Discussion thread for Agatha H. and the Clockwork Princess. Beware, Here There be SPOILERS

[hippogrif]

Welcome.

This is a thread for discussing the Girl Genius novelization Agatha H. and the Clockwork Princess, as well as all Girl Genius in general. The subject matter is the property of Phil and Kaja Foglio.

No spoilers are required in this thread. The assumption is you've read the material already. That is why this thread exists--to provide a place for people to talk without having to try to avoid giving away secrets.

I own this account. If you're rude or a jackass, I will delete your post. If you're debating in good faith and not annoying the natives, I won't. If people really can't behave, I'll delete the whole fershlugginer thread.

Have fun. Talk at will. If you don't want spoilers, run away now.

Hippogrif.

Comments

Re: Agatha and Sexuality

[hippogrif]

Hmmm. I felt that they ended up writing Agatha as quite honestly infatuated with Lars...enough so that if he'd made a move she'd have been quite besotted, at least until she either found he wasn't able to keep up with her, or simply matured out of it. But that while it was happening it was quite deep.

But I also felt they wrote at least some of it as, yes, Lars being a non-Father playing the role of Dashing Lord and Spark Bill Heterodyne, love's young dream for the Heterodyne Story fangirl, barring the few who fell for Barry or Klaus, or who were oriented such that they fell for Lucrezia. She was in love with the role and the play as much as with the actor who played opposite her.

(Laughs) Now THAT would be interesting: to find out which "character" she was mushy about in the original books and novels she read all unknowing. If it was either of the two boys she's got to be making some radical changes in her existing fantasy life, poor girl.

So near as I can recall, she just sort of overall likes Gil, when she doesn't want to kill him. I do remember she does find his touch all tingly. Well, who wouldn't, after all! (LOL) With Tarvek voice is a definite specific, though: yes, his voice hots her out for sure, and no, I don't recall that Gil's does.

I was interested that Tarvek was established for sure as liking music, being a musician himself, and having such a fine ear he could actually hear a difference between her own heterodyning and that of the dingbots. That more than made up for their inability to draw a possible heterodyne "note" in the scene between Tarvek and Vielchen: they found a way to establish a similar sensitivity without the visuals. Which makes me think it is indeed important: they made certain they wouldn't lose it.

Gil gets kisses. Tarvek, however, gets hugs, embraces, leaning...and where many who read the comic saw her failing to react, in the book it was clear she and he were both aware, and both reacted strongly...if with control and restraint. There's no question but that there's something there.

I, too, regret Gil having gotten no dating in while in Paris--though it does suggest that if Lucrezia is right about Tarvek, we're dealing with three virgins, all lacking much experience. Even more I want to know what Gil felt he was up to in Paris: it really intrigues me that Klaus was out of the loop, and it really intrigues me that from the description it was definitely not all Zola-escapades. I'm currently inclined to think Gil was being a Gentleman Adventurer! Ho yes, to quote our Jaeger friends! XD

Yes, in a book they could make Lu naked and flagrant about it. They did a better job of showing her cleverness, and how dangerous she was this time, too. And they established that while Tarvek is definitely attracted to Agatha, he's just as clearly repelled by Lu-in-Agatha. Getting the body without the original occupant would not appeal to him at all, as written, which is a great relief--and lends credence to his later claim in the comic that he can indeed tell when it's Lu and when it's Agatha... at least he can if he's given time.

I tend to see Gil as the first great hit of attraction, but they're separated before she can explore that. Then Lars is the first big high school crush, and that again is ended before they can explore further. Tarvek's the slower-blooming relationship, and he's a quieter, more complicated attraction: something she has to grow in to. But then Gil's back, and the poor girl's caught between two "perfectly good suitors." They ARE both perfectly good suitors, and she responds to both...but they're different, her reactions are different, and the ultimate outcomes would be different.

Assuming Tarvek gets to survive, I'm very curious if and wen they'll finally give those two at least one real kiss/make-out. My sense is that she's going to be allowed a true growing-up, and to truly explore both options, which would explain why in the comic they made sure that after Gil's Big Goodbye Kiss they made good and sure to establish that the UST is still there and strong between Agatha and Tarvek...it's something they have to explore someday.

Re: Agatha and Sexuality

[claudeng]

She obviously finds Tarvek comforting, and I'm pretty sure uses that exact word in the novel. Gil is exciting, an adventure, but that's a bit scary. Tarvek is comforting, which is plenty seductive in its own way, but might not be as exciting. (A gross over-simplification, I'm sure)

I'm crossing my fingers that Tarvek gets a "you're alive!" kiss when Agatha sees him again, although depending on the circumstances I could definitely imagine plenty of other reactions. It should be interesting and informative.

Re: Agatha and Sexuality

[hippogrif]

(Chuckle) Yes. Comforting. Also tingly. I tend to read this and think that Gil's your first ride on a roller coaster, assuming you like roller coasters. Tarvek's your first ride on a gondola at midnight on the canals in Venice.

Re: Agatha and Sexuality

[hippogrif]

Here's the thing: they're definitely writing two distinct relationships with the two boys. She's actually better at communicating with Tarvek: they fight less, talk more, and seem to understand each other better. She turns to Tarvek when she wants comfort or reassurance. The novel does make it clear she also finds him not just cute, but sexy...but it's a dark chocolate thing, not a brass band: seductive and lower key than Gil's Big Brass Band effect on her.

Gil's sexy, fun to work with and fight with, charming, maddening, fascinating, confusing. She and he love to spark together, that's really clear. They're the two hot-heads, they're both inclined to action. He's a sunshine lover: if Tarvek's smoke and candlelight, Gil's rainbows and parades.

If Tarvek and Agatha do get that kiss, I am not sure how either will react to it...and frankly, from what I think I see, his "best" kiss may prove to be something slow, sexy and quiet when they're neither of them under too much other pressure.

I felt a little for the poor boy when he was talking to Violetta after The Great Kiss. It nearly melted his glasses... and he felt he had nothing to offer that could top it.

That does make me tend to think Lu is right about his lack of experience, and feel strongly that he still thinks Gil's got more practice in than he really does. It sounds too much like an inexperienced and insecure young man who figures he's just not in the same ballpark: between sensing that Agatha's more interested in Gil, and fearing he's not nothing to match his rival's abilities, he's counting himself out of the running.