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: Mom Sturmvarous

[lightningnettle.livejournal.com]

I got the impression from Anevka teasing Tarvek about buttoning his shoes together that she was at least three years older than he; quite possibly up to ten years older.

But, yes, the implication that he had no-one to love him at all, even secretly, made my heart go ouch when he said that. No wonder he bonded so strongly to little Gil when they were boys on CW.

Re: Mom Sturmvarous

[hippogrif]

It's probably worth noting that for much of the "modern" era the aristocracy largely put their kids in the hands of nurses, governesses, tutors, etc. Which may explain a lot.

That said...

First, yes: Anevak reads as decidedly the elder to me.

Second: every new detail we learn about Tarvek's family and home environment is less reassuring than the last. One thing worth considering if if Mama Sturmvoraus might not have "needed killing," much as Aaronev did...and why.

If nothing else there's every sign Tarvek really did love the original Anevka...and at least some suggestion that the original was pretty scary in her own right, if mecha-Anevka is any reflection of the original at all. If she and Von Pinn were the best Tarvek was ever offered, that's a sad backstory. Live on Castle Wulfenbach, the society of the School kids, and friendship with Gil must have seemed like heaven in comparison--and being tossed out would be a truly Satanic "fall."

One of the reasons I keep hoping against hope they give Tarvek a reasonably happy future is that they've given him such a brutally UNhappy past, and a pretty ragged present. I'd love to see him make it to safe harbor.

One wonders if the reason Tarvek's entirely unshocked by Mama's death is because at the time he saw Anevka as the "protecting angel," acting to save herself (and by extension Tarvek) from someone even worse than Aaronev.

Re: Mom Sturmvarous

[lightningnettle.livejournal.com]

I would guess that many of those nurses, tutors etc. did give their young charges at least some affection; it's hard not to love little kids. So it's tough on Tarvek that none of his did (were allowed to?).

Interesting idea that he may have seen Anevka as a "protecting angel"; not a particularly loving one though. Perhaps that's another reason he worked so hard to save her, protect her.

Agatha will do her best to give him a happy future, not necessarily the one he most desires with her; but she has real affection for him and she would be a mama bear to protect him from harm. Plus, the Foglios *like* their characters and have created an optimistic world, I think he will have a good future, they just don't want to give anything away yet. I will continue to trust them.