Something unprecedented has happened. I like this chapter.
Well, the first half, anyway.
Now, my enjoyment of this chapter won't stop me from mocking it and pointing out the flaws. But for the first time since I started this book, this is affectionate mocking. The prose is mediocre, and there's still plenty to roll your eyes at, but I'm willing to overlook those flaws.
Why? Because this chapter is actually interesting.
For once, characters are in actual danger. It introduces plot elements I actually care about, including a new antagonist. It also has characters being pro-active. Naturally, Tookie is not the focus.
No one cares about her. Get to the good part.
I'm pretty sure steel can't rot. Corrode and rust, sure. But that's different from rotting.
A group approaches the sign, which marks where the Diabolical Divide begins.
We are (awkwardly) introduced to the group. We have:
- A girl named Jessamine from LaDorno and her mother, Meena.
- A limping woman in her forties named Lynne.
- Our resident anti-shaving comic relief, Abigail Goode, and her mother Harriet. (And yes the hairy/Harriet pun is pointed out by the text. Ugh.)
- A character that gets introduced with some prose that has casual Fantastic Racism.
Yay! We finally get a description of a LeGizzârd aside from "yellow-eyed" savages. The LeGizzârd man is ugly and misshapen. In spite of not doing anything yet, this makes him obviously evil.
Jessamine shows that she is a jerk by saying that men only go on this pilgrimage if they are "die-hard and desperate Bestosterone wannabees, like those dumb architects were."
Wait . . . are they talking about the Bestosterone architects that are in Modelland currently? Because it would actually be kind of cool if those guys had been badass enough to get through the Diabolical Divide without help. (Although that might raise some Unfortunate Implications about none of the girls/women who go into the Divide surviving.)
The group is described as victims of the Pilgrim's Plague, the "madness" that causes desperate people to try and get to Modelland through the deadly Diabolical Divide. They spend time checking their gear and ensuring that they have enough supplies while they wait for their guide.
The journey is said to be several months. I have no clue if that's because of the Divide being that big, the mountain being that hard to climb, or Tyra being really bad at math.
Their guide arrives. He is a professional Raider named Macy Kamata.
Miasma? As in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles miasma? Because I would have killed to have pills to keep that stuff from hurting me instead of that dumb Moogle carting around my crystal chalice.
Kamata then injects a booster shot into his butt, and has everyone else take one as well. Kamata assures the group that he's the best Raider that money can buy, although he makes no guarantees about their safety or lives.
I like this guy.
He then insists on them paying him. Lynne (the woman with a limp) is tearful, because the money is her entire life's savings. Jessamine is a jerk to the poor disabled woman.
I have a feeling Jessamine and Zarpessa would get along really well. And I am now happy that Jessamine is on a suicidal quest.
They are prepared to leave when two more people arrive, carting a ton of supplies (night-vision goggles, a fold-up tent, lanterns, and some other things).
Those two people? Creamy and Myrracle.
He gives the two some pills and boosters. Creamy then insists that Bellissima also gets a shot. Kamata shrugs and does so, figuring that as long as she's paying, he doesn't really care.
Kamata asks if they're ready to go.
Looks like Creamy has gone off the deep end. Which . . . well, it's pretty in character. She was pretty darn neurotic and had hints of being not quite right before. Now, it's just more blatant. I really like this development. (I'm a horrible person.)
The group starts on their journey.
I can't wait to see what kind of dangers there are. And we've got a chance of that the LeGizzârd gentleman betraying the group. We've had all kinds of hints about how dangerous this place is, and now we finally get to see it.
DAMMIT BOOK! You were just getting good! Don't go back to Tookie. She's boring.
And this is why I added the disclaimed about only liking the first half of the chapter. The narrative has to switch back to Tookie and ruin the whole thing.
;_;
Tookie writes a letter to Creamy.
Yep. We get a time skip to avoid writing actual character growth. This is lazy writing at its finest. It is incredibly frustrating that after half a book, the first time that Tookie gets any real development is during a three month time skip.
I love how Tookie just flat out calls Creamy and Zarpessa evil. What happened to taking the high road, Tookie?
Tookie tells her that she's planning on working her hardest and succeeding in Modelland. Shame we couldn't SEE her become determined to succeed instead of just dreading failure.
She then says that she knows that Creamy once loved her.
What the heck? What happened to being determined to succeed?
The chapter then ends. I guess we're supposed to be impressed by her confronting her mother with this letter, but I am completely unimpressed by the character growth since it wasn't shown.
Like I said, I do really like the first half of the chapter, in spite of its flaws. Creamy's insanity, the introduction of a mysterious villain who might actually be dangerous, and the potential of death for this group create some real tension and make me actually want to know what happens to them.* This should have happened much sooner.
But the second half is the same old stuff we'd been getting from the rest of the book. Oh, well. At least we’ve had a scene that actually advances the plot. Maybe the pacing will pick up now.
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