Beth’s Reviews > Cast in Silence > Status Update

This part of the story is well-presented, but neither the details of Kaylin's past it's showing us, nor what it's telling us about her character, are surprising at all. I'll get into this more in my review, if I remember to.

This part has been affecting in places, but I also feel like it would be even more so, if handled in a less dramatic and overt way. There are also a couple of characters hanging around who have no part to play in the proceedings, and are basically dead weight. (happens frequently, especially with Severn.)

Finally made it past the "halfway hump" on one of the many books I was partway through eye-reading!

It really is almost comical how much of a non-entity Severn is in these books. Same with Nightshade, who is more chatty (a very low bar), but only because he is a source of info dumps. I fear that neither of their relationships with Kaylin will ever move beyond subtext or reading between the lines.

A few lines around page 200 hit my heart. Usually it's just the last few paragraphs of these books that do that, so that's nice.

Tallying the raised brows, cringes, etc., is slowing my progress through this book enough to be discouraging, so I may drop it soon. In the meantime, here's our tally.
Raised brow (or both): 32
Said quietly/softly: 29
Grimace or grimaced: 19
Said nothing: 12

Certain words are used so often, they're obtrusive. Raised brows. Characters saying things quietly or softly. I even started a tally on paper to prove I'm not imagining things...

Maybe reading brain has decided that I should just take a break 'til next year. In the meantime, I'll read two chapters of everything on my bookshelf, I guess.

A new verbal tic starting in this book (that I've noticed) is all the characters Kaylin talks to, calling Severn "her corporal." Cute. This is also the first time that I've noticed Barrani eyes changing color due to mood in the main series. (It is well established in the first Wolves of Elantra book.)