave him, yes, even though they did not know him.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. And I think even if it was his guard, they would have done the same. And I think he needed that camaraderie, even though it wasn't his guard, he needed that camaraderie as well.

SPEAKER_03

He did, he really did.

SPEAKER_01

So I did note that uh this was my last note. This part in Chaos Pity Party, um, uh, is with um Nessarine and Irene is through with uh the part one, sorry, uh I can't read my own handwriting. Part one is Chaos Pity Party with Nessarin and Irene and the princes and princes thrown in it, and it had to happen so that we can move on from it.

SPEAKER_05

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And now we're moving on from it and more to come in part two.

SPEAKER_03

I think for this book, part two, it's way better, but you need the information of part one.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. I could have gone without some of the information, but we needed some of the information.

SPEAKER_03

I think a lot of it was the world building too. Yes. We needed that, and it really was written beautifully.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, it was. It very was written very well. I loved how different it was.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, but also it did add a lot to it.

SPEAKER_01

There's a lot of words in there that could have been like, okay, I didn't need to know about this. I did not need to know about this either.

SPEAKER_03

Well, what do you rate part one? Two. And I'm being nice. I'm being nice and saying three.

SPEAKER_01

I was gonna rate 1.5, but I had to round up.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you have just to be nice. I mean, this is my I yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So I'm so sorry, I stopped petting you. How dare you?

SPEAKER_03

I took a video of you.

SPEAKER_01

It's just me petting her.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Hi, Marley. This is my Marley girl.

SPEAKER_03

This is your new thing, isn't it? Making it sure whoever sits in that seat pets you.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

This is my girl.

SPEAKER_03

Next episode is part two of Tower of Dawn. Please let us know what you think of the book if you've read it. Uh, thanks for watching, listening, and hope to see you next time. Yay! Part two.